The imperative for early performance testing
In the fast-paced landscape of software delivery, relegating performance testing to the final stages is a strategy of the past. Modern organisations recognise that late discovery of performance issues can lead to significant strategic setbacks, including compromised customer satisfaction, delayed market entry, and potential compliance penalties.
What is needed is a proactive approach to performance testing. One that aligns with the principles of adaptive portfolio management, emphasising early detection, continuous improvement, and efficient resource allocation.
Enterprises looking to offset the above challenges have opted to introduce performance testing as part of their continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) processes. They identify what components can be automated and tested regularly, bringing them forward in the development process as a performance regression suite. By embedding these tests inside a CI/CD platform and executing them regularly, the likelihood of the aforementioned setbacks and delivery risks is reduced.
Advantages of early performance testing
Integrating automated performance regression tests into CI/CD pipelines offers several strategic benefits:
- Cost efficiency: Early detection of performance bottlenecks reduces the need for expensive fixes late in the development cycle, leading to more efficient budget management
- Confidence and stakeholder assurance: Regular performance feedback loops enhance confidence in delivery timelines, aiding in accurate forecasting and stakeholder communication.
- Predictability in delivery: Early testing enhances the predictability of software delivery, allowing for more strategic planning and resource allocation.
- Performance trend analysis: Ongoing monitoring of performance trends enables proactive issue resolution, contributing to a seamless user experience.
- Customer-centric culture: A development process that integrates performance considerations from the outset fosters a culture that prioritises customer satisfaction and aligns with user expectations.
Integrating performance testing Into CI/CD platforms
To effectively integrate performance testing into CI/CD pipelines, enterprises should focus on the following:
- Test environment stability: Ensure the testing environment is robust and reliable to facilitate consistent test execution.
- Easily executable tests: Simplify test setup and cleanup processes to prevent tests from adding strain rather than value.
- Accessible results: Choose performance frameworks that allow for straightforward result extraction, enabling seamless integration with CI/CD platforms.
- System monitoring: Implement comprehensive monitoring to aid in the quick identification of performance issues and bottlenecks.
One of the main challenges with integrating performance testing into an automated regression suite is the nondeterministic outcomes of such tests. That is, each test run may yield slightly different results, especially with response/latency times. However, this can be easily overcome by testing against an upper limit, for example, ensuring the average response time is < 1000ms.
Considerations for testing in non production-like environments
Not a lot of companies have a production equivalent environment for testing, but this doesn’t mean early performance testing is a waste. When conducting performance testing in environments that don’t mirror production, consider the following to ensure meaningful results:
- Adjust load metrics appropriately: Tailor throughput and user counts to the test environment’s capabilities, ensuring relevant and actionable data.
- Schedule tests during low-activity periods: Conduct tests during off-peak hours to prevent skewed results.
- Manage Resource Contention: Account for potential contention issues (especially with RAM, CPU and Database), in lower-spec environments during test planning.
- Benchmark against consistent environments: Use historical data from the same environment for benchmarking to accurately identify performance trends rather than against high-performing production systems.
- Data differences and gaps: Ensure testing environments replicate the complex data found in production to provide realistic test scenarios.
- Mocking of components: If using mocks or stubs, care is needed in the analysis and reporting, as mocking introduces a large variation from the final product.
Balancing tool complexity and organisational capability
Leaders should select performance testing tools that align with their team’s technical expertise. Balancing tool sophistication with team capability is crucial for smooth integration into existing CI/CD ecosystems and for maximising the benefits of performance testing. Whether opting for low-code solutions or more technical tools, the key is to keep things simple, align to your needs and capabilities to ensure minimal disruption and maximum value of performance testing practices.
The strategic value of performance testing
Like a well-managed investment portfolio, a robust performance-testing strategy requires careful diversification and timing. Identifying which tests to automate within the CI/CD ecosystem and which to reserve for full-system evaluations is essential. This approach should be harmonised with the organisation’s strategic objectives, culture, and technical capabilities.
For organisations seeking to refine their performance testing strategy and align it with broader business goals, we offer specialised expertise and support. Contact us to explore how we can help you elevate your performance testing practices for enhanced market performance and customer satisfaction.
