Testing plays a critical strategic role in moving product quality upstream in the software development process, and emphasizes the customer's needs throughout the product cycle. All Microsoft products must get test sign-off on product quality before intermediate and final releases.

"You break it to build it" is a seeming contradiction that makes perfect sense to experienced test professionals at Microsoft. They work closely with software design engineers and program managers to understand product requirements and functionality, design appropriate test plans and test cases to verify features and functionalities, and then identify bugs through systematic testing. In the course of their work, test professionals also identify key business improvement opportunities and potential future projects.

Microsoft test organizations have developed rich and effective test methodologies and tools. Procedures include functional testing, negative testing, customer scenario testing, stress testing, performance testing, scalability testing, international testing, and more. All are conducted with the goal of assuring that customers receive maximum product quality.