FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common questions about QA testing, accessibility, automation, and working with RedQA.
General QA Questions
- What is QA testing?
- Quality assurance (QA) testing is the process of systematically evaluating software to identify defects, verify functionality, and ensure the product meets agreed requirements before it reaches users. QA covers a broad range of activities: manual exploratory testing, automated regression testing, accessibility audits, performance testing, API testing, and more.
- What is the difference between manual and automated testing?
- Manual testing is carried out by a human QA engineer who interacts with the application as a real user would. It excels at exploratory testing, catching edge cases, and evaluating usability. Automated testing uses scripts (commonly written in Playwright, Cypress, or Selenium) to run predefined test cases quickly and repeatedly. The two approaches are complementary: automation handles regression and speed, manual testing handles judgement and discovery.
- What is regression testing?
- Regression testing confirms that existing functionality still works correctly after code changes are made. When a developer ships a bug fix or a new feature, regression tests verify that nothing previously working has been broken. It is typically automated so that it can run on every deployment, and it is one of the highest-value investments in any QA programme.
- When should I use automated testing?
- Automated testing is most valuable for test cases that run frequently, change rarely, and need to be verified quickly. Ideal candidates include login flows, checkout processes, API endpoints, and core user journeys. If you are deploying code multiple times per week, automation pays for itself very quickly. For early-stage products where the UI changes constantly, manual testing is often more practical until the product stabilises.
- How long does a QA engagement take to start?
- For our Starter and Professional plans, we typically begin within three to five business days of signing. This includes a brief kickoff call to agree the test scope, access to your test environment, and confirmation of the communication channel (usually Slack or Teams). Enterprise engagements with larger teams may include a short discovery phase before kickoff.
Accessibility
- What is WCAG compliance?
- WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) is the internationally recognised standard for web accessibility, published by the W3C. It defines criteria at three conformance levels: A (minimum), AA (the legal standard in most jurisdictions), and AAA (highest). Meeting WCAG 2.2 AA means your digital product is accessible to the vast majority of users with disabilities, including those using screen readers, keyboard-only navigation, or high-contrast display modes.
- Is WCAG compliance legally required in the UK?
- In the UK, public sector bodies are legally required to meet WCAG 2.2 AA under the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations 2018. For private sector companies, the Equality Act 2010 requires reasonable adjustments for disabled users, and the incoming European Accessibility Act (EAA), which applies to UK companies selling into the EU, comes into force in June 2025. Even outside these legal requirements, inaccessible products exclude a significant portion of users and carry reputational risk.
- What does an accessibility audit include?
- A RedQA accessibility audit covers: automated scanning with axe-core and WAVE; manual keyboard navigation testing across all major user journeys; screen reader testing with NVDA and VoiceOver; colour contrast checks against WCAG 2.2 AA thresholds; and a structured report with each issue categorised by WCAG criterion, severity, and remediation guidance. For AA audits we also provide an accessibility statement draft.
Pricing
- How much does QA testing cost in the UK?
- Pricing varies significantly by scope, team size, and engagement model. RedQA's retainer plans start at £1,500 per month for a focused manual testing engagement (Starter), £4,500 per month for a combined manual and automation programme (Professional), and custom pricing for enterprise teams requiring dedicated engineers and full automation suites. One-off project audits are priced separately based on scope.
- Can I switch plans or scale up or down?
- Yes. You can upgrade, downgrade, or adjust your plan at the end of any billing cycle with 14 days notice. We understand that testing needs change as products evolve, and we actively support clients through those transitions.
- Do you offer one-off testing engagements?
- Yes. We offer project-based engagements for product launches, major releases, or one-time audits. Contact us for a custom quote tailored to your specific needs.
- Do you sign NDAs and comply with data regulations?
- Yes. We sign NDAs as standard and comply with GDPR, SOC 2, and other data protection requirements. Security and confidentiality are core to how we operate.
- How quickly can you get started?
- For Starter and Professional plans, we can typically begin within 3 to 5 business days of signing. Enterprise engagements may require a brief discovery phase to assemble the right team.
Tools and Technology
- What is Playwright and why do you recommend it?
- Playwright is an open-source test automation framework developed by Microsoft. It supports Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit browsers; runs tests in parallel; auto-waits for elements to be ready before interacting with them; supports network interception and mocking; and produces traces and video on failure. For most modern web applications, Playwright is our primary recommendation because it is fast, reliable, and the test code is readable and maintainable.
- What tools and platforms do you support?
- We work with all major platforms including web, mobile (iOS and Android), desktop apps, and APIs. Our automation stack centres on Playwright, but we also support Cypress, Selenium, and Appium depending on your needs. For CI/CD, we integrate with GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Jenkins, and CircleCI. For performance, we use k6 and Lighthouse.
- Can you integrate with our existing CI/CD pipeline?
- Yes. Integrating automated tests into your CI/CD pipeline is one of the core deliverables on our Professional and Enterprise plans. We configure GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Jenkins, or your chosen pipeline tool to run the test suite on every pull request or deployment, report results directly in your workflow, and block deployments if critical tests fail.
Still have a question?
We're happy to answer any questions about your specific project, stack, or testing requirements.
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