Internet of things is essentially a nexus of devices and networks which facilitates the easy flow of information and exchange of data amongst multiple sources. From common home appliances like the refrigerator and air conditioner to other smart devices like cars and smartphones, IoT has a wide span of the network. All of these devices which are connected to each other are implanted with software and requires electronic connectivity. Additionally, in order for these devices to become a part of the web, they should have access to the internet so that they can interact with each other.
Through the use and application of the Internet of Things, organizations aim to develop a system that collects and stores information from multiple sources on one platform without having to get involved directly in the process. The rapid growth of this phenomenon in the recent years has had a huge impact in the industry as IoT has managed to seep into many industries including, media and entertainment, transportation, agriculture, healthcare, and even infrastructure and energy management. Considering the impact of IoT on the life of the consumers, the adoption of the aspects and features of IoT is unavoidable in the software industry.
The detection and tracking of defects in a typical system are challenging as is, but in an IoT system where a plethora of devices are connected through software, the impact and the complexity of the defects increase tenfold. Once a defect has been found in an IoT system, it not only affects the system from where it originated but also disrupts the entire flow of information and data across other devices. Given that an incessant communication and collaboration between the devices that are a part of the IoT web is required, organizations cannot afford to have a higher defect escape rate or bug leakages.
Therefore, an effective issue tracking tool is indispensable for the organization that is reliant on the IoT systems. With the increase in the number of devices and systems that have to be monitored, the scope and the nature of the projects become more complex which in turn curbs the efficiency and productivity of quality assurance teams. However, issue tracking systems not only equip the testers and developers with the ability to improve the software quality but also reduce the time and effort that is invested in the testing processes.
Issue Tracking System Contribution to Effective Quality Assurance for IoT devices
Traditionally, the testing process with the aim of detecting issues and defects in the application is carried out after the development process, in which an issue is identified, documented, and then handed over to the team leader for verification and validation. It is important for the project managers or leaders to verify the authenticity and credibility of the issue before they assign resources to it, or allocate it to the relevant team members. The defect report is also checked for duplication. In the end, the project manager assigns the issues and defects to the most suitable team member based on their workload capacity, skills, and experience.
Even though all the mentioned steps are pivotal in the testing process, however, they are equally time-consuming and incur significant costs. The entire subsequent process of reporting each bug, documenting it, going through the verification phase, assigning the right resources, and keeping a track of the progress can cause serious delays in the delivery of the project along with mismanagement of human and financial resources. Hence, for an adept defect triage system, it is vital for the project managers to embed and utilize the issue tracking tool from the initial phases of the software development cycle.
Different kinds of software testing tools are used by the QA teams during the development process. Thus, when the issues and bugs are identified at any stage of this process, the issue tracking system should be able to support and seamlessly integrate with the existing tools in order to achieve the best possible results. Especially in an IoT system where there is a network of devices and system interconnected, issue tracking and management tool is required to keep the defects at bay and provide a better platform for communication between different teams. Issue tracking software also has the facility of an open and shared repository that can be accessed by all teams in real-time. Flexible reporting and comprehensive reporting are an important feature of the issue tracking system as well which offers the quality assurance teams better visibility and assists them in the decision-making process as well.
