SoftwareTestingExcellenceProgram(STEP) ProjectProposal OffshoreOutsourcingManagementofSoftwareTesting

Thisprojectfocusesonissuesrelatedtothemanagementofsoftwaretestinginaglobal environmentthatincludesoffshorevendors.Thesectionsbelowprovideajustification identifyingtheimportanceofthistopic,thetheoreticalbasisforthisproject, researchmethodsto beemployedinconductingthisproject,andexpectedfuturebenefits.Additionalinformation includesaproposed timeframeforprojectcompletion,abudget,andexamplesofwaysbywhich theprojectteam attheUniversityofMemphiswouldexpecttocollaboratewithFedExsGlobal TestingCenterofExcellence.

JustificationforResearch Publishedreportscontinuetoindicateatrendtowardoffshoreoutsourcing,includingestimates thatU.S.companiesaccountforapproximately70%oftheglobaloffshoremarketandabout 80%ofIndiasoffshoreclientele(AmitiandWei2003Greene2006). Meanwhile,industry trendsindicatesoftwaretestingisbecomingalargerpartofsoftwaredevelopmentprojects.One study measuringsoftwaredevelopmentprocessesfound41%oftheprojecteffortwasspentin testing,25%indesigning,13%incoding,and21%inotheractivities(WaligoraandCoon1994). Withtestingconsumingmuchoftheresourcesusedinsoftwaredevelopment,itbecomesa viablecandidatefordelegationtovendors.Furthermore, FedExsoftwaretestingmanagement hasindicatedaninterestinthedevelopmentofamodeltoassistindeterminingwhatworkwould bebesttodelegatetooffshorevendorswithoutthelossofmissioncriticalknowledge.This projectisdesignedtoaddressthatneed. Thisprojectisexpectedtoresultinseveralusefuloutcomes,including: Developmentofaninitialknowledgebaseoffactorstoconsiderwhenworkingwith offshoresoftwaretestingvendors, Examinationofissuesinmaintainingadesiredbalancebetweenkeepingcriticalbusiness knowledgeinhouseversusdelegatingactivitiestooffshoretestingvendors, Determinationofknowledgethatiscriticaltoretaininternally, Creationofanunbiasedexternalviewofpotentialbestpracticesforthedelegationof workoffshore(Noble2004), Delineationof thefactorsincrosscultural remotemanagementthatimpactthedelegation ofactivitiestooffshoretestingvendors,and Establishmentofabaselineplanforexpandingtheresearchtoexamineothervendor issuesrelatedtosoftwaretestingactivities.

TheoreticalBasis Thisresearchwillbebasedontheoriesof offshoreoutsourcing.Aninitialreviewofthe literatureidentifiedgeneraltheoriesastowhattoperforminhouseandwhattodelegatetoan outsourcingvendorwithinthecontextofsoftwaredevelopment(Barthelemy2003Franceschini etal.2003). Additionaltheoreticalsourcesproviderecommendationsrelatedtotheneedtokeep knowledgeandcontrolofcorecompetenciesinhouse(LacityandHirschheim1993),aswellas themethodsofmanagingoffshorecollaboration(CusickandPrasad2006)andother considerationstoachieveoffshoreoutsourcingeffectiveness(Noble2004). Thisliterature examinesthemanagementofactivitiesinsideandoutsidetheoutsourcingorganization basedon theoriesof 1)transactioncosteconomics,2)psychologicalcontracting,and3) organizational culture. Belowwebriefly summarizeeachtheory andhighlightimplicationsofeachforthe currentresearch project. Transactioncosteconomics(TCE)theorysuggeststhegoalofanycompanyistominimizethe costsoftransactingbusiness.TCEfurtherstatesthatassetspecificityanduncertainty(situational conditions)andopportunismandboundedrationality(humanbehaviorconditions)make transactingbusinessmorecomplex(Williamson1975Pfeffer1982). Outsourcingofnonasset specificactivitiesisshowntohavepositiveeffectsonoutsourcingsuccess(Groveretal.1996). Also,TCEsuggestsvendorsmaynotinvestheavilyinordertomaintaintheirclientoperations (Aubertetal.1996). Inthecontextofmanagingoffshoresoftwaretestingvendors,TCEinforms usthatsoftwaretestingactivitiesthatareperformedusingspecifictechnology andknowledge assets,andthathavehigherlevelsofuncertaintytendtobeoutsourcedlessfrequently andless successfully.Basedontheresultsofthisresearchweexpecttoidentifysuchsoftwaretesting activities. WhileTCEsuggests thatonepartymaytakeadvantageofanotherbybehavingopportunistically, psychologicalcontractingtheorysuggeststhat tightcontractualmechanismscanreduce opportunisticbehaviors(AngandBeath1993LacityandHirschheim1993). Apsychological contactreferstopeoplesmentalbeliefsabouttheirmutualobligationsincontractual relationships(Roussear1995). Priorstudiesshowthesementalbeliefsdifferbetweenthebuyer andthesupplierofoutsourcingservicesandyetitisthefulfillmentofthemutualobligationsthat predictsoutsourcingsuccess(Kohetal.2004). Inthecontextofmanagingoffshoresoftware testingvendors,psychologicalcontactinginformsusthateach partysexpectationsareimportant toasuccessfulandproductiveworkingrelationship. Throughthisresearchweexpecttoidentify asetofsuchmutualobligationswithinthecontextof softwaretestingasthiswillhelpusexplain thepotential outcomeof differentoutsourcingrelationships. Organizationalcultureisshapedbymanagementpracticesandnotnecessarilybymanagement values(Hofstede1980).Cultureisdefinedasthesharedmentalbeliefsthatdistinguish one groupfromanotherwhilevaluesaredefinedasthetendenciestoprefercertainstatesofaffairs overothers(Hofstede1980).Acrosscountries,culturaldifferencestendtobebasedondiffering valuesbutnotondifferentmanagementpractices.Meanwhileacrosscompanies,cultural differencestendtobebasedondifferentmanagementpracticesbutnotondifferingvalues (Hofstede1980).Thus,inthecontextofmanagingoffshoresoftwaretestingvendors, managementissuesspan acrosscountriesandacrosscompanies. Thisliteraturesuggestsboth

differingvaluesanddifferingmanagementpracticesmayinfluencethedelegationoftasksinan outsourcingrelationshipwithsoftwaretestingvendors. Finally,modelsof softwaretestingexisttoinformourexaminationofthedelegationofspecific activitiestooffshorevendors. TheVmodelconveystheneedtotestduringmanyof thesystem developmentphasessothattestingeffortsinlaterstagescanbeminimized. TheSoftware EngineeringLaboratory(SEL)TestingApproach,basedonqualityimprovementparadigms, proposeswaystodelivergreatertestingefficiencies(McGarryetal.1994WaligoraandCoon 1994). Also, theliteraturediscussesapproachestosoftwaretestingeducation andsuggests educatorsshoulddevelopspecificskillsforactivitiesneededtoeffectivelyaccomplish thegoals ofsoftwaretesting(seeTable1)(Jones2001). Similarto theSystemDevelopmentLifeCycle (SDLC),thesoftwaretestingmodel suggeststhephasesofanalysis,design,implementation, execution,andevaluationformanagingvariousactivitiesinsoftwaretestinglifecycle.
Phase Analysis Activities Definescopeand strategyfortesting. Refinespecification. Output Testplan, refined specification. Skillsneeded Readandunderstandaspecification Identifydeficienciesinaspecification Convertspecificationtoadecision tableDeviseatestingstrategybased onthespecification Developanadequatesetoffunctional testcases. Identifyredundanttestcases Developboundarytestcases Writeatestprocedure/script Developtestdrivers Createtestdatasets Performtestingaccordingtotest procedure Documenttestresults Usetestdrivers Identifyprogramerrorsfromtest results Debugprogramgivendescriptionof bug Debugtestdrivers/procedures

Design

Derivetestcases. Organizetesteffort.

Testcases,test datasets.

Implementation

Execution

Developmachinery neededtoconduct tests. Runtestascontrolled experiment. Capturetestresults Verifyresultsagainst expectations. Takefollowupaction suchasreporting, debugging.

Testprocedures/ scripts,drivers. Testresults.

Evaluation

Testlog, modified software.

Table1 ModifiedSoftwareTestingLifecycle andRepresentativeSkillsModel(Adaptedfrom Jones2001)

Thispreliminaryexaminationoftheliteratureprovidesbackgroundforourwork.Inthisproject, theliteratureregardingoffshoreoutsourcingwillbestudiedinmoredepth,andtheliteratureon basictheoriesandmodelsofsoftwaretestingwillbeexaminedindetail.Theteamwillusethe findingstoidentifyissuesinsoftwaretestingthatareuniquetooffshorevendors. Basedonthe preliminaryliteraturereview,theproposedresearchmodelisillustratedinFigure1.

Softwaretesting activities

Criticalbusiness knowledge Delegationofsoftware testingactivities Offshoreculture, values,practices

Remotemanagement issues

Figure1ProposedResearchModel

ResearchMethod Thedatagatheringphaseisexpectedtobeginwiththesemajoractivities: 1. 2. Indepthreviewofexistingliteraturetouseasaknowledgebase Interviewswith appropriateFedEx personnel toidentifyandbetterunderstandtheissues relatedtotheprojecttopic a. Interviewswillincludeavarietyofopenendedquestions b. Intervieweeswillincludekeystakeholders,suchasCIO,projectmanagers, testers,developers,andvendorsand c. Followupinterviewswillbeconductedtoclarifyinitialfindingsortoexpandthe coverage,asneeded.

Followingtheinitialdatagatheringphase,theprojectteamactivitieswillinclude: 1. Analysisofresultsleadingtoaninitialmodelofbestpracticesforthedelegationof softwaretestingcomponentstooffshorevendors, 2. Developmentandadministrationofasurveyforsoftwaretestingmanagersatother organizationsforexternaldatathatcanbeusedtovalidateandupdatethemodelofbest practices,and 3. DevelopmentofreportsfordistributiontoFedExsoftwaretestingmanagersaswellasfor academicpublications. AdditionaldetailsoftheactivitiescanbefoundintheTimelinesectionofthisproposal.

ExpectedContributionstoBothTheoryandPractice Little,ifany,researchexiststhatisspecificallyrelatedtobestpracticesformanagement decisionsrelatedtooffshoreoutsourcingofsoftwaretestingactivities.Thisresearchwill provideauniqueperspectiveregardingissuesrelatedto thedelegationofsoftwaretesting.

Fewmethodshavebeendevelopedtomeasurethesuccessof delegatingsoftwaretesting componentstooffshoretestingvendors,andthisprojectwillmakeasignificantcontributionin thatarea. ThisprojectwillprovideamodelofbestpracticestailoreddirectlyforissuesofFedExsoftware testingmanagement. Furthermore,thisprojectwilldevelopaninitialunderstandingofsoftware testingactivitiescontainingcriticalbusinessknowledgetokeepinhouse,which willserveasa solidbasisforfutureresearch.Additionalfutureresearchbasedonthisprojectcouldcomefrom theinitialunderstandingoftheassignmentofresponsibilities,monitoringmechanismsand bondingmethodsforoffshoretestingvendors.

Publicationoutlets Numerousacademicoutletsarelikelytobeinterestedinthefindingsofthisresearch.For example,conferencesandsymposiumssuchasICIS,AMCIS,SIGSAND,etc.,allow academicianstonetworkwithsystemstestingresearchersandobtainfeedbackonresearchideas atearlystages.CompletedresearchprojectscouldbetargetedfortopMISjournalssuchas ManagementInformationSystemsQuarterly,InformationSystemsResearch,etc.Some publicationshaveclearlystatedinterestsinsoftwaretesting.Forexample,thereisacurrentcall forpapersforan IEEESoftwarespecialissueonSoftwareTesting.

ResearcherBios RobinPostonisanAssistantProfessorofManagementInformationSystemsattheUniversityof Memphis.Robinsresearchinterestsincludeperformanceevaluationmodelsandmeasurement metricsfortestingenvironments,bestpracticesforoutsourcingsoftwaretesting,andinter culturalandcommunicationdifferenceswithoffshoretestingvendors.Shehaspublishedarticles inpublicationssuchasManagementInformationSystemsQuarterly,Communicationsofthe ACM,InformationSystemsManagement,andtheJournalofInformationSystems.Robins teachingfocusesonintroductiontoMISconcepts,systemsanalysisanddesign,andresource managementcoursesincludingundergraduate,graduateandPhDstudents.Dr.Postonhasspent timeworkingattheUniversityofMelbourne,MetaGroupResearch,KPMGConsulting,and Convergys.ShereceivedherbachelorsdegreeinComputerSciencefromTheUniversityof Pennsylvania(1987),mastersdegreeinAccountingfromTheUniversityofCentralFlorida (1992),andPh.D.inManagementInformationSystemsfromMichiganStateUniversity(2003). JudithC.SimonisaProfessorofManagementInformationSystemsandDirectoroftheCenter forInnovativeTechnologyManagementattheUniversityofMemphis.Shepreviouslyservedas departmentchairformanyyears.Herbachelorsanddoctoraldegreeswerereceivedfrom OklahomaStateUniversity,andherMBAwasearnedatWestTexasStateUniversity.Shewas previouslyemployedintheproductionmanagementofficesofalargemanufacturing organizationandcontinuestoworkwithawiderangeoforganizationsonITrelatedissues.Her researchinterestsincludeinformationsecuritymanagement,ITquality,healthcareinformation

systems,andglobalITissues.Shehaswrittenninetextbooksandpublishednumerousarticlesin academicjournals.ShecurrentlyservesonaglobalresearchteamsponsoredbytheSocietyfor InformationManagementInternational,whichisconductingongoingstudiesoftheITworkforce trends.Shehastaughtawiderangeofcoursesattheundergraduate,Masters,andPh.D.levels. RadhikaJainisanAssistantProfessorofManagementInformationSystemsattheUniversityof Memphis.Herresearchinterestsincludeknowledgemanagementissuesinsoftwaretesting, managingcontextualprocessknowledge,businessprocessintegration,knowledgemanagement inhealthcare,andubiquitouscomputing.Herworkhasappearedinorhasbeenacceptedatthe CommunicationsoftheACM,RequirementsEngineeringJournal,DecisionSupportSystems, IEEEComputer,InformationSystemsManagement,JournalofInternational Information Management,andInternationalJournalofMobileComputing,aswellasinseveralleading conferences.Herteachinginterestsincludeobjectorientedsystemsanalysisanddesign, telecommunicationsandmobilecomputing,programminglanguages,andmanagement informationsystems.SheiscurrentlycompletingherdoctoralworkatGeorgiaStateUniversity. ShereceivedherMastersdegreeinComputerEngineeringfromStevensInstituteofTechnology. HerBachelorsdegreewasearnedinComputerEngineeringfromPuneInstituteofComputer TechnologyinIndia.

Timeline
TheProjectPlan 1. Backgroundinformationgathering a. Academicandpractitionerliteratureandbookreview b. Summarizingandsynthesizingtheliteratureandbooks c. Developinitialbestpracticesmodel InterviewswithkeyinformantsatFedEx a. Developasetofbasicquestionstoguideinterviews b. Indepthinterviews(approx.2hours)togainunderstandingof relationshipswithvendorsandissuesofconcern c. Indepthinterviews(approx.2hours)withvendorstogain understandingofrelationshipswithFedExandissuesofconcern d. Contactintervieweeswithfollowupquestions e. Reportsummarizedresults 3. SurveyofprojectmanagerswithinandoutsideFedEx a.Designsurvey b.Pilottestsurveyinstrument c.Developrandomsampleoftestingmanagers d.Administersurveytosampleoftestingmanagers e.Enterandcleansedata f.Analyzedata g.Updatebestpracticesmodel Jan/Mar2007 Jan/Mar2007 Mar2007 Timing

OctDec2006 OctDec2006 OctDec2006

2.

OctDec2006 Nov/Dec2006 Nov/Dec2006

Jan/Mar2007 Jan/Mar2007 Jan/Mar2007 Mar/Apr2007 Apr2007 May2007 May2007

h.Reportsummarizedresults 4. DevelopmanuscriptsforsubmissiontoMISjournals

Jun2007 July/Aug2007

Budget
Mileagereimbursementfortraveltointerviews Traveltoconferencestogainandshareknowledge Copies/Printing/Supplies Surveyadministration Purchaseofjournals,researchreportsanddataifneeded Graduateassistanttimefordatagathering/transcription/coding LicenseforAtlas.tisoftwareforanalyzingqualitativeinterviewdata TotalBudget $500 $5,000 $500 $1,500 $500 $3,500 $500 $12,000

OpportunitiesandMechanismforDataCollectionandCollaborationwiththeGlobal TestingCenterofExcellenceatFedExCorporation Numerousopportunitiesandmechanismswillexistfordatacollectionandcollaborationwith FedExsGlobalTestingCenter.Mostoftheseactivitieshavebeendescribedinprevious sections,andafewofthemajorpointsofcollaborationareidentifiedbelow: Backgroundinformationaboutcurrentsoftwaretestingprocesses Identificationofsoftwaretestingcomponentsandwhereeachactivityisperformed Schedulesofsoftwaretestersandtheirworkloads/assignments Offshoresoftwaretestingvendorselectionguidelines Evaluationsofinhouseandoffshoretestingvendorperformance Testingmeasurementsuccessfactorsandsupportingdata Interviewaccesstosoftwaretestingkeystakeholders Identificationofsoftwaretestingknowledgecriticaltokeepwithintheorganization

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