Our customer relies on a large group of volunteers for various tasks during a live show. These range from scanning tickets and managing the bar and food stands to guiding visitors to the correct seats. Previously, there was no centralization of volunteer data and everything was handled through separate paper-based processes. As a result, finding volunteers and coordinating communication before and during the show was very difficult.
The customer was looking for a central tool that could coordinate the entire volunteer process in a structured way through a mobile application.
This solution needed to make it possible to:
- link tasks to specific volunteer groups
- manage access control for volunteers
- assign a coordinator to each volunteer group
- streamline communication when volunteers are late, absent, ill, and so on.
At a high level, our solution consisted of several elements: a backend service on AWS, a back-office web application, and a mobile application. Below we outline each component in more detail.
Backend (AWS)
The backend service supports:
- Venue management: managing different shows and events across multiple locations.
- Registration and onboarding of volunteers via various volunteer organizations.
- Defining and publishing different volunteer roles per show (reception, bar, etc.).
- Access management: assigning the correct access rights to each volunteer so they only have access needed for their specific role.
- Distributing all relevant information to volunteers (time, role description, clothing expectations, etc.) so they can perform their tasks effectively.
- A communication tool for handling exceptions (“I am late”, “I am ill”, and similar situations).
Back-office web application
The back-office web application is used by staff to register shows, create and manage volunteer groups, and more. The website is also used by volunteers: coordinators can log in, create and manage their volunteer teams, and manage volunteers’ access rights.
Mobile application
In addition to the backend and web application, we developed a mobile app that gives volunteers an overview of their show participation. With the app, volunteers can access the venue using a QR code.
The mobile app also includes additional features, such as allowing volunteers to report incidents or defects during a show, which are then picked up centrally by permanent staff.
Because not every volunteer has a smartphone, we also provided a “no-smartphone” alternative, where the entire volunteer process can be managed offline.
From the mobile app we integrated with external partners, such as the public transport provider De Lijn. This allows volunteers to retrieve a bus or tram ticket directly from the app to arrive on time for a show.
Refleqt was responsible for the full functional analysis, functional testing of the entire application, and performance testing.
Functional analysis
Through workshops, we gained a complete view of the customer’s pain points and gaps. Iteratively, we explored solutions that ultimately resulted in the different features of the new application. At the start of the project, no concrete functionality had been defined yet, but through workshops and an iterative way of working, we shaped the full functional scope of the application.
Functional testing
- Backend: Refleqt developed a complete integration test set and designed the end-to-end functional tests. These tests were fully automated and integrated into the CI/CD pipeline.
- Front end: The back-office website is only accessible to a limited group of employees, so browser compatibility was tested exclusively in Google Chrome. These tests were also automated using Selenium.
- Mobile application: For functional testing of the mobile app, Refleqt used its own onsite device farm.
This device farm is a predefined set of compatible devices (iOS, Android, smartphone, tablet, etc.) connected to a local test server on which tests can be executed. This test server was also integrated into the CI/CD pipeline.
For all of the above levels, both a Sanity Check and a Regression Suite were implemented:
- Sanity Check: each code change from a developer is automatically tested via the CI/CD pipeline. These tests run several times per day and are aimed at providing fast feedback to developers.
- Regression Suite: all relevant scenarios (for example, all payment options) are tested. This suite is executed once per day.
Performance testing
Because a significant usage peak is expected at the start of each show—when volunteers log in and retrieve their access code—Refleqt executed a load test on the application. The goal was to verify whether the mobile app could handle that spike in load. The customer can now be confident the application will not fail under increased load at show start.
Tools & technologies
- Mobile app: React Native & iOS/Android
- Test automation: Java, Cucumber, Swagger & Swagger Codegen, JUnit, Maven, Appium, Selenium, onsite device farm
- Performance testing: JMeter
- Pipeline integration: Jenkins
Volunteer management is now fully digitized, giving our customer far greater control over which volunteers are scheduled for each event. At every show, hundreds of volunteers use the mobile application across multiple venues.
The application continues to evolve and is regularly improved and extended with new functionality in subsequent project phases. Thanks to Refleqt’s automated testing approach, it has become much easier for the customer to add new features to the app with confidence.
