The process begins with a functional requirements document, that accurately describes what the product or enhancement is required to do. This document is agreed on by all stakeholders before the next part of the process commences. Once functionality has been agreed, a design and technical specification document is completed internally, before development begins. In parallel with the design process, our Quality Assurance team creates test cases to test the desired functionality of the software to be developed. Completed components of the software are delivered to Quality Assurance for testing, and any defects are returned to the developers for correction.

Larger software projects require multiple iterations or builds, after each of which comprehensive Quality Assurance and regression testing functions are performed. Typically the end user or customer would obtain a view of the current state of the project via a user-acceptance testing environment at each iteration.

The process is managed via a project management capability reporting to the development manager.

When the features have been completed, Quality Assurance has signed off and the customer has signed off via user-acceptance testing, the new software can be put into production.

For all products that Qualica operates, a release schedule is maintained that enables all stakeholders to obtain a view of when new features will be released or when identified faults will be rectified. This is managed via an ITIL Change Management process. A number of tools are used to ensure that quality assurance, regression testing and software defects are closely managed; these tools allow team members and Project Management to obtain reports of the current status of any project.

Andre Nel
Head of Application Infrastructure
Discovery Health