Juggling in testing with client demands is an ongoing challenge, especially near-release deadlines. 66% of projects face cost overruns, 33% miss schedules—often due to testing surprises (McKinsey). The solution? Align proactively on test plans and priorities. Apply 80/20 risk ranking for maximum impact. Targeted testing is 40% more issue-effective. Automate repetitive tests for 70%+ efficiency boost (IBM). Focus manual efforts on complex cases. When crunch time hits, jointly defer nice-to-haves; limit "launch blockers." Most "critical" bugs have minimal user impact. Balancing quality and client expectations takes strategy and collaboration. Focus on the vital few, automate smartly, make tough calls. What are your experiences and advice?

Testing can’t be an afterthought. It has to be part of the development plan. Starting from the smallest block- a ticket or a PR. Every developer should right their own tests for the changes in their code within the same PR. Integration tests across the board must be added to check system functions on the go after every milestone. Every bug found must also have a unit test added for that specific case. The QA team must be given a couple of weeks to do their job. Which means the development must set an internal deadline one sprint earlier. That way, deciding between making the deadline or testing becomes a non issue. Even if there are some release blocking issues in the queue, the team can rest easy that the rest of the system is working.

First, and foremost, we need to lean on the wisdom of Dr. Steve Brule. In his seminal work, Brule's Rules, Dr. Brule talks about how you can set clear priorities up front, like this interaction he had with Doris Pringle: "Hey, calm your jets, Mrs. Businesspants! I gotta check if the app's got bugs in it! Like the ones in your cereal, ya dingus!" Using tools like this really helps with de-risking software.

Balancing client demands and testing integrity requires clear prioritization and effective communication. I focus on high-risk areas, using automation and shift-left testing to catch issues early. Transparent discussions with clients help align expectations, emphasizing that thorough testing reduces post-release costs. Parallel workflows, like involving clients in UAT, ensure progress while testing continues. If timelines are tight, I always have a rollback or hotfix plan ready. The key is balancing speed with quality to deliver a reliable, client-approved release.

Testing, done well, has its own SDLC within the SDLC of the application(s) it supports. This doesnt happen overnight, nor by accident. But then again, neither did the AUT...Test Early and often. You cant use testing as an Add On at the last minute and get the full value. Embrace the earliest Fail. Be happy it was found in integration, that's about the cheapest fix. Let your integration test become the foundation of the performance test too. Same names mean the same step, function or perf test, automated or manual. Software is built on a tripod of Cost, Coverage and Time. All 3 must be kept in balance. This is the dfference between quality testing and Quality Engineering.

To maintain testing integrity while meeting client demands: 1.Focus on Critical Areas: Prioritize essential features and address high-impact tasks first. 2.Automate Repetitive Tests: Use automation to ensure accuracy and save time. 3.Communicate Expectations: Keep the client informed about priorities and potential risks. Plan for Flexibility: Include buffer time to handle unexpected requests without affecting quality. 4.Continuous Monitoring: Regularly review progress to ensure testing aligns with project goals.

To maintain testing integrity amidst client demands, prioritize critical and high-risk tests, automate wherever possible, and set minimum quality standards. Communicate risks transparently to the client and agree on acceptable trade-offs. Use a risk-based approach, document skipped tests for future cycles, and have a contingency plan (e.g., rollback or patching) to address post-release issues.

For testing integrity you must prioritize automation, risk-based testing, and early security integration. Use tools like SAST and DAST in CI/CD pipelines to identify vulnerabilities early, and shift security left by embedding secure coding practices and threat modeling into development. Optimize testing by parallelizing processes and focusing on high-risk areas, while enforcing policies to block critical vulnerabilities. Communicate trade-offs with clients, adopt incremental releases, and provide transparency through reporting. Leverage automation for efficiency without compromising quality, ensuring a balance between speed, security, and testing integrity throughout the software development lifecycle.

Simple bullets, no excuses # Keep testing a crucial component of deliverables. So, ensure proper time. # Do development testing, but importantly test features as an end-user.