Quality Assurance, or QA, is often given short shrift in a software development organization, especially when budgets are tight. When debating the software development budget at one of my software companies, the CEO finally asked, "Well, do you really want to hire a QA guy, or a programmer to add features to the software?"
It was a tough choice. I decided to hire the programmer because we had a huge list of features to implement. And we could not afford to implement a QA process without hiring a significant staff of QA engineers and someone to manage them.
In another example, an Accelerance client had developed their software and was getting ready for a Beta release to their first customers. They too had neglected QA. Although the work of their individual programmers was good, the entire system needed testing after the programming work was integrated together.
This client realized that going to market without a comprehensive test of the system would be a major disaster. An obvious indicator of the impending doom was the missing data on screens of the application whenever the VP of Engineering tried to use the software. Their target market was ordinary consumers who would not tolerate any missing data, confusing behavior or unexpected error messages.
How could such good engineers create such lousy software!?
It is because QA is the ugly step sister of software development. Even if the engineers are unit testing their code, they do not want to be bothered with testing the entire application. It is not considered a creative or "fun" part of the process. Consequently, QA is often neglected, leading to mediocre software and unhappy users.
Outsourcing is an excellent solution to the problem of nonexistent or incomplete QA. Yet some people are surprised to learn QA can even be outsourced. Outsourcing your QA is a terrific first step to taking advantage of low-cost offshore engineering resources.
One reason QA is such a good place to start with outsourcing is you do not necessarily need to divulge your source code. You can deliver a binary version of your software for installation and testing by your outsourced QA team. Look for a team with experience performing the type of QA that you need. You can divide QA into 5 different types of testing:
1. Requirements Testing - making sure your software does what you designed it to do
2. Usability Testing - specialized testing that may require focus groups of target users
3. Load or Stress Testing - to ensure your software has the required performance
4. Environment Testing - testing your software on different operating systems, browsers, etc.
5. Regression Testing - an automated process to repeat tests quickly on each new release of your software
Regression testing is often used with unit testing. Unit testing is performed during programming and requires access to the source code. Other separate regression tests can exercise the user and programmatic interfaces defined for your software without viewing the source code.
Avoid outsourcing too much at once. Pick the type of testing that will give you the biggest benefit. For example, Regression Testing may be valuable because you can reuse the tests yourself after they are developed by the outsourced QA team. On the other hand, Environment Testing requires a large number of test cases, and low cost outsourcing is the only way to affordably complete them.
In summary, it is important to recognize the value of QA in the software development process. You may start out with a small development team and be satisfied with the quality of their code. As the complexity of the software grows, you can add QA resources either by outsourcing or hiring your own internal team.
When you undertake the creation of a large and complex software project, it is critical to plan for professional QA as part of the effort. If you don't, you run the risk of making a bad first impression and losing critical early sales, funding for future projects, or worse. Even though outsourcing is criticized for eliminating jobs, outsourced QA may be just the tool you need to help keep yours.
Steve Mezak is a successful Silicon Valley technical entrepreneur and international outsourcing expert. Get your copy of his free report on "Outsourced Development - A Secret Weapon for Quickly Creating Software Products" now at http://www.Accelerance.com
Kinds of Workplace ConflictsLet's start by identifying where conflicts happen.... Read More
FINDING DIRECTION: An organization can't succeed without direction. Direction means... Read More
Sexual Harassment Policy Guidelines ? Part IPermission is hereby granted... Read More
Australians are loosing their laidback, carefree reputation, as we continue... Read More
There seems to be an assumption that change is a... Read More
If you want to ensure a steady stream of customers... Read More
The difference between leaders is ears. Good leaders not only... Read More
How can I "know who knows" None of us can... Read More
Cost cutting has become a necessary and important reality in... Read More
Leslie was the new manager of the group. She was... Read More
Employers pay a high price for absenteeism, often more than... Read More
Many entrepreneurs and chief executive officers are unaware that there... Read More
This article relates to the Work/Life Balance competency, which investigates... Read More
Everyone wants to succeed yet everyone has a different perception... Read More
In today's competitive world shorter product life cycles, customers rapid... Read More
"Nothing inspires confidence in a business man sooner than punctuality,... Read More
Do you own or manage a computer consulting company? Are... Read More
Over 3 of my meetings with 3 business owners last... Read More
Now that it is January, many of you are putting... Read More
Performance Management is the act of managing personal or organizational... Read More
Meetings can be like mythical vampires ? sucking the life... Read More
October 2004 saw the introduction of the Employment Act 2002,... Read More
The reason jobs are often not done right and employees... Read More
What is the number one way to prevent failure in... Read More
Telecommuting or virtual work opens up a wider net of... Read More
One of the things that most impacts people's productivity is... Read More
Do you know how many customers you have that are... Read More
For small business owners, an enthusiastic vision for smooth, steady... Read More
If you have a task greater than you can handle... Read More
Quality hiring is more than running ads, screening, interviewing and... Read More
In part one of this article I told you about... Read More
Okay, be honest!Are you guilty of sticking in a few... Read More
To get the best results you have to be very... Read More
INTRODUCTIONThe typical approach executive teams use to cascade, or roll... Read More
The CultBecoming a part of the Cult, consists of being... Read More
Managing Client Relationships: Even the best run organizations occasionally run... Read More
Avoiding inert measures that anaesthetise your performance management.INTRODUCTIONYou sit before... Read More
1) Use a live instructor. Adults learn best by doing,... Read More
There are papers on the floor, across the desk and... Read More
Have you ever heard yourself say to a team member... Read More
A recent report entitled "How Google Grows?and Grows?and Grows" stated... Read More
"We are so different and individualistic that we can't work... Read More
As an entrepreneur, hiring an expert can be one of... Read More
A core activity in many successful businesses, Succession Planning is... Read More
The most difficult part of creating a Security Policy for... Read More
The Security Consultant's Perspective...Implementing Personnel Security Initiatives should be the... Read More
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More
The Leader's Fallacy lives! We subscribe to the Fallacy when... Read More
I was talking with first-line supervisors in a utility company... Read More
You've hung out your shingle and are ready for business.... Read More
This was supposed to be one of those sleepy flights... Read More
"Here is Edward Bear, coming downstairs now, bump, bump, bump... Read More
Have you ever tried to drive somewhere without proper directions?... Read More
In today's competitive world shorter product life cycles, customers rapid... Read More
A good consultant provides specialist abilities and experience, innovative ideas,... Read More
Leaders and Managers often ask us, 'What do you do... Read More
Nobody's perfect, including the boss. Managers, we polled recently, acknowledged... Read More
Someone can say, 'Why do you oppose this?' So I'd... Read More
Tips for Getting the Most From Your Conference Investment All... Read More
E-mail, voicemail, "got a minute?" interruptions, multiple projects... Read More
Leadership is lifting a person's vision to higher sights, the... Read More
The knee-jerk response to prioritizing requirements is to mark everything... Read More
In our fast paced work culture, manned by technology savvy... Read More
Recently, I felt appalled to see a political candidate running... Read More
This article relates to the organizational structure competency, commonly evaluated... Read More
Over the past couple of days I've been setting up... Read More
Business Management |