The All-in-One Guide to Outsource Software Testing

Imagine the frustration of using a mobile or desktop app that is riddled with glitches and fails to meet your expectations. Whether it’s a game, a productivity tool, or a social media application, if it lacks seamless functionality, chances are it still harbors bugs in its code, Application Programming Interface (API), or User Interface (UI) from its development phase. This is precisely why software testing holds immense significance in the software development lifecycle. Enterprises must adopt robust testing practices to ensure their software is secure and performs optimally under various conditions before releasing it to users.

 

In today’s landscape, organizations have the option to outsource software testing or hire in-house testers. While the latter provides complete control over the testing process, it also requires a substantial investment in hiring, onboarding, training, and establishing the necessary testing infrastructure and environment.

 

Outsourcing software quality assurance services can offer several advantages, allowing your team to maintain performance and productivity while conserving resources for other critical objectives. To delve deeper into this topic, we will explore the prevalence of software testing outsourcing in the IT industry, its pros and cons, the ideal scenarios for outsourcing, and the best practices associated with it. Get ready for an enlightening exploration of software testing outsourcing and its role in today’s IT landscape.

1. Why do IT companies prefer to outsource software testing?

To comprehend why IT companies are favoring QA outsourcing, it is crucial to first grasp the concept itself. In essence, outsourced software testing involves entrusting the testing of software or related applications to independent testing firms, specialists, or third-party entities. This delegation allows the company to distance itself from the testing process, while the independent contractor can focus solely on the testing aspect without being burdened by other areas of software development.

 

Now, let’s delve into the reasons why IT companies are increasingly inclined towards outsourcing their software testing needs. 

 

In 2022, Statista reports that the IT outsourcing industry generated total revenue of approximately $400 billion. These numbers prove that outsourcing is a significant driver of revenue growth in the IT industry, and enterprises are increasingly outsourcing various tasks, including software testing.

 

Recognizing the Importance of Software Testing Expertise

 

Given the critical nature of testing, software testers must possess the necessary skill set to ensure software functionality, usability, and security. These professionals need to possess the right technical skills and stay updated with the latest best practices and technologies to efficiently carry out their tasks. However, hiring such talent demands a significant investment of time and money for companies. This diversion of resources can hinder their focus on other essential areas, potentially leading to delays in time to market.

 

On the other hand, by outsourcing software testing, companies can maintain efficiency by entrusting the entire testing process to a third party. A robust quality assurance strategy, end-to-end testing, and streamlined testing procedures are vital for creating a high-quality product. Instead of allocating resources to handle these tasks in-house, companies can opt to outsource them and stay on track for timely product launches. Several common scenarios prompt enterprises to outsource software testing, including:

a. Insufficient in-house QA experts, resulting in inadequate coverage of functionality tests and missed deadlines.

b. Subpar software product quality and instability.

c.The need for testing process improvements, a solid test strategy, and organized and up-to-date test documentation.

By outsourcing software testing in these scenarios, companies can leverage the expertise and resources of external testing partners to enhance their testing capabilities and achieve superior software quality.

2. Benefits of software testing outsourcing

Now that we’ve established what it means to outsource software testing, let’s take a look at some of the reasons why you should choose it.

a. Access to industry experts

It is evident that professional software testers or testing companies possess extensive experience in implementing a comprehensive quality assurance approach. As a result, they can ensure that your project aligns with the latest IT best practices and trends, effectively eliminating any issues and ensuring a bug-free outcome. By opting for outsourced software testing, you can leverage the expertise of these professionals for the required duration and pipeline without the need to allocate additional resources for full-time hires. This allows you to benefit from their specialized skills and knowledge while optimizing resource allocation and maintaining cost-efficiency throughout your project.

b. Efficiency and cost-effectiveness

Efficiency is the biggest reason to outsource quality assurance. Outsourced software testing offers better quality assurance and testing methodologies, as you avail of skilled professionals with the necessary expertise to work on your project. This is especially lucrative when your team either lacks the experience or the tools and technologies to carry out full-fledged testing.

Let’s say you want to create an integration for your e-commerce business’ mobile app. Your QA team might lack sufficient API testing experience, leading to an ineffective test roadmap and workflow. However, if you outsource software testing, the outsourced team will understand your requirements and determine the best testing route, performing quick regression testing after individual changes.

c. Adoption of a wide range of tests

When you outsource software testing, you also get the benefit of comprehensive implementation of various tests to check how your new software performs. These include:

Performance testing – Assessing your application’s performance under every testable circumstance, testing your software to its limit.

Localization testing – Checking if your software will work adequately in global markets.

Security testing – Checking if your software is airtight against data loss, hackers, and other threats.

Exploratory testing – Performing testing as deemed necessary by the QA team to determine potential bugs that other testing processes couldn’t.

Functional testing – Assessing if your software can offer a solid user experience and functions under pressure. This involves taking the application through numerous test cases to see how it performs under usual and extreme conditions.

3. Some drawbacks to consider when choosing QA outsourcing

While outsourced software testing is great, it’s not perfect. Here are some of its disadvantages that you must consider when you outsource software testing.

 

a. Communication bottlenecks

When you outsource software testing, you’ll most likely work with remote team members (which is beneficial as you can tap into global talent). However, this would also mean working with people from different countries and hence, differing time zones. These can cause communication gaps due to cultural or linguistic differences or simply an inability to collaborate seamlessly due to time zone differences.

However, you can avoid these by working with teams from companies that have a proven track record in your location. For instance, if you’re in the USA, look for reputable companies that provide QA developers or teams for USA companies, such as sourceCode. Moreover, you can also ask the outsourcing party to schedule virtual interviews to verify their soft and hard skills before agreeing to work with them.

 

b. Data security concerns

Data leakage and loss are some of the biggest concerns with outsourced software testing services. After all, you will work with external team members, and software testing usually requires sensitive company and customer data. Hence, ensuring data security must be your priority.

To avert data security issues, choose software testing outsourcing companies that offer security measures to ensure data privacy and confidentiality. Check if your outsourcing company provides data encryption, network firewalls, disaster recovery, single sign-on, and other security measures. A professional QA outsourcing company will also provide you with a non-disclosure agreement that guarantees information security.

4. Conclusion

Here are the advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing software testing. Depending on the company’s needs, the decision-maker can choose the appropriate approach. sourceCode proudly offers comprehensive software testing services from A to Z. Let us know your requirements, and we will design a tailored service package just for you. Contact our experts: https://sourcecode.com.au/contact-us/