We think that many don’t yet understand why and when they should get a test consultant and what the benefit of getting one is.
Here are some of the main reasons we consider important:
- Independence
The level of independence for test consultants is very high. If they are from a different company than the one developing the application, you can get the maximum degree of independence.
What does this independence mean in terms of software quality? In any project, there will be a pressure at some point to release the product as soon as possible. The pressure comes as budget and time are limited and most of the time companies compromise to the detriment of quality. The more independent test team members are, the more they can provide an objective measurement of the software quality. This helps the companies understand what they get for a certain price and in a certain time frame and, based on this, they can correctly evaluate risks and their impact and take the right actions.
- Experience with a variety of projects and applications
You can always identify test consultants just by having a quick look at their CV. This is the only case when the fact that a candidate has more than 3 entries in their CV for the last year does not raise any questions.The learning curve for consultants is much steeper, they are fast learners and know how to search for the needed information, how to ask for it and how to use it. Test consultants will know what the common risks are in a project and how to mitigate them. - Highly specialized
A test consultant may be specialized on functional, performance, security, usability, automation or other type of testing, including test management. A certificate or diploma usually confirms that the needed skills have been acquired and their CVs show the experience in that test area.This will considerably reduce the amount of training required before the person is up to speed and can start working on the project. For example, if you want performance testing done for your application, you don’t need to start by having someone trained on how to do performance testing. You just have to get the right test consultant, provide some basic training regarding your product and to clearly communicate your expectations in terms of performance and tests. - Communication
Communication is one of the most important criteria in the recruiting process for any test consultancy company. Most test consultants, especially test managers, will have excellent communication skills and will be able to interact with all the parties involved in a project, from developers to external stakeholders.