Insight

How we prioritise quality assurance and testing at every stage

Photo of James Paton

James Paton

head of digital product design

February 24, 2025

published

During discovery but mainly from the very first line of code to post-launch support, our QA (Quality Assurance) processes are baked into every phase of the process. This ensures that issues are caught early, user experiences are optimised, and the final product exceeds expectations.

Testing is as important as development in a project lifecycle; it plays a crucial role in ensuring that an end product has no bugs and remains of high quality. This is a complete process that aims not just to find and fix defects but also involves considering the software’s usability from a user's perspective.

That’s why testing and going that extra mile with our quality assurance is integral to every stage of our development journey. They’re not afterthoughts or final steps; they’re the foundation of how we build apps that perform beautifully and leave a lasting impression.

In this blog, we’re pulling back the curtain to show you how we prioritise QA and testing throughout the entire process. From the types of testing we perform to the transparency we offer our partners and the tools we use to track and resolve issues.

 

Quality assurance starts in the Discovery Phase

The discovery phase is the foundational stage where we set the tone for the entire project, laying out clear goals, identifying potential challenges, and building a roadmap to success. By embedding QA into discovery, we ensure that every decision made aligns with delivering a high-quality end product.

During this phase, we identify potential risks by assessing technical complexities and other potential hurdles to proactively address them in the planning stage.

We also define quality benchmarks for the project, i.e. what does success look like for our partner? Collaborating with our partners, we establish clear quality standards and success criteria that guide the project from start to finish.

QA considerations during discovery help us future-proof the app by planning for updates, scalability, and changing market needs.

By prioritising QA in discovery, we create a strong foundation for the development process, minimising the likelihood of costly surprises later and ensuring the app is designed to perform flawlessly from the start.

 

Code reviews: Ensuring quality and consistency

Even before our dedicated Test Analysts get their hands on any features or iterations to test, our developers begin their QA process by conducting rigorous code reviews of each other's code base. Code reviews are a vital part of our development process, serving as a key quality control mechanism to ensure the robustness, readability, and maintainability of the code.

Before any code is integrated into the main project, it undergoes thorough scrutiny by our team who hold each other to an incredibly high standard. This collaborative process not only helps identify bugs early but also promotes consistency and adherence to best practices throughout the project.

developers doing a code review

By involving multiple developers in reviewing each other’s work, we can catch potential issues such as logical errors, security vulnerabilities, and performance bottlenecks that might otherwise go unnoticed during the early stages of quality assurance testing.

In addition to finding bugs, code reviews are an excellent opportunity to share knowledge and improve the skills of the entire team. Our developers learn from each other’s techniques, share insights into different approaches, and refine their coding practices. It’s a crucial step in ensuring that the app is built using the most effective, up-to-date technologies and methodologies.

 

Phased development and quality assurance

Within our process, testing plays an even more important role in development. We develop a product in iterations, with each phase being rigorously tested by our Developers, Test Analysts and UX and UI teams. As part of this, regression testing ensures that new updates don’t introduce issues in previously working functionality. Working in parallel, our developers and QA team collaborate to make sure a phased release is thoroughly tested - both for new features and regressions - before sharing it with our clients for usability testing.

Doing it in phases allows us to identify and address issues as they arise, meaning that bugs are easier and less expensive to fix, saving time and money in the long run.

Phases also help us identify potential risks and bottlenecks at specific stages of development. This allows teams to address these issues proactively, minimising the likelihood of delays during deployment.

 

End-to-end testing on different environments prior to launch

Final end-to-end testing is a critical step in our quality assurance process, ensuring that your app is fully functional and ready for launch. Before your app is made available to the world, we conduct comprehensive end-to-end tests that simulate real-world scenarios, validating every aspect of the app’s performance, functionality, and user experience.

During this phase, we test integrations with external systems, APIs, and third-party services to confirm that everything is working as expected and that there are no broken links or malfunctioning elements. Our testing team rigorously examines the full flow of your app, from start to finish, identifying any issues related to performance, usability, and stability.

We simulate interactions between all components of the app to ensure that it performs optimally in real-world conditions. Whether it’s user registration, transactions, or data syncing, each step is tested under different conditions and environments to ensure a flawless experience when the app is live.

This is where we can spot and resolve any lingering issues before your app hits the market. It’s about more than just ensuring your app works; it’s about delivering a polished, reliable product that reflects the quality and care we put into its creation.

 
partner collaboration

Client visibility and collaboration

We believe in transparency. Throughout the QA process, we provide our partners with clear, actionable insights into testing outcomes. Regular updates, bug-tracking reports, and access to testing tools such as Freshdesk, ensure that you’re informed and involved every step of the way.

App testing is more than just finding bugs; it's about carefully testing how easy usability would be from a user’s point of view. This means that the final product should be what users expect, with comfort and simplicity of interaction being highlighted. By considering these usability aspects during testing, we can achieve the best match between technical needs and user needs and preferences.

Releasing iterations for User Acceptance Testing (UAT) in phases enables us to gather early feedback from stakeholders, partners, or even end-users. This feedback can be integrated into the development process, ensuring that the final product meets real-world needs.

 

Post-launch audits

In the ever-evolving world of app development, staying ahead of updates to operating systems and new devices that are released is crucial to ensuring the continued success and functionality of your app. New OS versions, device releases, and changes to software requirements can all impact how your app performs or behaves.

That’s why our commitment to quality doesn’t end with launch, we offer post-launch audits to ensure your app remains optimised, functional, and compatible with the latest platforms and devices. Our QA team can select new devices and operating systems to run end-to-end testing on your app and preempt issues for users in the future, as more users purchase new devices and update to the latest operating systems.

This continuous process ensures that our partners' apps provide a smooth, consistent experience for users, no matter what device or OS they are using, making them remain future-proof, resilient, and able to adapt.

 

Final thoughts

At The Distance, we believe that quality assurance and testing are the cornerstones of successful app development. From the very first day of working with us, to post-launch support, we embed QA throughout every phase to ensure a seamless and reliable app experience. Our commitment to quality doesn't stop with the launch - we continuously monitor, test, and optimise to meet the ever-evolving needs of your users.

By adopting a phased approach to testing, maintaining transparency with our partners, and prioritising usability, we create apps that not only function flawlessly but also delight users. Our goal is simple: to ensure that your app performs beautifully, exceeds expectations, and delivers lasting value.

 
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