SmartBear, a global leader in software quality and visibility solutions, has recognized the RAC, a prominent UK motoring services organization, with its prestigious Automation All-Star Award. The award highlights the RAC’s innovative use of SmartBear’s Jira-native test management platform, Zephyr Scale, alongside the AI-powered capabilities of SmartBear HaloAI.

By leveraging Zephyr Scale’s no-code test automation, the RAC has significantly streamlined its testing process, reducing testing time by over 50%. This efficiency boost has enabled faster, more effective software delivery while maintaining high-quality standards at scale.

As one of the UK’s leading providers of breakdown assistance and motoring services, the RAC supports nearly 14 million private and business members, ensuring top-tier service through its commitment to technological advancement.

“Since implementing Zephyr Scale in our regression testing, it has not only been excellent at identifying bugs that may have been missed with previous tools, but it has boosted our team’s confidence,” said Chris Lewis, Test Analysis at the RAC. “Its low-code requirements have empowered our testers to showcase their work, and we have been able to enhance team morale and efficiency. Our thanks to SmartBear for recognizing our test automation accomplishments with this award.”

The RAC has significantly reduced its manual regression testing time from 60–90 minutes to just 20 minutes using Zephyr Scale’s AI-driven no-code automation. Previous attempts with other no-code tools only brought test times down to 45 minutes—and even then, automation frequently broke due to system changes.

With Zephyr Scale and HaloAI, testers of all skill levels, including those without technical expertise, can seamlessly convert manual tests into automated ones without coding, all within the platform. The ability to replay test recordings and make real-time adjustments further enhances efficiency, ensuring greater consistency in test coverage and improving software quality with every release.

“We are thrilled to honor the RAC with our Automation All-Star Award,” said Fitz Nowlan, VP, Al and Architecture at SmartBear. “With the integration of HaloAI, we have extended test automation to all, bridging the gap between manual and automated testing to drive greater efficiency and innovation. The RAC team’s impressive achievements showcase the power of AI-based no-code test automation in transforming testing workflows and empowering teams to deliver high quality software with confidence. Their success exemplifies this transformative potential, and we are delighted to celebrate their accomplishments.”

Zephyr Scale, one of the fastest-growing apps on the Atlassian Marketplace, empowers teams like the RAC’s to deliver high quality software faster with its Jira-native test management solution designed for scalability. It aligns with Atlassian’s System of Work philosophy to create a better development experience by reducing the friction that keeps software teams from doing their jobs effectively.

In the ever-evolving landscape of enterprise software development, staying ahead of the curve is imperative for businesses striving to maintain a competitive edge. As we navigate through the current technological era, several trends are shaping the way organizations approach custom enterprise software development services. From embracing cutting-edge technologies to prioritizing collaboration, these trends are revolutionizing the way enterprises build, deploy, and manage software solutions.

Embracing DevOps for Seamless Integration

The Rise of DevOps Culture

DevOps, a portmanteau of development and operations, has become a cornerstone in enterprise software development. This cultural shift emphasizes collaboration and communication between software developers and IT professionals. By breaking down silos and fostering a unified approach, DevOps streamlines the entire software development lifecycle, leading to faster and more reliable releases.

Automation in DevOps

Automation is at the heart of DevOps, enabling teams to automate repetitive tasks, reduce manual errors, and accelerate development cycles. Continuous Integration (CI) and Continuous Deployment (CD) pipelines have become standard practices, ensuring a seamless and efficient delivery pipeline from code changes to production.

Cloud-Native Development for Scalability

The Move to Cloud-Native Architecture

Cloud-native development is gaining traction as organizations leverage the scalability and flexibility offered by cloud platforms. Microservices architecture, containerization, and serverless computing are key components of this approach, allowing enterprises to build and deploy applications with agility and efficiency.

Kubernetes Orchestration

Kubernetes has emerged as the de facto standard for container orchestration, providing a robust platform for managing containerized applications. Its ability to automate deployment, scaling, and operations of application containers has made it a crucial tool for organizations embracing a cloud-native development paradigm.

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Integration

Infusing Intelligence into Applications

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are no longer futuristic concepts; they are integral to modern enterprise software development. Businesses are integrating AI and ML capabilities into their applications to enhance decision-making, automate tasks, and deliver personalized user experiences.

AutoML for Democratizing Machine Learning

The advent of AutoML (Automated Machine Learning) is simplifying the deployment of machine learning models. This democratization of ML empowers developers with limited expertise in data science to build, train, and deploy models efficiently, accelerating the adoption of machine learning across industries.

Focus on Cybersecurity in Software Development

Shifting Left in Security

With the increasing frequency and sophistication of cyber threats, security is a top priority in enterprise software programming. The industry is witnessing a “shift left” approach, where security is integrated into the development process from the initial stages. This proactive strategy, often supported by specialized software security testing companies, helps identify and address vulnerabilities early in the SDLC. These companies play a crucial role in conducting thorough security assessments, ensuring that applications are resilient against potential threats and adhere to the highest security standards.

DevSecOps for Integrated Security

DevSecOps, an extension of DevOps, integrates security practices into the DevOps pipeline. By merging security and development efforts, organizations can ensure that security is not an afterthought but an integral part of the software development process. This approach enhances the overall security posture of applications.

Low-Code and No-Code Development

Accelerating Application Development

Low-code and no-code development platforms are empowering organizations to build applications with minimal hand-coding. These platforms enable users with varying technical expertise to participate in the development process, fostering collaboration between business and IT teams. This accelerates application development and reduces the time-to-market for new solutions.

Addressing the IT Skills Gap

As the demand for software programming continues to surge, the industry faces a skills gap. Low-code and no-code platforms bridge this gap by allowing business users to contribute to application development, reducing the reliance on traditional coding skills.

Conclusion

Embracing a DevOps culture, leveraging cloud-native architectures, integrating AI and ML capabilities, prioritizing cybersecurity, and adopting low-code best practices are key strategies for staying ahead in the competitive market.

As we look to the future, it’s essential for businesses to stay agile, adapt to emerging technologies, and foster collaboration across teams. The synergy of these trends not only enhances the efficiency but also lays the foundation for innovation and growth.

FAQ

1. What is DevOps, and why is it crucial for enterprise software programming?

DevOps is a cultural and collaborative approach that brings together software programming and IT operations to enhance the efficiency of the SDLC. It promotes automation, continuous integration, and continuous deployment, leading to faster and more reliable releases.

2. How does cloud-native development differ from traditional one?

It leverages cloud technologies such as microservices, containerization, and serverless computing to build and deploy applications. It emphasizes scalability, flexibility, and agility, enabling organizations to adapt quickly to changing business needs.

3. What role does AI play in modern enterprise software development?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is integral to modern software programming, offering capabilities such as enhanced decision-making, task automation, and personalized user experiences. AI enables organizations to create more intelligent and adaptive software solutions.

4. Why is security a top priority in software development, and how does DevSecOps address this concern?

As cyber threats become more sophisticated, organizations prioritize security in software development. DevSecOps integrates security practices into the DevOps pipeline, ensuring that security is an integral part of the development process, leading to more secure applications.

5. How do low-code and no-code development platforms benefit enterprises?

These platforms empower organizations to build applications with minimal hand-coding. This accelerates application programming, addresses the IT skills gap, and allows business users to actively participate in the coding process, fostering collaboration between technical and non-technical teams.