TestFort QA Lab

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Project Manager at Light IT. Light IT is a data science and software development company specializing in AI/ML solutions, web and mobile development, UX/UI design, business analysis, quality assurance, and IT consulting.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire TestFort QA Lab?

Our client, who earlier ordered an MVP version for their healthcare application, decided to expand the functionality of their digital product. After having analyzed the requirements, we realized that we will not be able to cover all the QA activities due to the long-term occupation of our engineers. So we needed a reliable QA partner.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to find some, ideally ― skilled with healthcare-specific software development, and hire them for an independent testing project.

SOLUTION

How did you select TestFort QA Lab?

We’ve already heard of software testing engineers from TestFort in the past, and the feedback about their work was very positive. That’s why when we discovered the need to get an external testing service for our project, we thought of TestFort immediately.

We checked their portfolio and the areas of expertise they listed on their website and other platforms. They seemed to be a perfect fit, so we contacted them to see what they can offer.

Describe the project in detail.

We had to use an MVP of a healthcare application we developed earlier and turn it into a fully-featured telemedicine platform. Due to the complexity of such large and multi-level projects, we understood that we would need to collaborate with a highly experienced QA team.

Generally speaking, the scope of work for the TestFort QA engineers was to provide us with full-cycle independent testing of our healthcare platform, from architecture and codebase to performance, functionality, load, and security.

What was the team composition?

After having described our requirements for the testing process, TestFort manager provided us with a consultation and suggested that we hire 3 software testers with different areas of expertise. We agreed with the received info and ended up with a QA team of three: a QA automation engineer (who also acted as a team lead) and two manual software testers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The key outcome of our project with TestFort is the quality and stability of the telehealth platform we developed. Software testers we hired extensively checked the platform’s architecture and functionality.

They were diligent in their testing, provided clear bug reports, and made further recommendations on ways to improve the solution’s functionality and reliability. After having fixed these errors, we came out with a solid online healthcare solution that makes medicine more accessible for patients and easier to carry out for doctors.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our collaboration was very effective, and communication with the TestFort team was very clear. We organized our work on the project following the Scrum methodology. The QA team from TestFort followed it as well.

They also reported the results of their work on a weekly basis. Communication was organized with the use of email, Slack, and Zoom.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We were impressed with how attentive the TestFort managers were to the information we sent them even before our first consultation. On our first call, the manager provided us with an action plan for future testing that only lacked a few specific details added.

This drastically shortened the team preparation time and we managed to start testing very quickly. Also, the technical and business qualifications of the TestFort employees were also way above the average level.

Are there any areas for improvement?

It would be great if TestFort expanded their team even more so that they’d have more testers available for third-party hiring.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a digital financial service platform. I'm the CTO

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire TestFort QA Lab, and what were your goals?

For the initial setup of our company landing page we had a need for design and development support. Goal was to create a website UI & UX design and to develop the website in Wordpress.

SOLUTION

How did you select TestFort QA Lab and what were the deciding factors?

I did some research on the Internet and found 2 suitable companies. I got in touch with both. During the initial discussions, the TestFort / QArea team was very knowledgable, found quick solutions and was always ready to help. These were the aspects I based on my decision.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

We started with a kickoff meeting where I attended together with the whole Qarea team. We discussed the scope and project plan. First, the UI / UX design was created based on slide decks I provided. After few iterations, we had done the final design. Based on the design, development of the website started.

I had the chance to interact regularly and see progress on test environment. After my final approval, Qarea moved the website from testing to production. I only had to provide infrastructure. Everything else was taken care of by Qarea.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

I had direct contact to 3 people. But I'm aware that there were (at least to some extend) more people involved. I was in contact with the client relationship manager, the designer and the web developer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

The website is productive and running. The website is highly critical for our business success. We will continue to extend the website. Qarea is still involved and will play an important role.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timelines.

For this project we had regular interactions. We had calls at the beginning and at the end. In between, I had my personal Skype chat with direct contact to the developer and designer. I could always ask or provide feedback and received a response within minutes. That was excellent.

Qarea used state-of-the-art tools for design creation and for giving me the opportunity to provide feedback. The timeline was very tight but Qarea did everything they could to make the project happen. Thanks a lot!

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

I found it very impressive that in the kickoff call there were many people attending. I had the feeling that Qarea really wanted to make sure that right people will support the project and that the result will meet my expectations.

It is impressive that I have my personal chat where I can interact with my project team and receive answers within minutes although this is not a full time project. That is very good. All people I met from the team are very friendly, have a very good know-how and are extremely willing to help. That's awesome!

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

It would be great if there are other communication channels available. I mostly use MS Teams and not Skype anymore. Teams can also give a structure to interact on a project, upload/download files and have a (video) chat anyway. But this is just a hint for improvement.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm a project manager at CHI Software. CHI is a full-cycle development company. We craft software solutions for startups and well-established companies that need a technologically innovative partner.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire TestFort QA Lab, and what were your goals?

We hired TestFort to help with QA on a project for a state agency in Oceania. They needed to develop a fintech platform that would deal with pensions and savings of their citizens. All our in-house QA engineers were engaged on projects so we needed extra hands. We decided to outstaff.

SOLUTION

How did you select TestFort QA Lab and what were the deciding factors?

We conducted a thorough assessment of multiple vendors considering technical skills, flexibility, communication, availability, and shared values while offering competitive cost options. TestFort met our requirements and matched our values and goals.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

Once our in-house team defined the scope of work and new release process, we onboarded the part of the TestFort team for a pilot run that included usability, performance, integration, and compatibility testing. When features were added, the TestFort team also began doing unit testing and regression testing. After two release iterations we collected feedback from several groups to adjust the workflows and processes. Once that was settled, we onboarded the rest of the QA team and embedded them into our in-house team’s processes. The TestFort team worked closely with our developers, creating technical users stories, test cases. Their key focus is increasing test coverage and automation for critical product features.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Organization and planning were supported by the project manager from our side (me). The project consisted of mobile and software development. Each development team consisted of 2-3 Developers and a QA Engineer. We later added a Product Designer for one of the teams working on UX functionality.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Our platform is highly improved, thanks to the work of TestFort’s QA engineers. They thoroughly tested each new feature, helping us maintain high-quality standards with each new release of the platform.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timelines.

The project was managed on our side, and we followed agile principles. Their engineers worked remotely, but we had regular meetups and sprint sessions. That helped us to address current tasks and plan the next phases of development and testing.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their level of communication sets them apart. We've had excellent cooperation throughout the entire history of our working with them.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

The team met all of our expectations during our time working together. The cooperation was fruitful, and it's difficult for me to point out any areas for improvement.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of product, and we're a company that builds mobile applications as well as advertising attribution solutions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TestFort QA Lab?

We were experiencing pervasive quality issues in our mobile app. Since we lacked an internal QA team, we were looking to onboard a QA team as fast as possible, the app was already on the market.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Serving as an extension of our own team, they define regression tests for our mobile app and provide us with very detailed reports. While we haven’t formally engaged them for other projects, we’re talking to them about work for other apps, as well.

What is the team composition?

Two of their test engineers are embedded in our internal team. There’s an account manager who oversees the work on occasion, but the test engineers have truly become part of our team.

How did you come to work with TestFort QA Lab?

I found them on Clutch. We shortlisted them, along with two other companies, and gave them test projects. The quality of TestFort’s work blew the others out of the water, so we immediately committed to working with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent somewhere between $50,000–$75,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement began in December 2018 and is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

The quality of our app—and our software releases—has improved significantly since we started working together. Their work has also led to a 75–80% bug reduction, which is phenomenal.

How did TestFort QA Lab perform from a project management standpoint?

We’ve had no problems. While we oversee most of the project management, they sufficiently manage their own workload. They’re flexible to work with, and they communicate really well. The difference in time zone can be a challenge, but we’ve been able to work around it.

We utilize Slack and Google Hangouts to communicate. We also used JIRA to track software bugs.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was impressed by their attention to detail, and their use of visual aids to support written communication. They especially do an excellent job at the latter, which has been very helpful since they’re a remote team. They’re skilled at eliminating and overcoming cultural and linguistic barriers.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t really think of anything. They may want to consider having some team members available during our core hours—that would be very helpful for us, but it isn't that important. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Engage them on a small task that can be completed in a single sprint. That gives you two weeks to become familiar with them and their working style. It’ll also give you a sense of their output.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the CTO of a Spending Management Company

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Spending management solution

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire TestFort QA Lab to accomplish?

• TestFort QA Lab was tasked with testing our invoice management feature. Our goal was to confirm that the platform worked as intended, with no critical bugs. The folk behind TestFort did an excellent job. They helped validate the platform’s functionality by covering a wide range of payment scenarios using test automation tools, which gave us confidence in our system and accelerated the product launch.

SOLUTION

How did you find TestFort QA Lab?

Referral

Why did you select TestFort QA Lab over others?

• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from TestFort QA Lab were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Before we started, we had a series of meetings with our product and technical teams to understand the ins and outs of the feature and set clear testing objectives. Next, we made a detailed plan, including various test scenarios, test cases, test approach, and an established test environment. For testing, the team used tools such as Java, Maven, TestNG, Selendine, and Allure, and engaged three roles — team lead, senior and middle testers. 
Over the next three weeks, we ran tests and worked on all issues found along the way. As a result of the collaboration, we’ve not only validated our invoice management feature but also improved it from a UX point of view.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

In addition to established metrics, we regularly measured test coverage and received demos and reports.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

We’ve never had any problem with the team, as they were always proactive in addressing any concerns or changes we brought up and worked ahead of schedule. It helped a lot that we could actually talk to each other through virtual meetings.

What was your primary form of communication with TestFort QA Lab?

Virtual Meeting

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their proactive approach has actually stunned us. Most of the issues were solved even before we recognized them as potential problems. They really know what they’re doing and are committed to delivering great service.

Are there any areas for improvement or something TestFort QA Lab could have done differently?

We can’t think of anything. Perhaps, we’d like the price to be cheaper, but then, quality can’t be cheap, and quality is what matters when it comes to testing.