Providing Test Consultancy to Build Solid Foundations for Digital Transformation

Summary

The Client is one of Europe’s largest fashion and lifestyle retail chains, with both a strong high street and online offering in a number of territories. They have a strong focus on ethical sourcing and social responsibility.

Challenge

The client was about to embark on a large-scale digital transformation programme, moving their entire enterprise resource planning (ERP) suite to the cloud, a move that would affect every aspect of their business (HR, Finance, E-commerce, CRM, Warehousing, Logistics, procurement, etc). These distinct areas had differing appetites for risk and speed, and also worked in a range of methodologies from Waterfall to pure Agile. The client recognised that their existing testing function was not big enough or mature enough to be able to deliver this strategic programme. This group, made up of a small number of internal and external resources and supplemented by BA’s and business users to meet demand, would not be sufficient to tackle the upcoming programme of change and so a new approach was required to ensure they could mitigate risk and validate the changes that could either make or break their business. 

The client was also concerned that they didn’t have the expertise internally to scrutinise/challenge/verify the service provided by the Service Integrator (S.I.) selected to implement, customise and configure the ERP solution.

The challenging trading conditions that are currently affecting this client, meant that budgets were restricted for the ERP Programme and had already been revised lower. Therefore the client had a real desire to continue to work with the existing test team.

Solution

ROQ provided a flexible Test Consultancy service to review their existing testing function and approach for the ERP programme. The outcome of this was to make recommendations for improvement and importantly provide a step by step roadmap for the implementation, all tied to an overarching Strategy which covered both BAU work, project work and the upcoming ERP transformation programme. We spent time reviewing documentation, interviewing key staff (both internal and third party) and scrutinising the S.I.’s approach to ensure the client was able to hold them to account.

ROQ also made recommendations around test automation, performance and security aligned to each business area’s distinct risk profile, speed of change and methodology.

This meant that the client was in strong position to begin their digital transformation journey.

Benefits:

• ROQ built an approach that considered the clients situation, utilising the existing talent within the organisation, rather than suggesting additional/costly resources.
• ROQ completed this consultancy engagement in 15 days, working both at the clients site and using ROQ’s Test Lab, which kept costs low.
• Our pragmatic approach recognised some good existing practices that could be expanded across the clients business meaning these quick wins added value from the earliest point. Changes that were harder to achieve were ranked for priority and value, and placed appropriately in the implementation roadmap to ensure value.
• Our collaborative approach meant some improvement opportunities were able to be implemented during the 15 day engagement – without waiting until the formal present back to add value.