The Benefits Of Utilizing On-Demand QA Staffing

The ever-changing business scenarios and demanding economic situations have put tremendous pressure on IT divisions or sectors to optimize the transaction cost in developing and releasing softwares. On-demand services provide companies much-required financial flexibility in the structure of usage based, utility-like pricing. By moving to an on-demand service, firms can eliminate quality issues more efficiently before releasing a new software.

As the technology is advancing at a rapid pace, this is not to mention that the increasing reliance on technology is compelling organizations to develop new apps and updates more frequently. Testing departments are struggling to keep up lowering cycle times and detect any error before the application enters production. Therefore, the recent mandate for IT firms is to quickly create test environments that closely matches to real-time scenarios, which makes it a costly and complex affair.

On-Demand Testing Services

On-demand service is basically a delivery model proficient of packaging application testing; related tools and the necessary infrastructure, through a usage-based approach. On-demand services offer on the spot access to testing resources that are delivered through existing on-premise environment or via cloud. The combo of lower capital costs and quicker service provisioning allows companies to meet random their needs and niche, while augmenting turnaround time.

On-demand service, also known as pay-per-use model, allows firms to switch to a flexible operational model, as they no longer required to make high investments in tool licensing, test infrastructure, maintenance, hiring and training employees, etc. User can select from a diverse testing tools, solution accelerators to perform several tests like specialized, performance, last-mile & mobile testing and ready-to-use configurations. On-demand testing helps in quick test automation at lower costs. As per the changes made to the app, on-demand service providers update automation scripts. Automated test cases can work within several environments like development; production; and system integration using the same scripts, which results in amplified test coverage and lowering defects in production.

Suitable Scenarios

On-demand testing is appropriate for these types of testing scenarios:

• Intricate infrastructure requirements (for example: mobile and device testing)
• Fractional tests (for example: security, performance, browser compatibility and usability testing)
• Niche testing skill requisites (for example: last-mile, acceptance, safety and mobile testing).

Firms can partner with experienced on-demand QA staffing service provider to manage end-to-end testing needs and deliver high quality.

Advantages of on-demand testing

• Cost Optimization

As stated above, the pay-per-use model provides financial flexibility, and offers information required to forecast prospective expenses in a transparent way. As the complete testing process is managed by the service provider, the internal resources get enough free time that can be used for other core activities.

• Reduced provisioning time

Scalable and dynamic provisioning radically lowers provisioning time, from months to days, making it apt for meeting seasonal and dynamic testing demands.

• Ideal for performance and last-mile testing

Companies can create test environments of any scale and test app in environments that very closely resembles real-life situations. This makes it perfectly suited for testing that needs thousands of synchronized users, across diverse geographical locations, like load, performance and last mile testing.

Planning and executing test schedules without delay

With the help of high environment, organizations can plan and carry out test to- do list without delay, thus reducing the time to market a new app and optimizing test cycles.

• Greater business dexterity

Companies can attain better business agility and can react to business alterations effectively, as they are virtually armored from the complex technological setting.

• Reduced configuration- related mistakes

Pre-configured software images and standardized infrastructure can lessen configuration-related errors, that pop up at the time of production

API Readiness – Gallop and SmartBear Joint Webinar

Business organizations are demanding excellence in software and digital media to capture market. In order to   deliver greater efficiencies in reduced time lines, software developers are integrating APIs at staggering speed from public, private and partner resources. APIs help interacting with the software world, saving time and resources the reason why developers relay upon APIs. With the rise of disruptive technologies and adoption of digital technologies in the systems of engagement, quality issues in the use of APIs are getting amplified resulting in loss of brand credibility and trust. IT teams need pragmatic processes, tools and techniques to test & fix bugs in APIs to deliver higher quality. For early risk mitigation, developers need to prioritize the importance of testing APIs for their security, integrity and vulnerabilities.

If already working with APIs one can understand the importance of APIs and testing APIs. If not it must be surprising, What APIs are and how harmful it can be to use APIs without testing.

Starting with what are APIs?

In the simplest terms, APIs are sets of requirements that govern how one application can talk to another. It’s a software-to-software interface. The user is unaware of the interaction between different software which happens at the background before a task is completed. For example: if a user want to book a ticket online for a movie from the website, the website sends the user credit card credentials to a remote application for verifying the information and a movie ticket is issued only after the payment is confirmed. It is called seamless integration where the user doesn’t know what goes on in the background.

How do they work?

An API is a set of functions, procedures, and other points of access which an operating system, an application, a library etc., is made available to programmers in to allow it to interact with other software. APIs and Web services are not visible to Web site surfers and software users. They run silently in the background, providing a way for applications to work with each other to get the user the information or functionality needs. For example:    The icons to share articles on Google+, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter or Reddit. These are links which help to do the service of posting or tweeting without leaving the webpage. The user need not leave the current webpage to do the posting. It makes it easier that one need not develop applications from scratch. It saves time and resources.

API readiness

Testing APIs to track how the API handles problems helps to fix discrepancies.   API testing helps to identify whether the API crashes or handles the problem? When it crashes to how much level is the crash? Shipping software with API failures leads to loss of customers and brand credibility. Ensuring API readiness through testing ensures quality and integrity of the software making it trustworthy software from a reliable branded company.

A real time cost benefit analysis of offshoretesting vs. QA staffing

A real time cost benefit analysis of offshoretesting vs. QA staffing

A software development process is incomplete without testing. After a software product is developed, it is the task of the testers to find out if the product meets the performance and practical requirements. If not, then it is the task of the developers to rework on the project until or unless the performance requirements are met. It is a practice that every responsible and credible IT service provider needs to provide to their clients as based on the quality of products delivered, payments are dispatched from the end users.

Cost Cutting Techniques by Testing Using QA Staffing

If a company has its own testing facility then it becomes simple to conduct testing but at the same time becomes a bit cost effective. Efficient QA staffing or hiring testers on a full-time or contract basis for testing purposes help resolves issues pertaining to handling such IT process.

IT Companies look for profits and that can be attained if cost cutting measures are adopted in the testing procedure. Following cost cutting measures can be attained by hiring testers by an IT firm.

• In this context, it needs to be said that both money and time is saved if the defects in the software are identified early.
• Also once a flaw is detected in the software during the testing process, money is saved if the time taken to rectify the software is less.
• Better customer service helps in comprehending the user requirements and this is a good thing from the testing perspective.
• If the end users demand modification or enhancement in the software, it is necessary for the service provider to respond accordingly.
• For an IT company to deliver quality and efficient services, it becomes easy to identify the lacunas associated with the company’s developers and programmers.

Cost Cutting using Offshore Testing Services

All the above steps do contribute to cut costs so far as software testing is concerned. Yet another method that can be implemented to reduce cost is through outsourcing of software testing. IT companies engaged in the development process have identified that offshore testing contributes significantly to cut costs thereby raising the profit margin. There are a number of service providers that do testing for companies at comparatively low rates.

For a client company who wants its software to be tested by a service provider, does not have to incur unnecessary expenditure on recruiting testers and this cut costs for the company drastically.However, there are certain disadvantages associated with such process. The prime being that the company doing the outsourcing has to depend totally on the service provider doing the outsourced jobs.If the service provider fails to make timely delivery of the projects, then the company image is very much tarnished in front of the end users. Often this results in the company losing business.

But in general it is observed that outsourcing is the preferred choice of most IT companies

Reduction of expenses with resources

• There is a significant reduction of expenses with resources.
• The providers of testing services are not only adept in using the costly testing tools, but they own them.Because of this, the testing process is a cost saver.
• For the small software development firms which do not have the resources to hire a testing team, outsourcing is the best option.

Use of quality software

• In most cases off shore testing is associated with the use of quality software.
• The pertinent service providers usually stick to best practices in the process that incorporates prompt identification of defects, smart approaches in preparing test cases, thereby saving time, effort and cost.

Faster testing cycles

• The testing service providers use skills in automating testing resulting is faster testing cycles.
• They also optimize staffing thereby enabling handling of fluctuations in demands.
• Also, since most of them cater only to the testing process, their focus is to provide quality and timely testing services.

Safe practice

• As compared to QA staffing for testing purposes by IT companies, it is observed that outsourcing is a safe practice provided the service providers approached for accomplishing the tasks have the requisite credentials in terms of experience, infrastructure, human resources.
• Therefore, emerging companies, with limited IT infrastructure prefer outsourcing rather than building in house testing facilities.

The IT companies in this process access dexterous team of software testers. The professionals engaged in such testing process are skilled in using the different testing tools.

Should Mobile testing be 24/7 dimensional because apps are used anytime?

A mobile application has to undergo and overcome rigorous testing to be accepted by the app stores. Once the application is launched, the app needs to be constantly tested to incorporate emerging changes and features while ensuring performance and security.

Imagine a flaw in a mobile application that is being used by millions of users of a bank. The flaw could be a security vulnerability, data interpretation anomaly, substandard input options or delayed confirmation. The consequences include disrupted transactions and delayed payments for the users, poor user experience and a financial loss for the bank in addition to a potential decline in the customer base.

For a business organization, apps transform the interactions with the customers by eliminating the barriers of time and distance. For example, the business time for an e-commerce app is 24/7 365 days a year. With a wide array of productions on the application, it becomes difficult to predict the time of a heavy surge in traffic which tends to affect the transactions.

The mobile ecosystem presents an enormous plateau of users, a rich concentration of usage and a fertile area for innovation. The benefits are accompanied by an increased scope of defects which need to be identified, prevented and treated with minimum loss of time.

Innovation is the key stone for a mobile application testing right from its conceptualization to the usage. Testing is a Quality Assurance component right from the prototype to the test automation that supports the operations. Testing is essential to eliminate the causes of rejection and to measure the adherence to design and UX guidelines.

To translate mobile moments into digital interactions, sales closures and increased engagement with the customers, organizations employ testing to make sure the applications are truly mobile in terms of compatibility with the browsers, operating systems, devices, network carriers and usage patterns.

Hidden behind the flawless mobile applications is a combination of development and testing that brings defect management into the application lifecycle with scalable components, contextual dashboards and goal maps for greater prioritization.

To accomplish such complicated manoeuvres in an environment driven by goals, technology, changes and constant trouble shooting, the human intellect or the human dimension determines the nature of the outcomes and the reaction to the outcomes. Thus, the presence of professional testers in development environment brings as opposed to external assessments is essential to make the applications rich in quality and resilient to changes.