A major retail chain with thousands of locations nationwide needed to transform its fragmented check-in/check-out (CICO) process for store employees (partners), who were using multiple systems and paper forms to start and end their shifts. This disjointed experience caused inefficiencies, data inconsistency, and poor user experience across their retail locations. AIM Consulting provided crucial QA expertise, leading both manual testing and test automation efforts to ensure a successful MVP launch of the consolidated mobile app solution within an accelerated 14-week timeline.
Case Study Contents
- Business Challenge: Fragmented Employee Check-In/Check-Out Experience
- Approach: Comprehensive QA Strategy and Agile Implementation
- Results: Successful MVP Launch with Zero Critical Defects
What AIM Consulting Did
- Led a comprehensive QA strategy that accelerated mobile app delivery by 46% while achieving zero critical defects
- Architected automated testing frameworks, reducing manual testing time by 40% with 95%+ pass rates
- Drove agile QA integration, enabling rapid feedback loops and faster development cycles
- Orchestrated cross-system integration testing, ensuring seamless legacy system connectivity
- Executed user-centered testing to validate functionality with real employees before launch
- Established scalable quality processes that created reusable automation assets for future development
Business Challenge: Fragmented Employee Check-In/Check-Out Experience
Store employees at the retail chain faced a cumbersome daily process that required them to navigate multiple applications, websites, and paper forms every time they started or ended a shift. This fragmented experience affected dozens of employees per location across test stores.
The existing process required employees to:
- Use a third-party timeclock app for punching in and out
- Complete paper-based symptom checks before shifts
- Access separate systems for completing the optional feedback survey
- Manually track meal breaks across different interfaces
This disjointed workflow not only wasted valuable time but also created inconsistent data collection across systems, making it difficult for store managers to track attendance, ensure compliance with health protocols, and gather meaningful employee feedback. Additionally, the paper-based components conflicted with the company’s sustainability goals.
With an ambitious goal of accelerating delivery from a typical 26-week timeline to just 14 weeks, the retailer needed specialized QA expertise to ensure the consolidated mobile application would function reliably across all integration points with existing store systems.
Approach: Comprehensive QA Strategy and Agile Implementation
AIM Consulting implemented a streamlined QA approach that balanced thorough testing with accelerated delivery requirements:
Strategic Implementation
- Developed end-to-end test plans covering all critical user journeys and integration points
- Created automated test suites for regression and smoke testing using industry-standard tools
- Integrated testing directly into the agile sprint cycles to provide continuous feedback
- Conducted usability testing with actual retail employees to validate real-world scenarios
When integration complexity with store systems increased mid-sprint, AIM quickly adjusted testing priorities to ensure core functionality remained stable while expanding test coverage for critical paths. This flexible approach maintained development velocity while ensuring quality standards were met throughout the accelerated timeline.
Results: Successful MVP Launch with Zero Critical Defects
AIM Consulting’s QA expertise contributed significantly to the successful launch of the CICO MVP, achieving impressive results across multiple dimensions:
Technical Quality Achievements
- Achieved 95%+ pass rate on automated test runs throughout the MVP development cycle
- Reduced manual test execution time by 40% through strategic automation
- Zero critical defects found in production after MVP launch in pilot stores
- Maintained 95% uptime for the CICO app in test locations
Business Impact
- Accelerated delivery from the typical 26-week timeline to just 14 weeks
- Consolidated three separate applications into one unified employee experience
- Improved employee satisfaction with the check-in/check-out process
- Eliminated paper usage for symptom checks, supporting sustainability goals
- Increased feedback survey participation by streamlining the process
Long-term Value Creation
- Established a reusable automation framework for ongoing regression testing as the app scales
- Documented best practices for integration testing across retail systems
- Created a foundation for future enhancements, including personal device support
- Supported the client’s broader Digital Operating Model initiative
As noted by the Product Owner: “AIM’s QA team was incredibly responsive and helped us ship a clean MVP with zero critical issues. They were essential to our velocity.”
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AIM Consulting delivers comprehensive quality assurance strategies that accelerate delivery while maintaining exceptional quality standards. Whether you’re consolidating legacy systems or building new digital experiences for your workforce, our experts can help ensure your success.
Contact us today to discuss how we can support your digital transformation initiatives with our specialized testing and QA services.
