Ron WilsonWhat does your testing organization currently have for the onshore/offshore testing mix? I was recently asked what the ideal mix of onshore/offshore testing mix. My answer was…it depends. From my experience, if you are setting up an organization from scratch, you want to have a higher onshore ratio in order to get the testing processes established. I would think either an 80/20 or 70/30 would be a good start. If the overall company embraces the offshore model 70/30 would work, but if it is the first time, then it would be a safer option to go 80/20.
From my experience, if you are setting up an organization from scratch, you want to have a higher onshore ratio in order to get the testing processes established. If your organization has mature testing processes and either a solid testing partner or employees based offshore, you can be more aggressive. A good onshore/offshore balance is 60/40 or 50/50. I typically will move maintenance testing, automation testing, and manual execution testing offshore.
After the testing organization has been operating for 2-5 years, you can get more aggressive with the onshore/offshore model to help save costs. Onshore/offshore testing ratios of 40/60 or 30/70 are achievable. It requires solid processes and great communication to make it happen.
Can an onshore/offshore ratio of 20/80 be achieved? I am sure it is possible but I haven’t seen it work effectively. It would require a similar development and IT support organization. I would also recommend that you have a partner in place that knows how to operate within a high offshore ratio.
There are many companies that use the onshore/offshore testing model effectively. It takes most companies a little while to figure out what works within their organization. Skills and budgets play a major role in determining the ideal mix. The good news is there isn’t a wrong answer!
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