Testing Criteria

Testing obviously forms a major part of the success of the project, and as such, dedicated testing resources are provided within Professional Services. A full testing technical environment is in place within Immediacy not just for core product development but also for each individual project and its development.

Each project receives its own test plan which is structured around the respective development strategy of the project (i.e. a phased and structured programme of work). However, within the life cycle of each project, the solution is 'built' in a test-ready environment (on a daily basis the development – source code, integration requirements, technical framework) and is automatically tested against pre-defined quality criteria – either provided by the test team, the client or in many cases the market development and software standards.

This approach enables us to identify test failures and areas for further development on a very granular, individual and ongoing basis, in addition to this our test team take the following approach to further tests and fault finding/control.

At the end of each project phase the following tests are completed as a minimum:

Full code compliance
Systems integration (where needed)
HTML, XHTML, SiteMorse testing

The tests are completed within the 'build' environment referred to earlier. A full test report and audit records (including fault reporting) are provided to the client at this stage. The client can also have input into this testing phase and can complete some initial UAT. Prior to providing these to the client these reports are reviewed and approved by the respective Project Manager and Lead developer.

To further explain our approach to testing we outline the way we deploy:

Once this initial testing phase has been completed, and subject to Immediacy and client agreement, the tested environment is deployed to a 'sandpit' site on the respective server within the client environment. There further testing based on previous 'build' experience is completed by Immediacy to ensure compatibility and continued compliance, with full test reports also provided at this stage. This 'sandpit' site is then left for the client to complete their own UAT and any additional testing needed, with the agreed communication and issue reporting/fixing process followed during this phase. Once the client has completed this UAT successfully, Immediacy then copy the sandpit site into the live environment.

This approach enables Immediacy and the client to efficiently record and fix any issues that have been identified throughout not only the testing processes but also through the very controlled build and deployment environments and processes in place within Professional Services. These environments add real practical and proven value to our already very rigorous testing process and provide clients with assurance that the solutions being built are constantly tested, maintained and managed from the very start of development through to live deployment.

Quality Assurance is at the very heart of our service portfolio, with previous experience in large organisations Local Government, Media and Financial sectors in addition to the technology sector our controls and processes are proven within not only our own, but other organisations, and will fit within and meet the clients own QA approach.