The 27x Multiplier: Scaling Quality Engineering Across Enterprise Transformation

PISR: Problem, Impact, Solution, Result

Problem: Commonwealth Bank of Australia's Enterprise Transformation Program (ETP) faced critical quality engineering challenges across 11 RTIP (Retail Technology Integration Platform) services. Manual regression testing required 8 hours per cycle, unit test coverage metrics were inaccurate due to SonarQube misconfiguration, and squads lacked automated feedback loops for their transitional middleware services bridging legacy EP systems and modern Service Domain APIs.
Business Impact: This resulted in delayed deployment cycles, limited developer feedback (taking hours instead of minutes), unreliable quality gates, and significant manual toil across 3 engineering squads. The lack of automation was blocking the strategic goal of reducing 50% of legacy API traffic over 12 months, essential for ETP's technology modernisation objectives.
Our Solution: Over 6 months, ClearRoute's QCE team partnered with CBA squads to implement a comprehensive quality engineering transformation. We built a scalable BDD automation framework using ReqnRoll, integrated GitHub Actions for continuous testing, established true unit test coverage baselines, and created reusable templates enabling squad autonomy.
Tangible Result: The transformation delivered a 99.6% reduction in regression time (8 hours to 2 minutes), 27x faster developer feedback, 100% automation coverage across all RTIP services, and enabled 65% autonomous replication rate where squads independently implemented the framework for 7 out of 11 services using our templates.

The Challenge

Business & Client Context

Primary Business Goal: Enable ETP's strategic shift from legacy Enterprise Platform (EP) services to modern Service Domain APIs whilst maintaining business continuity through RTIP transitional middleware services.
Pressures: Formal FY26 objective to reduce 50% of legacy platform traffic over 12 months, end-of-support timelines for legacy systems, and need to maintain service reliability during architectural transformation.
Technology Maturity: Legacy testing approaches with manual processes, inconsistent CI/CD practices across squads, and limited automation coverage for critical transitional services acting as facade/strangler patterns between old and new systems.

Current State Assessment: Key Pain Points

Manual Regression Testing: 8-hour manual cycles for P1 regression tests across RTIP services, creating deployment bottlenecks and delayed feedback loops.
Inaccurate Quality Metrics: SonarQube unit test coverage showing false positives due to module exclusions, masking genuine coverage gaps and code quality issues.
Fragmented CI/CD Practices: Inconsistent pipeline implementations across squads, lack of automated quality gates, and no standardised approach to continuous testing.
Limited Squad Autonomy: Heavy dependency on manual QA processes, preventing squads from achieving self-sufficient quality engineering practices required for modern DevSecOps adoption.

Baseline Metrics

Metric Category	Baseline	Notes
Regression Test Duration	8 hours	Manual execution across 11 RTIP services
Developer Feedback Time	Post-deployment	Limited to manual QA cycles
Automation Coverage	<20%	Primarily manual testing approaches
Squad Self-Sufficiency	Low	Heavy reliance on centralised QA teams

Solution Overview

Engagement Strategy & Phases

Phase 1: Discovery & Framework Foundation: Mapped existing testing approaches across 3 squads, assessed SonarQube coverage inaccuracies, and built initial BDD automation framework using ReqnRoll for first RTIP services.
Time to First Value: Delivered automated P1 regression tests for initial RTIP services in week 4, demonstrating 95% time reduction in feedback cycles.
Phase 2: Automation Scale & CI/CD Integration: Extended framework across additional RTIP services, implemented GitHub Actions pipelines, and established mock services using BlazeMeter for comprehensive test coverage.
Phase 3: Squad Enablement & Template Creation: Created reusable automation templates, conducted knowledge transfer workshops, and supported squads in autonomous implementation across remaining services.
Phase 4: Optimisation & Handover: Refined documentation, established sustainable practices, and transitioned full ownership to squads with comprehensive support materials.

Architectural Overview

Before State: Manual & Disconnected Testing

After State: Automated Quality Engineering Pipeline

QCE Disciplines Applied

Quality Engineering: Implemented comprehensive BDD automation framework covering P1 regression tests, established accurate unit test coverage baselines, and embedded quality gates into CI/CD pipelines reducing defect detection time from hours to minutes.
Developer Experience: Created self-service automation templates enabling squads to onboard new RTIP services independently, reduced developer feedback loops by 27x, and established co-located test and application code for improved traceability.
Platform Engineering: Built reusable GitHub Actions templates, standardised CI/CD practices across squads, and created scalable infrastructure supporting both acceptance testing (with mocks) and integration testing (with real Service Domain APIs).

The Results: Measurable & Stakeholder-Centric Impact

Headline Success Metrics

Metric	Before Engagement	After Engagement	Improvement
Regression Test Duration	8 hours	2 minutes	-99.6%
Developer Feedback Speed	Post-deployment	Real-time on commit	+27x faster
Automation Coverage	<20%	100%	+400%
Squad Autonomy Rate	Manual dependency	65% self-replication	Autonomous delivery

Value Delivered by Stakeholder

For the ETP Transformation Office:
- Enabled strategic objective of 50% legacy traffic reduction through reliable RTIP service quality gates ensuring seamless migration paths.
- Achieved 65% autonomous replication rate demonstrating scalable transformation patterns applicable across enterprise programs.
- Delivered comprehensive automation coverage supporting business continuity during architectural modernisation.
For Engineering Squad Leaders:
- Increased squad productivity through elimination of 8-hour manual regression cycles and instant feedback on code commits.
- Achieved true DevSecOps practices with embedded quality gates, security scanning, and automated compliance checks in CI/CD pipelines.
- Enabled progressive ownership model where developers and testers collaborate within unified quality engineering workflows.
For Individual Developers & QA Engineers:
- Eliminated waiting for manual QA cycles through co-located automation enabling local test execution before PRs.
- Provided immediate visibility into code quality, coverage gaps, and integration issues through automated GitHub Actions feedback.
- Established collaborative troubleshooting model with reusable templates supporting rapid onboarding and knowledge sharing.

Squad Enablement Evidence

"The framework design was so intuitive that our teams replicated it across 7 RTIP services using just the template structure - updating DTOs, service classes, and configs with minimal support needed."

— Squad Technical Lead (anonymised)

"Moving from 8-hour manual regression to 2-minute automated validations completely changed our deployment confidence. We can now push changes knowing quality gates will catch issues before they reach production."

— QA Engineer (anonymised)

Lessons, Patterns & Future State

What Worked Well

Template-First Approach: Creating reusable automation folder structures with BDD scaffolding, DTOs, and GitHub Actions configuration enabled squads to achieve 65% autonomous replication without heavy consultancy dependency.
Progressive Ownership Model: Starting with framework creation (Q1) and shifting to enablement (Q2) allowed natural knowledge transfer and confidence building across technical roles.
Co-Located Test Strategy: Merging automation code into service repositories improved traceability, version control, and CI/CD integration whilst supporting local developer testing workflows.

Challenges Overcome

SonarQube Coverage Inaccuracies: Discovered critical module exclusions causing false coverage metrics - addressed through comprehensive baseline reviews and standardised reporting approaches.
Specmatic SOAP Incompatibility: Initial contract testing plans were deprioritised when tool incompatibilities with IFW WSDLs emerged - pivoted to focus on higher-value automation areas.
Cross-Squad Coordination: Managed complexity of enabling 3 different squads simultaneously through daily sync-ups, embedded support, and tailored workshop approaches.

Key Takeaway for Similar Engagements

For enterprise transformation programs requiring quality engineering uplift across multiple teams, establishing a reusable framework foundation in Q1 followed by intensive enablement in Q2 creates sustainable autonomous practices. The 65% autonomous replication rate demonstrates that well-designed templates can scale quality engineering transformations without proportional consultancy effort.

Replicable Assets Created

BDD Automation Framework Template: Complete ReqnRoll folder structure with DTOs, service classes, and configuration templates for rapid RTIP onboarding
GitHub Actions Workflow Templates: Standardised CI/CD pipelines supporting both acceptance testing (mocks) and integration testing (real APIs)
Process Assessment Checklist: Comprehensive SDLC maturity evaluation covering requirement capture through deployment and release practices
Mock Service Documentation: BlazeMeter setup guides and ongoing maintenance procedures for API simulation requirements

Client's Future State / Next Steps

With established automation frameworks and autonomous squad practices, CBA's ETP program is positioned to accelerate the strategic goal of 50% legacy traffic reduction. The embedded quality engineering practices support reliable RTIP service transitions whilst the reusable templates enable rapid scaling across additional transformation initiatives. Squads now possess the technical capabilities and collaboration models required for sustained DevSecOps adoption throughout the modernisation journey.

Internal ClearRoute Reflections

What We'd Do Differently

Earlier Template Creation: Spending more time in weeks 1-2 designing the reusable template structure would have accelerated squad enablement phases and increased autonomous adoption rates.
SonarQube Deep Dive: Conducting comprehensive quality metrics audits earlier would have identified coverage inaccuracies sooner, avoiding misleading baseline assessments.
Contract Testing Strategy: Better upfront tool compatibility assessment for SOAP contract testing requirements to avoid late-stage pivot decisions.

Methodology Refinements for Future Engagements

Quality Metrics Audit as Standard: Include comprehensive SonarQube/quality tooling assessment as mandatory discovery phase activity for accurate baseline establishment.
Template-Driven Enablement Model: Establish reusable framework creation as primary Q1 objective with structured Q2 enablement plans for improved knowledge transfer outcomes.
Cross-Squad Coordination Playbook: Develop standardised approaches for managing multi-squad transformations including sync-up cadences, workshop formats, and progress tracking mechanisms.

Skills Development Opportunities Identified

Advanced BDD Framework Design: Enhanced understanding of creating enterprise-scale automation frameworks with optimal reusability and maintainability characteristics.
GitHub Actions Expertise: Practical experience implementing standardised CI/CD pipeline templates supporting complex enterprise quality gate requirements.
Large-Scale Enablement Delivery: Refined approaches for transferring technical knowledge across multiple engineering squads simultaneously whilst maintaining engagement quality.

This engagement demonstrated ClearRoute's capability to deliver sustainable quality engineering transformations at enterprise scale, with the autonomous replication outcomes validating our QCE methodology's effectiveness in complex organisational environments.