Testing a large-scale Integration Project

Overview & Challenge

The Client is a US telecommunication company providing wireless services to more than 7 million subscribers in the United States. Besides providing wireless services, the client offers services in the field of cell phones. Their vast network of subscribers comes as a result of their reasonable prices and contracts.

To support its quick market expansion, the Client decided to implement a multiyear IT transformational program that integrates and enhances Front-End systems, Billing, Point Of Sale, Supply Chain Management, Master Data Management, Taxation, and Shipment systems.

This wide and complex initiative engages multiple vendors on the supplying part, imposes the problem of efficient testing on the suppliers’ delivered software products, because they are crucial for success and time to market services offered to the client’s end customers.

The diversity of the systems under tests with their functionality and technologies requires establishing an efficient testing process that covers different testing levels and test types, ensuring validation of complex business process with meaningful test results very fast after each code or configuration changes.

Solution

In order to achieve efficient validation of the initiative, Extended Unit Testing (EUT) was implemented which was focused on the following agile principles:

  • The test activities are integrated into the development process
  • Test activities are part of the definition of “done”
  • Test tools are important and improve the performance of the testing team
  • Testing moves the project forward

Business Outcomes

  • Successful and operational implementation of the new IT systems;
  • Very early detection of any issues in designs or codes, reducing the “defect cost”;
  • Fast resolution of any defects in managed coordination with the development teams;
  • Efficient regression testing by implementing test automation;
  • Well-timed triage and problem localization of the detected issues;