What Is Testing-As-A-Service Anyway?

Sourcing professionals are moving away from their historic emphasis on staff augmentation in testing engagements toward increasing focus on more predictable outcomes and consumption-based pricing. The result? Rising interest from both customers and suppliers in a new set of offerings that is often described as "testing-as-a-service." Various suppliers of test outsourcing services are now formalizing their as-a-service offerings for the test outsourcing market. Together, these initiatives promise to transform the market for testing services by providing a new engagement model with many inherent benefits. However, these offerings pose challenges to sourcing and vendor management professionals who must understand the full benefits and risks associated with them. Unlike other as-a-service offerings, testing-as-a-service doesn't necessarily represent a true cloud service, but it might incorporate aspects of cloud. Sourcing and vendor management professionals must be aware of such factors in evaluating these emerging offerings.