Can Software Testing Deliver ROI?

Innovation happens at a lightning pace, where software applications must follow suit or risk obsolescence. Consequently, quality assurance (QA) teams face a constant battle to ensure functionality, quality, and speed of release for their digital products. Software testing is critical to deliver in the face of this ever-increasing pressure. However, it is often seen as a burden, a cost center that eats up resources without contributing to revenue.

That perception is now changing. The view of software testing is moving away from being a financial liability to providing substantial cost savings and return on investment (ROI), but only if you use modern methods.

Keysight commissioned Forrester Consulting to analyze the financial impact of adopting AI-augmented test automation for its customers. The report uses anonymous customer data to reveal that organizations can achieve a net present value (NPV) of $4.69 million and an impressive ROI of 162% by leveraging Eggplant Test.

The traditional dilemma: manual versus in-house testing

When most organizations approach software testing, the main focus is reducing costs. They often choose between manual testing or attempting to develop an in-house solution. Upon first inspection, these two options seem budget-friendly. In reality, the actual costs remain hidden until common obstacles result in unforeseen expenses and persistent issues.

Manual testing seems cost-effective on the surface, but human intervention often creates long-term problems. It is slow, which leads to delayed or canceled releases, increasing time-to-market. New features and functionality often remain in the backlog, potentially alienating customers. Critical defects are often missed, only to be discovered in production when remediation costs are much higher.

The other option, in-house testing, can be equally inefficient. Trying to develop and maintain a custom framework is resource-intensive, diverting effort away from more strategic, valuable tasks. Build-it-yourself often lacks flexibility, preventing organizations from being agile and reacting quickly to changing market demands.

So, what if there was another way?

AI-augmented testing: the path to improved ROI

The answer to this dilemma is actually a third option: AI-augmented testing with Eggplant Test. No longer should testing be seen as a process that hemorrhages money. Done in the right way, not only are IT investments secure, but returned value actively increases.

Eggplant Test is a continuous testing solution that blends linear, directed test cases with automated exploratory testing via a model-based approach. Using a model enables teams to scale their testing efforts while facilitating faster, more frequent software releases.

Drawing insight from customers and the real-world benefits Eggplant Test delivers, the Total Economic Impact study demonstrates that software testing can turn from a hindrance into a business enabler.

Now let’s dive into the report’s key findings:

Improved application user productivity

Eggplant Test boosted productivity, creating $4.2 million in savings over three years. Fewer critical defects and issues resulted in more releases, enhancing the user experience because new capabilities and features were deployed. This created an estimated two hours of annual time savings per user.

Increased manual tester productivity

Manual testing productivity soared by 30% to 40%, amounting to $737,000. Execution time for test cases was reduced and operated around the clock, 24 hours a day.

Cost savings from avoided remediations

The number of bugs reaching post-production saw a dramatic drop by 80%, saving organizations $2.5 million by reducing the time developers had to spend fixing bugs.

Reduced tooling costs

Eggplant Test’s ability to perform testing for various operating systems, devices, and applications meant that ineffective tools could be decommissioned, which removed $168,000 in existing licensing costs.

Keysight enables organizations to embrace automated testing that improves application quality, boosts productivity, and enhances customer and employee experiences in today’s dynamic digital landscape. Read the full report.