Shift-left testing: thinking about quality from the start

As software complexity grows and customer demands evolve, delivering high-quality products quickly has become essential. One strategy gaining traction in this pursuit is shift-left testing, which emphasizes integrating quality engineering early in the development lifecycle. By testing from the initial stage onward, companies can catch defects early, reduce costs, and accelerate time to market.

What is shift-left testing?

Shift-left testing moves testing and quality assurance (QA) activities from the end of the development process to earlier stages. Traditionally, testing happened after development; code was ‘thrown over the wall’ to QA teams who had limited time to validate functionality, often leading to last-minute fixes and lots of rework once software had already gone into production. Shift-left inverts this approach, embedding quality checks from the outset and fostering a proactive mindset to catch issues early.

To me, shift-left is all about pre-emptive problem-solving. It’s about integrating quality activities at the start, ensuring issues are identified early before they turn into costly roadblocks.

Why shift-left testing matters

1. Cost efficiency: Catching defects earlier in development is far less expensive than addressing them after launch. Shifting left helps companies identify and resolve issues when they are cheaper to fix, thus conserving budget and reducing the risk of late-stage delays.
2. Increased velocity: Shift-left testing empowers teams to deliver high-quality software faster. By involving QA earlier, businesses can accelerate releases without sacrificing quality, an essential benefit in today’s rat race.
3. Enhanced product quality: When QA teams are part of the entire development cycle, they gain a better understanding of product requirements and can collaborate more effectively with developers to deliver a higher-quality end product.

Embracing a cultural shift

As always, introducing a change in habits requires working closely with the people involved and impacted. Moving to a shift-left approach requires more than just technical adjustments—it involves a cultural shift within organizations. Management plays a key role in advocating for this change. The task of championing shift-left often falls to senior directors. These leaders, positioned between executive vision and day-to-day challenges, are essential in communicating the importance of quality to the C-suite, thus influencing the organization’s commitment to integrating quality early. At the same time, they are close enough to the developers and testers to work on the social structure of groups and drive that change.

In some regions, cultural factors also influence how quickly organizations adopt a shift-left mentality. In my experience, Canadian firms tend to be more risk-averse and resistant to change, compared to their U.S. counterparts. Canadian organizations, especially in traditional sectors like banking and telecoms, are slower to adopt new testing methodologies. However, as global competition intensifies, the need for agility and efficiency grows, prompting Canadian firms to consider the benefits of shift-left testing as a means to stay competitive.

To overcome the resistance to change, some companies are creatively positioning shift-left testing as a means to leverage cutting-edge technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI). Since AI is a popular buzzword, tying it to QA initiatives can capture executives’ interest. AI-enhanced testing tools are helping organizations realize the potential of automation in QA, thus reducing manual workloads and enabling faster testing cycles. If executive leadership is hesitant to invest in a new methodology like shift-left testing, throwing in the AI buzzword is definitely a good idea.

Automation further accelerates shift-left testing

Even without the AI aspect, automation is one of the key enablers of shift-left testing. Manual testing often limits coverage to about 10-15% due to time constraints, which can lead to missed defects and costly rework. Automation tools like Tricentis Tosca and LiveCompare help QA teams achieve higher test coverage and better efficiency by automating repetitive tasks, discovering what areas are most at risk, and enabling continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD).

Tricentis Tosca, for example, allows companies to perform rapid automated testing, making it easier to run tests as code is developed. Tools like qTest support test management, offering a structured way to organize tests and ensure coverage. Meanwhile, LiveCompare enhances the shift-left approach by identifying critical areas in the code that are likely to impact business functionality, enabling teams to focus on testing where it matters most.

Shift-left in agile and DevOps environments

Shift-left testing aligns seamlessly with Agile and DevOps methodologies, both of which emphasize rapid, iterative development cycles. In a DevOps setup, where new code is continuously integrated and deployed, quality checks must also be continuous. Integrating shift-left principles into the CI/CD pipeline creates a feedback loop, where testing is conducted as code changes, enabling real-time insights into software quality and helping teams respond quickly to issues.

At TTC Global, we frequently integrate testing tools into clients’ CI/CD pipelines, ensuring quality checks happen alongside development. This integration not only enhances collaboration between development and QA teams but also reduces the likelihood of significant bugs being discovered at the last minute. Agile and DevOps practices encourage a collaborative environment, where testers, developers, and stakeholders work together toward a shared goal—high-quality software delivered quickly.

Metrics for Evaluating Shift-Left Success

Implementing shift-left requires investment in both technology and training, and measuring return on investment (ROI) is crucial. Key metrics for assessing shift-left success and convincing executive leadership include:

• Defect detection rate: How many defects are caught in early stages versus later stages?
• Test coverage: The percentage of code or requirements covered by tests.
• Cycle time for testing: The time required to perform tests, which should decrease with automation.
• Cost savings: Hard cost savings related to defect prevention versus defect correction after release.

Tracking these metrics helps organizations quantify the impact of shift-left, providing tangible evidence to justify the approach and adjust strategies for continuous improvement.

A bright future for shift-left testing

Looking ahead, trends like AI in test automation promise to bolster shift-left testing further. AI-powered tools will increasingly support faster, more precise testing, enabling QA teams to manage complex software with greater ease. As the technology advances, I think the role of testers will shift toward overseeing automated processes, and new roles such as a Chief Quality Officer may emerge in the C-suite, reflecting quality’s growing strategic importance.

For companies embarking on a shift-left journey, TTC Global offers a wealth of expertise in QA and testing strategies. With a focus on tailored solutions and deep knowledge across industries, TTC Global helps clients integrate shift-left testing effectively, ensuring that quality remains at the forefront of the development process.