Thinking in systems, designs, and patterns

The Supply Chain Efficiency and Cloud projects were massive projects for Zespri. We are expecting huge and phenomenal growth, and as part of that we needed to have appropriate systems and scalability to be able to cope and manage the growth.

The [S23M quality assurance and test management] framework was absolutely fundamental for the success of these two projects. It’s a huge asset that has been created for Zespri. We were able to manage the risk profile very very effectively with the methodology from S23M. I think that the way that S23M went about managing the risks is exceptional. There was a huge amount of rigour that was put into making sure that both projects were successful. The value that has been created is an enduring value. The biggest asset is the framework and the mindset that has been created.

We turned to S23M to streamline product development across our Centres of Excellence. S23M expertise proved to be invaluable for making complex decisions about product architecture, choice of development locations, and the best use of modern software engineering technologies. The thorough and pragmatic approach taken by S23M assisted us in achieving our ambitious goals.

One of the challenges we faced was working out how to transition from prototypes into product development, and then obviously to active customers. We have been struggling to bridge the gap. S23M spent 4 to 6 weeks with us and engaged with the R & D group and the technology division, and also with the wider business to get a deeper understanding of the context.

The recommendations were absolutely supported by the participants. We have now seen the transition eventuate in relation to a recent new product development effort within our business. We certainly see the benefits for us. The professionalism, the way that S23M interacted with the teams, and the skills that S23M brought were exceptional, top rate. I was surprised at how well the teams engaged with you guys.

[The CIIC unconference] was a fantastic event and it was great to discuss various topics such as the collaboration between human and machine agents, the importance of the dialogue between humans and humans as well as humans and machines for knowledge generation, and model building and storytelling as methods to develop a shared understanding. We discussed these topics from various angles which enabled us to draw a holistic image as every participant had a different background and expert knowledge. We also outlined avenues for future collaboration and I am looking forward to the next CIIC event.