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Outsourcing the Software Testing Effort: A Negotiating Checklist This presentation raises several of the issues involved in partial or complete outsourcing of the software testing effort. Attorney Cem Kaner presents his negotiating checklist, including how to evaluate the costs, benefits, and risks of test outsourcing. Learn how to effectively use an outsourcer's staff with your testing projects.
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Cem Kaner, J.D., Ph.D., Florida Tech
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Management of Outsourcing--How to Avoid Common Mistakes One of the most challenging areas of software management is encountered in the first year after an outsourcing contract is signed. Carol Dekkers discusses the actions that can be taken by both implementation teams to ease the transition and to achieve outsourcing success. Learn of the common mistakes made involving personnel, measurement, and expectations, and obtain recommendations to increase the transition to a successful partnership.
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Carol Dekkers, Quality Plus Technologies, Inc.
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The Devil's in the Details: IT Benchmarking--Aligning Outsourcing Expectations and Managing Risks Gathering IT intelligence data is critical to deciding what and when to outsource, and how to structure service levels to create a winning deal for both sides. Based on IT benchmark trends observed from a modern database of 5,000+ completed projects gathered worldwide, learn how to identify proposals that satisfactorily address application development and maintenance productivity from a multi-dimensional perspective. Discover the weaknesses and strengths of various practices, and explore productivity case studies that demonstrate successful IT benchmarking frameworks.
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Michael Mah, QSM Associates, Inc.
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Third-Party Testing and Its Effects on Software Engineering Adherence to process guidelines has been shown to be beneficial for large organizations. However, ninety-nine percent of all U.S. IT organizations and independent software vendors are small businesses with less than 500 employees. Bill Councill discusses how to use a third-party testing organization such as Underwriters Laboratories to more effectively assure software quality in companies of this size.
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Bill Councill, Mannatech, Inc.
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Evaluating, Selecting, and Measuring Subcontractors During the past decade, it has become more commonplace to subcontract major portions of large software and systems engineering projects. Due to a lack of a well-defined set of tools or guidelines, this process has generally been ad hoc and inconsistent. Jim Nielsen describes Motorola's efforts to develop a comprehensive set of tools, processes, and measures to use in evaluating and selecting subcontractors and in predicting subcontractor performance and product quality.
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Jim Nielsen, Motorola
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Outsourcing Trials and Traps Sometimes outsourcing can help your business, but there's too much at stake to take outsourcing lightly. This presentation teaches you the importance of identifying your critical needs before you even begin the task of selecting an outsourcing partner, because the risks are far too great for you to try to fix a major problem with chewing gum and bailing wire. You'll also get practical guidelines for deciding what you need, finding the right partner, making it work your way and on your schedule, and deciding if it was worth it once you're done. You'll avoid oursourcing disasters by learning from the expensive lessons of others.
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Steve Jeffery, PowerQuest Corporation Inc
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Using Metrics to Govern Outsourced Applications Outsourcing arrangements are established on the basis of a contractual partnership, with both parties having a vested interest in the success of the relationship. Success can be viewed differently by the outsourcing provider and customer, however, making the use of objective, quantifying service level metrics instrumental to the success of the contract. Learn how to properly identify and develop service level metrics required to support both business and technical deliverables.
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Eric Buel, Eric Buel and Associates, Inc.
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Get Real! Creating Realistic, Actionable Project Schedules The preparation of a realistic, practical project schedule is an essential management function for obtaining stakeholder commitment, setting expectations, and communicating within the team and organization what is achievable. Doing this preparation well is another challenge-one that must be conquered. Rex Black helps participants see the bigger project scheduling picture by focusing on issues such as constituent tasks, the underlying dependencies between them, and the risks attached to the completion of those tasks.
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Rex Black, Rex Black Consulting Services, Inc.
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Using a Test Lab Effectively "Outsourcing" testing-or use of external test labs to perform some or all of a testing effort-is becoming common within the software industry. Using a test lab has advantages as well as disadvantages. Advantages might include objectivity, expertise, specialization, and time to market. Some disadvantages may involve lack of familiarity with the software, geographic distance, and simply lack of control. Explore some of the technical issues that need to be examined to help you use a test lab effectively. Learn how to document your results, and discover the keys for success as well as the ingredients for failure.
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Howie Dow, Compaq Computer Corporation
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Outsourced Testing: Should You Consider it? The need for a reliable test process and knowledgeable testers is more of a necessity than a luxury. Even if a company could afford to buy the latest testing tools and were able to find qualified QA/testing personnel, does it have the money and time to property train its staff on these latest tools? Learn why companies should consider outsourcing their test process-leaving testing to companies that are experts in testing.
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Kenneth Paczas, Compuware Corporation
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