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Buck up and read this article carefully if you want to stop any costly outsourcing testing blunders.

Even if you’re certain you want to go for QA outsourcing services, have a strategy in place, and know which tests you want to run, selecting a contractor may be challenging since several system integrators look and sound alike. You may get hundreds of calls from vendors each month, all claiming to be able to save you money and increase your testing performance. You need to come up with a way to check out the vendors and their arguments, which contributed to the development of your assessment list.

The most important factors to consider when choosing a strategic testing partner for QA outsourcing services are listed in this clear important checklist. 

Experience in the industry is important… a lot

Bringing in testers who may have never operated in your industry would just stifle your testing efforts. A team of QA leaders who know your market, on the other hand, will not only make testing more effective but will also enable you to prioritize your quality efforts so that the fields with the greatest business impact receive the highest testing priority.

Is there a technology structure and best practices in place for your testing partner?

Be sure to inquire about the unique intellectual property and best practices that a potential vendor can bring to your project. You would like a team that has completed projects before and has distilled their years of experience and achievement into a collection of best practices, accelerators, methodologies, and toolkits. These assets would aid in the acceleration of your quality efforts and the reduction of time to market.

Is your testing partner fluent in agile?

Despite the fact that the importance of testing in agile practices has been well established and recognized, many companies continue to struggle with incorporating testing and quality into their agile delivery processes. Choose a testing partner who shares your perspective on how research fits into your creative process. If you’re using agile and your partner can’t start testing before the entire system’s specifications are finalized and produced, you’ve got an issue.

The lowest rate does not always imply the lowest overall expense 

When it comes to outsourcing companies, the old adage “If it seems too good to be true, it likely is” holds true. You may be inclined to choose a vendor who promises you a digital army of testers for a low price, but truth be told, relying on a small team of expert testers is more successful than depending on a large pool of untrained staff.

Examine the references

Of course, you’ll conduct due diligence by reviewing the vendor’s references, but you can also take a look around. What strategies do your rivals employ? Which vendors are making strides in the market? Examine analyst reviews and market research?

You’ll have a better understanding of your potential vendor’s status and market share. Once you’ll have good references, you should give your testing partners smaller projects to start with and then gradually increase the scope of responsibility as we gain confidence.

Is it easy to do business with your testing partner?

Transparency, correct billing, consistent communication, a clear understanding of expectations, and the ability to rapidly respond to evolving needs? These characteristics are critical in an outsourced partner. Often inquire whether a potential vendor intends to complete the job with its own staff or outsource it to a subcontractor.

Compatibility with other cultures: Does it match?

Any other criteria are just as critical as a good cultural fit. Your partner should become familiar with your business, its employees, and the other vendors who work on your projects. Is it capable of working at your speed, communicating knowledge in the way you need it, and dealing with the level of chaos in your workplace? No matter how successful it is technically if it can’t even handle the way you function, it’s probably not a good match. Furthermore, if you need a large managed service, an on-site lead is needed to ensure transparency.

Should you hire more people or use a managed service?

Staff augmentation is normally the best option if you only need testers for a limited period of time. A multiyear managed service, on the other hand, can be very successful if your company needs ongoing support and the skill set required is not central to your business. The testing partner would have an opportunity to do the job more effectively in a well-run controlled operation, driving process change managed by the carefully agreed service-level agreements.

What’s the best combination of onshore and offshore?

Pure offshore labor augmentation cost savings have been depleted. Although offshoring is still an important part of most vendors’ offerings, it does not provide significant benefits on its own. Rather, take a “right shoring” strategy, where you position teams in locations that make the most sense for the project’s success. This can imply that some employees work on-site at your facility, while others work remotely, and still others operate offshore. It really shouldn’t affect where the teams are based as long as they have enough contact and are able to collaborate effectively.

Innovation and foresight

For any prospective service provider, staying ahead of the game is a big plus. When it comes to outsourcing testing, you want a partner who can advise you based on current events in the market, share its knowledge, and suggest new ideas, fresh approaches, and diverse perspectives. A vendor that can assist you in concentrating your efforts on the appropriate regions, innovations, and developments is more likely to become a long-term strategic partner.