Maverick Tester – software tester

6 Responses to “Observations on Offshoring your Software Testing”

1. 

   karthik
   

   28. Aug, 2008

   Im planning for SOFTWARE TESTING course in STC,Chennai.
   Does it have value and market in current industry.??
   Does it have bright future??.please guide me.I fear to spend quite a lot of money(70,000-80,000) without guidance.

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2. 

   Tanmay Vora
   

   30. Aug, 2008

   hi Anne,

   Great blog – and excellent insights. Your concerns about offshoring and lack of visibility are very valid – which is the reason people use collaborative issue tracking and project management tools to have a better control on the offshoring process.

   Undoubtedly, offshoring does add a lot of value in terms of reduced time to test and expertise – since there are companies who specialize only in testing and have a very heavy concentration on testing specific competencies.

   I head one such offshore testing company – and we have clients who had similar concerns on collaboration/visibility – and we were able to address those by setting up process around communication, collaboration and reporting. With time, collaboration has been so smooth that they feel we are a team next door!

   I would be glad to share more insights on how effective collaboration can ensure offshoring success.

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3. 

   Karen N. Johnson
   

   02. Sep, 2008

   Anne-Marie,

   I think its helpful that you’ve identified what aspects of working with offshore have made you uneasy. I’ve found frequent phone calls help to reduce the unknown feeling. The more often I talk with testers in different locations, the more it seems people relax and begin to be more direct in communication. It is a challenge to be on calls late nites an early mornings in attempt to inspire teams, answer questions and to somehow “be there” but it does help. Frequency makes a difference in my experiences.

   Best wishes -

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4. 

   Tarik Sheth
   

   04. Mar, 2009

   Anne-Marie,

   very thoughtful and very well written blog giving the insight of the testing which has an offshore element.

   Test reporting is the crucial concept while dealing with the offshore team. One has the visibility only to the reports and not to the person. Now what if one recieves a mail/ report or a test case which is poorly written or badly managed, it creates a whole impression of the team and not just an individual. I personally feel that test reporting is an essential thing which reflects the personality to the onsite team.

   It would be great for all the readers if you can throw some light on how a effective test reporting should be.

   Thanks.

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5. 

   Dave J
   

   06. Apr, 2009

   Hi there,

   I’ve managed teams with offshore components, and have had mixed results. The work ethic, drive, and ambition of some engineers in other countries is amazing, but distance, language, and culture can cause details to get missed. A clear process is important, but I’ve found the more important key to off-shoring success is in finding and placing good team leads on your off-shore team, with whom you can communicate well with, and who can be trusted to “make it happen” no matter what – on the ground. A good lead in country is worth 10x more than a good process.

   Thanks
   Dave J

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6. 

   Anne-Marie
   

   07. Apr, 2009

   I think you’ve made a really good point there Dave. I was fortunate to have a great team leader on my last offshore assignment

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