Whatever needs you may have in software testing and QA, I'm here to help! 

Whether you need support in software testing consulting, software QA consulting, software testing assessments or other services - chances are I have "been there, done that" and can help you through the challenges of software testing (I think there is a book on that topic!).

I can even support your testing efforts with my own independent test team I have personally trained. These testers are ISTQB Foundation Level certified and have great testing skills. We call this approach "co-sourcing". It is an attractive alternative to traditional test outsourcing. You can learn more here.

Here are some of my consulting services.

Testing Assessments

I offer a variety of software testing assessments, including software test process assessments, software test tool assessments and software test team skill assessments. To learn more, click here.

Consulting and Mentoring in Software Testing from Rice Consulting

There are times you need objective and informed guidance in your software testing and software QA efforts. Your needs may be occasional or on an ongoing basis, such as to help you grow into the role of software tester or software test manager.

Whatever your needs, I can help. Here are a few examples of my software testing consulting services:

General Consulting

Whether you have one question or twenty about software testing and software quality, I can consult with you either in-person or by phone. I also have the ability to do webcam consulting. All you need is a webcam and PC microphone! For this service, I bill in hourly increments for conference calls and daily rates for in-person visits.

Mentoring and Coaching

You may need an ongoing series of consultations to help you reach your goals. I can coach and lead you in developing your software testing and leadership skills. Typically, mentoring is done on a monthly basis in 30 minute sessions by telephone or webcam sessions.

Project Consulting

If you have a large project with a lot of investment on the line, you need to consider the services of an independent consultant for the following reasons:

• Added accountability - An independent consultant can ask the hard questions to make sure the project is staying true to the test plan.
• Problem solving skills - An independent consultant can have an objective view of the problem and solutions. Plus, a consultant often has seen similar problems in the past and can bring multiple solution options to the table.
• Candid communication - People tend to delay bad news out of fear. An independent consultant can tell senior management things that people who work for the company may be afraid to say.
• Deliverable reviews - It's always a good idea to get outside feedback on requirements, use cases, test plans and other project documents. I have seen many of these types of documents and he can typically find gaps and inconsistencies.
• Review facilitation - Reviews are very dependent on effective human interaction. If a project team lacks an effective review moderator, reviews will likely not be successful. I can help mentor moderators and start you on the right footing.

Software Development Life Cycle Development and Consulting

Without an appropriate SDLC,  there's no structure for software testing, QA, or other project activities. It's not always easy to find the right lifecycle for your projects and organization.  I can help you work through the process to define a life cycle project that meets your needs.

Retainer-based Consulting

For a reasonable monthly fee, you can have access to me for a set number of hours each month. Whether it be one hour or ten hours, I can be your accessible software testing resource whenever you need advice, answers, reviews or any other testing service. Fees depend on the time commitment desired. The retainer periods are 6 months and 12 months.

I typically do project consulting at a set number of days per month (typically less than five days per month) and focus my efforts at strategic points in the project, such as test planning, test execution, test evaluation, etc. my project consulting approach is a mix of on-site visits, conference calls and off-site document reviews.

To learn more about my consulting approach, click here.

To ask other questions, contact me here.