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Outsourced Testing

The quickly growing business of IT-Outsourcing is a strong contributor to the flexibility and innovation of the IT sector. The trend to outsourcing standardised units seems to be widely accepted today. The question is no longer whether one should outsource, but rather what, how and to whom?

While outsourcing of software development and maintenance activities is already strongly established, outsourcing of testing activities is being pushed more and more into the forefront. Software errors can ruin an organisation's reputation and are much more costly than corrective action. This starting point calls for efficient testing. Testing can only justify its existence as long as the prevention of errors remains cheaper than developing without proper testing. It is therefore necessary to find the optimal balance between error and testing costs.

Potential benefits of Outsourcing / Offshoring:

• Cost reduction through lower wages
• Cost savings through learning curve and economies of scale
• Expedition of projects
• Assuring an independent quality control
• Innovation

Outsourcing is not, however, as easy as it initially appears. Studies have shown that stereotypical decisions are often taken. Decision-makes see that others have outsourced and don't want to be left behind in their own companies. The advantages and disadvantages of exporting work should nevertheless be thoughtfully analysed. Otherwise, the expenses associated with outsourcing may soon outweigh the expected cost savings. In addition, a lasting competitive advantage can only be achieved when outsourcing is undertaken shrewdly and skilfully.

In order to realise and achieve the potential of outsourcing a specific test activity, SwissQ has developed the MOST™ (Manage Outsourced Software Testing) process. The sourcing benefit is systematically held up against the costs and risks. The process explains step by step how outsourcing of test activities is designed, planned, contractually safeguarded and implemented and also describes the necessary models and tools.