Thursday, 21 July 2016

What Makes a Good Software Testing Company?

When many product companies begin the search for a QA provider, they have a very small list of requirements; just a few boxes that the partner must be able to check off. Obviously, one of the key requirements is that prospective partner actually offers the type of testing that the company needs performed.

Unfortunately, many companies are in a hurry to get their testing implemented, and will stop searching as soon as they find a partner that meets this basic need. But there are a few other areas that you should be considering when researching and vetting different software testing companies. Here they are:

Talent & Scalability

Software Testing Company

Make sure that your software testing company staffs true QA experts: engineers who are trained in the latest testing methodologies and tools, and who are committed to testing as a career path rather than a mere stepping stone to development. It also helps to have domain and automation experts on your side, because they can uncover common yet easily overlooked bugs and help make your testing process more efficient. 

Another great aspect of outsourcing to a competent QA partner is the flexibility they offer. Expand your QA team as needed, then scale back when the work is finished -- you’re under no obligation to retain your team. They can grow right along with you, or they can shrink right along with you, it’s your choice!

Great Culture

Talent and expertise are one thing, but how does the company treat their engineers? Do they respect their knowledge and experience and do their best to retain them? Software testing companies that invest in their teams see increased productivity, show higher retention rates, and generally retain big-name clients.

Before you begin onboarding, find out as much as you can about how the company operates, how the communication structure works, and what they do to ensure seamless team extension. All of these factors will influence and shape your working relationship going forward.

Tech Infrastructure

Does the partner have the technological infrastructure to support your testing needs? For usability and performance testing, it’s important that your QA partner can provide all of the necessary devices (Mac, PC, iPhone, Android, etc.) and accommodate all of the OS and environments that your product runs on. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck buying and upgrading your testing platforms yourself!

Reputation & Track Record

It’s important to take into account what your software testing company is doing today, but it’s also important to look back and see where they’ve come from. Look at their list of clients and note how many they’ve retained over the years, read their testimonials, and ask them about what their future goals are. This will help give a more complete picture of the company and whether they’ll be the right fit for you and your specific needs.

There’s much more to a software testing company than basic offerings. To make sure you end up with the partner that will be a right fit today and in the future, do your research! Look for characteristics that align with the areas outlined above.

No comments:

Post a Comment