Choosing a software testing provider can be a difficult task. What you know is that you want your software to function effectively and smoothly. But the details of how it needs to be done are often unclear. If you knew all these things, of course, you wouldn’t need help. So how can you go about it and make sure you end up with the right provider?
Fortunately, there are specific things that you can look for in manual software testing services that will help you make the right decision. Even if you are not an expert on software testing, if you go through this checklist you will be likely to find what you are looking for in a good, solid partner in testing.
Why is testing important?
Let’s start with a basic question: Why is testing important?
The answer is manifold. Software can have numerous issues that can be difficult to fix. It can affect your system as a whole and the various apps you use along with it. It can skew your data, leading to computational and informational issues.
Not only is it important to find a testing provider so that you can have your software checked in general, but getting an objective, third-party look at your programs can provide you with additional insight about your software and overall system functioning that you yourself might be too entrenched in to notice.
Things to look for in a provider
Let’s now run through several things that you can look for which will help you make an informed decision about testing providers. While every company’s needs are different, there are constants that apply to everyone.
Find a specialist relevant to you
There are a lot of testers out there. You have a unique set of needs and want to find someone that “speaks your language.”
Before you get started, you and your potential testers should sit down and have a long conversation about your software, your systems in general, and what your particular needs are. The provider should ask you a lot of questions, including:
⦁ What you want specifically from your software
⦁ Who your target audience is
⦁ What type of solutions do you hope for
⦁ What you have used in the past and the pros and cons of each product
The more your provider finds out in advance, the better prepared they will be to help you.
Look up customer reviews
It would also be to your advantage to look up reviews from vendors. You can talk to people individually or look on review sites and blogs to see what people are saying. There are sites available like Gelartner and Clutch that focus specifically on this.
Find a partner that is both specific and broad
This might sound like a contradiction in ideas, but it doesn’t have to be. There are specialists out there that both have particular specialty areas and a broad range of services to help people in various areas. You might need white box testing in particular, or smoke testing on something new. But in a year you might require different services.
Finding a reliable partner is critical. Once you have someone who you know you can trust to do the job, it is a good idea to hold onto them. So even though your needs might be narrow at any given time, they can easily become more diverse later on. Establishing a relationship with a good provider is essential.
Honesty and transparency are key
Every service that you can get can be done well or badly. And there are honest and dishonest people in all walks of life. So it will be well worth your while to find a provider that is trustworthy, comprehensive, and transparent.
You can determine many of these things in advance by asking questions and doing your homework. Ask for an itemized list of services that the provider will fulfill, and counter-check their statement against customer reviews for those specific points. If customers seem to say that the provider doesn’t do the job completely or tends to hide costs, you should probably look elsewhere. You don’t want to end up with a half-finished job or a bill that is twice as big as what you initially expected.
A solid foundation will last
If you take the time to establish good relations with the right software testing provider early on in your company’s operation, you will save yourself a lot of potential headaches later on. You will know that you will have someone to count on that is competent, fair, and reasonable. And most importantly, you will know where you stand with your software and what you should expect from it.
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