Hi Friend,

 

March is here and it is time for us to look back at a milestone month for theICEway. In February, our software testing arm - eTestware - turned 8 years old. Your latest ICEbreaker is therefore a reflective one, featuring a Q&A session with co-founders Conor Byrne and Ian Richardson.

 

ICEbreaker exclusive: We also sat with eTestware's Managing Director, Bertie Trevis, to hear his thoughts on a project that has taken up the best part of a decade for him and the team.

 

Visit our ICE, CRIBB Cyber Security and eTestware blog pages.

 

 

 

Read previously unreleased snippets from a conversation with Conor and Ian that took place in October 2019. That Q&A session found them in positive spirits as they touched upon the creation of ICE and the development of theICEway.

 

 

 

Today we ponder the history of theICEway & eTestware with the latter’s Managing Director. Bertie Trevis joined ICE in 2011 and has been an integral member of the team ever since. We sat with him recently to talk about how things have changed in the last 11 years.

 

“IT Solutions For The Cruise Industry”

 

Do you remember your first impressions of ICE Support Ltd.?

 

I remember thinking that the team were very outgoing and friendly. I’d heard that they were helping quite a few companies in Hertfordshire with IT. I’d also heard that they were delivering technology consultancy and IT solutions for the cruise industry. For some big players, too, so I was intrigued to find out more.

 

What was your role in the beginning?

 

At the start I was brought in to help run the technology consultancy. I didn’t have a huge amount of hands-on IT experience but the team around me were very generous. There was a lot of training to help bring me up-to-speed. I was taken through all the documentation and processes involved in delivering ICE’s IT solutions. Luckily I found it relatively straightforward to adjust and fit in, I think that was testament to the existing staff who really made everything easy for me!

 

“We Always Knew We Needed To Evolve”

 

How did your role then evolve to incorporate eTestware?

 

We always knew we needed to evolve as an organisation. When dealing with various clients, it became clear that they had software testing requirements as well as a need for assistance with cyber security. So the overall plan quickly developed to incorporate those aspects.

 

The importance of QA testing

 

Quality assurance (QA) is a crucial element whenever a new system is being developed or integrated. We were engaging in more complex system implementations and we wanted to fulfil those tech projects to the best of our ability. We therefore looked at the outsourced software testing companies on the market. What were their strengths and weaknesses?

 

We wanted to be the best so we decided to look at Estonia for our own solution. It was well-known even back then for being technologically advanced. The education system there is second-to-none when it comes to cultivating IT skills. That is where we found the basis for what would become eTestware.

 

“Estonia… Is Where We Found The Basis For What Would Become ETestware.”

 

Then eTestware as we know it was founded?

 

In a nutshell, yes. A lot more happened from the initial point of discovery but it was actually a very easy process. Conor and Ian of course had experience in setting up a company and so that helped. Establishing a company in Estonia is much more straightforward than in most countries I think. That is definitely a by-product of their superb IT infrastructure and knowledge.

 

Bertie Trevis, MD of eTestware; how did that transpire?

 

I think I had managed to demonstrate an aptitude for the consultancy side of the business. Things were going well with that for ICE at that point, which was around 2013 / 2014. Conor wanted to spend time developing our cyber security offering such as it was at that stage. Ian was in huge demand for our various cruise industry dry dock projects and such.

 

As busy as I was with the consultancy, there was a natural fit for me with eTestware. The software testing team we had acquired and built were essentially consultants in many ways. So I was invited to take the challenge of growing eTestware with that fantastic team. It was a challenge I gladly accepted.

 

“The Future Is Bright…”

 

8 years on, how happy are you with where eTestware currently sits?

 

Very happy indeed. Of course, there is always room for improvement but we have solid training processes in place. We have an amazing team still based in Estonia. Now that ICE has evolved into theICEway, that team is backed up by global resources. We’re very happy with the projects we have been involved in and the projects we’re currently working on. The future is bright, with more organisations realising the importance of software testing.

 

What will the next 8 years hold for you, theICEway and eTestware, do you think?

 

Great question. We are always looking to grow and add to our software testing services. Digital transformation generates new opportunities and it also brings new challenges. We’re delighted to embrace both.