Digital disruption is akin to evolution as it espouses the survival of the fittest in the digital world. It is the transition that occurs when new digital technologies and business models influence the value proposition of existing products and services. Over the years, digital disruptions in various technology realms have transformed the ways in which businesses function and interact with their customers. This holds true in the professional services industry as well where a new direction towards customer fulfillment through streamlined processes is trending.
Established organizations exercise the emerging technologies to displace incumbents, protect entrenched norms and practices, and reinvent newer dimensions of the professional services’ world. The goal of enterprises is to remain competitive in their savoir-faire with new-fangled corporate channels, enterprise models, revenue streams, and operational strategies.
This is being realized through mobile applications, cloud computing, machine learning, Artificial Intelligence, and on-demand digital services like software application/digital products testing.
Digital transformation is taking over but does it really render the competitive advantage that enterprise leaders hanker?
Here are the five factors that have leveraged digital transformation in the Testing services industry:
Talent Maturity
Talent has been streamlined in the past decade to match up to the evolving global technology trends in software testing. This change has been substantial due to the advent of collaboration apps, mobility, talent proliferation in the global arena, changing customer demand trends, and the increased participation of adept digital professionals in QA problem-solving.
With hundreds of testing types being implemented on products today, a new section of talent has stemmed and rendered almost 40% of the workforce as démodé. Talent maturity has become the USP of many enterprises that excel in software testing and QA today with innovation being the backbone.
RPA Automation
Emerging technologies like cloud computing, internet of things, Big Data, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, and automated testing have preordained the rise of the services automation sector in business in the form of Robotic Process Automation.
Repetitive and predictable tasks have been programmed to get executed almost without the need for human intervention. Some of these tasks are currently managed by Bots that work on Artificial Neural Networks, Heuristics, Vectors, and Machine learning.
System administrators, information analysts, software testing executives, testing script experts, customer service representatives, data researchers, etc. can now put the onus of task repetition on these automated software systems and concentrate on other tasks. The results of the programs carried out are reliable and validated. Technology solutions based on cognitive analysis are often built to self-learn data analysis, build efficient models, test and evaluate strategies, and empower decision making for leaders through recommendations.
Democratization of Knowledge
Many knowledge leaders are opening up about their technical know-how and experiences in the digital arena through virtual channels, digital white papers, and knowledge-sharing online forums. These artifacts are made available for free online or at throw-away prices while being delivered through online academic channels such as Udemy, Coursera, etc.
Previously, different software applications had to be purchased from an online provider, or the license had to be purchased to make the application work. In the worst case, developers had to code their own application infrastructure to support their organization’s operational needs (especially for testing). Through a democratized trend in knowledge-sharing, most of the testing application guides are available for free online. Technology experts can now exercise their democratic rights to utilize and contribute to online information through various digital channels. This has disrupted inequities in digital publishing and global information flow.
With agile software development, continuous integration, and delivery, the curtailment of handoffs and the elimination of wait delays for test resources saw new light. Performance testing is making the advances to ‘center of enablement’ with the democratic reach of testing know-how.
Cloud Computing Infrastructure
Cloud computing has been instrumental in providing the reusability of IT resources in order to maintain large databases, security, data analysis, quick deployment, and lower risks. A recent predictive survey by International Data Corporation (IDC) has revealed that global public cloud services like Amazon Web Services would invest around $277 billion in the next five years for enterprise support predominantly in software testing and QA.
Software as a Service (SaaS) like QUALIFLY will be the largest cloud computing domain and will seamlessly bring in collaboration, convergence, and disruption for accelerating competitive intensity. Through IaaS organizations are outsourcing storages, servers, data center space, networking components, automation in backup and recovery, process monitoring, internal network clustering, web hosting, networking firewalls, etc.
Platform as a Service (PaaS) will enable users to install and host databases, testing licenses, business analytics applications, and testing tools maintenance support.
Open Source Tools
Open source test automation tools are allowing organizations to imbrute their software testing effortlessly. Expensive virtual user licenses and heavyweight dedicated hardware to scale in performance testing can be avoided.
Earlier the downside of single-time access, limited feature access, bottlenecks etc. did not allow users to explore the full potential of the software testing tool. But now, a large pool of talent is available that can make use of open source tools in tandem with their needs while having unlimited functionality access. Also, enterprises are quite relaxed on the usage of open source tools due to their cross-platform support, superior test coverage features, fast-time-to-value, and support to the testing ecosystem.
Organizations are more receptive to the innovation in open source applications and also benefit from the reduction in legal threats/security threats and increased compliance with industry standards.
Digital Transformation in Testing Services
Modern-day Digital assurance and testing solutions provide multifarious competencies to new-age application testing. Organizations like Qualitics have pioneered in enhancing comprehensive testing across the digital value chain of enterprises by encompassing digital marketing, subscription-based test plans, web analytics, and the digital ecosystem. By connecting customers directly to testing service providers, higher levels of transparency and service value are obtained. Service providers can reuse their test assets and the in-house suite of testing tools and accelerators to proliferate through Qualifly, the innovative QA SaaS platform from Qualitics.
This customer-centric solution assures premium-quality results, faster turnaround, and lower costs and risks. For Testing Service Providers, it ensures faster time to market through various service plans and global accessibility.
Through Qualifly, Qualitics incorporates:
- Continuous Testing efforts
- Customized Test plans
- Omni-channel support
- Customer experience and flexibility
- Validated Analytics
- Complete transparency
To know how we could digitally transform your Testing Requirements, call us today.
What does this Digital Transformation Mean?
The key strategic outcome of this digital disruption can mean four things:
First, it means that operational expertise is being digitized in the form of advanced automation and on-demand talent sourcing (digital directory or service-mapping platforms). Through these services, professional services enterprises can address changing capacity on-time, reduce costs (Capital expenses and Operating Expenses), and gain a competitive edge.
Second, a gradual shift to a hybrid talent management model where the right mix of on-premises talent and cloud-based infrastructure shows that talent acquisition is being digitized. Investments in talent are being made in outsourced talent acquisition as well. Qualitics has made this vision a reality through Qualifly where the testing efforts of organizations can be outsourced to professionals based on their budget and convenience. Companies do not have to invest in testing infrastructure, training, and development, or unutilized testing resources anymore. This can help in a non-linear growth and the ability to skill-up on demand.
Third, execution is being digitized through service delivery scaling and automation. This would catalyze lower costs, higher ROI, and premium outcomes. For startup firms, this reduces entry overheads and enhances their competency. With scaling capacity, firms can leverage talent and technology through improvised formats. With the latest intuitive collaboration tools, teams will become better equipped to work in tandem. Specialized solutions will become the means of providing assured consumer-grade experience to users. Real-time deep insights into a problem using data analytics and automation solutions that offer precision to predictive models.
Fourth, digitization across various channels can lead to faster responses and better customer engagement. The increasing consumerization is deep-rooted in customer acquisition, service, and retention. A focus on anticipating customer needs and exercising quality fulfillment can open new doors of opportunity through the application of digital transformation. This will ensure tantamount growth to SMEs and large enterprises.