Client’s challenges
The client’s development approach for their main product is based on Agile delivery methods using SCRUM. The client’s goal was to move away from the current, very client-specific versions of their software, towards a platform-based business. During this transition, some topics of product delivery emerged as areas in need of further improvement: test planning/estimation, reporting and metrics, collaboration and organization. While the process maturity overall was quite high the client already, especially when it comes to process and risk coverage in testing, the process efficiency and effectiveness posed some risks to the new product delivery approach. Therefore, the client was seeking a thorough delivery maturity assessment for their core processes covering everything from requirements gathering to deployment and seeking advisory to improve their product development, as well as customization for projects.
Sixsentix’s solution
• Assessment planning – Identification of 13 core processes taken under interview-based assessment as well as running an initial sample document review to familiarize assessors with the client's QA culture.
• Conducting assessment workshops – On premise multiple days assessment workshop was conducted with key process-owners of the elected 13 core processes covering the following topics: planning and scoping, development and testing, release and deployment, and monitoring and optimization. Assessment workshops were conducted in an interview fashion with the nominated interviewees for each process. Upon finalizing the workshops, the findings were consolidated, verified, and turned into recommendations.
• Assessment results and recommendations – After evaluation of the assessment outcomes, another multy-day workshop was conducted to deliver assessment results and prioritize recommendations together with the client. This workshop also serves the purpose to clarify remaining open points and answer questions for each of the findings and suggested recommendations as a first step towards sustainable change.
Sixsentix key assets included Sixsentix own successful QA maturity assessment approach, an expert QA maturity assessor and a TMMi board member, and an extensive experience in processes consulting and in pharmaceutical regulations.
“With all the challenges the client encountered this year, they asked Sixsentix Germany, since we have a wide expertise in Quality Maturity Assessments in various industries, to analyse their current way of work with an external set of eyes, diversify their thought process, and identify their potential for growth and improvement. Now the client has the full picture of where they stand at the moment regarding all of their delivery-related processes, with clear recommendations of the actions to take in the future. The detailed roadmap contains the quick wins and long-term objectives, with an overview of how much the implementation of those steps would cost. This is the first, crucial step for the client’s effective change into continuous improvement with tangible goals and actions.”
Sixsentix Project Lead
Value delivered
1. The QA maturity assessment outcome provided the client with a SWOT analysis and a clear overview of their maturity level in all SDLC areas: plan and measure, develop and test, release and deploy and monitor and optimize.
2. Delivery maturity improvement outlook with a list of recommendations elaborated further which delivery direction should the client follow in the future. Sixsentix mapped out the implementation roadmap for all the recommendations listed, in a very applicable approach – the client received a clear overview of which actions they could implement in-house, and for which they would need partial or full external vendor support, all of that with the implementation costs outline.
