7.1Using Data to Predict the Future

The most valuable thing a QA engineer can do with metrics is not report what happened -- it is predict what will happen. Quality trends tell you whether the product is getting better or worse. Forecasting models tell you whether the release will be ready on time, whether the bug backlog will be cleared by launch, and whether the test suite is keeping pace with development.

This section covers how to read trends, build forecasting models, and use historical data to drive continuous improvement.