Human Intelligence in QA: Preventing Product and Business Failures
In today’s fast-paced software world, the narrative around QA is often reduced to defects detection or test automation. This limited perception is not only outdated, but also dangerous. Because in my opinion, Quality Assurance isn’t just about preventing product failures. It can and should play a critical role in preventing business failures.
At QA Mentor, we’ve spent the last 14 years making products successful, not just functional. We don’t just test the software, we test the thinking, the assumptions, the risks, and the business value behind every feature. Through our Human Intelligence Software Testing (HIST) methodology, we train our testers to go far beyond defect detection. We teach them how to prevent strategic misfires by engaging early, thinking critically, and validating what truly matters. That all begins long before a single line of code is written.
Static Testing: The Power of Early Prevention
One of the most undervalued yet powerful tools in QA is static testing, the discipline of reviewing user and functional requirements/ use cases, user stories, prototype, wireframes and business logic before any development begins.
Static testing isn't just about checking grammar or formatting. When done right, it becomes a strategic filter to identify misaligned business logic, missing acceptance criteria, ambiguous requirements, and flawed assumptions that could derail an entire release.
In our HIST framework, static testing is a cornerstone practice. We integrate it into every phase of the SDLC to identify risks, challenge assumptions, and bring human judgment into the validation process. This proactive mindset shifts QA from being reactive firefighters to strategic co-pilots.
And nowadays that matters more than ever: business product failures are everywhere and they’re costing companies millions.
Why Business Products Fail: Key Lessons
In my research into business product failures, I found a pattern that keeps repeating. Here are the top reasons why products fail, not just technically, but commercially:
1. No Clear Problem Solved
Some products are built simply because they can be, not because they should be. If your product is a "solution in search of a problem", it becomes a "nice-to-have" rather than a "must-have."
2. Poor Product-Market Fit
Many teams build features based on internal assumptions instead of validated user needs. What are we getting as a result? The right market doesn’t care, and the wrong market doesn’t buy.
3. Weak Go-To-Market Strategy
Even a good product can fail with bad positioning. If marketing and sales aren’t aligned with the product’s value proposition, you’ll lose out to louder competitors.
4. Overcomplicated or Rigid UX
Business users don’t have time for complex interfaces. If your product feels like it requires a training course, adoption drops even if the functionality is powerful.
5. Lack of Business Stakeholder Engagement
If decision-makers and influencers aren’t involved early, they won’t champion the product later. Products fail when they don’t speak the language of ROI, compliance, or scalability.
6. Too Slow to Adapt
Markets evolve, users change, and competitors move. If your team can’t pivot based on real-time feedback, you’ll be left behind.
7. Misaligned Pricing Models
Price must match the perceived value. Too high and you scare buyers off. Set it too low, and you devalue both your offering and your business.
8. Operational Gaps
Poor onboarding, slow support, missing documentation, even great products collapse under the weight of bad customer experience.
9. Leadership Disconnect
When founders build what they want instead of what customers need, the result is a product that pleases stakeholders but not buyers.
QA’s Role in Avoiding These Failures
This is where QA can shine far beyond functional testing. A well-trained QA team, operating under a smart methodology like HIST, can:
- Validate the problem before the solution is built
- Analyze requirements for alignment with business goals
- Identify UX risks that could hurt adoption
- Flag compliance and regulatory blind spots
- Ensure pricing logic, business workflows, and stakeholder needs are properly translated into the system
- Challenge vague assumptions and push for data-backed decisions
This is not overstepping, this is value creation.
The Dangerous Trend: QA Being Pushed Aside
Who said testers are no longer valuable? Who decided QA is optional?
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Over the past three years, there’s been a dangerous virus spreading through the industry, one that strips out layers of Quality Assurance in the name of speed, agility, and cost-cutting. Some call it "efficiency". I call it a recipe for failure and disaster.
This mindset removes the very safety net that could have caught catastrophic business mistakes early. The absence of formal QA, structured validation, and disciplined thinking is why products crash not just technically, but strategically.
HIST: QA’s Evolution into Business Risk Mitigation
Our HIST methodology is built to fight this decline. It brings back structure, critical thinking, and human intelligence into the testing process. HIST doesn’t just test code. It tests assumptions. It applies risk-based strategies. It ensures that what’s being built truly aligns with what the business and users actually need.
In this model, QA is not a cost center. QA is a strategic business function, a partner in value delivery and risk reduction.
Final Thought: We Can and Should Do More
To all QA professionals reading this: Don’t settle for just finding bugs. Start asking better questions. Understand the business. Challenge the "why," not just the "how." Be the first line of defense not just against defects but against bad decisions.
Because the success of a product is no longer just in the hands of the Product Manager or Developer. It’s in yours too.
Thoughts?
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Recommended Reading: Explore more about Human Intelligence Software Testing (HIST) discipline and how it's reshaping modern QA.
SSC Six Sigma Certified || SFC Scrum Fundamental Certified || Certified Project Management || Certified Cypress Fundamentals
5moRuslan Desyatnikov Thanks for sharing: After reading this have some thing in my mind, can you put some light on this ? Ques: If QA is accountable for business risk, should they also share ownership in product failure?
CEO of TechUnity, Inc. , Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Data Science
5moBrilliant articulation of QA’s evolving role. HIST seems like a mature methodology that integrates critical business alignment with technical quality—a true step forward for modern QA practices.
IT Quality Assurance Leader |AI-Powered Test Automation| Scrum Master (CSM®️) | Security Enthusiast
5moThat’s absolutely true. In fact, QAs often make excellent candidates for the PO role I’ve seen many examples of this. Their ability to identify gaps and understand the business end-to-end in the intended way is a real strength.
Absolutely agree, Ruslan Desyatnikov —and you touched on a real sticking point. Without true partnership across Development, Product, and Quality, the balance can easily tilt, often at the expense of long-term product health. If scrum ceremonies aren’t safe spaces for open input, one voice can overrule the others—and that’s where things break down. Seeing QA as just the “button pushers” or automation operators misses the mark entirely. In my experience, QA folks often know the product better than anyone else (and are true SMEs, subject matter experts) —how real users interact with it, where the friction lives, and what risks actually matter. Product vision is vital—but theoretical use cases alone won’t get you customer delight. It's the frontline insights from QA that make the difference between “it works” and “it works well.” Would love your take—have you seen teams get this balance right?
Data Science | Full-Stack Developer | QA Specialist | AI Solutions
5moHello everyone, I hope you’ll spare a moment for my story. I was born and raised in Gaza, where I finished my engineering degree and began working in technology. In April 2024, my family and I were evacuated to Egypt after my two younger brothers were injured. Today, I’m in Islamabad, Pakistan, studying for an MSc in Data Science on scholarship. Meanwhile, my father, older brother, his wife, and their newborn remain in Gaza, facing uncertainty every day. I am seeking a paid internship or full-time role in software development, data science, or QA automation, ideally with an organization that values both skill and compassion. My LinkedIn profile is up-to-date with my experience and qualifications (please visit it for details). What I truly need now is your help to share this post. If you know of any opportunities or can spread this message, you would be giving my family and me real hope. A simple share, comment, or introduction could change our lives and remind us that kindness still exists across borders. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading and any support you can offer. Visit my LinkedIn Profile