Thinking about outsourcing quality control services? Navigate with important considerations: experience, communication, tools, security, and scalability.
The quality assurance (QA) process is widely considered a vital element of the software development life cycle (SDLC). Without this, organizations run the risk of releasing flawed software that doesn't meet users' expectations.
Why companies outsource testing
There are many reasons why companies choose to outsource quality control testing:
- They can reduce resource costs and salaries for full-time employees
- Speeds up and reduces the time involved in SDLC
- Allows internal team to focus on other efforts
- They have access to a broader pool of talent and industry experience
- Gives organizations an objective, third-party perspective
What to Consider When Outsourcing Quality Control Services
Outsourcing quality control services can improve product quality and give businesses a new perspective at a reasonable price.
#1: Past Work and Reputation
Past Work and Reputation A portfolio can provide companies with considerable insight into the quality of the outsourcing partner's work and their capabilities. It can also serve to better understand the partner's working style and values as a company.
Organizations should also look to references to help them see what a partnership could look like. Checking reviews and talking to previous customers will allow them to get a sense of the supplier's reputation in the industry. In addition to analyzing the supplier's work, companies will want to know how they behave and behave in this type of agreement. Even if they are highly qualified, companies won't want to get involved with a difficult partner after all.
#2 Area of Specialization
Experience in a specific niche or industry can add a lot of value to companies when their products are being tested. QA professionals who have worked on educational software, for example, will not only be able to spot bugs during testing, but they will also have a better sense of the type of user experience the company hopes to achieve with its educational software.
While organizations do not need to look for vendors who have tested products exclusively in their niche, they should have some experience in the field or the like.
Approach #3
The quality control approach is also important. Organizations will want a vendor whose methodology meets their expectations and is aligned with their mission and work style.
The final two phases include software testing itself – web, load, desktop, mobile testing or server-side systems – and pre-certification and compliance testing to relevant standards.
#4 Cost
Cost is an advantage of outsourcing quality control services – it tends to be significantly lower than hiring an in-house team. But it is risky to make decisions based solely on this factor. Hiring vendors with limited experience because they are cheaper than more advanced testers can cause the team to miss defects, make mistakes, and ignore important testing procedures.
Organizations should also be wary of hidden fees. For example, there may be additional costs if tests need to be repeated more than a certain number of times or if the project schedule is extended. It is important that organizations negotiate a contract that is transparent and offers a fair price for the services provided.
#5 Security
Safety is a priority when it comes to quality control testing. Companies should request a summary of suppliers' safety standards and testing procedures to ensure they are carefully ensuring maximum product safety.
Additionally, organizations must take steps to protect themselves. It can be risky to outsource any service, but quality control testing in particular can give outsiders access to confidential information. For example, most companies will want to ensure IP protection and ask the supplier to sign an employee confidentiality agreement, among other steps.
#6 Integration and Communication
There are several different ways that QA providers can provide their services to customers. Will they work alongside the organization's engineers or independently? Whatever the model, the partners will have to reach an agreement.
Communication is essential in any scenario. If the outsourced partner is not located in an area accessible to the contracting company, they will likely use video conferencing, chat and other tools to maintain contact. There should also be a plan about the frequency and type of communication that will occur. Perhaps the outsourcing team delivers bug reports according to a certain schedule unless an emergency arises, for example.
Digging Deeper: SLAs and Engagement Models
As a crucial element of the software development lifecycle, it is also worth considering these two elements before outsourcing QA and testing services.
Service Level Agreement (SLA)
A service level agreement (SLA) defines the level of service that the outsourcing partner will provide to the hiring company. Essentially, it puts the expectations surrounding the project in writing. This is an important factor to consider when outsourcing – in most cases, the organization will want to sign an SLA as part of the overarching contract.
Some items that the organization may want to address in the SLA include project quality, delivery schedule, time spent on the project, as well as the quality of test cases and plans.
Engagement Models
An engagement model explains the relationship between the organization and the outsourcing vendor. This way, the client can take into account the geographic area and their own business strategy before choosing an outsourcing model, whether they want to work with a partner for small projects or outsource a large part of their QA services.
An engagement model also offers room for expanding services, if the contracting company wants to expand the partnership.
