Upload
kevin-harvey
View
760
Download
2
Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
Citation preview
Bringing Offshore Testing Onshore
Making the world a smaller place
Kevin Harvey
Meet the Offshore Test Team
» How is this possible?
Objectives
» Break down social and technical barriers» Increase overall productivity» Improve quality» Reduce overall costs to the project
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
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
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.
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
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.
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
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
Scalability and flexibility
» Training methods» Remote access» New training modules can be rolled out quickly and effectively, with
few communication errors.
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
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