software testing best practices onboarding process

Therefore, we would like to share one of the software testing best practices with you, namely what we consider the perfect way of onboarding clients. When we start to work or make sales presentation to these customers, one of the first things they ask is, “We would like to know what your onboarding process is and how do you ensure the onboarding process is smooth.”

A successful onboarding process consists of four key elements.

1.  Minimize the risk for potential clients.

What is key to minimizing risk? The first aspect deals in terms of disclosure. You want to have a straightforward and bi-directional NDA in place. Additionally, you need to reduce risk by containing your costs and ensuring that the firm you are working with delivers what they promise but is also given room to deliver even more than what they guaranteed. This can sometimes be difficult for larger firms doing “outsourcing” and with very mature outsourcing models. These large clients might want to have specific things done, such as having particular test cases executed on specific platforms, having the results provided in a precise format or system they want the software testing services firm to report in.

From these types of customers’ points of view, they might minimize risk, but on the other hand, they also reduce the upside they could get from a firm that is creative in approaching their problem and determining even better solutions. So while you want to minimize risk, you also want to give the software testing firm room to be creative and provide better solutions than you would otherwise obtain with a less creative company.

The following software testing best practice for the onboarding process is to find a company that makes it easy and hassle-free to work with.

2.  Easy and hassle-free

You want to work with a very flexible firm that has excellent communication, and that can get started very easily. Many companies in the software testing industry have this practice of trying to nail you down with a long-term contract or a specific project length, which of course, implies high cost and limited visibility on the scope of results. In our previous post, we highlighted the billing process as one of the seven key criteria to consider when a client seeks a software testing company. What we like to do with our customers is bring them on in a flexible multiple dimensions way, which means that they can use a very short time window to evaluate our work.


❣️ READ MORE:7 advantages of outsourced qa

The Best Guide To Outsource QA, Available NOW!!!

You need to outsource your QA if your software system must be highly reliable, stable, and allow you to provide an excellent end-user experience, but you are…

By Jimmy Florent


3.  Flexibility in multiple dimensions

Additionally, we add extra flexibility in terms of the number of people and the number of hours we dedicate to the job. So, for example, we realized that one of the software testing best practices on the onboarding process was working with our customers by the man/month versus by the hour. And the reason to do it this way is to avoid surprises at the end of the month when customers see a bill for 197 hours for a guy, which leaves you wondering, “What did this person do?”. Therefore, you want to be flexible, but you also want to minimize risk, so that’s important.

4.  Value from the beginning

The last aspect of the onboarding process, which is probably the most important, is for clients to seek a contract or engagement that provides value from the very beginning. That implies using a company that will work with you to determine where you are in the maturity process of your testing and see whether or not you are applying general software testing best practices. That, in turn, will allow the software testing company to find out where they can add the most value right away. Sometimes instant value-added services could be an extra pair of hands, doing the work you might need this software company to do. Other times it’s about understanding your process and where you can improve it.


❣️ READ MORE:6 powerful questions

6 Powerful Questions Before You Test Your Software

If you want to test your software but do not know where to start, the following six key questions will help guide you

By: Jimmy Florent


Conclusion

In conclusion, an essential software testing best practice is how to onboard a software testing services company, following the guidelines provided above. The company you sign up with should be flexible, understand your need, and help you get the most value from the services they provide. That might mean doing precisely what you tell them to do. Other times it could mean allowing them the room to use the expertise and experience they have developed over the years to add value to your organization.


You can find us on:

Software Testing Best Practices | The Onboarding Process


By Jimmy Florent
February 25, 2022