Software development quality improvements for DSC Logistics
US companies that rely on an efficient distribution network turn to Chicago-based DSC Logistics for innovative supply chain management solutions. The mid-sized company operates more than 50 large-scale warehouses with an average size of over 30,000 square meters, moving inventories such as health supplies, tobacco and groceries.
Reliable, world-class IT systems and software are essential for DSC Logistics to fulfill its promise of ensuring that customers can meet their strategic objectives by providing access to data, and connecting people and systems that turn information into meaningful knowledge.
Ensuring software development quality
When DSC Logistics decided to begin the process of re-writing the software behind the systems required to manage its warehouse network, the company realized that it lacked the processes and standards needed to guarantee the integrity of its software.
The software required to run DCS Logistics’ warehouses are built on legacy systems and company was embarking on a process to rewrite them. DCS Logistics had written one application or module and realized that they didn’t have good standards and processes to guarantee that ultimately, they would produce really world-class software.
Qentinel worked with DSC Logistics to develop the practices that would allow the IT team to guarantee that the software they were re-writing was reliable. The project involved cross-border collaboration that included Qentinel experts in Helsinki, as well as on-site DSC Logistics IT personnel in Chicago and the company’s coding team in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Timely and relevant data for customers
Team cooperation involving Helsinki, Buenos Aires and Chicago worked well. Working face-to-face as well as remotely, Qentinel helped DSC Logistics develop process documentation and impose the process discipline that was essential for dependable software. The teams also began work to address security issues involved in software development and built a solid foundation for further cooperation.
DSC Logistics fulfilled their basic remit, which was to get some process documentation and process discipline. Company was pleased with its first project with Qentinel.
Qentinel’s work with DSC Logistics ensured that the company could continue to fulfill its customer promise to provide timely and relevant information via integrated systems and processes as well as data-sharing tools grounded in dependable software.
