What value does QA bring to game development?
I believe QA Teams bring a huge amount of value to the entire game development process, through their broad range of responsibilities which are essential in shaping a successful game. This is primarily due to QA being integrated with the other teams and disciplines, as they need to engage closely with others to share ideas and feedback with them. They have the opportunity to see where other teams need support and contribute to the studio’s combined efforts.
The role isn’t simply testing of the game to identify issues and pesky bugs! They might get involved with fixing bugs themselves, find the root cause of an issue, communicate with other teams to share the outcome of a report, analyse new features, gather unbiased feedback, create test plans, help with design research, contribute to new content, organise playtests and implement new processes. They help to ensure that the game is user-friendly, intuitive and provides a fun experience.
I think the team’s core contribution is their ability to problem solve and understand what is and what is not working - being able to draw on their understanding of development tools and game features to identify and tackle issues which could potentially affect the progress of other teams. They can ensure everything is on track and help other teams concentrate their efforts where they are needed most.
Their collaboration with different departments, including Designers, Animators, Programmers, Artists, Audio Designers, Producers and more, all result in a streamlined process and helps to highlight issues. The team gets to share their knowledge and experience whilst learning from others who all have unique skills and backgrounds. Collaboration and Communication is a core part of the role, as they can help the wider team foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement, ensuring other teams are able to make informed decisions.
Their role in Quality Assurance and testing, offers insight into the technical aspects of the game - identifying and addressing issues related to gameplay, accessibility, performance and stability, with quick problem-solving abilities, which are essential to the project’s stability and success.
They are essential, as the Development Support team helps improve the overall quality of the game and assists with the entire game’s development process. They enhance collaboration, identify key issues and solutions, improve workflow and ultimately contribute to the successful creation of high-quality games.
