The main benefit of independent QA is the fresh perspective it offers on issues of software problems and risks. While the cost of QA is typically a small percentage of the total software production cost the benefit is greatly reduced risk of failure and loss of market share. Independent testing efforts ensure that your product is tested by individuals who will be just as objective and unforgiving as your customers in the case of potential defect.

1. WhiteHedge
Technologies
ISO 9001:2000 Company
Independent Quality Assurance
-A white paper
United States Singapore (Representative Office)
101 Berkley Blvd 14E Keong Siak Road
Iselin, NJ 08830. Singapore 089121
Phone: +1 908 723 4146 Tel: +65 6225.7191
India Corporate India Development Center 1
1420 Sadashiv Peth #9-10, Brilliant Chambers
Pune 411 030. Mayur Colony, Kothrud, Pune 411038
Maharashtra, INDIA. Maharashtra, INDIA.
Phone: +91 20 25434667/8/9 Phone: +91 20 25434667/8/9

2. It is most important to have
the Development and
Quality Assurance / Testing
complementary
Building quality software is independent, unbiased source is
comprised of many the most effective way to achieve
complementary activities right from the objectivity that a project
“Development requirements analysis to the quality needs.
and QA” assurance and maintenance. We
feel that for the quality system, it is
While development looks at finding
a solution for a problem, QA looks
most important to have
at finding problems within a
Development and Quality
solution. Outputs from
Assurance / Testing
development typically include
complementary. It is the interaction
specification documents, design
between these two activities that
documents, models, code and
finally drives the construction of a
some test results. QA is responsible
successful product.
for tracking and reporting defects
It is of the utmost importance that throughout a product’s lifecycle.
the Software QA be independent The outputs from QA include
of project management for it to be defect reports.
completely effective. Team
These reports document actual
members closely associated with
problems, potential problems &
the project are less likely to
inconsistent and incomplete
problems that an external party
specifications/code. While the
would find easy to identify.
development organization steps in
Independent testing efforts ensure
to fix defects, a good QA
that your product is tested by
organization revisits the defects,
individuals who will be just as
maintains a database of all
objective and unforgiving as your
defects filed and uses this as a
customers in the case of potential
knowledge base to identify
WhiteHedge defect.
potential weaknesses on
Technologies Outsourcing SQA to an subsequent builds and releases.
2 WhiteHedge Technologies Inc. :: 2008

3. Separating
QA from
Development
Having established the goals of the QA and development organization
one is faced with the question of whom to handover QA to – the
development vendor or a third party independent QA company. The
“It requires analyzing
development company will certainly have more knowledge about the
product but this exactly is the problem.
product from the
other end”
Development Vendor’s primary focus is always ‘project delivery’.
In the real work, IT projects are always run in the tight deadline with
limited resources and budget. Usually delivery focus quickly narrows
down to the standard behavior of the system. Very often a development
time consumed a QA/Testing time.
There is an obvious conflict-of-interest when the development vendor is
given ownership of QA.
Since QA is reflective of development standards and is relied upon for
software acceptance it is natural that the development vendor be
inclined to present biased QA reports.
Team members closely associated with the project are less likely to spot
the problems that an external party would find easy to identify.
It is possible that development team/vendor possesses more knowledge
about the product/ system. But this make testing difficult as it requires
analyzing the product from other end; from the user perspective.
3 WhiteHedge Technologies Inc. :: 2008

4. Independent QA Goals
Independent SQA ensures that an application is
 Error-free
 Dependable
 Fully documented
 Maintainable
 Entirely functional
Early engagement of independent QA
It is a good idea to involve the QA vendor once the functional
requirements specification document (FRS) or Use Case Documents
(UCD) are ready.
We recommend not waiting for involving the testers until the
development starts. There is plenty of planning and design work to do
while the developers are busy coding. One must also remember that
testing will be iterative in nature and there are different kinds of testing
that will be performed during different stages of the software
development lifecycle.
Errors found earlier in the development cycle have lower cost impact.
When testing commences early less effort is required for error-
detection and re-testing and finally the delivered software has fewer
defects.
Conclusion
The main benefit of independent QA is the fresh perspective it offers on issues of software problems and risks. While
the cost of QA is typically a small percentage of the total software production cost the benefit is greatly reduced risk
of failure and loss of market share.
Independent testing efforts ensure that your product is tested by individuals who will be just as objective and
unforgiving as your customers in the case of potential defect.
4 WhiteHedge Technologies Inc. :: 2008