AAT Strengthens QA Capabilities with Extensive Manual Testing
Client Overview
The Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) is a leading professional body offering globally recognised qualifications and support to the accounting and finance sector. With a diverse range of digital platforms, including their primary website and numerous internal systems, ensuring high-quality performance and user experience is critical to AAT’s operations. To extend the capacity and expertise of their in-house Quality Assurance (QA) team, AAT partnered with PSP to provide both manual and automated software testing services, ensuring robust quality assurance across their digital landscape.
Challenge
AAT required a comprehensive testing solution that could address the full spectrum of their software testing needs, from functional and non-functional testing to automated and manual approaches. Their existing internal team needed strengthening to keep up with the expanding testing requirements, especially given the complexity of their website and internal applications. To maintain high standards of quality and system reliability, AAT needed a partner who could deliver a flexible, scalable testing service that included expertise in various testing methodologies, tools and best practices. The goal was to streamline QA processes, reduce time-to-market and ensure that new updates and features were thoroughly tested before release.
Solution
PSP deployed a dedicated office-based QA team to provide AAT with end-to-end software testing support. Our team performed a combination of functional and non-functional testing, using a range of tools and methodologies to ensure comprehensive coverage. For API testing, our automated testers used Postman to create, execute and monitor API tests and leveraged Newman to automate these tests as part of the continuous integration pipeline, ensuring that APIs functioned correctly across different environments.
To automate front-end testing, we used Cypress, which provided fast, reliable end-to-end tests, enabling us to catch UI issues early in the development cycle. Our testers adopted Cucumber for Behaviour-Driven Development (BDD), allowing both technical and non-technical stakeholders to understand test scenarios clearly through its human-readable language. This approach facilitated better collaboration and ensured that requirements were correctly interpreted and tested.
Our testing suite included User Acceptance Testing (UAT), performance testing, integration testing, regression testing and security testing. By covering every aspect of QA, PSP ensured that AAT’s digital platforms delivered a seamless experience, met all functional requirements and were secure against potential vulnerabilities. Feedback sessions allowed AAT’s internal team to stay informed and engaged throughout the testing process, enhancing overall project transparency and quality.
Results
By outsourcing their software testing to PSP, AAT significantly enhanced the efficiency and effectiveness of their QA processes. The automated testing framework reduced the time required for repetitive tasks, while the use of advanced tools like Postman and Cypress ensured thorough testing coverage. As a result, AAT’s internal team was able to focus on strategic priorities, confident that all functional and non-functional testing needs were being expertly managed. The comprehensive testing approach minimised the risk of defects reaching production, reduced post-release issues and improved the overall stability and performance of their systems. This collaboration not only ensured higher quality releases but also accelerated time-to-market for new features.
Conclusion
PSP’s partnership with AAT provided a robust extension to their internal testing team, delivering a full range of manual and automated testing services that met all of their QA requirements. Our structured approach, combined with the use of leading tools and methodologies, ensured that AAT’s digital platforms were rigorously tested and optimised for performance, security and usability. This project demonstrates PSP’s ability to integrate seamlessly with client teams, enhance QA capabilities and support complex testing needs, helping organisations like AAT maintain high standards of software quality and operational excellence.