Sustainable energy: Company wide test strategy
In short
We developed a test strategy for a major Finnish energy company. The strategy covered the company’s consumer products, such as mobile applications in Finland, Sweden, and Norway. A key challenge for the strategy was managing country-specific variations in the products.
Why did the client choose us?
We met with the client several times and thoroughly familiarized ourselves with their operational environment. Over time, we were able to clearly articulate how we could help and create value for their business. This built trust, ultimately leading the client to choose us as their partner.
What challenges did we address?
Tens of thousands of people use the client’s systems. If an application does not function as expected, customers may quickly switch to a competitor or stop using the application altogether, which can be harmful to the business. Additionally, a poorly functioning product can damage the company’s reputation and brand.
The company had no test strategy in place, so we started from scratch. In addition to this lack of strategy, or perhaps because of it, one of the biggest challenges was inconsistency in testing practices. Each development team tested in its own way and used different tools, leading to fragmentation and making quality management more difficult.
Initially, testing lacked clear ownership. However, during the project, a responsible person was identified who can continue to develop and guide the testing process.
What did we do in practice?
We interviewed different development teams and reviewed tools and objectives with QA and testing stakeholders. Based on this information, we created the first draft of the test strategy, which was reviewed in the same group.
Next, we began the implementation of the test strategy, which included training materials that were presented to all product development teams. Additionally, we created document templates for the client’s document management system to support testing, and provided training on their use.
Furthermore, we conducted a training on testing methodologies for the entire organization.
What business benefits have we been able to contribute to?
Our goal was to standardize testing across the entire organization in multiple countries. We believe we achieved this successfully, as testing expertise and awareness improved throughout the organization.
Some key outcomes include:
In test automation, development teams gained a better understanding of its importance, resulting in improved and more extensive automation efforts.
The methodology training introduced concepts such as negative testing, leading to more comprehensive and effective testing.
Feedback on our work
The client was satisfied with our work, with the implementation phase receiving particular praise. The feedback we received included comments like, “This is exactly what we need to be doing.”
