QA stands for Quality Assurance. QA professionals are responsible for ensuring that software meets expected quality standards throughout the entire software development lifecycle (SDLC).

Like any other IT profession, effective QA requires a specific skill set and expertise. However, in many cases, QA tasks are assigned to any available or underutilized team members—with the assumption that this will improve quality—often leading to poor results.

We often hear the phrase: “Put the right person in the right job.” So here’s the question: Do your QA team members have what it takes to truly be QA professionals?

In this article, I challenge you to reassess whether your QA team is truly fit for the role.

I’m doing QA because I don’t like coding.

  • From my experience, the most common reason people give for choosing QA as a career is: “I don’t like coding,”or “I’m not good at coding.” This isn’t necessarily a bad reason—but it’s not enough.
  • You can’t become a good QA justbecause you don’t like coding. Being a QA requires a solid set of skills, such as:
  • Communication:This is the top skill for any professional. Nothing else matters if you can’t communicate effectively.
  • Software Testing Standards:Whether it’s ISTQB, ISO, or any other standard, a good QA should know how to apply them in practice.
  • Human Literacy:It might sound funny, but it’s true—QAs need to communicate clearly, especially when translating complex IT topics for users or clients.
  • Programming & Scripting:Yes, even QAs need this skill. It helps when analyzing code, communicating with developers, or identifying issues.
  • Automation & AI:To keep up with modern technologies, QAs need to learn automation tools and AI-powered solutions.
  • Impact Analysis & Risk Assessment:QAs must constantly ask, “What could go wrong if…?” This helps define proper test coverage and avoid breaking existing functionality.
  • Analytical Thinking & Data Analysis:For quality improvement, QAs must rely on data—not just gut feelings.
  • Knowledge of Development Methodologies:QAs must understand how QA processes differ across methodologies like Waterfall, Agile, or DevOps. As everyone knows, there is no one-size-fits-all solution.

There are many other skills, but these are the core ones you should look for in your QA team.

QA Mindset: The Most Important First Step

When I look for a QA professional, the first thing I look for is someone who truly “cares” about the quality of their work. This is the key mindset behind achieving real quality.

While “care” is not easy to measure directly, it reveals itself through behavior. Naturally, when someone cares about something, they want it to be the best it can be.

Here are a few behaviors that show whether your QA truly cares about their work:

  • Detail-Oriented:
  • This was the first thing I was taught in QA, and it remains true today. QA is all about the details. “Quality is in the details.” A good QA pays close attention, even to the small aspects others might overlook.
  • Proactive:
  • Because they want the product to be better, great QAs get involved early—during the requirement and design phases—rather than waiting for development to finish. The result? Better outcomes. Finding issues early is always cheaper and more effective than fixing them later.
  • Curious & Critical Thinking:
  • “What will happen if…?” This question keeps coming up for someone who genuinely cares. They constantly explore scenarios to prevent things from going wrong. This mindset saves time, money, and helps manage edge cases and risks effectively.
  • Perseverance:
  • QA is repetitive and demanding. Consistently maintaining high standards takes discipline and dedication. Someone who doesn’t care deeply won’t last long in this role—it’s that simple.
  • Adaptability:
  • In today’s fast-changing world, what works now might be outdated tomorrow. When someone truly values quality, they don’t want their hard work to go to waste. That’s why embracing new tools, standards, and processes is essential for long-term success.

“It’s just testing—anyone can do it.”

This is a dangerous assumption some IT leaders make. They assume that anyone who can use a system can also test it. As a result, QA tasks are often assigned as side duties to whoever has spare time.

This typically leads to two outcomes:

  1. QA becomes a mindless checklist.It’s done mechanically, adding little value.
  2. Testing happens—but ineffectively.This wastes time, money, and resources.

When QA isn’t treated as a core responsibility, improvement becomes impossible. Without ownership or accountability, many projects realize this too late—often paying the price in costly rework and delays.

Quality Assurance isn’t just testing; it’s about embedding quality into every stage of development. It requires expertise and foresight to build safeguards that deliver high standards from start to finish.

If you’ve invested in QA, quality matters to you. Don’t undermine that commitment with carelessness. Do it right.

Conflict of Interest

Even the most honest people can find their integrity tested—and sometimes compromised.”

Unfortunately, this is reality. Even the best QAs—with the right skills and mindset—cannot perform effectively under a conflict of interest.

Imagine choosing between:

  • Delivering a project on time while compromising quality, or
  • Delaying launch to meet quality standards.

Too often, quality is sacrificed for deadlines. In worst-case scenarios, this happens even when lives or safety are at stake.

Organizationally, QA must remain independent. They should not be influenced by project managers, developers, or other teams. Ideally, QA should report directly to the Head of IT or CIO—the executive accountable for overall quality standards.

This structure empowers QA teams to work free from pressure or bias, upholding true quality assurance principles.

Conclusion

In this article, Chakarin covers four critical yet frequently overlooked aspects of QA: Skillset, Mindset, Management Direction, and Organizational Structure. These insights draw from his two decades of professional quality assurance experience.

He hopes this article inspires you to evaluate and enhance your QA team.

As Principal Consultant at Ready, Chakarin helps organizations transform their QA practices through:

  • Comprehensive process assessments
  • Metrics-driven quality frameworks
  • Strategic test automation implementation
  • QA-DevOps integration
For organizations seeking to modernize their testing approach, contact Chakarin at [email protected] to discuss how READY can help you avoid these QA pitfalls.

About Ready

Ready is a consulting agency committed to providing innovative solutions to address operational and technological needs. With a focus on strategy, automation, and enablement, Ready specializes in offering forward-looking solutions for the modern customer. With operations in the United States, Philippines, Australia, and Thailand, and plans to expand further, Ready is set to become a global force in the consulting world.

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