Performance and Load Testing

SITUATION

Our client was looking for assistance with developing and executing a performance testing program centered around their merchandising website and online lottery events. The client had conducted limited testing previously with another supplier but were unsure of the quality of the scripts used or the integrity of the test results. As the client approached a model with greater emphasis on ecommerce, they wanted to ensure their website could manage the increased user volume. Our client wanted a team to build the platform, infrastructure, and process for the testing program and then conduct and provide testing results. 

Apex proposed a project of six sprints conducted over a 12-week period. Our project utilized an Apex QA Solutions Lead to provide key insight on strategy and execution with three additional SDET Engineers selected by the Solutions Lead specifically for the project scope. Our testing plan included drafting a roadmap for the performance testing and environment to allow for future activities, analyzing the existing and creating new JMeter scripts, determining the test volume levels, reviewing the environment variables, and identifying the risks while providing mitigation strategies associated with testing in the production environment. Performance baselines were then determined, and testing/analysis conducted. Our team worked with the product owners to recommend and select the testing tools and infrastructure based on the current environment and created an automated testing plan. They then analyzed the previous test cases while validating the associated scripts. The team revised the scripts and created additional cases at the customer’s request and determined a new test baseline would be needed for the best interpretation of results. Testing scenarios were drafted based on customer parameters and tests were conducted through at various loads. 

RESULTS

Small and medium-scaled tests were completed in preparation for a larger, final test to be conducted within the next phase per the client’s request. Our client is now working with Apex to build and implement a performance testing environment and associated team modeled after the performance and load testing effort. As a result of our solution, the client is both more prepared in the short term to embrace ecommerce and well-positioned to expand their testing capabilities.