The business is now very passionate about the idea of outsourcing IT services. It is believed that outsourcing IT services can minimize the cost of using information technology. When you decide to outsource, you need to think about how you will measure the effectiveness of the work done. Lack of full analysis when making such a decision can lead to tangible losses instead of benefits. Nevertheless, independent researchers, like Statista or Deloit, show data about a stable increase in outsourcing software development within the last years. But most of the data show financial advantages, and very often, the potential risk of possible losses can be minimized if choosing among the expert IT firms, widely mentioned by independent platforms as the top developers. Even with the in-house team, you can gain the risks of hacker attacks and data leakage. This is where quality assurance, software certification, and IT audits come to the rescue.
Independent testing
If your goal is to be sure that the software solution is well-protected against leakage of commercial information and private data, working stably at any of high traffic picks, and attract loyal customers, giving the company an edge over competitors. You are in need of an independent software audit.
The term “outsourced testing” has recently entered our vocabulary, replacing the more familiar expression “independent testing.” This term means that testing is performed by a company or group of people who are not directly involved in the software development process. Not so long ago (in the mid-80s of the previous century), independent testing was considered the only objective way to assess the quality of a software product.
Modern outsourced testing has become a separate branch in the IT industry. In Western countries, it is called Software Testing and Quality Assurance. Many companies in South America and Europe provide such services.
It is worth noting that each small company specializes in rather narrow areas such as software ergonomics testing or conformity to the data privacy regulations. And only advanced experts with the knowledge of functional programming can provide complex audit services.
Conditions of outsourced audits
If you are going to perform independent testing, you should be aware that the most effective results can only be achieved under certain conditions. The quality of testing depends on the breadth of the problem. If you restrict testers to one area of testing, you can get one-sided results. For example, as a result of testing, the site’s performance will be checked at peak loads, but the vulnerability to hacker attacks will not receive comprehensive testing. Therefore, it is important to highlight the critical points that you would like to check and consider proposals for an independent review. Usually, this is the opinion of professionals who have a standard testing package that can be expanded as you wish or minimized. There is also a separate type of testing – documentation analysis or a package of requirements for a specific certification.
Why is it so important?
Professional testing of the system will allow you to avoid downtime and reduce the cost of eliminating defects made during software product development. The complexity of modern information systems imposes a particular responsibility in ensuring the quality of software products. Since the interests of users can come into conflict, and experts disagree, an integrated approach to testing is required. It is easier and cheaper to find a bug during the development process. On the occasion of a personal data leak, for example, by the GDPR or similar regulation fines for the company can reach up to USD 20 million.
By entrusting the conduct of independent testing of information systems on an outsourced basis, you will receive an objective analysis of the system: transparent characteristics, analysis of stability indicators, and detailed reports on the performance of your software solution.
Experts conduct a qualified study of your software infrastructure, help to identify problems in existing testing processes, and determine the non-compliance of this software with corporate requirements and general regulations. The auditors will make proposals for more effective testing and quality assurance implementation based on the audit results.
Benefits of independent software testing:
- stable and invulnerable software performance, as the critical issues and bugs are detected before the launch to the production;
- significant reduction in the risks of system failure caused by defects, performance problems, or software/hardware conflicts;
- protection against reputational risks associated with the launch of a product that does not meet the needs/expectations of users;
Independent examination of the system for compliance with functional requirements provides a stable and reliable solution for the customers to strengthen brand awareness and satisfaction and keep their data privacy safer.
Summary
So, choosing to work with an independent software company, you can save time, money and finally, be prepared for the successful launch of the software product on the market. In any case, the choice is yours. Risk everything, relying on the developers or make it a rule to budget for the project an independent audit and enter the market with a proven solution.
