How to Outsource Software Testing in 9 Simple Steps

Long before 1969, when Apollo 11, piloted by Neil Armstrong, landed on the moon, over 400,000 specialists had tested and retested every detail of the spacecraft to minimize all risks. As we all know, that meticulous preparation proved its worth. Indeed, the testing stage is an integral part of any invention, and digital products are no exception. Lack an in-house QA team to test your software? Read on to find out how to outsource software testing and reach excellent outcomes.

Key Testing Services in a Nutshell

The testing phase is vital for the software development process. Depending on the stage of the SDLC and the scope of analysis, you may apply various testing methodologies to your product. Here are the major ones.

Functional Testing

Wanna check how the features and functions of your software are doing? Go for some type of functional testing.

During the development stage, you may scrutinize software units by viewing them as a method, procedure, object, or function, and, therefore, conduct unit testing. To check whether certain modules or systems comply with each other at the interface level, resort to integration testing. System testing is an excellent way to analyze how the entire system responds to certain requirements. In the end, your software product may undergo real business scenarios under the methodologies of user acceptance testing.

Non-functional Testing

This group of software testing methods comes in handy when you need to assess non-functional aspects of a digital product (e.g., load, reliability, overall performance).

Hacking attacks and data leakages are a nightmare for any developer. To sleep well and not fall for scammers, always conduct security testing. Dreaming of a highly responsive app? Try performance testing and analyze how quickly your product implements the commands. Usability testing will help you look at your software from a user's perspective, while compatibility testing will reveal how the product runs in various environments with different databases.

Apart from the above-mentioned services, you may also make use of ad-hoc, static, recovery, regression, and exploratory testing.

Manual Testing

When test engineers hunt for bugs under predefined scenarios (test cases), we're witnessing manual testing in progress. Since the strategy involves human behavioral and cognitive abilities (i.e., software testers act like users), it is a perfect option for functional, usability, and ad-hoc testing. 

Automated Testing

As the notion suggests, automation testing is conducted with special test automation tools and is an impeccable budget-friendly solution. Still, to assess software quality in and out, a testing team should combine manual and automated techniques.

QA & Testing Services

Since testing and the QA process (i.e., quality assurance) are two concepts that frequently go hand in hand, many people use them interchangeably. Still, there is a difference you should bear in mind. While testing engineers pool all the efforts around code quality and bug searching, a QA engineer takes responsibility for the enhancement of the entire development process. That's why an internal QA team on board is always an advantage.

Why Go for Outsourced Software Testing?

Do you know that according to statistics, 48% of users are unlikely to download an app again if its performance is poor and functionality won’t work to the fullest? This is a solid reason to implement quality testing and an effective QA process while developing digital solutions. And the great news here is that you may do it either by yourself or with the help of an outsourced team. Still, we recommend you go for the second option, and here’s why.

Lower Compliance Costs

Assembling a well-knit team from scratch is a real challenge for any enterprise, in terms of both time and money. When turning to a software testing outsourcing company, you remove this bottleneck and free up the resources for strategic and marketing decisions.

Boosted Time to Market

Dying to release your best-of-the-best product and gain a foothold on the market asap? Then software testing outsource is the very solution you're looking for. By delegating mobile app testing to a dedicated external team, not only will you be able to set a tight deadline, but also get bug-free software.

Access to the Best Tools

Great technologies require great resources, and providing your internal team with the latest tools and top-notch solutions may cost you a pretty penny. Don't want to blow off money for short-time access to the technologies? Impose this hurdle on software testing outsourcing companies!

5 Signs You Need Software Testing Outsourcing

It's no secret that thorough testing, as well as timely outsourcing, are a wise use of resources paying off in the long run. But how to spot that it's high time to turn to a software testing outsourcing company? Here are the key red flags:

• Non-QA engineers are in charge of your product quality;
• The budget is too tight for the best-of-breed tools;
• You lack experience in mobile testing and can't evaluate the results of your development team;
• You've lost track of the testing process or don't have a quality strategy;
• Your in-house QA professionals no longer cope with the workload.

Easy-to-Follow Guide to Software Test Outsourcing

If the above-mentioned issues do ring a bell to you, don't hesitate to go for outsourced software testing services. Below, you'll find how to do it in the most efficient way.

Step#1. Analyze the Requirements

First, conduct a thorough analysis of your software. Evaluate its state, current tech capabilities, and business logic to outline what aspects need to be tested.

Step#2. Create the Project Roadmap

At this stage, try to assess the scope of work, the required time and efforts to create a clear project roadmap. If you lack expertise in the tech field, you may always enjoy IT consulting services once the QA partner is chosen.

Step#3. Allocate the Budget

Since outsourced testing, as well as QA outsourcing services, require careful resource planning, start saving money in advance. For rough estimations, make use of our table.

Average Hourly Rates for Testing Services

Source: LQA

Step#4. Get Ready for Communication Issues

When outsourcing QA or testing, keep in mind the location of your service provider. Although an offshore testing firm may offer tempting prices, this choice is frequently accompanied by communication silos caused by time differences, language barriers, and cultural gaps.

Step#5. Select the Cooperation Model

To unlock all the benefits of software testing outsourcing, choose the cooperation model wisely.

• If you want to minimize miscommunication, and the local software testing outsourcing company seems affordable, go for onshore testing.
• To slightly reduce operational costs and stay on the same page with an outsourced team, try nearshoring.
• Offshore software testing services are a golden opportunity to choose an independent test specialist at the best price.

Step#6. Analyze Rating Platforms

How to find a reliable software testing company and not overpay? One of the easiest solutions is to entrust the search to time-tested review platforms like IAOP or Clutch.co.

Step#7. Hire Your Perfect Match

Once the testing team is handpicked, set up the contract and ensure a smooth onboarding process.

Step#8. Get the Tests Conducted

This step is a crucial one, since an outsourced testing team finally sets up hardware and software, selects proper tools to launch the project, and pools its efforts around software analysis. And your task here is to keep track of the deadlines.

Step#9. Sum Up the Results

Now, that your product is tested, don't forget to ask for in-depth documentation and scrutinize all the testing results. Carefully look through the recommendations and get ready for the fixing stage.

One More Hint Before You Go

Software testing outsourcing services are a justified investment, and quite recently, the industry has surpassed $6.8 billion. Indeed, with a quality testing strategy up your sleeve and a dedicated QA team on board, you can launch an upscale, user-friendly solution within the shortest possible time, and therefore, save great resources in the long run. That is why, when selecting an outsourcing partner, take your time and scrutinize pros and cons of every candidate to find your perfect match. 

Have any doubts or questions about software testing outsourcing? Feel free to contact our specialists, who will gladly provide you with the required information.