Quality Assurance (QA) analysis is problem solving and testing for any application to ensure that it meets the business requirements.  They make sure that the quality of the software is up to the standards established by your business.  The QA analysts are able to:

  1. Test software –  They employ testing techniques to ensure that the software is tested rigorously and in a repeatable manner.
  2. Document test results – They use templates and efficient ways of documenting the results during the testing phase.  This helps to track the test progress and the result.
  3. Communicate defects – When the test results are documented, it makes efficient to communicate the results.  The results can then be communicated to the developers and other analysts on the team to understand the defects.
  4. Problem solve – The QA analyst can provide the analytical skills required to understand the problem because they are able to replicate the defect. They approach software functionality from a unique perspective that enables them to correlate defects, predict system behavior and isolate issues.

This is a detailed oriented role that requires the QA analyst to do the same test repeatedly until their satisfaction.  If they sign off on the solution, only then it is considered ready for the business to consider.  In some businesses, the QA analyst is the only person that tests the application as the business delegate.