SDLC Solutions, the UK testing solutions specialist, today reported its end of year figures which showed 2008/09 revenue at £11.8m, an increase of 28 per cent from the previous financial year. Both the profit and cash positions have also increased, proving the underlying financial strength of the company.
“Against a backdrop of economic doom and gloom, our performance was solid,” said Pete Stock, SDLC Solutions managing director. “But with everyone in the company staying focused on our core values, we were able to keep our existing clients satisfied and gain new clients throughout the year.”
Specialising in providing software testing services, SDLC Solutions’ quality of service and high level of customer satisfaction has resulted in repeat business and referrals. This year has seen the company establish new business partnerships with Hewlett-Packard and Hitachi Data Systems and develop its offshore capability with DSRC, an Indian-based testing company.Other highlights include signing a three-year contract to provide testing services to Scottish Enterprise and extending long-term framework agreements with two global systems integrators.
However, operations director, Mike Avery, knew it was not going to be easy to meet the targets set 18 months earlier, “As our clients faced challenges, so did we, and it needed the whole company to pull together to deliver. One of our clients described our efforts as ‘pulling a rabbit out of the hat’ but I would prefer to describe it as sheer hard work and commitment.”
The company continues to invest in the future, with two new senior appointments being made to the management team. Experienced industry adviser, Jim Beagle, has joined the SDLC Solutions board as an independent non-executive director with a focus on sales, marketing and business development. Kim Collins has recently been appointed to the new role of sales manager.
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11/06/2009
2008/09 financial results
SDLC Solutions, the UK testing solutions specialist, today reported its end of year figures which showed 2008/09 revenue at £11.8m, an increase of 28 per cent from the previous financial year. Both the profit and cash positions have also increased, proving the underlying financial strength of the company.
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SDLC Solutions2009-05-13T12:00:00Z2009-05-13T12:00:00ZClient Satisfaction Surveytag:www.sdlcsolutions.com,2009:2aa250c4ba37543ae508ff63f14e86e813/05/2009
Client Satisfaction Survey
SDLC Solutions, making the difference
Feedback from the recent SDLC Solutions client satisfaction survey indicates 100 percent of the respondents would recommend SDLC Solutions to others, with the overall service provided by SDLC Solutions being rated as Excellent or Above Average.
Says managing director, Pete Stock, “We are delighted by the results of this year’s client satisfaction survey, which we conduct every year as part of our quality improvement programme. We knew from last year’s survey that we had to improve in some areas, particularly in our account administration and billing processes, and this year’s scores reflect the process improvements we have implemented.”
SDLC Solutions scored highly across most areas, with all respondents rating the company as Excellent or Above Average in the following categories;
The overall service provided by SDLC Solutions.
Technical expertise.
Responsiveness.
Ability to deliver on time.
Client management processes.
As one satisfied customer commented, “SDLC never once let me down during this period and responded with immediacy to provide me with world-class resources, fully matched to the role requirements and available to start work on the required dates. Of particular note is the high quality of the staff - a fact recognised and reflected both in the results of the work they delivered and also in the feedback from our own clients.”
Pete concludes, “At the end of the day it is our commitment to our company values - innovation, commitment, integrity and quality of work - which makes the difference, and we owe it to ourselves and our clients to keep up the good work on all fronts.”
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13/05/2009
Client Satisfaction Survey
Feedback from the recent SDLC Solutions client satisfaction survey indicates 100 percent of the respondents would recommend SDLC Solutions to others, with the overall service provided by SDLC Solutions being rated as Excellent or Above Average.
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SDLC Solutions2009-03-11T12:00:00Z2009-03-11T12:00:00ZQ3 revenue on targettag:www.sdlcsolutions.com,2009:89ae7f01da0fc3393cbe9dbf7179b8a211/03/2009
Q3 revenue on target
SDLC Solutions bucks the economic trend with latest revenue figures
SDLC Solutions is on track to achieve 35 per cent revenue growth for the 2008/09 financial year.
Third quarter revenue figures place the company’s financial outlook in line with the original forecast set eighteen months ago during a more buoyant global economy.
Managing Director, Pete Stock, is extremely pleased, “Given the current business climate, our financial position is encouraging and everyone in the company should be proud of themselves. It has been a very difficult year during which we have had to demonstrate more than ever the qualities that define the company and our people: innovation, commitment, integrity and quality of work.”
SDLC’s final year figures are due to be released in June 2009.
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11/03/2009
Q3 revenue on target
SDLC Solutions is on track to achieve 35 per cent revenue growth for the 2008/09 financial year.
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SDLC Solutions2008-10-28T12:00:00Z2008-10-28T12:00:00ZHarness the Power of 3tag:www.sdlcsolutions.com,2008:af3e0b91712fe04a3525cd0d66c4148928/10/2008
Harness the Power of 3
HP Application Quality Management
Functionality. Security. Performance.
In today’s complex and demanding testing environment, you can get your job done easier and faster with the power of the HP Application Quality Management portfolio behind you.
Whatever testing methodology you’re currently using or your level of testing maturity, HP’s three quality management solution centres can help you improve your testing effort and the quality of your applications:
Verify Functionality
Quality Center helps you verify application functionality and establish a structured and maintainable manual or automated testing base.
Ensure Application Security
Application Security Center helps you ensure the application is secure by catching and resolving security issues pre-production.
Validate Performance
Performance Center validates application scalability and performance through load testing and diagnostics.
Each of these three elements of Application Quality Management has its own distinct function and together they form a complete testing solution and a solid base for your testing effort. And only by using them together will you be able to harness the full power of the Application Quality Management portfolio and ensure your applications are quality-checked and ready for deployment.
Clear direction. Defined stages. Predictable business outcomes.
>> Learn more about the power of 3: request a personalised demo and download the “Pillars of Application Quality” white paper!
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28/10/2008
With a 32 per cent revenue growth for the 2007/08 financial year and a final revenue figure of nearly £9.5m, SDLC Solutions has surpassed its expected financial targets for the year.
“We’ve managed to achieve our targets this year by securing long-term deals with major clients and strengthening industry partnerships,” said Pete Stock, managing director. “We’ve worked with clients to develop business models that reflect commercial reality and improve return on investment. For example, our managed off-shore model blends local management and strong processes with cost-effective off-shore resources. Clients achieve cost savings that enable them to be competitive with no compromise on the quality of deliverables.”
David Hallam, new business director, agrees. “Under the current economic conditions, we have seen a general tightening of IT spend in many organisations and, as a supplier of software testing services, we are impacted. We know we cannot afford to be complacent but I am pleased to say that the results of our recent client survey have reinforced the fact that we continue to provide a valuable service to our clients.”
Concludes Pete, “This year’s financial results are a testament to our business approach. We’ve listened to our clients, understood their requirements and responded accordingly. Throughout the company, our performance has been consistently high and growth has been the result. We expect no less for this financial year as SDLC Solutions continues in its commitment to delivering quality and value to clients.”
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24/09/2008
2007/08 financial results
With a 32 per cent revenue growth for the 2007/08 financial year and a final revenue figure of nearly £9.5m, SDLC Solutions has surpassed its expected financial targets for the year.
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SDLC Solutions2008-08-07T12:00:00Z2008-08-07T12:00:00ZSDLC Solutions delivers to clients' satisfactiontag:www.sdlcsolutions.com,2008:8e4affa8dd755b9f5344b87c0e7df25b07/08/2008
SDLC Solutions delivers to clients' satisfaction
SDLC Solutions has received impressive results in its latest Client Satisfaction Survey.
Surveys were sent to all of SDLC’s major clients earlier this year. Responses were favourable with SDLC Solutions receiving high scores in most categories.
Managing director, Pete Stock, is pleased with the results.
“From a delivery perspective, our clients were extremely satisfied with the level of service they received, with most scores being Excellent or Above Average. One of our clients went so far as to say that our service level was “superlative” but the overall survey results are best summed up by the following comment from a global systems integrator with whom we work,” said Pete.
“Overall a very good service; responsiveness is first rate, excellent relationship management, and any issues are dealt with swiftly and effectively.”
Of those clients surveyed;
One hundred per cent rated the overall service provided by SDLC Solutions as Above Average to Excellent.
One hundred per cent rated our responsiveness as Above Average to Excellent.
One hundred per cent rated our ability to deliver on time as Above Average to Excellent.
Eighty-seven percent rated our client management processes as Above Average to Excellent.
Seventy-five per cent rated our technical expertise as Above Average to Excellent.
Seventy-five per cent rated the way we handled their business issues and problems as Above Average to Excellent.
“To show we appreciate any feedback, good or bad, and listen to what our clients have to say, we have already implemented process improvements around some of the areas where our results showed we could improve, such as invoicing procedures,” said Mike Avery, operations director.
Other comments related to the employee/associate ratio with clients wanting to see more permanent SDLC employees being offered to them, rather than SDLC associates.
Pete Stock, managing director, concurs, “Unfortunately the high influx of work earlier this year meant we didn’t have the luxury of permanent resources available to immediately allocate to all of our new projects but we have since rectified this.”
In conclusion, every single one of our surveyed clients said that they would recommend us to their colleagues and you certainly can’t ask for more than that!
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07/08/2008
SDLC Solutions delivers to clients' satisfaction
Surveys were sent to all of SDLC’s major clients earlier this year. Responses were favourable with SDLC Solutions receiving high scores in most categories.
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SDLC Solutions2008-06-24T12:00:00Z2008-06-24T12:00:00ZNetwork and Application Performance Assessment Servicetag:www.sdlcsolutions.com,2008:65fff9888472a166643d5f90ceb61eca24/06/2008
Network and Application Performance Assessment Service
How do you find out if you have a performance problem in your business?
A customer rings up to explain his or her difficulty in using your online service?
A user complains to you about lost productivity?
The help desk manager sends you an email about the amount of time he or she has spent dealing with performance-related issues?
Or you use SDLC Solutions’ Network and Application Performance Assessment Service to identify current and future performance issues before they become business-critical?
There are always real or perceived performance issues with IT infrastructure but they are often impossible to track down. They can lose your organisation valuable time and money and can often cause internal friction.
This doesn’t have to be the way.
The SDLC Solutions’ Network and Application Performance Assessment Service will unpick the myriad of paths through your IT architecture from what your clients or your users see through to where your data is stored. With our industry-leading technical diagnostic software, we can look across networks, through applications and into servers.
We find your performance problems – often within a few days – and our final assessment report can then help you target your IT spend to maximise your effectiveness.
With our professional service you can be confident of a return on investment. Our satisfied clients will testify to this; we’ve saved them money already, and we can do the same for you.
Please contact Pete Stock on 01625 521093 for further information or to arrange a site visit.
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24/06/2008
Network and Application Performance Assessment Service
A customer rings up to explain his or her difficulty in using your online service?
A user complains to you about lost productivity?
The help desk manager sends you an email about the amount of time he or she has spent dealing with performance-related issues?
Or you use SDLC Solutions’ Network and Application Performance Assessment Service to identify current and future performance issues before they become business-critical?
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SDLC Solutions2008-05-22T12:00:00Z2008-05-22T12:00:00ZOracle E-Business Suite Release 12 is heretag:www.sdlcsolutions.com,2008:bb0b0a3f4e4b1e731296cc4037f5339a22/05/2008
Oracle E-Business Suite Release 12 is here
Are you looking to upgrade your Oracle E-Business Suite to Release 12?
While Oracle clearly defines an upgrade path based on a standard implementation of its product, it quite understandably cannot take into account all of the customisations required to ensure the applications meet each organisation’s unique business needs. This leaves organisations with some difficult issues to face.
SDLC Solutions has undertaken a detailed analysis of R12 and our White Paper “Oracle Release 12 and Beyond” examines each of these potential issues, offers a preferred solution and explains the reasoning behind it.
To complement the White Paper, our SDLC V12 Accelerator Methodology has been designed to easily navigate you through your Oracle E-Business Suite upgrade project, bringing together the experience, skills and tools to deliver. Using this methodology it is possible to reduce time, cost and, most importantly, the risks associated with a major business-critical upgrade.
SDLC V12 Accelerator Methodology starts off with a thorough business assessment to produce a gap analysis which defines the project scope. It then manages the organisation through the technical stages to implementation, training and roll-out. Throughout the project, SDLC Solutions has defined techniques to handle issues and make the most of the new functionality and technologies within R12. We also make sure that the deliverables are aligned with Oracle’s future direction.
Below are some examples of the issues covered by our comprehensive White Paper which may affect you:
Handling of customisations
Customisations are a way for organisations to gain a business edge and adapt the EBS to their unique business processes. However, it is vital that a balance is achieved since the effort of moving custom objects from one release to another is often overlooked or underestimated. Our methodology uses the CEMLI approach (Customisation (either by modification or enhancement), Enhancement, Modification, Localisation, Interfaces) to study these areas before any upgrade project is initiated.
Oracle Applications Framework
The Oracle e-business suite aims to give businesses the flexibility they need to deliver competitive edge in the most effective manner. By increasingly adopting the Oracle Applications (OA) Framework as a RAD UI development tool, more web technologies are being used to access data and present a Web UI for the user.
The OA Framework is composed of a set of middle-tier runtime services as well as a design-time extension to Oracle JDeveloper called the OA Extension. We recommend that, wherever possible, organisations reflect this move towards OA Framework as the standard development tool. It is not a supported route to manipulate data in standard Oracle tables and it is only under extreme circumstances that this option should be considered.
Roadmap for Oracle Fusion strategy
The Oracle e-business suite will move towards the following technologies as its standard build platforms.
• Web Services with BPEL
• Java/J2EE
• XML/CSS/XSL/JavaScript/ADF
• SQL and PL/SQL
It is essential that organisations plan now for the move as this will have a widespread effect on how your organisation structures its future IT development.
Changes to internal skill sets
For the upgrade project, and all development in the future, it is crucial that your organisation has access to new skill sets. Decisions have to be taken on redeployment and retraining, and/or alignment with service providers, such as SDLC Solutions.
Testing and implementation
To reduce risk, your upgrade project must balance the correct level of regression testing with the appropriate amount of quality assurance. SDLC V12 Accelerator Methodology incorporates automation as well as risk-based testing techniques to ensure that your implementation is effective. We examine potential issues to identify where best to concentrate effort and resource.
Custom Workflow
Workflow will survive into Release 12 and all of your custom workflows will be upgraded into the new version, however there may be issues around changes in the base install of the e-business suite.
You will need to unit test and verify all of your custom workflows and ensure they are working correctly. Where standard workflows have been customised they may well be overwritten by the new installation and you will need to re-analyse your custom workflow to fit in with the new implementation.
Removal of MOD_PLSQL
There is no upgrade path for MOD_PLSQL based logic, so all MOD_PLSQL will need to be identified and rewritten using the OA Framework.
There is no guarantee that OA Framework will be able to mirror exactly what you have in your MOD_PLSQL forms so the business will need to decide which are the business critical MOD PLSQL modules and re-analyse and re-implement.
XML Publisher
Oracle reports will be used less and we recommend moving new customisations to XML Publisher as a standard.
Templates and the final layout are managed within the XML Publisher using a Template Manager; XML Publisher allows conditional formatting of the output by using XSL or XSL:FO code. Additionally, XML Publisher can be used to perform b2b communication by using the XML Data Engine. It can also be used to generate output used for Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) or Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT).
SQL code
When you upgrade to Release 12, the underlying data structures and logic your SQL code is written against may have changed. It is important that following your upgrade you unit test and verify all of your SQL*PLUS code and custom objects.
Testing custom database triggers
Underlying data model and functional changes could have a serious implication to the functioning of your custom database triggers, so it is necessary to take each trigger in turn, recompile them and ensure they are still valid in the new Release 12 environment. Each trigger should be unit tested to verify that it produces the desired outcome.
Custom views
Custom views should be analysed and checked by database administrators as a standard part of the Release 12 upgrade process. Some views may become obsolete or need to be rewritten.
As you can see from the above synopsis, you will need to cover all business aspects and their interfaces, completing a baseline and building a process map. The technical aspects that will need attention include understanding the base, standard and custom components of the suite in your own implementation. You will need to consider the configuration management system and the source repository. Finally, you must understand the resource implications, costs and the risks inherent in an upgrade of such business criticality.
At SDLC Solutions, we know that this could be a difficult project and we understand how vital it is to get it right. Our research has confirmed that a comprehensive business view aligned with the appropriate technical resource is paramount. Using our SDLC V12 Accelerator Methodology, we can guide you through all of this.
To find out more, contact Mike Chapman, Business Development Manager.
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22/05/2008
SDLC Solutions has entered the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Solutions market by acquiring Total Solutions Group (TSG) and its subsidiary, OracleEye.
David Hallam, business development director, comments, “Part of our strategic business plan is to grow the business and the acquisition of TSG is the first stage in a managed growth campaign aligned to client demand. We are already in discussions with potential clients regarding significant ERP projects and are keen to get started.”
Pete Stock, managing director, adds, “The directors have spent a considerable time researching the market place and analysing our position within it, and we are pleased to have taken this step. There is still plenty of hard work ahead to make sure TSG integrates with current SDLC operations, but we are confident that we can achieve this and that it will quickly generate significant opportunities for the company.”
The reputation of SDLC Solutions has been built on the quality and delivery of its testing consultancy. In the next few years it is the company’s intention to build upon this reputation by using Oracle and other ERP solutions, such as SAP, to become a leader in the delivery of ERP solutions.
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04/11/2007
SDLC Solutions purchases Oracle consultancy
SDLC Solutions has entered the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Solutions market by acquiring Total Solutions Group (TSG) and its subsidiary, OracleEye.
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SDLC Solutions2007-09-11T12:00:00Z2007-09-11T12:00:00ZDepartment for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform embraces changetag:www.sdlcsolutions.com,2007:636a9639e7206bd83cc1fbecd763ae6711/09/2007
Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform embraces change
SDLC change consultant, David White, introduces a comprehensive change programme into the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) which has transformed the way its Business Relations team implements organisational change.
There are few environments more buffeted by constant change than central government. Whether it be ministerial or policy changes, headcount reductions, shrinking budgets or public demand for more professional services, staff are often left feeling they are on the change treadmill. Regular efficiency and effectiveness reviews are a fact of life and it is often the case that new initiatives are launched before the previous ones are fully embedded.
The pace of change, coupled with a lack of change management skills, often lead to staff feeling demotivated and disengaged from the change process. People going through change may feel they are lacking effective leadership and a clear sense of purpose. But does it always have to be this way?
Not according to Elspeth Woods, Head of Operations, Business Relations, at the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. Elspeth decided to do something about it and, as a result, she is now part of a team which is transforming itself into one where effective staff engagement and management of change underpins all of its business activities.
A well-trodden path is to bring in external consultants who have the necessary skills and experience to implement change but once the consultants have gone, the organisation often finds itself no more capable of managing the next change. Elspeth believed a more innovative and sustainable solution would be to work in close partnership with an external provider with a view to not just implementing a particular change but to improving her team’s own capability to effectively manage change. Her aim was to have a deliverable that staff felt they owned and which could easily be tailored for future use across BERR, formerly the Department for Trade and Industry, and other government departments.
SDLC Solutions consultant chosen
Elspeth and her colleagues chose to work with David White from SDLC Solutions, an experienced change consultant who leads and facilitates change programmes across a wide variety of public and private sector organisations.
David quickly realised that for the BERR Business Relations change programme to be a success, it was important for him to effect a genuine knowledge transfer, rather than simply deliver training and development events. As a result, David engaged with a group of BERR Business Relations staff to develop workshop materials and champion change in the workplace.
Leading and embracing change
Proposed workshop facilitators were immersed in an intensive event to develop their understanding of change theory and good practice and to develop their facilitation skills. After five days, they emerged with two clearly defined learning and development modules – Leading Change and Embracing Change.
“Leading Change is designed to enable managers to more effectively plan, implement and reinforce change in the workplace. Embracing Change is designed to give people an understanding of the nature of change, the emotional journey it entails and to enable them to explore their own reactions to change”, said David.
Embracing Change was soon being delivered entirely by the BERR Business Relations facilitators, some of whom were also co-facilitating Leading Change alongside David. The takeup rate for both sessions surpassed even Elspeth’s expectations and proved to be the most successful training programme that BERR Business Relations has run to date.
So what of the outcome?
Elspeth concludes, “Good practice has now become embedded in key functions of the organisation, such as business planning, communications and developing organisational capability and there has been an observable change of behaviour both within the staff and senior managers. Management are now more focused on engaging staff in effecting change and are responding to the desire for greater clarity of purpose and stronger leadership.
“People now feel more confident about their role and are not afraid to ask difficult questions of their managers. They have learnt a lot about themselves and are uncovering capabilities they had not previously been aware of.”
Sir Brian Bender, Permanent Secretary, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, concurs, "This programme provides an excellent case study of how to manage significant change without impacting on service delivery or disaffecting staff. It achieved this by positive engagement with staff, encouraging them to take the initiative, and to get the most out of the changes for themselves and for the Department."
If you would like more information about this change programme, please contact Pete Stock or David White at SDLC Solutions.
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11/09/2007
Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform embraces change
SDLC change consultant, David White, introduces a comprehensive change programme into the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) which has transformed the way its Business Relations team implements organisational change.
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