The worldwide market for computer software and systems testing services is projected to reach $56 billion by 2013 despite taking a hit from the global economic crisis, a report said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
More companies are outsourcing testing services, with India establishing itself as the favourite provider, the report by industry consulting firm Ovum said.<\/p>\n
"Both the outsourced and in-house testing services markets will grow over the next four years but not at the heady rates seen over the last four years," it said.<\/p>\n
"Despite this slowing, testing services will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 9.5 percent from 2008 to 2013, faster than most other [information technology] services."<\/p>\n
Computer software and systems are tested in-house or by specialist companies to evaluate their capabilities and find errors, including potential bugs.<\/p>\n
Alexander Simkin, a senior Ovum analyst and author of the report, said India is catching up with European and North American testers in terms of quality while continuing to offer cheaper rates.<\/p>\n
"Indian testing services providers used to compete purely on price through labour arbitrage. That’s changing," Simkin said.<\/p>\n
"They are now climbing the value chain and offering the same capability as North American and European testers."<\/p>\n
However, the high demand has resulted in a skills shortage in India "so we could see increasing numbers of testing services jobs going to other low-cost territories such as China, Malaysia and North Africa", Simkin added.<\/p>\n