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On Demand Testing: What Is It and Will It Work for Me?
Ideally, software development projects need to either produce revenue or reduce costs as quickly as possible. Every day they fail to do so, they are actually costing you money.
Most software projects are delayed due to poor or non-existent testing. This is the reason rapid, thorough offshore software testing services must be a part of every software engineering project. Typical Software Development Methodologies recommend testing the entire program from beginning to end. But in today’s “hurry up and produce results” economy, most businesses don’t have the luxury of waiting for internal teams to conduct comprehensive testing.
Most companies need to wrap up production, go live and then move on to the next project. However, the time and resources needed to keep up this pace are not always readily available.
Software still needs to be tested. So, what can be done?
- Have the engineers test their own work. This is expensive (java developers are usually paid more than testers), and only marginally effective because developers tend to make a LOT of assumptions about what needs to be tested in the code they’ve written.
- Assign “other” people to test it. The “other” people are usually people within the company in customer service or marketing. This is less expensive, but it’s the least effective method because they aren’t trained testers who understand how/what to test and what to do when they find a defect.
- Have the end users test it. This approach appears to be the least expensive but is actually the most expensive. End users that will eventually use the software to accomplish their work often experience frustration and loss of confidence in the application when they are put in this position. In addition,
productivity and other opportunities are lost when they are pulled away from their regular work to test software.
- Do nothing and hope for the best. You wouldn’t be reading this if you really thought this was an option.
- Automate it! This is the holy grail of software testing. It involves writing a program to test a program – a very complex process that requires up-front investment and is really only valuable when you have a LOT of tests to run, very frequently, and in a very short period of time.
None of these are options are ideal, especially if you find yourself reading this AFTER you’ve started a software project.
What is On Demand Testing?
On Demand testing matches trained and experienced Software Test Engineers with pre-release software at the precise point when testing is needed.
The On Demand testing process includes rigorous, focused trials and real-world experimentation while delivering real results with genuine, actionable business value.
On Demand Testing:
- takes the very best of traditional and current Software QA Testing Methodologies
- strips out the pieces that aren’t directly applicable to getting the project successfully completed
- applies the remaining activities at the right point in time
- maintains a focus on the proper business balance of high quality and on time completion
On Demand testing involves 4 simultaneous threads:
- Understanding the application under test
- Creating and organizing test cases
- Running test cases and reporting defects (bugs)
- Planning and managing the daily efforts
In traditional software QA testing, each of these 4 threads is typically run in a specific order at a specific time. On Demand testing runs each of these threads simultaneously. It focuses on the most important thread then gives just enough attention to the other threads so that maximum business value results each day.
How does On Demand Testing Work?
- Our QA Manager conducts a brief call with you to understand the current state of the software project, priorities, deadlines and exactly where we should focus our efforts. This takes about an hour on the first day and then no more than 15 minutes per day thereafter.
- Our Test Engineers work with the software and any documentation you have (even old bug reports work well) to understand the application well enough to write and run a test case.
- The Test Engineers write a test case by running a test and documenting it.
- Any defects we discover during this process are reported to your defect tracking system. We can use our defect tracking system if you don’t have one.
- We deposit each test case into your test case management system so we can run and/or update it later if we need to retest. We can use our test case management system if you don’t have one.
- Our Team Leader updates a functional map to categorize the test case and demonstrate our knowledge of your software and the amount of testing that we’ve covered.
- You receive a daily status report mid-morning of the next day that details exactly what we’ve accomplished and what our plans are for the next day.
- This process repeats each day that we work with you.
Does this simple process explain everything? Almost. There are additional details that explain how we make this simple and effective. They don’t warrant making the list longer, however. If you’d like to know more, we’re happy to discuss the details over the phone. The bottom line is that On Demand testing works. It produces daily results and delivers lots of value with very little risk.
What are the Pros & Cons of On Demand Software Testing?
Pros
- You only pay for testing when you need it.
- It is less expensive than using your developers to test.
- It is easier to initiate a project and begin testing immediately, as opposed to trying to manage everything yourself.
- We’re ready to start within 24 hours. We can usually start tonight if you call us early enough in the day.
- We are trained and experienced software testing experts.
- We use proven software testing tools and management methods – and we can use your tools and processes if you prefer. We also have experience testing in agile.
- We deliver daily results, and we touch base with you every morning.
Cons
- We can’t test everything immediately.
- We can’t fix the defects we find.
- Our Test Engineers won’t meet every qualification of your hiring profile, experience and culture requirements. We’re not interviewing to join your company – we’re testing your software.
- Our Test Engineers won’t necessarily be sitting in your office. Although, we can make this happen with our nearshore services if need be.
- We won’t immediately know your software development methodology or all the details of your application. We’re smart but not psychic.
- You will get defects and test cases EVERY day, so you’ll need to be prepared to take care of them.
Will On Demand Software Testing Work for Me?
Probably. It depends.
It will if you:
- Have an application in a stage that is ready to be tested
- Have an application that is accessible via the Internet or installable on a personal computer or server
- Have a team that wants their work tested
- Will spend an hour working with us on our first day and 15 minutes per
day thereafter
- Give us real feedback on our work and be honest with us about where we
make mistakes
- Need Agile testing and know that testing in Agile is key to your development
- Really want it to work
Those last 2 items are actually the most important. On Demand testing is NOT a black box that you shove your program into at the last minute. It is a quick and valuable process that you can use when you need it the most. But, it does require that you do your part – the most important of which are communication, honesty and desire. Without those, On Demand Software
Testing won’t work for you – or us.
What Do I Do Next If I'm Ready For On Demand Testing?
If you are in a hurry and need help quickly -
- Please, contact us and let's talk in more detail to see if we can help you.
- If you're reading this, then you're probably in a hurry and looking for help.
- I promise that we won't waste your time.
- Within a 30 minute phone conversation, we will clearly let you know if we can help you and exactly how much it will cost.
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