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How Global Can Testing Really Be? BCS – 11 th February 2008. Some Current Market Stats. Test Management challenges – outsourcing/offshore. Process. Establish the strategy Why are you doing this? What value do you need delivered? Identify target geographies
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How Global Can Testing Really Be? BCS – 11th February 2008
Some Current Market Stats Test Management challenges – outsourcing/offshore
Process • Establish the strategy • Why are you doing this? What value do you need delivered? • Identify target geographies • Not just India! Your strategy will help identify the right geography for you • Identify target test types • Not all testing can be done remotely, is your demand pipeline sufficient? • Establish the Approach • Method of working, implementation plan, how will you know it’s working? • Pre-requisites for success • What measures do you need in your service level agreements?
Strategic Decision CriteriaWhether to outsource? What to outsource? Who to? • Cost • Historically the key driver, but it’s not just the daily rates! • Quality • Same level of quality? Level of quality during transition? • Timescale • How critical is “time to market” can you wait longer? • Flexibility • Timing for management communications and error rectification • Demand fluctuation • How will they manage increasing market demand from other customers and still meet your aims • Growth potential • Sufficient potential for infrastructure and skills for future demand • Maximise skills availability • Different geographies have strengths in different types of testing skills • Risk managed • Could future political tensions put your business at risk?
Pre-Requisites for Success • Setting of tactical and strategic goals • Identifying the types and phases of testing to be undertaken offshore • Agreed implementation plans, including ownership of decisions • Senior management sponsorship • Understanding of cultural differences of selected geographic locations • Clearly defined ownership of relationship management • Clearly defined operational management processes • Strong management skills for implementation of offshore working, in particular communication skills (written, verbal and visual) • Common implementation of Test Process Method to be used • Common use of test automation tools, in particular for test management • Sufficient level of test maturity at touch points in operational process • Defined requirement for environment and infrastructure support which is fully implemented to support offshore working
What can go Wrong?Some Real Examples • Automation Test Factory – scripts passed even when system under test was not present • Churn of staff so high in outsourcing company that every project was just as much of a challenge as the first • Management time not accounted for, when it was cost was equivalent to testing on home site • Target geography, staff want to be Java Developers rather than testers • Culture differences not taken into account during implementation leading to frustration on all fronts