The Problems with Agile QA Outsourcing
There are two problems with Agile QA Outsourcing and we have a solution.
Here’s the first problem.
“Testers”, and particularly, outsourced software testers are poorly qualified to provide all the quality assurance services that you need in your Agile software projects.
Surprise! 80% of Quality Related Activities are Non-Testing Activities
Consider all of the quality-related activities in your agile software project:
- Requirements Generation – missing stories, creeping scope, dependencies, edge cases, acceptance criteria & story gaps
- Estimations – missing functionality, dependencies, more edge cases,
- Planning – regression planning, test automation planning, test strategy and planning
- Documentation – acceptance criteria, test data sets, configuration management
- In-Sprint – testing, defect reporting, test case creation, test automation, regression testing
You can easily see that 80% of the quality related activities are non-testing activities.
Why are “Testers” the problem?
Most “Testers” have little or no training in technology engineering, software development methods, or team work.
Most offshore “Testers” have been identified and selected as “Testers” because they are not qualified to be “Developers”. They may have experience testing, possibly even in an Agile software project, but they haven’t been trained in software engineering or software quality.
See the potential for issues?
But Wait, There’s More!
The second problem we frequently see with Agile QA Outsourcing is the fact that “agile” is different in every organization – sometimes it’s different on every project!
So….if Agile is different every time, what does Agile QA Outsourcing really mean? Well, we believe that it means that we adjust how we work to match how you work. We start every software testing and QA project the same way – with this question.
“We have a full toolbox but we’re only truly useful if we understand how to work *with* you. So, can you tell us your agile process and how you’d like to see us work with you?”
That’s where Agile QA Outsourcing starts at TESTCo.
Agile QA Outsourcing, the TESTCo Way
TESTCo’s success in Agile QA outsourcing is based on three distinct advantages that most software QA companies do not have.
- Test Engineers – are trained and experienced in using the best systematic approach to find and document defects in your software. “Testers” can run the test cases you give them.
- QA Managers – are responsible for evaluating and selecting the best QA Strategy, building the test plan with the Test Engineers and reporting quality measurements and statistics each day.
- Agile QA Strategies – are used to match our QA Strategies with your team’s approach to Agile Development so that everyone’s work and outcomes are perfectly aligned and in sync.
Business Outcomes to Expect from TESTCo Agile QA Outsourcing Services
The most important business outcome we produce for our clients is a measure of the risk and certainty of your software. We will tell you, on a daily basis, the quality of your software which will allow you to make a business decision about when to deploy your software for the maximum benefit with the least risk.
Mostly this looks like a daily report with a list of defects and recommendations.
But, there are also many other business benefits that you can expect from working with TESTCo on your Agile QA outsourcing project:
- Requirements are completed sooner with greater detail and fewer missing dependencies.
- Estimates are more accurate and delivered functionality is more complete.
- Plans are more accurate and updated more frequently.
- Documentation is up to date and sustainable.
- In-Sprint Testing is faster, better and cheaper
If your Agile QA Outsourcing is not making your Agile software projects better, faster and cheaper, then contact us and let’s discuss your unique situation and how we can help you. Not ready to talk, but want to learn more about software testing for Agile projects. I’ve written an informative report you can download here.
