CASE STUDY
Hyperscale data centre development & operation
~ 300 employees, with a £50m turnover (2023)
Our client, a global developer, owner and operator of hyperscale data centers, launched a major Microsoft Dynamics 365 digital transformation programme. The programme focused on the replacement of legacy financial systems with the D365 ERP system, including multiple Independent Software Vendor (ISV) and complex systems integrations, across multiple global regions. Fortitude 17 (F17) was engaged to lead testing across User Acceptance Test phases. Subsequent to UAT commencement, further F17 resources were engaged to lead the facilitation of training and testing workshops, and the test execution therein.
· No test scope, test strategy or any other UAT documentation had been produced ahead of Fortitude 17 onboarding, only 6 weeks ahead of the test cycle.
· Strong focus on training employees throughout testing, after cancellation of SME training sessions.
· Poor attendance at testing workshops impacted test execution numbers in the first test cycle.
· Software configuration for system workflows was not complete ahead of testing, causing delays to test execution and abandonment of test sessions.
· User system access and role permissions did not always mirror that of production, impacting testing of several business processes.
· Establishment and enforcement of UAT test strategy, test plan, and test execution plan.
· Coordination of project-wide test preparation, test execution and tracking of progress.
· Drove open communication and knowledge-sharing between workstreams to foster programme-wide alignment.
· Managed UAT cycles continuously, embedding corrections and improvements fluidly.
· Designed end-to-end scenarios and test cases to guide business users through UAT.
· Executed UAT cycles with comprehensive documentation and test evidence.
· Facilitation of defect triage and oversight of defect resolution.
Test Outcomes:
· Test case execution percentages increased from c.86% in Cycle 1 to c.99% in Cycle 2
· Pass rate improved from 96% in Cycle 1 to 100% in Cycle 2
· Of the 106 defects created during UAT, 99 were closed by the end of the test cycles
· There were no Priority 1 or Priority 2 defects open as at the end of Cycle 2 of UAT
· Legal Entity test coverage was 100%
· Test Case coverage was 100%
Test Deliverables Produced:
· UAT Test Strategy
· UAT Entry & Exit Criteria for multiple cycles
· UAT Scope documentation for each workstream
· UAT Test Execution Plan for multiple cycles
· Test Plans for multiple cycles in Azure DevOps
· UAT Kick-Off PowerPoint pack
· Azure DevOps reporting dashboards for UAT and Regression test cycles
· Defect Tracker
· Test outcome metrics for multiple cycles
· Daily test outcome reports
· UAT Coverage Tracker for all legal entities and test cases
· Test Completion Report for multiple cycles
· UAT Sign-off packs for each workstream
· Ensured smooth UAT cycles despite late onboarding.
· Delivered UAT phases across Europe, North America and Asia to deadline, despite poor workshop attendance and expanded test scope in Cycle 2.
· Delivered high-quality test documentation for long-term use.
· Ensured the SI Partner used the project/test/defect management tool to record all deliverables and collateral for future maintenance and learning.
· Communications with SI provider streamlined to ensure defects resolved in a timelier manner.
· Partnered with the client’s new Test Lead for smooth transition to BAU.
F17’s swift mobilisation and disciplined approach enabled the client to move forward with confidence in their implementation. Even with delays in onboarding, shifts in leadership, and fluctuations in business involvement, our team successfully executed multiple UAT cycles. These phases were pivotal in ensuring the client was ready to advance with their global rollout.
At Fortitude 17, we don’t just deliver testing — we deliver transformation