Press Releases

Experimentus partners with FDM Group to provide TMMi Professional training throughout 2016

LONDON – The UK’s leading IT graduate employer, FDM Group, has partnered with global IT solutions specialist, Experimentus, to deliver the TMMi Professional training programme at FDM’s centres in Leeds, London and Glasgow. The training provides candidates with the necessary knowledge to establish an efficient test process, and how to assess its organisational value and improve the general vitality of their IT systems.

“We are seeing a significant increase in organisations worldwide using TMMi to help drive their software process improvement activities and deliver better quality solutions to the business. We are delighted to be working with FDM to bring our TMMi Professional training and experience to organisations across the UK,” says Martin Adcock, Experimentus Managing Director.

Course dates are as follows:

• 20th to 22nd January 2016 in London
• 23rd to 25th February 2016 in Leeds
• 22nd to 24th March 2016 in Glasgow

“FDM is proud to support TMMi as an industry certification. Companies need to recognise how greater collaboration can effectively drive business performance, and by partnering with Experimentus on this initiative we are able to support greater development of skills in IT,” says Andy King, FDM UK Managing Director.

To register, please visit: http://info.experimentus.com/tmmi-professional-infoandbooking-fdm

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For further information or any queries please contact Annie Quinn at annie.quinn@experimentus.com

MTP, the only company certified to TMMi level 5

MTP has just become the first company in the world to achieve TMMi level 5 certification for its Testing and Software Quality. Experimentus, (a TMMi Foundation accredited assessing organisation) conducted the formal assessment on MTP and was invaluable in assisting MTP in achieving this accolade.

Martin Adcock, Managing Director of Experimentus : “Congratulations to MTP on achieving level 5 certification and the subsequent benefits to their clients and the organisation’s operations. This independent assessment of their test and software quality management capability sets the standard for other organizations to achieve in terms of the quality of their processes and deliveries”.

Richard Sykes, Chair of TMMi Foundation: “The TMMi Foundation congratulates MTP on gaining Level 5 Certification and Experimentus for conducting the certification – the first companies to so do. This demonstrates MTP’s market leadership in a capability vital now that software and systems development is being accelerated and diversified in the Enterprise’s endless drive for competitive edge”.

For a detailed case study contact Marc Gebauer-Dunlop at marc.gebauer-dunlop@experimentus.com

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David Consulting Group Partners with Experimentus to Provide TMMi® Services
May 14, 2013

David Consulting Group now offers Test Maturity Model Integration (TMMi®) training, implementation and appraisals in North America.

PRLog (Press Release) – May 14, 2013 – MALVERN, — Malvern, PA – David Consulting Group (http://www.davidconsultinggroup.com), the premier global provider of Application Development & Maintenance (ADM) support solutions for software optimization, is now a provider of Test Maturity Model Integration (TMMi) services in North America.

TMMi is the independent industry standard measure against which to assess software quality management and test processes within an organization. The result helps to identify hidden costs in the software development lifecycle (SDLC), moving an organization from defect detection to defect prevention, while also increasing quality and reducing cost/time for deliveries.

Managed by the TMMi Foundation (http://www.tmmi.org), the TMMi model ensures that integrated and appropriate processes are implemented in stages in order to help an organization to become fully measured and optimized.

“Testing and software quality management form a significant cost of any project (up to 60 to 70 percent), so the impact of an industrialized, integrated approach results in significant savings in time and cost, while also reducing risks and improving quality,” said Mike Harris, CEO of David Consulting Group. “The TMMi model is proven to be effective in many industries and organizations around the world, delivering a clear return on investment and enhanced reputations. We look forward to continuing this in North America.”

“With the significant contributions that TMMi is having in many organizations worldwide, it is not surprising that there is a continuous global trend to use TMMi as the independent “go-to” model. I am therefore delighted that DCG will be using the Experimentus TMMi Foundation accredited Assessment Method to support and expand their solutions for delivering software optimization,” said Martin Adcock, Managing Director of Experimentus. “The model helps to ensure that testing and software quality management becomes a consistent and reliable practice in an organization, while improving productivity and overall effectiveness.”

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Axpe Consulting achieved TMMI Level 3.
January 24, 2013- Last updated on January 31, 2013

AXPE Consulting has achieved level 3 TMMI, a certification awarded by the TMMI Foundation. This is a non-profit organization, founded by a group of leading European professionals, dedicated to improve software test and quality-related processes.

The foundation owns and supports the model of TMMI. Thus provides independent accreditation service lead assessors and advisors, as well as the structure to establish evaluation methods.

Despite the fact that software testing costs at least 30 or 40% of the project, it is given little attention to it in the various process improvement models such as CMMI. However, TMMI provides a broader and structured approach to structured testing process.

The internal structure of TMMI contains practices that can be learned and applied systematically to support quality improvement gradually. There are 5 levels that define the maturity hierarchy and evolution path to the test process improvements.

Level 3 indicates that the processes are defined and being used at the same way for all test projects of the organization.
According to Experimentus, the company responsible for certificate Axpe at TMMI Level 3:

“This is an extraordinary achievement and deserved. AXPE Consulting is at the forefront of IT service providers in the testing and certification of their ability to manage software quality. Every time there is a greater recognition by IT service providers in the management of software quality and testing capacity against TMMI model, not only providing an independent validation for their clients, but also a competitive advantage in the market. “

Experimentus has provided to the company an intelligent test method (ITM), which includes templates, tools and processes compatible with TMMI 3. This method was key to reducing the time and cost when getting certified.

Moreover they add, “this is a commitment to provide quality and value to customers’ operations AXPE Consulting, which sends a strong message of competitive differentiation.”

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17th May 2012 – TROIKA – UK’s first Insurance Sector Consortium launched to provide Independent model Validation Assurance for Solvency II

Three specialist insurance sector consultants have joined forces to help (re)insurance companies prepare for Solvency II. The alliance known as TROIKA, comprises Barnett Waddingham, the UK‟s leading Independent Actuarial and Insurance Consultants, Experimentus, the process improvement and assurance firm, and Synergy Compliance Solutions (SCS) EMEA, the compliance technology experts.

TROIKA will review (re)insurance Companies internal model validation process and provide company management teams with truly independent assurance that their model will meet with Solvency II requirements.

There are three distinct strands involved in comprehensively assuring model validation – actuarial expertise, process assessment & assurance, and data & technology assessment. While there are other consultancy firms who are experts in one of these areas and aim to provide the remaining capabilities, TROIKA is the only provider in the UK that brings together market leaders from each distinct field, providing comprehensive assurance across the full spectrum of validation.

John O‟Neill, Partner at Barnett Waddingham, commented, “This is a great opportunity to work with leading companies to provide a much needed service to the UK Insurance Industry.“

Julian Clarke, Director of Sales & Marketing at Experimentus, commented, “We are pleased to be working with both Barnett Waddingham and SCS. Our combined capabilities offer UK Insurance firms access to both an independent and comprehensive assurance service that covers the full spectrum of validation under a one-stop-shop”

Commenting on the Consortium, Harpreet Julka, Director at SCS said, “Solvency II is transforming the way the Insurance Industry works. TROIKA will help accelerate the journey that UK firms are undertaking to implement Solvency II and we are delighted to be playing a catalytic role”.

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17^th January 2011 – First IT Services organisation worldwide to achieve TMMi Certification

Experimentus certifies Métodos y Tecnología (MTP) test capability against the Test Maturity Model integrated (TMMi) which is owned by the non-profit making TMMi Foundation, making them the first IT Services organisation worldwide to achieve this distinction.

Experimentus, the software quality management firm announce the certification of MTP (www.mtp.es), based in Spain, to TMMi level 3, making them the first IT Services organisation worldwide to achieve this accreditation.

TMMi is the industry standard against which organisations can measure and improve software Testing and Quality related processes and activities.

With clients who include many of Europe’s largest telecoms and insurance organisations, Juan Ferrer the Managing Director of MTP says “This is part of our ongoing commitment to our clients to ensure that we are in the best position to deliver quality results to our clients. TMMi certification not only confirms the status of our capability, but also enables us to clearly demonstrate how our Testing Services have a competitive edge within the Global Testing Market.”

Experimentus, accredited by the TMMi Foundation for both its assessment method and consultants, has obtained global recognition for the work it has conducted with the TMMi model, helping organisations achieve quality software deliveries through the implementation of appropriate practices to enable defect detection and for the more mature organisations defect prevention.

Julian Clarke, Director of Sales & Marketing at Experimentus said, “Many organisations have used TMMi to independently measure and identify improvements in their own test and quality capabilities but more recently we have seen TMMi become part of the evaluation criteria when selecting a supplier. MTP’s achievement is a significant step forward in the challenge to provide independent validation and verification. With other similar organisations currently being assessed for certification, we expect this to be the first of many certifications in the coming year.”

Commenting on the Testing Industry, Martin Adcock, Managing Director of Experimentus says “With ISTQB to accredit people, TMMi to assess and certify process capability and tool vendors relaxing their licensing, the industry is beginning to transform itself from ‘body shop’ based suppliers to those delivering industrialised solutions that are both competitively priced and deliver quality outcomes”.

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7th June 2010 – Demand for TMMi Grows Across India

Experimentus launches joint venture with PureTesting to offer Test Maturity Model Integrated (TMMi®) services to the Indian IT industry

Experimentus (www.experimentus.com), the software quality management consulting firm and PureTesting (www.puretesting.com), a prominent software test consulting and services company announced today the launch of their joint venture Purementus. The joint venture between Experimentus and PureTesting offers access to accredited TMMi Assessments and Process Improvement capabilities to the IT industry throughout India.

TMMi® has become the de facto standard against which organisations can measure and improve Testing and Quality related processes and activities.

Experimentus, accredited by the TMMi^® Foundation for both its assessment method and consultants, has obtained global recognition for the work it has conducted with the Test Maturity Model integrated, by helping organisations understand how they can move away from, the traditional and costly Defect Detection approach to implement quantitative improvements through Defect Prevention techniques and processes.

PureTesting is known for helping its clients plan their test investment and manage critical testing processes to reduce the cost of producing quality software.

Julian Clarke, Director of Sales & Marketing at Experimentus said, “This is an exciting time for the Testing Industry, we have the ISTQB to accredit people, TMMi^® to assess and certify process capability and the tool vendors are relaxing their licensing terms, which combined is transforming the industry from ‘Body Shop’ based suppliers to those delivering solutions aimed at improving quality as well as addressing the organisations commercial & process improvement demands. Many organisations have used TMMi^® to independently measure and identify improvements in their own capabilities but more recently we have seen TMMi^® become part of the evaluation criteria when selecting a supplier. To meet an increasing demand for our Assessment & Certification solution from both Captives and Service Providers we needed to expand our delivery team within India. PureTesting was the ideal company to set up a joint venture with; they have an excellent reputation for delivery and are very well respected throughout India”.

Commenting on the alliance Anil Baid, Co-founder of PureTesting said, “Organisations today don’t want to just test, they want to continuously optimise the cost of testing. To do that they need to understand where they are and where they want to go. TMMi is the best way for them to independently assess themselves and improve. TMMi is also likely to help increase customer confidence in these certified companies”.

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13th May 2010 – Experimentus adds Clive Bates to the Global Delivery Team

Experimentus (www.experimentus.com), the software quality management consulting firm, announced today that they have hired Clive Bates to the delivery team supporting clients across the globe.

Clive’s primary role will be a Managing Consultant, reporting to the Director of Consulting with specific focus on managing test and quality process improvement assignments and looking at developing the TMMi training offering. In addition to this he will support the presales function within Experimentus and will be an additional speaker for Experimentus at international conferences.

Clive joins Experimentus from a consulting firm dedicated to Testing where he had been a partner for the last 8 years as both an accredited ISEB/ISTQB trainer and a consultant. His practical testing experience covers banking, insurance, retail supply chain systems and internet applications. Clive has also undertaken a number of assignments for organisations wanting to understand their current testing capabilities, reporting on appropriate improvements and providing ongoing support during the implementation of the recommended changes. He has presented at the leading testing conferences over a number of years namely the International Testing Automation conference Washington, StarWest, StarEast and EuroStar as well as smaller specialist testing conferences in the UK, Sweden and Holland.  He has also contributed articles in various magazines and journals including Better Software.  Clive is one of the founder members of the board that developed the original ISEB/ISTQB Foundation certificate and ISEB Practitioner certificate and is now fully involved with the UK Testing Board for the International Software Testing Qualification Board (ISTQB).

Speaking about his appointment, Clive commented “It is a real honour to be joining Experimentus which is seen by many in the industry as a progressive company. I have a real passion for the industry and this new appointment will give me the opportunity to get fully involved and help clients benefit from my experiences”

Geoff Thompson, Director of Consulting of Experimentus commented “The demand for independent TMMi assessments has grown across the globe, with an increasing requirement from large IT services companies to be accredited against the industry standard. Clive’s experience and knowledge will play a key role in helping us to achieve our growth targets in this area and we are delighted to have him in the team going forward”

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24th March 2009 – Experimentus joins other world leading software testing experts in Australia

• Experimentus gives keynote speech at ANZTB 2009
• Focusing on software testing process improvement

Geoff Thompson, Director of Experimentus (www.experimentus.com) will give a keynote speech to fellow international software testing experts at today’s ANZTB software testing forum in Sydney.

ANZTB is the regional body representing software testing professionals in Australia and New Zealand. ANZTB offers sought after certification, dependable training accreditation and carer- enhancing support for software testing professionals throughout Australia and New Zealand.

Mr Thompson commented:

“My speech will focus on the benefits of software test process improvement which include repeatability, reusability and financial savings.

I will also be speaking about software testing career developments in relation to my role as Chairman of The UK Testing Board and Founding Member of the International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB).

The Experimentus team are continually working to improve the maturity, repeatability and understanding of software testing and quality across the world.

In September 2008, Experimentus became the first UK organisation to be awarded accreditation by the TMMi® Foundation for its in-house developed TMMi assessment method.In December 2008, the Experimentus team became the first consultants worldwide to become accredited TMMi Assessors.

Experimentus will be holding a TMMi workshop in London on the 20th May. For further information, please contact the Experimentus London head office.

Download the pdf version of this Press Release (310kb)

2nd December 2008 – Experimentus Team Accredited TMMi Assessors, First in the World

The software quality management consultancy, Experimentus (www.experimentus.com), announces today that four of its senior consultants have been accredited by the TMMi® Foundation to use the Experimentus TMMi assessment method.

The accredited Experimentus TMMi assessment method is one of the most effective methods to assess and improve software quality processes.

This prestigious endorsement confirms that Experimentus and its team of consultants adhere to the highest professional standards in test and quality related process assessment.

Martin Adcock, Experimentus Managing Director, commented:

‘‘This award once again highlights the expertise, experience and high standards we have in-house here at Experimentus.”
The TMMi® Foundation (www.tmmifoundation.org) is a non-profit making organisation, founded by a number of leading European test and quality practitioners and is dedicated to improving software test and quality related processes and practices. The Foundation owns and supports the TMMi model, provides an independent accrediting service for lead assessors and assessors, along with the structure to accredit assessment methods.

Experimentus’ TMMi assessment method and its consultants will be reassessed by the Foundation every three years, as well as undergoing annual internal reviews to ensure all new industry changes and innovations are adhered to.

To mark this Accreditation, Experimentus is conducting a survey to identify the maturity of software testing and quality across industry sectors in line with the Test Maturity Model (TMMi). Upon completion, Experimentus will produce and provide participants with two valuable pieces of information:

• A  high level view of their organisation’s testing maturity against the TMMi
• A White Paper featuring industry benchmarking data

For more information and to carry out the short survey please go to either:

www.experimentus.com

or
Test Maturity Model integration survey (alchemer.com)

14th November 2008 – Experimentus Director Wins 2008 European Testing Excellence Award

• Geoff Thompson wins 2008 EuroSTAR Award

• Recognition of his leadership and contribution in software testing

Geoff Thompson, Director at Experimentus (www.experimentus.com), the UK’s leading software quality management consultancy has won this year’s European Testing Excellence Award.

Mr Thompson received his award at the European EuroSTAR event held in Holland. The theme of this year’s conference was “The Future of Software Testing” – a topic that Mr Thompson has addressed recently within various industry speeches and articles.

The European Testing Excellence Award is presented annually to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the field of software testing within Europe.  The award recognises individuals who have demonstrated leadership and excellence in solving testing challenges through innovative approaches and solutions.

Martin Adcock, Managing Director of Experimentus, commented:

“This is a great achievement and great recognition from the industry for the work Geoff has done to help develop the software testing and software quality management industry in Europe and in particular the work he has put into the BCS SIGiST, UK Testing Board, TMMi Foundation, ISTQB and ISEB over the years.”

Notes to Editors

Experimentus is an IT solutions and services company that specialises in software quality management.  The range of solutions it provides helps organisations to reduce the risks associated with software development lifecycle and enables organisations to properly manage, control and measure existing IT applications.

Geoff Thompson has been involved in testing for over 20 years.  He has a track record in Test Analysis, Test Management, Programme Management and Test Strategy Development. He is a trained Test Maturity Model integrated (TMMi) assessor and can perform Test Maturity Assessments.

Obtaining the accolade as Test Manager of the Year 2004, he was also one of only three testers in Europe nominated for the European Testing Excellence Award in 2003. Geoff serves in several professional IT and testing associations.  He is a founder member of the ISEB Software Testing Board, International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB) and TMMi Foundation, of which he is currently Treasurer. He is Vice Chairman of BCS SIGiST (Specialist Group in Software Testing) and most recently, Geoff was appointed Chairman of the UK Testing Board (UKTB).

Geoff is the co-author of ISEB – A Software Testing Foundation – the best selling Software Testing book on Amazon.co.uk

15th October 2008 – Software Test Outsourcing – the need to be Agile

By Geoff Thompson, Consultancy Director, Experimentus

• Experimentus gives  keynote speech at  today’s Test2008 industry conference in India
• How to make outsourcing software testing work
• Agility drives success

At today’s Test 2008 conference (Test Excellence through Speed and Technology Conference) at The Gandhi  Darshan Complex in New Delhi, India, Experimentus (www.experimentus.com)  will give a Keynote speech on how to make outsourcing software testing work.

Geoff Thompson, Director at Experimentus, one of the UK’s leading software quality management consultancies, comments:

“My keynote speech will focus on UK outsourcing software testing to India.  At Experimentus we have worked on a number of projects where testing is outsourced to India using Captive outsourcing and Pure outsourcing.

“Today, I will highlight the key reasons why numerous worldwide organisations have decided to outsource both their testing and development to ‘onshore’and ‘offshore’ organisations:-

1. Reduced cost
2. Too much work so need additional assistance
3. Moving older maintenance activity that no current employee wants to be involved in
4. The desire to manage the test process and its costs more effectively
5. Company strategy to outsource non core activities
6. The lack of the right calibre staff internally despite economic slowdown
7. Personal choice

” I will be discussing the impact outsourcing has on the outsourced organisation and the outsourcer and also some of the pitfalls that with a lack of agility have ensured that some outsource arrangements were doomed to failure.  I will explain how it is possible, with the right focus, to stop the outsource failures, as well as to look to the future to speculate on what will happen to outsourcing over the next few years.”

Testing experts from all around the world will join Experimentus at Test2008 to share strategies, trends and insights into world class testing.   Speakers from around 10 countries such as USA, UK, France, Sweden, Italy, Israel and India will participate.   The Conference will provide a platform for international and national test professionals to interact and participate.

Mr Thompson added:

“As cost is one of the drivers to outsource, the immediate impact of the lower cost base in India will be seen to add value for a few years.  Innovation is the next big step in Outsourcing.  To sustain a long and prosperous relationship outsource organisations must strive to always innovate and thereby continue to add real value to the partnership bringing efficiencies across the board.”

29th September 2008 – Experimentus Addresses the Current State of Testing Certifications

Experimentus joins fellow software quality experts at London’s SQC conference

• Highlighting the importance and benefits of software testing certification schemes
• A Round Table concerning test certification

Geoff Thompson, Director at Experimentus, a leading UK software quality management consultancy, joins fellow software quality experts at today’s London SQC Conference to discuss:

• Certification and testing
• The planned future directions of certification
• Test certification bodies
• What certifications outside of testing are recommended for testers

The Software and Systems Quality Conference (‘SQC’), at London’s QE11 Conference Centre in Westminster is one of Europe’s leading international conferences on software quality management, testing and process optimisation.  This year’s conference will focus on the role of testing in improving productivity and will consist of various presentations, experience reports, tutorials and round table discussions.

As UK Testing Board Chair and UK ISTQB representative, Geoff Thompson, will participate in the Round Table discussion on certification and testing.  Mr Thompson will highlight the various software testing certification schemes currently available across the world including the ISTQB syllabi which he is directly involved in managing and formulating.  To date over 90,000 IT professionals hold the Foundation exam.  Mr Thompson will be addressing the current state of test certifications, the desired future state of test certifications, if there is a need for alternative certification approaches and what they might be.

Mr Thompson wants the IT industry to understand the importance of test certification and how:  “Certification is a necessary step in growing a profession.  The ISTQB Foundation exam is equivalent to a GCSE, and the Advanced Practitioner to an A Level.  So, IT students should know this before they leave school!”

Experimentus as a company is dedicated to raising industry wide awareness of the importance of testing and testing qualifications and how this ultimately benefits clients.

16 September, 2008 – Experimentus – First UK organisation to become Accredited TMMi Assessor

• Experimentus is the first UK company to achieve TMMi Assessor Accreditation
• TMMi Assessment Model Application Requirements (TAMAR)
• Experimentus measures maturity of software testing and quality across sectors

Experimentus (www.experimentus.com), a leading UK software quality management consultancy, today announces that it is the first IT solutions and services provider in the UK to be awarded accreditation by the TMMi® Foundation for its in-house developed TMMi assessment method.  This prestigious endorsement confirms that Experimentus’ TMMi assessment method adheres to the highest professional standards in test and quality related process assessment.

The TMMi® Foundation (www.tmmifoundation.org) is a non-profit making organisation, founded by a number of leading European test and quality practitioners and is dedicated to improving software test and quality related processes and practices. The Foundation owns and supports the TMMi model, provides an independent accrediting service for lead assessors and assessors, along with the structure to accredit assessment methods.

In accordance with ISO 15504, the Foundation created TAMAR – the global standard requirements for TMMi assessment methods. Today’s accreditation confirms that Experimentus’ TMMi assessment method complies with TAMAR.

Geoff Thompson, Experimentus Consultancy Director, commented:

”This Accreditation further illustrates our commitment to delivering a consistent and “best in class” service to our clients. It provides them with the assurance that, as a service provider, we are adhering to the assessment standards required by the Foundation. Moreover, whatever your approach to testing and quality, be it structured or agile,  the systematic and disciplined structure of the method means that irrespective of who conducts the TMMi assessment the service will be identical.” 

Mac Miller, of the TMMi® Foundation, commented:

“This is a real milestone not only for Experimentus but the testing community as a whole. TMMi has real value because it is the first industry testing model to be owned and actively managed by an independent organisation, which will ensure its longevity and credibility. The TMMi Foundation (www.tmmifoundation.org) creates an environment where all companies, irrespective of size, can have the opportunity to validate their test process against an Industry standard model and provides a roadmap for future improvement. Over time it will also enable companies to compare how well they are performing against others in their industry.”

Experimentus’ TMMi assessment method will be reassessed by the Foundation every three years, as well as undergoing annual internal reviews to ensure all new industry changes and innovations are reflected in it.

Martin Adcock, Managing Director of Experimentus commented:

”We are delighted; our goal has always been to deliver effective and valuable technology services to our customers. As a leader in software quality management, Experimentus must meet the global demand for knowledgeable, educated professionals, utilising thorough, repeatable Industry recognised methods.”

Experimentus delivers four types of TAMAR compliant assessments across the five levels of TMMi:

• Formal TMMi benchmark assessment
• Detailed TMMi baseline assessment
• TMMi Health check
• TMMi Quick Assessment

To mark their Accreditation, Experimentus is today launching a survey to identify the maturity of software testing and quality across industry sectors in line with the Test Maturity Model (TMMi). Upon completion, Experimentus will produce and provide participants with two valuable pieces of information:

• A  high level view of your organisation’s testing maturity against the TMMi
• A White Paper featuring industry benchmarking data, to be published in December 2008

For more information and to carry out the short survey please go to either:
www.experimentus.com
or
http://experimentus.tmmibenchmark.sgizmo.com/ 

2 July, 2008 – What makes a good Software Test Manager great?

• Experimentus gives tutorial at SEETEST 2008 in Bulgaria
• Focusing on what makes the management of a software test project successful
• Highlighting the essentials of software test management

Geoff Thompson, Director at Experimentus, the leading UK software quality management consultancy, will be giving a tutorial on Software Test Management at today’s SEETEST conference in Sofia, Bulgaria.

The two day international South East European Software Testing Conference,  held in Bulgaria’s capital will be the first conference ever in South East Europe in the area of Software Testing and Software Quality Management.

Mr Thompson will be joined by fellow leading industry experts from 12 different countries to share the latest news, practical and research insights, experiences and advances in software quality and testing.  The conference will feature keynote speeches and tutorials covering a broad range of topics including Test Management, Test Methodology, Automated and Performance Testing, Test Metrics and Test Process Improvement.

The Experimentus half day tutorial will be part lecture and part practical focusing on the key things that make the management of a test project successful.  This will cover five areas:

• Managing people
• Test documentation
• Testing models and their impact on management
• Test approach based upon risk
• Information provision

Mr Thompson commented:

“I want to leave the attendees with a greater insight into what makes a good Test Manager great.  In fact what makes a Test Manager the programmes Trusted Advisor.”

10 June, 2008 – Ten Tips to Reduce Software Development Lifecycle Costs

With the credit crunch affecting IT budgets, Experimentus,  the leading UK software  quality management solutions consultancy, highlights ten ways to reduce software development lifecycle costs within IT departments :-

• Focus on well documented Functional Requirements
  Without well documented Functional Requirements, there is potential for a system to be delivered which does not meet the customer’s expectations.  For example, perhaps it does not work as they believe it should – even though the development team believe that they have worked in line with the requirements as documented. This can lead to development rework, which is likely to delay the release, increase costs, and create discord between the customer and the software team.
• Ensure all Non Functional Requirements are clearly defined early
  Many organisations focus solely on the Functional aspect of systems – WHAT it does – rather than the Non-Functional – HOW it does it. Non-Functional elements comprise everything from performance to security to usability.Without clear, early definition of Non-Functional requirements, it is possible that a system could be delivered which does exactly what the customer wants – but is difficult to use, slow, insecure, unreliable, or is not scalable.  Once again, this can lead to development rework – although some non-functional areas are so integral to the design of the product, it can be difficult to correct them without starting the project again.
• Ensure change control procedures are in place
  Without Change Control, system development can find itself in an uncertain and constantly changing state.  For example, development may be initially performed against what is believed to be the final version of a requirements document. However, more changes might be made to the requirements whilst development continues, each change without a proper impact assessment. As there is no procedure for consulting with or informing development of the changes, it may not be the case that the knowledge of the changes is passed on in a timely fashion. Additionally, the impact of some changes might be so large that they cannot be incorporated into the software easily at a late stage. In this case, if the changes are deemed to be vital, major development rework might have to take place.   For these reasons, every change should be strictly controlled. Change can be allowed, but should only take place after a full impact assessment to see how it will affect the project timescales and costs.
• Ensure strict Configuration Management is in place for code, data and documentation
  Without Configuration Management, a high quality of testing is impossible. This is because there cannot be high levels of confidence that the right version of the software or documentation is being tested, or that the right version will be released to the customer.Organisations with poor Configuration Management might test one version of a product, and yet perhaps release a slightly different version – a version which then enters the field UNTESTED. It is viewed as untested, as potentially major faults may have been introduced which change the behaviour of parts of the system from that which was intended – or, in some cases, even disabling the entire system.
• Focus quality approach on product risks, focus on preventing rather than detecting defects
  It has been proven many times that the later in the software development lifecycle that a defect is found, the more costly it is to rectify it.  For example, correcting a mistake in a requirements document before development begins is a far quicker and cheaper activity than correcting the software after it has been developed against the faulty requirements document.
• Begin UAT(User Acceptance Testing) test design during requirement definition
  If an organisation is using the ‘V-model’ of software development correctly, then the test team should be involved with the project from the very beginning – during the requirements definition.  Not only can the testers use their expertise and experience to help assess whether or not particular requirements are testable or not, but they can also start to design the relevant tests, which helps to ease the test schedule later.In this scenario, the User Acceptance Tests should correspond directly to the user requirements. This is because the requirements are the items that the user wishes to see in the system, and the tests represent the way that the system is proved to meet those requirements. It clearly follows that the best time to write the UAT is when the requirements are being constructed.
• Begin system test design during the system design stage
  It is important that the system is designed to be easily testable, if possible. This can only occur if testing expertise is involved in the system design stage. Collaboration between the testers and the system designers can help ensure that the system produced fulfils this aim.  During this early involvement, the testers can also start to construct the System Tests, which helps ease the testing schedule. An additional benefit to this approach is the enhanced team collaboration between the system design and testing team.
• Focus test effort on unit test where it is cheaper
  As previously stated, correcting defects earlier in the software development lifecycle is far easier, quicker and cheaper than otherwise.  Given this axiom, it is surprising that many organisations spend little or no time on unit testing activities – often with the reasoning that “our developers develop, and our testers test”.However, not only does this approach mean that potential defects reach later stages of testing than they should, it is possible that they may not be found at all – as later stages of testing normally perform different testing activities, in different ways, to those used in unit testing.
• Plan test approach using risk to define focus of test effort
  Test time is often limited, due to reasons like fixed release dates, or late software delivery from the development team. This can often mean that not all tests that were originally planned are carried out.In this scenario, it is vital that those elements of the system that are considered critical to product success have been tested. Therefore, the approach to testing should always be to focus effort on the ‘highest risk’ areas of the system first. Following this, medium risk and low risk areas of the system can be tested, in turn, as time permits. This risk-based approach ensures that, when under time pressures, the areas of the system which remain untested (and potentially flawed) are the lowest risk areas possible from those that are left to be tested.
• Use tools to test for functional and non functional errors very early on when they are cheaper and more effective at removing errors, and throughout the lifecycle
  If an automated test set is created and maintained, it can be repeatedly utilised from an early stage of the software development lifecycle, as a ‘smoke test’. This method has the potential to find a lot of defects quickly at an early stage, saving time in later test phases.Additionally, sometimes specific tools may indicate flaws in the system design – which should be exposed as early as possible. For example, early performance testing on parts of the system that are available might reveal a poorly-designed module, which would hinder the system beyond the tolerance levels of the user when released.In this way, the module is easily identified, isolated, and fixed or replaced – an activity that would be much harder if performance testing was only conducted when the system was about to be delivered to the customer.

 Martin Adcock, Managing Director of Experimentus, comments:

“At Experimentus we ensure our clients have the strategies and the most appropriate processes in place to get the most out of their software. In the current economic climate, more for less or finding areas where our clients can reduce cost across the development lifecycle are increasingly becoming the business drivers.”

16 April, 2008 – Experimentus Highlights The Value of
Testing Qualifications

• Experimentus presents at leading international SQC conference
• Highlighting the importance and benefits of software testing certification schemes
• Experimentus promotes industry international standard – ISTQB

Geoff Thompson, Director at Experimentus, the UK software quality management  consultancy,  highlights the value of testing qualifications at today’s SQC Conference.

The Software and Systems Quality Conference (‘SQC’), in Dusseldorf, is Europe’s leading international conference on software quality management, testing and process optimisation.

The Experimentus specialist presentation will focus on the importance of software testing certification schemes and the role of the International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB).

As UK Testing Board Chair and UK ISTQB representative, Geoff Thompson, will comment on ISTQB’s work across Europe, the ISTQB syllabi which he is directly involved in managing and formulating and how to date over 60,000 IT professionals hold the foundation’s exam.

Mr Thompson wants the IT industry to understand the importance of testing qualifications and how:  “The ISTQB syllabi and exam offers high quality training, recognition of ability and competence, assists with professional career development and sets an industry standard.”

The Experimentus presentation will also focus on the benefits of internationalisation and the various software testing certification schemes currently available across the world. Global recognition will enable qualified testers to move across country borders more easily and international projects will have a common understanding of testing issues.

Experimentus as a company is dedicated to raising industry wide awareness of the importance of testing and testing qualifications and how this ultimately benefits clients.

13th May 2010 – Experimentus adds Clive Bates to the Global Delivery Team

Clive’s primary role will be a Managing Consultant, reporting to the Director of Consulting with specific focus on managing test and quality process improvement assignments and looking at developing the TMMi training offering. In addition to this he will support the presales function within Experimentus and will be an additional speaker for Experimentus at international conferences. 

Clive joins Experimentus from a consulting firm dedicated to Testing where he had been a partner for the last 8 years as both an accredited ISEB/ISTQB trainer and a consultant. His practical testing experience covers banking, insurance, retail supply chain systems and internet applications. Clive has also undertaken a number of assignments for organisations wanting to understand their current testing capabilities, reporting on appropriate improvements and providing ongoing support during the implementation of the recommended changes. He has presented at the leading testing conferences over a number of years namely the International Testing Automation conference Washington, StarWest, StarEast and EuroStar as well as smaller specialist testing conferences in the UK, Sweden and Holland.  He has also contributed articles in various magazines and journals including Better Software.  Clive is one of the founder members of the board that developed the original ISEB/ISTQB Foundation certificate and ISEB Practitioner certificate and is now fully involved with the UK Testing Board for the International Software Testing Qualification Board (ISTQB).

Speaking about his appointment, Clive commented “It is a real honour to be joining Experimentus which is seen by many in the industry as a progressive company. I have a real passion for the industry and this new appointment will give me the opportunity to get fully involved and help clients benefit from my experiences”

TMMi^® has become the de facto standard against which organisations can measure and improve Testing and Quality related processes and activities.

Experimentus, accredited by the TMMi^® Foundation for both its assessment method and consultants, has obtained global recognition for the work it has conducted with the Test Maturity Model integrated, by helping organisations understand how they can move away from, the traditional and costly Defect Detection approach to implement quantitative improvements through Defect Prevention techniques and processes.

PureTesting is known for helping its clients plan their test investment and manage critical testing processes to reduce the cost of producing quality software.

Julian Clarke, Director of Sales & Marketing at Experimentus said, “This is an exciting time for the Testing Industry, we have the ISTQB to accredit people, TMMi^® to assess and certify process capability and the tool vendors are relaxing their licensing terms, which combined is transforming the industry from ‘Body Shop’ based suppliers to those delivering solutions aimed at improving quality as well as addressing the organisations commercial & process improvement demands. Many organisations have used TMMi^® to independently measure and identify improvements in their own capabilities but more recently we have seen TMMi^® become part of the evaluation criteria when selecting a supplier. To meet an increasing demand for our Assessment & Certification solution from both Captives and Service Providers we needed to expand our delivery team within India. PureTesting was the ideal company to set up a joint venture with; they have an excellent reputation for delivery and are very well respected throughout India”.

Commenting on the alliance Anil Baid, Co-founder of PureTesting said, “Organisations today don’t want to just test, they want to continuously optimise the cost of testing. To do that they need to understand where they are and where they want to go. TMMi is the best way for them to independently assess themselves and improve. TMMi is also likely to help increase customer confidence in these certified companies”.

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