Today, we discuss the most common nearshore quality assurance (QA) myths. Let´s start!
QA outsourcing is the practice of appointing an independent testing partner to handle an organization's software testing and QA requirements. This process has many advantages, such as faster time-to-market, improved project quality, and access to premium expertise.
According to this report, IT sourcing spending can reach $731 billion by 2023. QA Outsourcing has been one of the most common IT trends in the last few years. It allows businesses to improve their scalability and efficiency without loss of quality.
Depending on your requirements, there are two different strategies for quality assurance outsourcing: nearshore quality assurance outsourcing and offshore QA outsourcing (nearshore vs. offshore QA strategy). Offshore QA is the practice of outsourcing your QA requirements to a vendor in a geographical location different from your own. In contrast, nearshore quality assurance is the process of outsourcing your QA requirements to a neighboring country.
Even though many leaders realize the benefits of nearshore QA, they hesitate to implement it for their businesses. One of the biggest reasons for this is that there are certain myths associated with QA outsourcing. Let's have a look at a few common myths and debunk them.
Nearshore QA is only for big businesses
Many leaders feel that Nearshore QA is prohibitively expensive. Hence it is only useful for large organizations that have a big budget to run such an operation. It’s a complete myth.
Even though quality assurance (QA) outsourcing requires an initial investment, it is one of the most effective ways to reduce your project's overall costs and optimize your QA budget. Furthermore, many vendors can customize their payment plans according to your requirements and budget. This allows businesses to hire talented and experienced quality assurance professionals at a fraction of the cost.
Language and Cultural differences barriers
Oftentimes, since QA outsourcing teams don't reside in the same geographical location as the client, there are language and cultural barriers between the two parties.
This is not the case with nearshore QA partners, who follow similar values and protocols as US clients. This allows them to seamlessly integrate within the existing chain of command. They are also very fluent in English, which reduces communication gaps between the two parties and allows them to collaborate efficiently.
The complete myth about automation
Oftentimes, leaders feel that with the emergence of QA automation tools, it is possible to do the QA process in-house. This is wrong.
The truth is that even though automation tools help a lot, they cannot do everything themselves. As a result, QA vendors must use manual and automated techniques to complete their tests. Of course, certain tests can be fully automated, such as exploratory and regression tests.
However, automated tools cannot perform tests for UI/UX and build quality. You need experienced QA professionals to handle such tests manually.
Data loss common misconceptions
Many companies think sharing data with a nearshore vendor can cause data breaches, leading to the loss of confidential data. They fear that outsourcing can also lead to intellectual property (IP) loss.
This is false, as all trusted nearshore QA partners sign nondisclosure (NDA) and confidentiality agreements prior to entering an outsourcing contract. What's more, they also comply with data protection standards and guidelines such as GDPR and OECD. So, with trusted nearshore QA partners such as Jalasoft, you can rest assured that your IP and data are safe.
Loss of control common myths
Most businesses feel that with outsourcing, they would have to relinquish control over their project. They worry that since they cannot physically see the team, they would not have any idea about project progress and task completion.
This is wrong, as all nearshore development vendors sign a Service level agreement (SLA) before taking on a QA outsourcing project. It is a service contract that describes, in detail, all the project deadlines and deliverables.
Many trusted nearshore QA partners follow agile methodology, which means they provide weekly updates regarding project progress and productivity. They also have several points of contact, such as the project managers and service leaders, who are responsible for updating the client on project deliverables. You can also schedule face-to-face conversations with your vendor if required since most nearshore vendors live in neighboring countries.
Nearshore vendors also use several effort-tracking tools such as JIRA, ServiceNow, and Assembla for managing efficiency. These tools allow clients to measure productivity and control the project.
Discover about nearshore agile software development and how this approach improved communication, faster software product delivery times, and cost-effectiveness.
Guarantee of a bug-free project
Many companies who hire nearshore Quality assurance partners expect a bug-free project at the project closure. They believe that since they have hired a QA outsourcing partner, their product will be perfect and have no issues.
That's not possible. No one in the world can guarantee a 100% bug-free product. Even though QA professionals are highly skilled at their jobs and have rigorous standards, there are still chances that a few bugs might creep into your project. That's why most QA professionals focus on bug severity and priority instead of quantity.
Thinking that Quality assurance is easy
Oftentimes, project leaders feel that all QA professionals do is list the bugs and send them to the client.
This cannot be farther away from the truth. A QA professional's job is much more complicated and analytical than that. It requires a great deal of logical, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
Testers have to use a combination of test automation tools and manual testing techniques to find the issues. They also need to have knowledge of the domain and edge cases to identify the bugs.
Furthermore, QA professionals don't just list out the bugs; they also provide the client with corrective measures to quickly and efficiently rectify the issues without affecting project deadlines.
Debunking Nearshore QA Outsourcing Myths
Quality assurance is one of the most crucial components of a software development strategy. It allows businesses to get rid of the bugs in their final build while maintaining the usability and functionality of their product.
Quality assurance (QA) outsourcing is one of the best decisions you can make for your business. Even though there are a few myths associated with nearshore outsourcing, believing in such misconceptions can be incredibly harmful to your business in the long term.
At Jalasoft, we pride ourselves on applying advanced technologies to meet your business needs, and we have the best software delivery teams of engineers in the technology industry. We would love to offer you our experience and support. Contact us now and let us know what software you need!
Together, we can create products that provide complex, high-quality technological solutions. Get started today!
