Why is digital transformation so critical today?
We have reached a critical point where everything that banks did before is no longer enough. The rise of digital technologies, web and mobile apps is changing the behaviour of banks. It is a fundamental change in everything from the end-customer experiences, to operational processes and business models for engagement. Customers demand unique, personalised and optimal digital experiences. The growing complexity of IT, the need for cross-channel and cross-browser coverage means banks and other financial firms must leverage intelligent automation, analytics and AI test management to achieve a true digital transformation. It’s not just about buzz words! The goal is to get ahead, acquire new customers, new business and then stay ahead. Be competitive and retain market share.
So, how are banks keeping up with that challenge digital transformation?
Well, as I said, the increased complexity of software applications is one of the major challenges that digital transformation brings. QA teams now need to support multiple new applications built on disparate technologies. And although packaged applications like Temenos sit at the core of critical business processes, banks still struggle with manual testing processes which are error-prone and time-consuming. Many banks are still performing testing manually. So while maybe 80% or so of financial firms wish to adopt Agile and DevOps methods, their automation levels are still extremely low. This mitigates against “Agile at Scale”, because Agile at Scale requires Continuous Testing. A change of mindset needs to happen as well. Culture is the root of digital transformation and it is more about embracing innovation and being open to new ideas. We have the technology to help them, but they need to rethink their digital strategies to remain competitive, and move toward integrating the software development supply chain into the business. Testing cannot be an afterthought and the new business-driven approach to testing is key if organisations are to be ready for continuous delivery of change and ensure that tests accurately reflect real-life production scenarios.
How can Validata technologies help banks through their digital journey?
Our technology has evolved significantly over the last few years with entirely new offerings that have enabled us to deliver Agile at Scale, with Continuous Testing and Monitoring accelerating the digital transformation. Our latest software release is designed to meet the challenge that legacy test automation tools and manual testing have failed to address and it bridges the gap between what traditional scripting tools have been delivering and real-life user actions.
How does Validata distinguish itself from its competitors?
Test automation is now a critical business requirement in the world of digital and mobile apps and we are the point now where testing needs to expand beyond traditional approaches and self-made automation frameworks. We have gone a step further and we offer not just ‘test automation’, but true end-to-end continuous testing powered by AI-driven test automation intelligence to increase productivity with speed and quality. That’s how Temenos clients will be able to keep up with the pace of and progress of Agile and DevOps methodologies and thrive in the digital world.
What can we expect from Validata in the future?
We are looking to add more artificial intelligence to our Continuous Testing platform and to extend test automation beyond Temenos applications, to other satellite systems involved in a bank’s end-to-end business transactions integrating legacy systems of record with digital systems of engagement. Our progress on this area is tremendous already and we constantly add more technology advancements in our product roadmap. We are committed to helping our clients understand and map their processes from start to finish and guide them in their journey to evolve from manual testing to adopting DevOps and Continuous Testing practices. Our differentiators are a vast combination of loyal marquee customers, innovative market tested products and an amazingly talented workforce.
