In today’s technology-driven business landscape, the reliance on IT has become paramount, serving as the fundamental cornerstone of operations for businesses across industries. Recognizing the crucial role of technology, organizations are making substantial investments in their IT infrastructure, fueling the growing demand for state-of-the-art software and applications. This mounting pressure to deliver exceptional products and stay ahead in the competitive market has led businesses to seek assistance from outsourcing partners for quality assurance (QA) and testing services. Unsuprisingly, the outsourced software testing market reached a value of US$ 45 billion in 2022, with projections indicating a steady compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5% from 2023 to 2032.

In this article, we will delve into emerging trends that are set to shape the QA landscape this year.

1. Skills Shortage

According to the US Department of Labor, there are currently more than 1.6 million individuals employed as developers, quality assurance analysts, and testers in the United States. This number is predicted to increase by 25% to over 2 million by 2031, which is much faster than the average for all occupations.

Despite this substantial growth, there is a shortage of professional developers with the necessary technical skills to meet the demands of the job market. As of 2021, the shortage of tech talent was estimated to be 40 million qualified developers and engineers worldwide, and it is expected to increase to 85.2 million by 2030.

In response to the continuing shortage of software engineers and QA professionals, businesses have come up with several alternative solutions. One is to partner with local educational institutions to fill entry-level and career advancement needs. Another solution is outsourcing quality assurance and testing to third party specialists. Many companies are choosing to work with external software development firms that specialize in app development or QA and testing to access expertise.

For example, a healthcare provider that needed a user experience specialist interviewed candidates for the position, but ended up outsourcing the job because it couldn’t find the person with the right skills. This year, companies will continue to outsource specialized QA and testing roles to local, near-shore and offshore providers to access experienced professionals and fill critical positions quickly. Outsourced QA and testing also help reduce costs and improve process efficiency.

2. Mobile QA Testing

Like the rest of the software development industry, quality assurance is changing so rapidly that QA teams are expected to take on more responsibilities, learn to use new tools and develop new methods of executing testing platforms in 2023 and beyond.

In the mobile market, companies invest heavily in developing applications to enhance the user experience, making mobile devices the most affordable and handy electronic devices. Therefore, the need for thorough testing of these applications is essential. Despite high demand, there is a significant lack of methods and tools for mobile test automation. 

However, due to the increasing need to shorten the time-to-market, new tools and methods are emerging to address this issue. A useful trend to focus on is the efficient integration of cloud-based mobile device labs and test automation tools to enhance the effectiveness of mobile applications. Taking advantage of this trend can lead to improved app performance.

3. Crowdsourced Testing

One of the factors driving the growth of outsourcing quality assurance is the popularity of crowdsourced testing. This collective approach involves several individuals working on the same project from different locations. Crowdsourced testing is expected to remain popular in 2023 and beyond because it offers real-time feedback to developers and management, as well as insights into product quality throughout the software testing lifecycle.

4. Industry-specific Testing

Industry-specific testing refers to testing services aligned with vertical specializations. Some large outsourcing providers already offer software testing and validation services designed for industries like healthcare, banking, insurance and retail. Industry-specific testing is another trend that will drive the growth of outsourced testing in 2023.019.

5. Increased Complexity of Applications

Applications get more complex by the day in terms of volume, the number of components used and the nature of the applications. QA teams have to deal with more complicated user interfaces (UIs) and compressed backend and customer-facing functionalities. QA teams are also struggling with shrinking times between app releases and mobile versions of web apps and native mobile apps that require changes to the existing testing structure. To address the rising complexity, QA teams need better tools, automation, cloud-based QA infrastructure and more comprehensive testing processes. These capabilities can be expensive and difficult to build for many firms, however. This is why companies will continue to outsource some or all QA work to third party specialists in 2023.

6. More Bugs

According to an industry expert, the accelerated release process has resulted in a greater percentage of bugs for every release, leading to lower quality products for many firms. Meeting deadlines has become a frantic push, and fixing errors is expensive, especially if the error slips through to production. As companies produce more apps, they can expect to deal with more bugs. To improve quality, stringent QA procedures and better tools are necessary. Outsourcing quality assurance to experienced QA specialists is a cost-effective way to increase the quality of releases and speed to market simultaneously. For this reason, companies, particularly those lacking resources or an effective in-house testing team, will continue to outsource QA and testing.

7. Management Support and Role of QA Leadership

Software applications are crucial to the bottom line, and management is increasingly feeling the negative impact of poor quality software as end-users voice their frustrations on social media. As mistakes, both big and small, become more visible, corporations have no choice but to prioritize quality. In the current year, there will be a greater focus on improving the QA process, whether it’s done in-house or outsourced to a third-party development firm.

Furthermore, 2023 will witness an increasing role for QA leadership. Although IT departments typically control the QA budget, QA leaders will likely be given more strategic authority over product direction, ultimately deferring the final purchasing decision to them. In the years to come, QA leaders are expected to make important decisions and recommendations regarding QA tools and their usage.

8. Cybersecurity Testing

The main goal of efficient quality assurance for any web product is to ensure robust security measures are in place to protect user data, in addition to effective features. In 2023, the primary focus will be on implementing extensive prevention measures against server attacks. Well-known organizations are working to increase their cybersecurity awareness, and testing for it should be considered in the early stages of software development to address issues before they cause significant damage.

 Cybersecurity is a crucial aspect of any successful business or government organization, and development efforts will prioritize data protection for consumers, stakeholders, and other partners involved in an organization.

9. The use of Continous Integration

Continuous Integration (CI) is a critical development practice that involves integrating code changes frequently and running automated tests to ensure that there are no conflicts or issues with existing code. This approach helps developers identify and resolve bugs or other problems quickly, resulting in a more stable and reliable product. CI has been a standard practice in software development for over two decades and will continue to play a crucial role in the industry in 2023 and beyond.

10. Automation

While manual testing remains the norm, the number of automated test cases is rising every year. Automation can assist both startups and large corporations in reducing costs and time. As a result, more companies will look into automation for testing efficiency in 2023 and beyond. According to the recent report by GMinsights, the Automation Testing market is currently worth USD 20 billion and is projected to experience a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15% from 2023 to 2032. This growth is primarily attributed to the widespread implementation of cutting-edge technologies by businesses.

Automation requires the right tools, delivery methodology, processes and skilled QA professionals. Firms that lack these resources will partner with specialists in this area and thereby rely on outsourcing quality assurance to improve efficiency.

Conclusion

To stay up-to-date with the latest developments in the software testing industry, businesses must keep an eye on emerging  testing trends in 2023. To remain relevant, testers should familiarize themselves with these trends and integrate them into their daily testing routines. By doing so, organizations can expect higher returns on their software testing investments. By staying updated with the latest automation testing trends and outsourcing quality assurance services, businesses can ensure that their software is running smoothly and efficiently.

To learn more about outsourcing, you can read our Top 8 Qualities of an Outsourcing Company in the Philippines article. We invite you to follow us on social media and to visit our website to learn more about our services.

About Us: Sourcefit is a widely recognized US-managed business process outsourcing company based in Manila, Philippines. We proudly serve over 100 clients with a workforce of more than 1,300 employees. Our global centers can serve multiple markets, and our staff is highly proficient in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese. Whether you need a few or many employees, we can help you achieve your business goals and build high-quality offshore teams.

Latest Awards

Sourcefit’s commitment to excellence has been recognized through numerous industry awards and certifications.

We recently received the Fortress Cyber Security Award from the Business Intelligence Group. Sourcefit was also honored with the prestigious recognition of Best Outsourcing Solutions Provider in the Philippines during the 2023 Business Excellence Awards.

Other awards include: FT ranking of 500 high-growth Asia-Pacific, The Marketing Excellence Awards, Inquirer Growth Champion,  HR Asia Awards, among others.

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