Software testing support from eTestware & theICEway

Digital transformation continues at pace. The way many organisations work nowadays is vastly different to how they operated in the past. IT is key and software interaction and use has never been at a higher level. The user experience is vitally important. Expectations are high and so software deficiencies are increasingly unacceptable. Organisations implementing or releasing untested software risk damaging their reputation. Here then we look at software testing support from eTestware & theICEway. Our testing experts can work alongside your own teams, or they can completely manage this crucial function.

Software testing: More important than ever before

Testing is used to discover defects and bugs before software is delivered. In essence, it guarantees the quality of the software. Why then is software testing still regarded as a ‘nice to have’ rather than a ‘must-have’? It is a particularly frustrating argument to counter for those in the know. Many of us play computer games in our spare time and encounter bugs. When that happens, it can completely ruin the overall experience. This writer once progressed 80% of the way through Fallout 3, only for the game to crash. Needless to say, the experience left a sour taste and meant hours spent re-treading through previously completed missions. Imagine then the anger that would have been felt had it emerged zero testing had taken place before release?

Technology in 2022 is more advanced than ever and it is only going to improve in the years ahead. User expectations are rightly high and that will not change. More organisations than ever use software-based approaches in their day-to-day workings. All of these points add up to one important one, which is that software testing is more critical than ever.

Are you engaged in software testing?

Whether a vendor or an end user, you need to know that the software you are releasing or engaging with works. The best way of realising this is via testing. Does your organisation have software testing processes in place? Many do not but this is changing for the reasons already highlighted in this article. If your organisation does not, then how can it be sure of a quality product for its clients and / or employees?

Do you test in-house, or do you outsource?

Assuming that your organisation does carry out regular testing, how does it do so? Is there an in-house tester or testing team? Or is your software testing outsourced? There are pros and cons to each approach, some of which we highlight here:

In-house pros

Greater control over processes and the people involved within the team
Urgent issues can be resolved immediately

In-house cons

There are many ‘hidden’ direct costs involved in creating and sustaining an in-house testing team (i.e., hiring and then training)
Similarly, there are also additional indirect costs to other departments in the company in terms of time (i.e., HR)

Outsourced software testing pros

Outsourcing can be far more cost-effective
Not only can you save money on resources and software, but you can still expect a high-quality turnaround on your testing
With the test specialists adhering to strict documentation and processes, more bugs can be discovered
By delegating your software testing to specialists, you can spend more time on other important areas of the business

Outsourced software testing cons

There are risks to security and confidentiality to consider
The process of finding a trustworthy outsourced partner can be a complex one
With outsourced testing, there can be a lower level of control over projects
There can also be an extra layer of complexity to overcome when outsourcing

eTestware, an important part of theICEway

theICEway ecosystem of companies began life in 2007 in the guise of ICE Support Ltd. ICE was a technology consultancy and MSP based in the UK, with additional IT services and solutions to boot. Then in 2014, eTestware was added into the mix to further enhance our overall offering.

eTestware’s team of functional software testing experts originally hail from Estonia. For over 8 years they have worked diligently to deliver software testing support to both software vendors and customers. Through testing, the overall quality of a system or software can be vastly improved. A key objective for them is to identify errors at the earliest stage, thus ensuring the optimal user experience.