International Data Corporation (IDC) has published a new vendor assessment and market analysis profiling the leading providers in the Western Europe application testing services market. The IDC MarketScape report utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology that produces a definitive assessment of each vendor's current market capabilities and strategies for competing in the future.
Overall, IDC has yet to see the emergence of a true leader in Europe - almost all the vendors assessed fell in into the second-ranking IDC MarketScape category of "Major Player," and none has yet made it into the prized category of "Leader." The vendors included in this IDC MarketScape analysis are Accenture, Atos, Capgemini, Cognizant, CSC, HP, IBM, Infosys, Logica, SQS, Steria, TCS, and Wipro.
"The planned availability and range of automated end-to-end application life-cycle testing solutions are a vital aspect of success for vendors participating in the European application testing services market," said Jennifer Thomson, research director, European Application Life-Cycle Services, IDC. "Additionally, future application testing road maps must include vertical-specific solutions/test frameworks. For many of Europe's largest organizations the initial noise around testing and the reorganization of the QA division has dissipated, and focus is now on how to bring in measures and information from a domain perspective."
Application testing is not and should not be just a "black box" utility service. European QA managers are challenged to show how the alignment of testing and QA methodologies supports the shift from "just completing IT projects" to "delivering optimized business outcomes." Consequently, they are looking for (and indeed selecting) vendors that "go the extra mile" in terms of client guidance and general service commitment. There is much reliance on the initial service level agreements (SLAs) and key performance indicators (KPIs) put in place. Nevertheless, while these are important to measure and report, it is often the "soft" parts of the relationship (e.g., communications, trust, honesty, openness, and cultural awareness) that make a big impact "on the ground."
Additional findings from this MarketScape include the following:
- Customers must assess vendor specialization and understand which vendor can best meet company requirements in terms of industry point solutions and reusable test assets.
- Evaluate if the vendor is capable of churning out the data required alongside concrete recommendations for improvement.
- Select vendors that can help you move successfully from capacity based services models to full-fledged managed services contracts.
- Service providers must strengthen the overall brand and marketing tied to independent application testing services, in addition to strengthening onshore QA consulting teams.
- A business case should focus on both long-term transformational change (supporting risk mitigation, enhanced customer service, and operational improvements) and near-term savings.
IDC MarketScape: Western Europe Application Testing Services: 2011 Vendor Assessment (IDC #EA01U, March 2012), discusses the capability and business strategy of a wide variety of vendors participating in the European application testing services market. This evaluation is based on a comprehensive and rigorous framework and set of parameters that assesses vendors relative to select criteria and one another and highlights the factors expected to be most conducive and influential to success in the market, both short and long term.
About IDC MarketScape
IDC's MarketScape vendor analysis model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of ICT (information and communications technology) suppliers in a given market. The research methodology utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each vendor's position within a given market. IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of IT and telecommunications vendors can be meaningfully compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a 360-degree assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current and prospective vendors.
Overall, IDC has yet to see the emergence of a true leader in Europe - almost all the vendors assessed fell in into the second-ranking IDC MarketScape category of "Major Player," and none has yet made it into the prized category of "Leader." The vendors included in this IDC MarketScape analysis are Accenture, Atos, Capgemini, Cognizant, CSC, HP, IBM, Infosys, Logica, SQS, Steria, TCS, and Wipro.
"The planned availability and range of automated end-to-end application life-cycle testing solutions are a vital aspect of success for vendors participating in the European application testing services market," said Jennifer Thomson, research director, European Application Life-Cycle Services, IDC. "Additionally, future application testing road maps must include vertical-specific solutions/test frameworks. For many of Europe's largest organizations the initial noise around testing and the reorganization of the QA division has dissipated, and focus is now on how to bring in measures and information from a domain perspective."
Application testing is not and should not be just a "black box" utility service. European QA managers are challenged to show how the alignment of testing and QA methodologies supports the shift from "just completing IT projects" to "delivering optimized business outcomes." Consequently, they are looking for (and indeed selecting) vendors that "go the extra mile" in terms of client guidance and general service commitment. There is much reliance on the initial service level agreements (SLAs) and key performance indicators (KPIs) put in place. Nevertheless, while these are important to measure and report, it is often the "soft" parts of the relationship (e.g., communications, trust, honesty, openness, and cultural awareness) that make a big impact "on the ground."
Additional findings from this MarketScape include the following:
- Customers must assess vendor specialization and understand which vendor can best meet company requirements in terms of industry point solutions and reusable test assets.
- Evaluate if the vendor is capable of churning out the data required alongside concrete recommendations for improvement.
- Select vendors that can help you move successfully from capacity based services models to full-fledged managed services contracts.
- Service providers must strengthen the overall brand and marketing tied to independent application testing services, in addition to strengthening onshore QA consulting teams.
- A business case should focus on both long-term transformational change (supporting risk mitigation, enhanced customer service, and operational improvements) and near-term savings.
IDC MarketScape: Western Europe Application Testing Services: 2011 Vendor Assessment (IDC #EA01U, March 2012), discusses the capability and business strategy of a wide variety of vendors participating in the European application testing services market. This evaluation is based on a comprehensive and rigorous framework and set of parameters that assesses vendors relative to select criteria and one another and highlights the factors expected to be most conducive and influential to success in the market, both short and long term.
About IDC MarketScape
IDC's MarketScape vendor analysis model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of ICT (information and communications technology) suppliers in a given market. The research methodology utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each vendor's position within a given market. IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of IT and telecommunications vendors can be meaningfully compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a 360-degree assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current and prospective vendors.
