How to successfully establish test management in an iterative SAP project

Reading time: 4 minutes

How do you embed test management in a complex framework?

Test management in a large SAP project, or in an IT project in general, poses many challenges and pitfalls regarding coordination and implementation. These challenges multiply when merging two companies that have been developing independently for decades, each with its own processes and culture. On the one hand, the processes and their interfaces, which were largely redesigned, are not yet fully familiar to the individual departments. Secondly, the newly formed teams from from different corporate cultures must integrate their different habits and processes. On top of this, an upgrade to an S/4 HANA platform is also being implemented to phase out the previous SAP R/3 systems. In fact, the following applies here: More is more. In order to cope with the additional complexity of the project, a clearly defined, standardised approach and a very strong focus on communication and coordination were crucial for success.

Continuity and communication guarantee quality and focus!

Our test management approach was based on the SAP Activate methodology, which follows Scrum structures in its operational implementation and specifies certain test cycles in cycles and at the end of the project. The division consisted of so-called waves, each consisting of four iterations: three sprints for development and one for corrections and integration. As a result, testing the developed functions, as in Scrum, became an integral part of development and acceptance. The additional fourth phase allowed the developers more time to correct errors and carry out further quality assurance (e.g. in the form of code reviews), enhancing the robustness of the functionalities and their integration. A special feature of testing is the functional integration test and the subsequent user acceptance test. Here, end-to-end business processes was put together like a puzzle and accepted just before the go-live. To ensure uniformity, the specialist departments, together with the test management, first defined the lead processes of the individual specialist departments step by step using a top-down approach. Particular attention was paid to system and process interfaces, which generally require high levels of communication during testing and are prone to errors. After successful completion, the lead processes were then refined to their sub-processes and variants, and the test steps were finally defined in a standardised template. In general, to manage all test phases and document the test steps performed by the development teams and key users, SAP offers a central management tool in the Solution Manager. This tool provides comprehensive test documentation and defect management, promoting a clear overview of reported defects and testing progress. However, the actual testing is done by individuals who may have varying levels of experience in SAP testing and who often have other operational duties. From a test management perspective, in addition to creating the prerequisites through concepts and tools, the question now arises: How can I best support the testers in carrying out the tests successfully? The key success factors here were communication and collaboration. This began with workshops to support the use of the Solution Manager and explain correct test documentation to ensure auditability. It continued with coordinated test sessions to test various user transitions at process interfaces in an integrated manner, and to balance testing and operational activities. In our experience, a particularly important aspect was supporting test management in error correction. It was crucial to align the expectations and wishes of the specialist departments with the solution expertise of IT through intensive communication and collaboration, ensuring that everyone spoke the same language.

What we achieved at the end of the day:

Ultimately, we successfully completed testing on time and within budget before the go-live, which is a significant achievement for an IT project of this size. Additionally, we fostered collaboration and routine within the previously heterogeneous structure of the two former groups. The iterative approach in the development phase, combined with continuous testing, ensured high quality and integration capability of the functionalities. The centralisation of test management and the clear procedure also significantly improved the quality of the tests, especially for future test automation, and enhanced project audit documentation quality. Above all, with intensive communication, we were able to ensure that all employees involved in the project from the specialist departments and IT were engaged and that no one was left behind.

How the IEA plans to achieve net zero emissions by 2050

The Paris Agreement aims to limit global warming to well below 2 ºC in the long term, preferably to 1.5 ºC.

Why Scrum and Kanban do not contradict each other?

It is not absolutely necessary to choose one or the other option at the beginning of an agile organizational transformation.

Remote work in lockdown

We have reviewed the last few months and summarized what has helped us in this regard

Harmonization of SAP landscapes: The path to S/4 HANA implementation as part of the merger

A strong team, leadership and expertise are required to implement such a mammoth project in line with targets.

Any questions?

Arrange a personal consultation now and let our experts advise you. We will be happy to give you an insight into current projects and talk about your specific ideas and needs.

Our core competency lies in the combination of agile methods and stable solutions for challenging management, organisational and transformation tasks. With this experience-based advantage and our very special cohesion, we achieve effective results and sustainable changes.