A Pragmatic Approach for Web3 Software Quality Assurance Based on International Guidelines

• Author(s): Antunes, Rodrigo Cerejo ; Freitas, Liliana ; Dias, Pedro ; Silva, Luís ; Guede-Fernandez, Federico ; Azevedo, Salomé
• Date: 2025
• Origin: Journal of Digital Media & Interaction
• Document Type: Journal article
• Language: English

Description

Ensuring software quality in the Web3 ecosystem presents unique challenges due to its decentralized architecture and evolving technical landscape. While international standards such as the SQuaRE (Systems and software Quality Requirements and Evaluation) framework offer structured approaches for quality assurance, they are often perceived as overly theoretical and not directly applicable to blockchain-based applications. This study aims to translate these standards into actionable practices suitable for Web3 environments, thereby supporting compliance and fostering stakeholder trust. Using the Design Science Research methodology, complemented by Lean Startup principles, a practical quality assurance guide was co-developed through collaboration between VOH.CoLAB researchers and the Exeedme project team and inspired by the practical experience in gaming and digital assets trading blockchain-based platforms. The resulting guide includes a structured framework comprising eight testing domains, 16 sub-domains and 108 targeted tests, with the domains addressing critical features of blockchain software, including, functional suitability, integration, security, performance, usability, portability, recoverability and resilience. This work contributes to the operationalization of international quality standards in decentralized technology, promoting more resilient and trustworthy blockchain applications.