6 Questions to Ask When Looking for the Best QA Outsourcing Partner

First, think about the qualities you want in a partner. Of course, a high level of skill is key. Depending on your specific requirements, ease of communication, ability to meet in person or time zone alignment may be key. Professionalism and personal skills are also very important.

To get started, you can ask colleagues for recommendations and do your own online research to find potential suppliers. Once you've narrowed down your list and thoroughly reviewed the sites, set up meetings to interview team members and get a feel for what it would be like to work with each team. When doing so, be sure to ask the five questions here to ensure that the vendor you hire will not just be a service provider, but a true quality control outsourcing partner.

What is your quality control process?

The first thing to ask a quality control outsourcing provider is what their process is. You'll want to ask this question for a few reasons. First, you can check whether the process seems reasonable and appropriate. Secondly, you can know what to expect when hiring this team. Look for the following elements in each answer:

• Talking to you about your goals and expectations.
• Developing a test plan.
• Preparation and review of tests.
• Preparing test cases.
• Running tests.
• Test development and bug reports.
• Bug fixing and regression testing.

Also listen to the reason for quality control testing, keeping in mind that the function of this process is to push your software to its limits and determine its weakest points to strengthen them. Also, remember that there are different types of testing that can be mentioned, including automation, manual, API, web and mobile, security, and performance testing.

What is your quality control methodology?

Of course, it's important to understand the nuts and bolts of how a QA outsourcing provider will complete your project. But it's also important to understand their process approach and the strategies they will use to ensure a successful outcome. Learning their preferred methodology will help you understand what to expect from working together. Additionally, you can determine if it matches the methodologies you normally use.

Common methodologies include Agile, Lean, DevOps, Waterfall, Scrum, XP, Prototype, and RAD. Keep in mind that none of them are suitable for all situations. The chosen methodology will depend on the team's preference and the needs of the project. For example, waterfall projects are highly structured and sequential, while the Agile method is more appropriate for providing the best results in situations that involve more change.

How many projects like mine have you worked on?

While it's true that quality control practices and methodologies are the same regardless of the project or industry, the reality is that having prior experience with similar projects can make a huge difference. If the QA outsourcing team has worked on projects similar to yours, then they are already equipped with knowledge that they would not otherwise have.

This can save you a lot of time, effort and money, as your partner can anticipate potential problems before they affect your process. Ultimately, having an experienced QA provider can save you more than one headache and unlock extra value in any project you undertake.

How will you communicate with our team?

No matter what type of project you are working on with your QA outsourcing provider, communication is key. The answers to this question should reflect a comfortable communication cadence for your team. For example, daily status reports may not be necessary, but weekly reports may be infrequent.

In addition to frequency, find out who you can expect to hear from. Ideally, you should communicate with just one person who will act as the person responsible for the outsourced team. This way, you will be able to establish a good relationship with that person and build mutual trust. Also determine which tools they prefer to use, such as Slack, Zoom, or Skype.

How do you deal with unexpected challenges?

The answer to this question will reveal a lot about the potential supplier. If the answer is vague or dismissive or implies that the challenges don't happen, move on to the next vendor. The best QA outsourcing partner for your project will have enough experience to develop specific ways to manage the unexpected. Listen for the following or similar elements in your response:

• We solve problems immediately, before they become bigger.
• We always maintain transparency, sharing the problem and what we are doing to solve it.
• We communicate regularly during a crisis.
• We are always available to discuss challenges that may arise.
• We do everything possible to resolve the problem.
• We build time for the unexpected into our schedules.

In addition to getting a sense of how a challenge would be handled, find out how your overall project and costs will be affected. For example, does the vendor charge extra beyond a certain number of hours spent on your project?

How will you keep our software and data secure?

Cybersecurity is more important than ever, especially for large-scale projects. Security breaches can lead to customer and company data leaks, the need to invest time and money in resolving the issue, customer dissatisfaction and defection, and something that is often much harder to repair: a reputation stained.

Managing security risks when dealing with sensitive data or commercial products should be a priority in any QA project and at all phases of development. Find out how your QA outsourcing provider will ensure the security of your product and data. To ask:

• Who will have access to our data and be required to sign an NDA?
• What types of physical protection do you employ to keep information safe?
• How do you meet regulatory guidelines?