Requirements Engineering the key to success!
In our assignments, one of the crucial goals is to assess and to improve
the quality of the development process of software and systems. In the
past, these assessments usually showed that testing was the weakest
point within the organization. After having done specific investments in
the qualification of employees, process improvements and business
development, it was possible to grow the maturity level to comply with
best practices. Nowadays, the pendulum falls back to another weakness –
the requirements engineering. Too much organizations are far away from a
reasonable best practice level and should now invest into a
target-oriented improvement of this leak.
2011 should be the year to do so! Be aware – traceable weaknesses in the
requirement engineering part of projects in 2011 will become the
failures of projects in 2012.
- Jacques Eichinger - Principal Consultant - SynSpace AG
Compliance Testing in Real Life
The IT Risk & Security Director of our client wanted to monitor the
data access security of some of the client’s core applications in
financial reconciliations. It is
a large global bank with activities in all major financial hubs of the
globe. The scope of activities ranges from retail banking, investment
banking to wealth management. The aim of the project was monitoring two
distinct accounting and financial reconciliations applications: one is a
client-server application designed and developed in-house by an IT
service provider and used by the bank for 6 years, the other application
is an Off-the-shelf web application implemented in the bank in the last
year. Project team is required to show great technical and management
skills in this highly complex project. Our task is to write the
requirements and specifications for the Compliance engine, to create a
Proof of Concept of it and to develop a test plan for compliance
testing. The identification of all stakeholders that would be concerned
by the newly deployed compliance test factory is also an important task
as well as to report project progress to senior management.
The project has been labelled as a total success by the client. We have
identified important security issues and suggested means to remove the
threats. Testing of access profiles of the applications has been
automated. Offshoring and cross-border approval can be automated for the
most sensitive client data.
- Eddy Ngoy - Principal Consultant - SynSpace SA
Success through Methodology and Structure
Since the liberalization of the German energy market, a high competitive
pressure exists among market participants. High price transparency and
the easy way of switching suppliers for residential and business
customers challenges the regional energy suppliers with new demands. In
order to increase and control the effectiveness of all sales activities,
standardized planning and calculation tools are needed.
My customer, a regional energy supplier is a pioneer and key player in
terms of climate and environmental protection. It promotes innovative
projects in the air and water protection and supports numerous programs
in the wind, hydro, biomass and solar energy sector. Its customer base
is characterized by standardized products, offered for private clients
and many very individual business customers with tailor-made delivery
models.
Due to the diverse products, complex processes and data streams, the
demand for the IT systems are extensive. As a service provider in a
science oriented environment, we are accustomed to counter high and
heterogeneous requirements with skills and methods. Beside of the
required business improvements, it is of high priority to not cut and
limit the power and flexibility of the organization.
The requirements for successful project implementation were varied and
comprehensive. In addition to the methodical approach, the
technical-scientific approach and our expertise, a crucial point were
also the negotiating skills in communicating with suppliers and a
finger-tip feeling in control of the involved employees and partners.
Our tasks included analysis of the application and program portfolio,
the development of the specifications of the requirements, as well as
the control of the design process to create detailed concepts. Also, the
moderation of planning workshops in the project definition and
implementation phase was a prerequisite for success. The project
management with the GDPM method has shown that all project success is
based on methodology, structure, communication and control. Within 5
months the new standard planning and costing tool was introduced. All
together in time, quality and cost!
- Markus Köster - Principal Consultant - SynSpace AG
Free Entrance - Road Show about the Safety Engineer (Level 1) Training.
Learn more about our new certification program!
We would like to invite you to our “Functional Safety – Road Show”!
Date: Thursday, 14 April 2011
Time: 3 pm – 5 pm, with culinary conclusion
Location: Oldtimer Museum Pantheon Basel; Hofackerstrasse 72, CH-4132 Muttenz
Please register via e-mail to:
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until 15 March 2011!
For more information about the road show click here >
Swiss Testing Day 2011.
Meet us at the software test conference in Zurich!
We would be pleased to welcome you at the Swiss Testing Day 2011 on 16
March 2011! Register for the conference for testers and benefit from the speeches according different aspects all about
Software testing.
For more information click here >
