The information technology (IT) industry in the United States has pioneered in many respects, one of the most notable being the implementation and development of Quality Assurance (QA). The role of QA in software development is fundamental, ensuring that products work correctly, meet specified requirements, and provide an exceptional user experience.
US companies have made significant investments in QA, incorporating both manual and automated testing into their software development process. The level of QA specialization in American companies is recognized worldwide, and they have set high-quality standards for software delivery.
Moreover, QA outsourcing has been a common and successful practice in the United States. American companies have chosen to outsource these services for various reasons, including cost efficiency, access to specialized skills, a shortage of internal QA engineers, and the opportunity to focus on their core business. The way these companies outsource varies, but it often involves hiring specialized companies or subcontracting to global teams with specific skills and experiences.
An example of this practice is Microsoft, which has outsourced part of its QA to specialized companies. This has allowed them to maintain high quality and security standards in their products while focusing on innovation and the development of new technologies. IBM and Google are also examples of companies that have reaped significant benefits from outsourcing their QA processes.
In contrast, in Spain, although the IT sector is growing and quality is increasingly valued, there is still a considerable path to walk to reach the same QA maturity level as American companies. However, more and more Spanish companies are opting for QA implementation to improve the quality of their software products and compete internationally.
One challenge Spain faces on the road to QA adoption is the lack of professionals in this field. Despite the growth of the IT industry, there is a notable shortage of QA engineers in the Spanish job market. This is due to various factors, such as the lack of specialized QA training programs and the lack of awareness about the importance of QA in software development.
QA outsourcing allows Spanish companies to leverage the expertise and specialized skills of QA firms while saving on internal training costs and time. Moreover, QA outsourcing is a solution to the shortage of QA engineers in Spain, allowing companies to access qualified professionals in this field. This lets businesses focus on their core competence while trusting experts to ensure software quality.
QualitApps is a company specializing in Quality Assurance outsourcing, offering remote outsourcing services of QA engineers who can design and execute both manual tests and implement automated tests.
A specific example of the importance of these services is seen in projects funded by the European Union, where it is mandatory to present and follow a rigorous quality control plan. QualitApps has experience in assisting companies to meet this requirement.