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, request a copy of our White Paper “Oracle Release 12 and Beyond”.
Depending on expressions of interest, we are planning to hold seminars on this topic in the week commencing 25 June 2008. Please register your name with Diane Chadwick, SDLC Solutions Marketing Manager, if you are interested in attending one of these seminars (venues yet to be determined); Diane will then contact you with further details closer to the date.
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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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SDLC SolutionsZZJWG-IT MiFID TechSIG model applaudedtag:www.sdlcsolutions.com,:4d939ab660283b709971df69391433ec
JWG-IT MiFID TechSIG model applauded
Industry has the potential to save millions through a new approach
With less than 50 working days until 31 countries have to be tested and ready for the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive, JWG-IT, the think-tank for EU-driven IT change in financial services, today announced that the JWG-IT TechSIG is seeing early success in the development of technology architectures to meet regulatory and market needs.
Assembled from the market’s leading technology suppliers, the TechSIG is working closely with the JWG-IT Financial Services Testing Group, of which SDLC Solutions is a founding member, to prepare test assets in support of the technology architectures.
Through capitalising on this collaborative approach, JWG-IT estimate the the industry stands to save millions of euros by using pre-defined flat pack solutions for complex infrastructures.
Read JWG-IT’s press release for the full story on the JWG-IT MiFID TechSIG model.
For information about how SDLC Solutions can help you prepare for MiFID, contact Simon Jacobs on 07920203315.
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JWG-IT MiFID TechSIG model applauded
With less than 50 working days until 31 countries have to be tested and ready for the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive, JWG-IT, the think-tank for EU-driven IT change in financial services, today announced that the JWG-IT TechSIG is seeing early success in the development of technology architectures to meet regulatory and market needs.
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SDLC Solutions2007-07-11T12:00:00Z2007-07-11T12:00:00ZExciting new developments at SDLCtag:www.sdlcsolutions.com,2007:db3277635a6d3c0a206b7128a328026911/07/2007
Exciting new developments at SDLC
SDLC Solutions launches performance and capacity planning unit
SDLC has teamed up with leading technology vendors to bring together an offering that enables its consultants to test, monitor and review every layer of a business system, from the desktop right through to storage spindles. There is nothing we cannot see!
In response to feedback from its clients, SDLC has brought together all of its performance-related resources into a single performance and capacity planning unit. By doing so, it is expected that SDLC’s offering in this area will be better understood by the client and the resources, both people and tools, will be managed more effectively. Subsequently, the delivery process will be enhanced and the client will receive greater value.
“In the past, performance testing was labour-intensive, complex and inefficient with no guarantee of usable results”, said Pete Stock, SDLC Solutions managing director. “The output was often not fully understood and results did not produce tangible benefits that could be directly linked to effort and cost. Supported by our technology partners, we can now offer clients a ‘starter pack’ that provides a snap-shot assessment of an application and identifies problem areas. The ‘starter pack’ is backed up with further services that can drill into the problem and provide solutions, if required.”
SDLC’s services include:
Performance assessment: looks at an application and traces the time taken in all layers of the technology, thus identifying problems areas.
Scalability tests: examines the potential for expansion and predicts where future bottlenecks will occur.
Benchmarking and trend analysis reporting: establishes a benchmark and retests periodically to assess the overall trends of the application’s performance capability.
Key performance indicator (KPI) and SLA monitoring services: constantly monitors service levels and reports on, or even automatically fixes, issues that are encountered.
Troubleshooting: identifies and suggests fixes for performance issues.
Code documentation and analysis: examines the underlying code in an application to identify performance bottlenecks; automatically creates code documentation if none exists.
Business benefits are numerous. A pro-active approach to performance and capacity testing can be taken, enabling clients to quickly identify and resolve performance or capacity issues and be more flexible in meeting the demands on their applications. Service level agreements (SLAs) soon become a positive experience as it is easier to determine the right levels in the first place.
As an added benefit, partnerships with leading technology vendors means SDLC is able to supply testing tools on a rental basis for the period of the consultancy. This means clients will always receive the right toolset for the job without having to outlay significant capital.
Pete concludes, “At SDLC, we work on the principle that everything must have a business purpose, so we concentrate on understanding the needs of each client and placing the service we deliver in that context. Every service starts with a business requirements session, and everything we do is driven towards giving business value. There are no surprises and the client retains full control throughout the project.”
With the complexity of delivering an application across multiple layers increasing with business criticality, mitigating risk and adding value needs a logical, yet cost-effective, solution. SDLC’s performance and capacity planning unit brings together a business focus, a structured process, skilled technicians and leading tools to deliver just that.
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11/07/2007
Exciting new developments at SDLC
SDLC has teamed up with leading technology vendors to bring together an offering that enables its consultants to test, monitor and review every layer of a business system, from the desktop right through to storage spindles. There is nothing we cannot see!
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SDLC Solutions2007-06-14T12:00:00Z2007-06-14T12:00:00Z2006/07 financial resultstag:www.sdlcsolutions.com,2007:57ee4332e44ffb0b964e2bda9e04df6f14/06/2007
2006/07 financial results
SDLC Solutions announces another year of record growth
Revenue for 2006/07 increased by 53 per cent to £7.19m, compared to £4.7m in 2005/06. Both the profit and cash positions are also extremely solid, proving the underlying financial strength of the company.
“Year on year, SDLC Solutions continues to demonstrate value to its clients,” said Dave Hallam, new business director. “We are already a recognised brand within the industry and as we continue to invest in our infrastructure and develop our capabilities, we have the potential to grow even stronger.”
Specialising in providing software testing services, SDLC Solutions’ quality of service and high level of customer satisfaction has resulted in high levels of repeat business and referrals. This has seen the company establish business partnerships with three global systems integrators and a number of software developers, including Compuware and Facilita. Other highlights this year include signing two long-term contracts with companies in the financial and telecommunications sectors.
“We have built a solid base from which we can make significant progress,” said Pete Stock, managing director. “Our clients know what we are capable of and trust us to deliver. As we broaden our offerings, our ability to provide effective business solutions to our clients, and attract new clients, continues to expand.”
About SDLC Solutions
SDLC Solutions is the UK’s leading independent full service software testing provider. With a wide range of flexible and innovative business solutions, SDLC Solutions has established an unrivalled reputation for delivering to its many clients which include FTSE 100 companies, government departments and multi-national systems integrators. Learn more at sdlcsolutions.com
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14/06/2007
2006/07 financial results
Revenue for 2006/07 increased by 53 per cent to £7.19m, compared to £4.7m in 2005/06. Both the profit and cash positions are also extremely solid, proving the underlying financial strength of the company.
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