Improve your Service (just like Murray)

Wimbledon is reaching the end of its two weeks. It’s been exciting, challenging and suffered serious delays due to the rain, but thankfully it looks like it’s going to be fine this weekend and so the championships are now on track to finish on time.

The amount of planning that goes into a tournament like Wimbledon is exceptional. Not just for the players, coaches, officials, ball boys and girls, but also for the grounds staff, the caterers, the police, local transport, hotels etc. etc.

All the planning in the world though can’t stop horrid weather (something we are used to during British summer time) and so contingency plans are made and acted upon to ensure play can go on. This year that meant playing many matches on the middle Sunday. A real treat for those visiting SW19 during the tournament.

The tournament has also had surprises, such as the number 1 seed Djokovic losing to number 28 seed Sam Querrey. Also the unknown Marcus Willis getting to play on centre court against a legend of the game in Rodger Federer was a real coup for all involved.

In short the 2016 tournament was planned well, adapted to meet challenging constraints during execution and looks to come to its conclusion on time this weekend.

Those that have read some of my other posts will now be expecting the classic twist. That’s when I shoe horn an event like Wimbledon into an analogy relating to the world of Software Testing. Well, I don’t want to disappoint, so here goes.

Here at ROQ we work with global clients, on a wide range of projects. For example, the implementation of a new eCommerce platform, the role out of a new HR platform across 175,000 employees or transforming businesses to embrace Digital methodologies such as Agile.

We don’t just come in at the end and provide testing though, we get involved from inception to ensure the projects are thoroughly planned with solid actionable requirements. We call out risks and mitigating actions, we plan for possible delays and ensure contingencies are in place.

Also, we accelerate transformation by arriving with our Test Automation Framework and ultimately have a dedicated Test Lab brimming with dedicated testing resource who hold our client’s internal teams and vendors to account.

During projects though, as we all know, the best laid plans can slip due to unforeseen conditions (just like the rain in SW19) this is when working on the middle Sunday is required or when a standout performance is necessary to kick back against the large SI’s (just like Querrey against Djokovic).

ROQ have the flexibility in the Test Lab to provide this breadth and depth of service because we have put in the hours, not on the training court, but in high pressure projects lasting many months or years. This all helps to ensure that everything in our power is done to make our clients’ projects a success.

This then leads to the best bit, the strawberries and cream and the Pimm’s. Or more specifically a solution that works as it should, is delivered on time and that ultimately improves business performance. All things ROQ strives to achieve for our clients.

Thanks for reading and enjoy the rest of Wimbledon. If you would like to learn more about ROQ, visit our Test Lab or talk about Tennis, then please do not hesitate to contact me.