Revamped a telecom leader’s tech stack with a three-phase solution, resulting in stability automation, improved communication, productivity, and a culture of continuous improvement.
Our client, a telecom industry leader, specializes in numbering intelligence, network management, and fraud prevention, driving seamless communication transactions and facilitating interoperability among carriers worldwide.
Challenge
The client needed to update their development and test frameworks across a diverse portfolio of complex, mission critical platforms. Serving as information stewards and brokers for Communication Service Providers globally, their objective was to increase agility in response to the constantly changing interconnectivity challenges arising from evolving networks and new services. Their goal was to unify disparate product development teams, implement agile practices, and establish a CI/CD pipeline for a seamless shift to cloud-based platforms. The focus was on improving speed, quality, and the transferability of resources.
Solution
Our solution unfolds through three distinct phases, each targeting specific elements of the client’s software engineering ecosystem. The overarching goal is to strengthen and streamline their product development processes for optimal efficiency and effectiveness.
Phase 1: Test Function Audit and Automation Strategy
Conducted a thorough audit of the client’s test function, scrutinizing tools, procedures, and artifacts. Established a baseline PMO through interviews with team leads and examination of test artifacts. Evaluated consolidation options and provided recommendations for test automation platform technology, along with defining ROI.
Phase 2: Test Automation Framework Enhancement
Enhanced the test automation framework by creating a robust library of common test objects in Robot. This process involved developing a common Robot Framework, enhancing the library of keywords, harmonizing and consolidating Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) methodologies, embedding lead engineers, and providing extensive knowledge transfer and training to facilitate adoption.
Phase 3: CI/CD Pipeline Automation
Building on the improved test automation framework, the focus shifted to the Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipeline. After a discovery exercise, we implemented automation enhancements in both On-Prem and AWS, standardized deployment processes, and improved reporting and dashboarding of testing results, coverage, builds, and deployments. Additionally, we instituted a formal Organizational Change Management (OCM) program to drive adoption and foster organizational change, aiming for a seamless and automated pipeline for efficient software delivery.
Impact
Our solution demonstrated substantial benefits for the client, marking a transformation in technical efficiencies and fostering a culture of quality, efficiency, and adaptability within the development teams. The impact was multi-faceted:
Proactive approach to software stability:
- Continuous integration and quality gates contributed to the early identification and resolution of issues, ensuring a consistent delivery of high-quality code.
Automated Build and Deployment Across Environments:
- The integrated toolchain automates the entire CI/CD pipeline, including source code repository, testing, and deployment across multiple environments.
Improved Feedback Loops and Communication:
- Automatic email notifications and tight feedback loops enhance communication, providing developers with timely updates on CI/CD job performance.
Enhanced Productivity and Strategic Decision-Making:
- Automated processes and comprehensive reporting improve productivity, supporting strategic decision-making aligned with business goals.
Cultural Shift towards Continuous Improvement:
- Regular updates and shipments cultivate a culture of continuous improvement, encouraging teams to iterate on processes for consistent value delivery.
