Choosing to outsource software testing services is a big decision with many moving parts. Throughout the decision-making process to collaborate with a software testing company, either offshore or nearshore, many questions will pop-up. We’ve answered some of these below.

What types of engagement models do Code Factory offer?

Firstly, we understand that business requirements are different across companies, which is why we offer varied engagement models designed to give you the flexibility to choose how you would like to partner with us.

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1.Time & material basis.

Generally speaking, if you have several projects running concurrently, if you are under time and resource pressure, then this is the model for you. The total cost of QA services will depend on the number of hours our QA engineers spend working on your project. This may also vary based on the type of testing – functional, non-functional, specialist etc..

We will collaborate with your Product and Project teams to input into requirements gathering sessions from a QA perspective and we will work with you on the QA strategy, test methods required, required QA engineers and some estimations based on scope.

2. Full time QA team

This model essentially with give you a dedicated retained team of QA engineers. This team will work for you, and only you. From a reporting perspective, they will report to your organisation as an augmented member of your team and you have the flexibility to increase/decrease the team size depending on requirements and workload.

We work on-site or nearshore with scalable teams for any size of project. We operate openly and transparently to keep you informed, in control and within budget.

Okay, that sounds great but how does the process actually work?

We’ll start by analysing your requirements for the projects discussed. Our task is to basically analyse and provide an in-depth report which include;

• Recommended test suite
• Recommended test approach & Strategy
• Proposed hours on the project
• Estimated cost

We’ll then present this to you with proposed engagement models. If everybody is happy at this point, we would then proceed to commercial discussions, team formation and project start dates.

As part of this phase, and because the initial collaboration piece is generally around a project, it’s always good for you to share as much details as possible with us. That would generally be;

• If there is a prototype or test version of your idea/product
• Designs – Invision for example
• End User demographics/requirements – i.e. Mobile product, so we know we’ll be quoting for mobile testing only and then we can map out the test requirements
• Access to internal project systems, if applicable – JIRA, Confluence, Trello

Then, we’ll get to work on mapping out a strategy.

How do I check the progress of testing?

We are very open and transparent with how we work. There are also many bug tracking tools that we use and these are generally the most effective and transparent way for you to see the results of our work – SPOILER ALERT, YOU WILL BE PLEASED!.

From the agreed tool (usually Jira,TRELLO or gitlab), we will share test reports after each testing session. Here you can see progress and list of bugs.

If you are new to the world of outsource collaboration, we’ll simple create accounts for you team in our bug tracking system and give you complete access. For some projects we also use Google Documents/Sheets and of course, we are always available online for a chat!

I like Documentation, what will your QA team document?

That’s good, we are document junkies too when it comes to testing. Our team will prepare a number of documents which include the scenarios that we tested and the outcome of those tests (i.e. Pass/Fail). We’ll share this with you as part of the QA process.

We’ll also have:

• Bug Reports contain detailed information about the defects found by the QA engineers. There is a detailed description of the bugs, the way they reproduce, along with screenshots and videos.
• Test Scenario is ready before the testing. It is a detailed description of each feature that undergoes testing.
• Test Strategy – an in-depth description of our QA strategy.

Ok, so you’re now my QA partner but who is responsible for my project?

Our CTO takes responsibility for all technical processes. They will oversee the project management team and control the decisions on the QA strategy chosen for your project. And don’t worry, you can speak to the CTO at any time!

What way do your teams work?

We will use of 12 years’ experience in QA to suggest a methodology to work to meet the needs of the project. If you have an existing team and existing working framework, we will simply integrate the testing model into that structure.

When can you start?

Get in touch and we’ll begin the process.