The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is responsible for serving over 15 million veterans through a vast network of applications, varying from cutting-edge technologies to legacy systems. Managing the extensive demand for software testing of these applications, the VA has instituted a flexible and efficient approach to automated testing through its Quality Assurance Operations team, commonly known as QA Ops. With the increasing complexity of technology, ensuring the reliability and security of these applications is critical for providing the best possible service to the veteran community.
Led by IT supervisor Todd Coppinger, who has an impressive background in both the private sector and the VA, the QA Ops team comprises experienced developers who have honed their skills in writing test automation scripts over many years. Their use of open-source technology not only facilitates operational efficiency but also provides considerable financial benefits. QA Ops uses a homegrown, decade-old tool featuring a suite of open-source libraries, known as the automation tool interface. This adaptable tool can be applied to mobile devices, legacy systems, APIs, and web-based products, offering various modules tailored to different testing requirements.
The Backbone of QA Ops: Open-Source Technology
Adapting Open Source for Diverse Testing Requirements
Open-source technology is at the core of the VA’s Quality Assurance Operations. The team leverages a set of open-source libraries through their automation tool interface. This homegrown tool has evolved over a decade to become highly adaptable to the VA’s diverse testing requirements. The ability to conduct automated testing on a wide range of platforms, including mobile devices, legacy systems, APIs, and web-based products, speaks volumes about the tool’s flexibility. This broad applicability ensures that the QA Ops team can maintain consistency and reliability across the VA’s extensive array of applications.
One significant advantage of using open-source technology is the financial savings it brings. By employing a common set of code shared among more than 55 product lines within the framework, the QA Ops team can save thousands of dollars annually. Moreover, the standardized code reduces script-writing time significantly—by as much as six months. These savings are crucial for an organization of the VA’s scale, enabling more resources to be allocated towards enhancing and improving services for veterans.
Streamlining Efficiency through Three-Tier Architecture
The framework’s innovative design utilizes a three-tier architecture known as the page class architecture. This structure not only empowers non-programmers like QA analysts to effectively use the tool but also fosters the sharing of test scripts across different products. This approach enhances the overall efficiency of the testing process, ensuring a seamless and integrated system. The ability to share and reuse test scripts minimizes redundancy and accelerates the testing cycle, resulting in faster development and deployment of applications.
The shift to a DevSecOps model represents another significant evolution in the VA’s testing process. Integrating testing into the development stage, rather than conducting it quarterly, allows the QA Ops team to catch errors earlier and more frequently. Testing after each sprint, rather than at longer intervals, drastically reduces the time and cost associated with resolving bugs. This shift has not only enhanced efficiency but also improved the reliability and security of the VA’s applications. The DevSecOps approach underscores the importance of continuous monitoring and immediate feedback, which are essential in maintaining high-quality standards.
The Role of AI and Machine Learning
Enhancing Automated Testing with AI Prototyping
In addition to leveraging open-source technology, the VA’s QA Ops team utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to further optimize their automated testing processes. One of their recent projects involves prototyping an AI tool designed to detect and log changes made by developers or customers. This tool addresses a primary concern for project managers: maintaining the integrity of test scripts over time. Changes in application code can often lead to test script failures, requiring constant maintenance and updates. The AI tool aims to minimize these disruptions by automatically tracking and responding to changes, ensuring that testing remains accurate and effective.
The introduction of AI into the testing process stands to revolutionize the way automated testing is conducted. By incorporating AI’s capabilities, the QA Ops team can predict potential issues, adapt to changes more efficiently, and ensure a higher level of accuracy in their testing procedures. Machine learning algorithms can analyze patterns and trends within the application data, providing insights that manual testing processes might miss. This level of precision is particularly important for an organization like the VA, where the reliability of applications can directly impact the services provided to veterans.
Personal Triumph: Coppinger’s Leadership and Vision
Todd Coppinger, a disabled veteran who served as a pilot in the Army, brings both professional expertise and personal passion to his role at the VA. His leadership and vision have been instrumental in driving the QA Ops team’s success. Coppinger emphasizes the importance of staying current with technological advancements to ensure the highest quality and performance of VA products. His personal connection to the veteran community adds a layer of commitment and dedication to his work, as he understands firsthand the significance of reliable and efficient VA services.
Coppinger’s team is a testament to the impact that skilled and dedicated professionals can have on an organization’s success. Each member of the QA Ops team has 10 to 15 years of experience in writing test automation scripts, and this wealth of knowledge and expertise is evident in the quality of their work. Their collective efforts have led to substantial improvements in the VA’s automated testing processes, ultimately benefiting millions of veterans who rely on these applications for essential services.
Moving Forward: A Commitment to Innovation
Standardizing and Efficiently Managing Testing Processes
The VA’s approach to automated software testing is characterized by a commitment to innovation, efficiency, and financial prudence. By standardizing the automation testing process across diverse product lines, the QA Ops team has not only improved the quality of the VA’s applications but also delivered significant cost and time savings. This standardization ensures that all applications undergo rigorous and consistent testing, minimizing the risk of errors and enhancing overall reliability. The team’s ability to share and reuse test scripts across different products further streamlines the testing process, reducing redundancy and accelerating deployment.
AI and machine learning play a crucial role in the VA’s future testing strategies. The ongoing development and refinement of AI tools will continue to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of automated testing. As the QA Ops team integrates more sophisticated AI algorithms into their processes, they will be better equipped to predict and respond to potential issues, ensuring that the VA’s applications remain robust and reliable. The use of AI will also enable the team to handle the increasing complexity of technology more effectively, keeping the VA at the forefront of automated testing innovation.
Leveraging Technology to Serve the Veteran Community
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) oversees services for over 15 million veterans through a wide range of applications, from state-of-the-art technology to older systems. To handle the significant demand for software testing, the VA has developed a flexible and efficient automated testing strategy via its Quality Assurance Operations team, also known as QA Ops. As technology becomes increasingly complex, ensuring these applications’ reliability and security is essential for delivering top-notch service to veterans.
Led by IT supervisor Todd Coppinger, who brings extensive experience from both the private sector and the VA, the QA Ops team includes seasoned developers skilled in creating test automation scripts. They utilize open-source technology, which enhances operational efficiency and offers substantial cost savings. The QA Ops team employs a homegrown, decade-old automation tool interface equipped with a suite of open-source libraries. This versatile tool supports testing across mobile devices, legacy systems, APIs, and web-based products, with various modules designed to meet specific testing needs.
