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 –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 Criteria Whether 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