> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.sealights.io/knowledgebase/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.sealights.io/knowledgebase/guides/quality-improvement/challenges-and-approach-comparison/the-challenges.md).

# The Challenges

Ensuring the quality of a product or service is crucial for software development success. However, several challenges can arise in achieving this goal:

### <img src="/files/SuwedLKi4J4QsySjhL6z" alt="" data-size="line"> Challenge: **Finding the Right Balance**

Balancing high code coverage with timely releases can be difficult. Teams must identify and prioritize the most critical untested code changes to avoid delaying deployment. New code changes, especially those lacking proper coverage, can slip through and introduce hidden bugs, causing unexpected regressions and post-release chaos and instability.

### <img src="/files/SuwedLKi4J4QsySjhL6z" alt="" data-size="line"> Challenge: Inconsistent Coverage Tracking

QA teams may struggle to track and ensure comprehensive testing of code changes, leading to gaps in coverage and undetected issues. This can be attributed to the decentralized nature of testing, making it difficult to maintain a holistic view of coverage across all related code changes.

### <img src="/files/SuwedLKi4J4QsySjhL6z" alt="" data-size="line"> Challenge: Low Release Confidence&#x20;

Without a comprehensive view of code coverage, potential risks, and overall software quality in a centralized platform, releasing software becomes a gamble, leading to uncertainty and reluctance to deploy. Low confidence can trigger stricter manual testing or delayed releases, hindering development velocity and responsiveness to market demands.

### <img src="/files/SuwedLKi4J4QsySjhL6z" alt="" data-size="line"> Challenge: Technical Debt

Untested code acts like a ticking time bomb, hiding issues that can explode later, leading to performance problems, security risks, and costly fixes down the line. Untested code accumulates over time, creating a larger and more complex "debt" that becomes progressively harder and more expensive to address, impacting long-term project sustainability.

### <img src="/files/SuwedLKi4J4QsySjhL6z" alt="" data-size="line"> Challenge: **Measuring Progress and ROI**

Quantifying the long-term benefits of improved code coverage and demonstrating its return on investment can be difficult, making it challenging to secure resources and buy-in.


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.sealights.io/knowledgebase/guides/quality-improvement/challenges-and-approach-comparison/the-challenges.md?ask=<question>&goal=<endgoal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.
