Building a Strategic IT Road Map

A leading specialty retailer of home goods and kitchenware was implementing Retek as part of a strategic long-term initiative. This would help build an IT infrastructure for fast growth and multi-channel integration across all product lines. The existing Quality Assurance (QA) team had contractors with non-complementary skills who were unable to solve the coordination and scalability issues in testing the first implementation release. ICCG’ QA team adopted a unique testing model to enable 100% accuracy and faster turnaround.

About the Client

A leading specialty retailer of home goods and kitchenware was implementing ICCG as part of a strategic long-term initiative to build an IT infrastructure for fast growth and multi-channel integration across all product lines.

Overview

The client’s implementation was planned across multiple releases to gradually introduce added functionality and additional products and brands. The existing Quality Assurance (QA) team - comprising contractors with non-complementary skills, was unable to solve the coordination and scalability issues in testing the first implementation release. Further, the QA team’s responsibility was undefined across all the impacted applications leading to additional complexities. The retailer’s requirement, therefore, was for an IT partner who could test the implementation with 100% accuracy and ensure a quick roll out of the implementation. ICCG with its cost-effective Global Delivery Model, Independent Validation Services offering, ICCG experience and a proven testing methodology was chosen as the ideal partner.

Challenges

• There were a large number of application touch-points (systems/applications) involved in the implementation The limited number of test environments, which led to non-test dedicated resources, resulted in conflicts of these environments
• There were schedule conflicts involved between the different applications • Limited resource availability and limited functional knowledge of the test support teams was also a big hindrance

Benefits

• Prevented down-time or breaks in continuity through methodical and comprehensive testing, using repeatable processes
• Defined standard testing roadmap and overall strategy for all subsequent releases to mitigate program risks
• Ensured in-time rollout of implementation by aligning test management with implementation goals to guarantee adherence to schedule
• Reduced costs significantly by leveraging ICCG highly efficient Global Delivery Model
• Ensured high-visibility to quality parameters throughout the testing lifecycle, to enhance end-user satisfaction