Offshore Test Management
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The document discusses bringing offshore testing onshore to reduce costs while maintaining quality. It outlines approaches to build foundations of trust, implement training programs, identify risks, and closely monitor progress. Key steps include securing hardware connections, sharing skills and knowledge, training partnerships, and adding quality assurance layers to build client confidence over time. Within a few months, the integrated onshore-offshore team expanded productivity significantly at low overhead costs with very positive results and client satisfaction.
Offshore Test Management
- 2. Bringing Offshore Testing Onshore Making the world a smaller place Kevin Harvey
- 3. Meet the Offshore Test Team How is this possible?
- 4. Objectives Break down social and technical barriers Increase overall productivity Improve quality Reduce overall costs to the project
- 5. Misconceptions and fears Inefficiency – language and cultural differences Onshore staff morale issues (will I lose my job?) Inflexibility – fear of knowledge transfer and lose of transparency Reduction in overall standards Greater management headache
- 6. Approach Build firm foundations Ensure a quick and secure hardware connection Implement a robust training programme Manage the transfer of knowledge Identify and test potential risks in communication Monitor progress closely Incorporate scalability and flexibility
- 7. Get the right connection Quick and secure Hardware solution must be decided early in the planning stage Data protection Security issues Stable remote access to the identified offshore team systems.
- 8. Sharing skills and knowledge Manage knowledge transfer (KT) from onshore to offshore. Identify key personnel in onshore team to lead KT Benefits: Empower onshore staff Increase accountability for the success of KT Successful management of client expectations The resultant agreed plan had a high level of integrity
- 9. Training Implement a robust training programme Training partnerships Daily meetings "What did you teach/learn today?" Benefits Ability to quickly identify any problems Ensure that the training programme remained on schedule.
- 10. What could go wrong? Identify key risk areas in communication Are the test scripts written well? Is the connection quick enough and easy to use? Are the offshore team able to communicate issues effectively? Benefits Ability to baseline the daily totals for the team Early resolution of any communication issues Proven viability of connection
- 11. Building client confidence Add layers of QA Explanations Leading to internal policing offshore Releasing person-hours in the onshore team Benefits Issues found early Demonstrations of knowledge by offshore team leading to reciprocal respect between onshore and offshore. Additional layer of transparency for the client
- 12. Scalability and flexibility Training methods Remote access New training modules can be rolled out quickly and effectively, with few communication errors.
- 13. Results Within 2 months – a working offshore team Within 3 months – expansion of offshore team by 150% Within 5 months – successfully integrated onshore and offshore team Average working day of +5 hours greatly increasing efficiency With no significant increase in overheads And a very happy client
- 14. Conclusions Build a foundation for success including a Robust hardware connection strong scalable training programme range of communication pathways managed and monitored by a stringent QA process Highly rewarding