According to the most widely accepted definition, digital transformation is the introduction of a digital dimension in every aspect of a corporation: from a product or a service to Customer Relations, to marketing, media relations, HR, logistics, production, etc. It upsets the equilibrium of all the corporate disciplines and makes everyone adopt digital technologies and their continuous innovation to stay in the race (new client needs, competition, etc.) In this regard, the development of a digital strategy becomes a pivotal concern and an unavoidable process for every business, its size and industry affiliation notwithstanding.
Digital quality assurance should be an integral part of a company's risk management effort and can, therefore, be regarded as an indicator of the company's digital maturity. The infographic "Investigating Digital Quality in Companies", a study conducted by StarDust in October 2015 among 500 respondents in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States, an assessment was made of effective implementations of quality processes by companies.
Digital Quality Still Too Often Ignored
About half the companies surveyed indicated that they had not put in place a quality process for their latest digital project: of the companies that mount such projects, half the French businesses (42% of the English-speaking ones) believe the phases of testing to be too short and of insufficient quality. On the other hand, there are numerous obstacles in the way of implementing an effective quality process, a lack of expertise, funding, and problems running tests being the most prominent. This shortage of resources and professional skills de facto results in inadequate test coverage. French teams will give priority to functional testing (58% vs. 42%) whereas English speakers tend to focus more on performance (57% vs. 48%). In terms of methodology, 52% of the French companies (vs. 32%) do exploratory testing. And finally, we observe a deficit of geolocation and security testing.
Digital Fragmentation: Another Obstacle in Implementing Proper Quality Assurance
While the global device market is huge (smartphones, tablets, phablets, PCs, connected objects, etc.) and while customizable services and mobility are key to customer relations, multiple device and geolocation testing appear to be getting the least attention. Most companies do not consider the risks associated with this fragmentation because they settle for testing their solutions on 4 to 8 devices which is very inadequate (not representative of the mobile landscape) to cover all the potential risks that their users might see. However, it is recommended that testing be performed on at least 15 terminals to mitigate the risk of bugs and to make sure the solution is portable. Similarly, only 10% of the French companies surveyed and 20% of the English-speaking ones test their digital products for geolocation.
Digital Responsibility As Yet Undefined
Only 50% of the French speakers and only 10% more English speakers surveyed believe digital transformation to be a priority. How does one explain these numbers given that digital technologies are ubiquitous in everyday life?
Certainly, by the difficulty in coming to an agreement as to who is supposed to be managing digital transformation within a company: a digital division with an appointed Chief Digital Officer (40%), executive management (32%), or the IT division (23%). It could be postulated that there are as many digital transformations as there are people responsible for their implementation. Given the various competencies and levels of functional authority, the number of digital transitions is infinite.
User Remains Sole Quality Arbiter
A previous study conducted by StarDust in 2013 showed that 70% of the users delete an application that they believe to be unstable right after first use. Today, more than at any other time, the user experience is a focus for concerns. It should be noted that a French person spends over 2 hours per day online, has at least two devices, and, increasingly, makes purchases on his or her cellphone. Thus, in the long run, neglecting tests, failing to consider the quality of a digital product as being of basic importance places the relationship between users and brands at risk. It is obvious that adoption of digital technologies by corporations is a long process but users will not wait!
Quality: Undoubtedly, the Digital Maturity Indicator
By evaluating the effectiveness of implemented quality processes, StarDust shows that the digital transformation within companies is still in its early stages. The quality process put in place is an indication of a company's digital maturity and of its progress through the transformation.
