Guide to Software Testing Outsourcing for Businesses

Quality assurance (QA) is a process that aims to ensure the security and quality of the software under development. Although assuring quality is a complex process that requires knowledge, skills, and experience, you can outsource software testing services successfully. Well-organized and professional software testing outsourced teams can identify and eliminate possible security and performance issues before your software is released.

There are several important factors that drive the need for software testing outsourcing. But before you select quality assurance services partner to check your product end-to-end, let’s take a closer look at the software testing outsourcing as a solution for your business.

Why is software testing outsourcing necessary?

Software testing in business involves multiple crucial steps, including the planning of a quality assurance strategy, setting up a test environment, preparing test cases and scripts, the actual software testing, and describing defects that were found in software. Furthermore, there are many types of software testing that are carried out in order to identify bugs and errors and check whether the product meets the requirements or it works as intended.

Without any doubt, software testing is an essential phase of software development. Yet, there are still many organizations that do not take full advantage of this process. Why is that and how does software testing outsourcing could solve it?

First of all, software testing is often perceived as an optional activity that, unlike a fully developed new feature, does not result in any monetary value. And secondly, in-house QA teams incur additional expenses which result due to infrastructure, operational, and HR costs. Software testing outsourcing, as opposed to the in-house option, allows organizations to focus on their development activities while the outsourced software testing professionals handle the quality assurance work.

Moreover, similarly to a team of offshore developers, an outsourced dedicated team of qualified experts can bridge the gap of talent shortage. According to the recently published reports, despite the high demand for technology, recruiting and retaining skilled IT professionals will remain a challenge. 

In particular, quality assurance experts need to demonstrate the right combination of skills to ensure that a given software is not only usable but also functional and secure. Just like any other IT professionals, they need to be up to date on the latest technologies and best (software testing) practices. 

Considering the skills expected from software testers, the responsibilities they bear, as well as the limited talent pool still haunting the Western countries, outsourcing software testing is a viable solution that could help companies unblock the bottlenecks in software development lifecycle.

When you should consider outsourcing software testing

If you are trying to figure out whether it would be better to execute a software testing process with an in-house or a remote outsourced team, consider the following scenarios.

You run a one-time or extra project

If your company plans to release a one-time product or decided to run several projects simultaneously, you may end up having insufficient resources. In such a case, you could hire additional quality assurance professionals which will take time and incur recruitment costs. Or opt for a software testing outsourcing and have the necessary experts on board for your project in no time and at an affordable price. 

You face unexpected delays

The developers and software testers ratio has always been lower on the testing end. Oftentimes, due to delays in projects, the timeframe for software testers shrinks while the deadlines remain the same. Not only the QA team is smaller but also they need to complete their work in a shorter time. In such a scenario, outsourced software testing teams can aid the existing in-house teams and help them deliver the project on time.

You are on a tight project budget

Outsourcing software development has long been a popular way of cutting costs as opposed to hiring in-house teams. Outsourcing QA teams are no different. By delegating software testing to an experienced QA outsourcing company, you can save 20 – and 30% of a project budget and 10 – 15% of the time to market. If you happen to manage a long-term project that hardly gives space for hiring additional resources, you may want to consider outsourcing QA processes (and not only) to get the job done well—and still stay on a budget.

Your QA team is missing expertise

Software testing comes in different forms not only because of the software aspects that are under quality check (e.g., load and performance, security) but also the type of the software. If you have a small dedicated QA team that has been working with mobile or web projects only, they might not readily have the right expertise to execute end-to-end tests on devices or platforms they have not worked with before. 

So if you need to deliver your project on time and cannot afford to train your team ad-hoc, an outsourced software testing team could address this issue. This will not only let you complete development on time but also provide your existing teams with enough space to get to know new software testing approaches.

You need a fresh perspective

When someone works on the same issue or project for a long while, it is easy to overlook important details that could lead to a solution. Your development and QA team could continue walking the same paths and failing to spot vulnerable parts of your product. Or—a team of outsourced software testers could take a fresh look at your software and assess it in a different way than your teams, and therefore, ensure it will be ready for release.

Pros and cons of software testing outsourcing

The trends in IT outsourcing indicate that the offshore outsourcing market is growing rapidly these days. A large number of foreign IT companies outsource their QA processes to offshore vendors. Those companies are already leveraging the opportunities and reaping the benefits of hiring external experts. 

However, it is not a magic bullet type of solution. Although software testing outsourcing comes with several advantages and flexibility, it is also bound to several downsides that you may want to be aware of. So before you hire an offshore software testing partner, consider the following advantages and disadvantages of software testing outsourcing.

Pros of outsourcing QA teams

Cost-effectiveness

Cost-effectiveness is the prime advantage of outsourcing. Costs like hiring and training teams, as well as setting up testing tools and required infrastructure will be more expensive compared to outsourcing an offshore software testing team. In the long run, outsourcing will reduce your operational costs and increase your revenue.

Full-spectrum of testing

Many offshore QA service providers offer a full array of software testing, such as functional, performance, or security testing. They can also act as an advisory body and suggest the best approaches toward testing cloud, mobile-, and web-based products. They could even be the perfect fit for your very niche project and fulfill your project quality objectives.

Easily adaptable

Offshore software testing companies with extensive portfolios strongly indicate that their software testing experts have dealt with projects and products of different magnitude and complexity. For you, it means that they have extensive knowledge and experience which they can utilize when working with your software. For example, they will be able to choose the best automation framework for your project and integrate it with your existing infrastructure.

Unbiased approach

Since outsourced teams are not part of the client’s organization, they will carry out unbiased tests and evaluations. Therefore, you will receive spot-on and impartial feedback regarding the state of your product.

Cons of outsourcing QA teams

Communication

Offshore software testing outsourcing, as per definition, means that QA teams are located in one of the top countries for IT outsourcing, such as Ukraine, India, or the Philippines. It could cause some issues with local data privacy and protection laws that differ in certain regards across the globe. Also, after a while, you may realize that working with software testers living in a different time zone affects smooth communication.

However, many offshore partners are very flexible and know how to work with clients from across the globe. Therefore, be sure to check into that matter and inquire about how the company of your choice has worked out solutions to overcome the abovementioned issues.

Quality

Not every software testing outsourcing company is equal. Some of them might have just entered the market while others have been present in the market for over a decade. While being new to the game and vice versa does not necessarily indicate quality, do take a look at the reviews and portfolio to be sure you choose the best offshore testing company.

Security

These days, data security is extremely important. Organizations across the globe have undertaken the utmost care they comply with local laws and keep the data of their company and customers very secure. While hiring external software testing experts does not readily indicate that their presence will violate your regulations or cause data leakage, you must have a policy and code of conduct in place to ensure the data you entrust them will remain secure.

Choose the right software testing outsourcing partner

Undoubtedly, outsourcing QA teams holds a huge potential. Dedicated offshore software testing teams can aid global companies in times of lack of manpower or expertise. They bring in a fresh perspective and true-and-tried methods developed over the course of working with dozens of variety of clients. Experienced offshore QA teams learned to adapt and comply with their client’s safety and quality standards and co-operate despite the physical distance.
At IDAP, we have been developing and testing mobile and web apps since 2012 and completed over 200 projects. We work for startups and fast-growing tech companies looking for a trusted software testing vendor. Contact us if you need a reliable QA team to ensure your latest product hits the market secure and bug-free.