There has been a notable change in the landscape of software testing as an increasing number of businesses are now opting to outsource their testing requirements to third-party vendors. This practice allows the in-house team to focus on development, resulting in better quality testing. However, the journey of getting the right software testing company is absolutely hectic.
The outsourcing partner might greatly affect the overall service delivery timeline and the quality of the end-product. Then, what are the primary factors to take in consideration while outsourcing QA services? Any particular steps to follow during the decision making process? In this blog, we’ll be answering you just that.
Key Indicators in finding the ideal Software Testing Company
Past Experiences Matters
An impressive portfolio that showcases experience is the number one indicator of a well-regarded software testing vendor. A company that has previously worked on similar projects or within similar industries demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of the field and the capacity to quickly comprehend your specific needs.
In addition, a strong track record of experience enables them to swiftly and effortlessly identify solutions should any issues arise during the testing process.
Do a Background Check
Today’s market is inundated with software testing vendors who offer enticing promises of low rates, top-notch tools, exceptional quality, fast turnaround times, and more. However, many of these claims are merely gimmicks, underscoring the importance of conducting a thorough assessment of the vendor, including examining their client base, reviews, and repeat business.
Moreover, verify whether your chosen partner is completing the work themselves or subcontracting it to a third-party vendor. It’s better to work with the actual “vendor” than through a “middle man”, if you know what I mean.
Well-defined Service-level Agreement (SLA)
SLA serves as a legally binding document that protects the interests of both parties, and establishes guidelines for handling different scenarios. Therefore, the more detailed a SLA is, the better project’s roadmap shall be, from start to finish. It provides the outline of project’s summary, timelines, milestones, communication pattern, and other pertinent details.
On top of that, your SLA should incorporate the following elements:
● Processes compliance
● Reporting and project management timelines
● Knowledge records and transfers.
● Core business knowledge.
● Various product quality measurements, including defect reporting, test case efficiency, traceability, and more.
Domain Expertise
Opting for a software testing partner with abundant resources but insufficient expertise in your domain could have severe consequences for your overall service delivery timeline, resulting in sluggish execution and inferior product quality. As such, it is advisable to engage an expert in your domain who can deliver faster results in testing while also offering recommendations for improving the process flow and design.
Here are a few queries to look into while searching for your version of a “perfect” software testing company:
● Does the software testing vendor possess relevant experience?
● Do your requirements match the QA outsourcing vendors’ expertise?
● Does your software testing partner have established client-communication procedures in place?
● Do your test automation partners have all the resources readily available to meet your needs?
Active Communication & Engagement Model
Communication has always been the underrated element of all, since we all “have to” do it on a daily basis. Many have mistaken communication as a verbally face-to-face message conveying method, which might have been appropriately acceptable in the past when smart devices were not the hype.
As our life revolves around the screen of our smartphones and laptops, communication exists in the non-verbal form. It creates huge obstacles for humans to send/receive messages back and forth to remain a healthy communication state. Especially, the communication between a client and an outsourced software testing partner can result in significant hindrances to the project’s advancement. Therefore, establishing a proper communication strategy ahead to avoid unexpected communication chaos.
Start out with a clear communication channel between the parties involved and prepare a list of deliverables (PIC) to exchange for each area of work. In short, an efficient communication model typically comprises the following components:
● Escalation
● Reporting
● Issue resolution
Addressing these aspects during the planning phase and taking into account various factors such as language barriers, international business strategy, and time zones. To be safe, you might have to decide whether to implement a complete outsourcing model or an incremental outsourcing model. If you’re outsourcing for the first time, it’s recommended to outsource smaller modules to evaluate vendors based on parameters such as the quality of testing, delivery timelines, bug detection quality, and communication effectiveness.
Data/Intellectual Property Security
Data is the real gold in software product development. Take time to go through the vendors’ measurements to safeguard whether data, design, and personal information are in place or not.
IPR protection is a critical factor to consider when outsourcing software testing services. The vendor must properly preserve the Personally Identifiable Information (PII) you have provided that can only be used for the intended business purpose, double check your QA outsourcing partners to certain these standards are met:
● Confidentiality contracts for employees
● IP protection
● Nondisclosure agreements
Depending on your QA and testing project’s specific requirements, other factors, such as a configuration management system or maintaining a comprehensive change history, might be included in the list as well.
How to Assess a Software Testing Company
With countless options available in the market, assessing a software testing company can be a daunting task. However, there are absolute foolproof steps that may make it easier to choose a suitable software testing company:
● What to outsource: Determine the areas, types, scope, and test coverage you want to outsource. Then categorize them into target devices and platforms that exist in the four popular types of testing: web, desktop, enterprise, and mobile.
● Shortlist software testing vendor: After deciding which testing services to outsource, the next step is finding suitable software testing vendors. Assessing the service model and processes of shortlisted companies can help determine if they are compatible with your in-house team.
● Always check: Do your research on the web as much as possible, comparing the offerings, talk to ex-employees, or check reviews on social media. Cross-check information provided by vendors to thoroughly analyze the outsourcing partner.
● Get in touch and ask A LOT of questions: connect your in-house experts and actively interact with vendors to learn about their team, experience, and capabilities. The testing partner must understand your products and clients to guarantee a successful outsourcing process.
● Time to pick: Once the assessment of the shortlisted vendors is completed, it’s time to make the decision. Choose the vendor who meets all the assessment criteria, or else just go with your instinct. Do a small outsourcing project then re-access.
SHIFT ASIA – Leading Software Quality Assurance Company
As a subsidiary of SHIFT Inc. which was initially established in May 2016, SHIFT ASIA has been a leading software quality assurance company with all-around solutions in the software outsource industry: Software QA, Software Testing and Software Development. Having extensive experienced software testing engineers and ISTQB certified testers, SHIFT ASIA provides a wide range of solutions and techniques to cater to the rising demand of global partners, such as manual testing, automation testing, vulnerability assessment, IT consulting, etc.
Thanks to the full-stack engineer teams who master the art of methodology and defect patterns and the team of project managers who excel their way in communication, SHIFT ASIA is fully equipped to customize solutions tailored to the unique requirements in different fields and industries, even in finance, healthcare, and e-commerce.
“At SHIFT ASIA, we will continue to strive as a trusted partner in quality for businesses globally. The success of our clients is our success and honor.” said Mr. Ryusuke Ito – CEO of SHIFT ASIA. SHIFT ASIA aims to exceed their current profession and thrive to be the most trusted third-party service provider for their customers across the globe by delivering exceptional quality products and services.
