Background
Synertec empowers organisations to deliver secure, inclusive, and automated communications. Our solutions enhance digital transformation while maintaining accessibility and compliance, enabling businesses and wider organisations to communicate with every individual, in every format, without significant cost or risk.
They operate in a heavily regulated space, with a mix of desktop, web, and cloud-based applications - many backed by complex, file-driven and proprietary workflows.
As Synertec continued to modernise its technology and move key systems to the cloud, maintaining confidence in quality during change became increasingly important. This created a clear need for a test automation approach that could grow alongside their platforms and teams.
Overview
This engagement was originally delivered by nFocus Testing, prior to its acquisition by 2i. Following 2i’s strategic acquisition of nFocus and the subsequent retirement of the nFocus brand, this work is now embedded within 2i’s delivery practice.
The engagement with Synertec began with a focused proof-of-concept (PoC) evaluating different automation toolsets: Playwright with TypeScript, Playwright with C#, and Ranorex. Dylan Westhead working as graduate consultant was assigned to Synertec to contribute to the evaluation of the right toolset and presented findings to Synertec.
Based on this assessment, Synertec selected Playwright with TypeScript due to its maintainability, simplicity, and suitability for manual tester upskilling. This initial PoC laid the foundation for a long-term engagement with Dylan remaining embedded to help establish and grow Synertec’s test automation capability in a sustainable, phased way.
Challenges and Context
At the outset, Synertec was at the beginning of their automation journey. While there were strong domain knowledge and commitment to quality, automation had not yet been formally established within the delivery process.
As part of the engagement we identified some key opportunities for improvement:
- Lack of established frameworks or pipelines to support consistent, repeatable test execution
- Limited internal experience with automation tooling, making it difficult to initiate and sustain automation efforts
- Manual regression cycles that placed a growing demand on testers during each release
- Test visibility challenges, making it harder to triage issues quickly and confidently
- A need for accessible solutions that enabled collaboration between technical and non-technical testers
Our role was to help lay the foundation - introducing automation in a way that was maintainable and inclusive. We focused on building low-code, reusable frameworks with clear, non-technical reporting so that all members of the testing team could contribute meaningfully to the quality process.
Phase 1: Web Automation Foundation
In the first year, we developed a robust automation framework using Playwright and TypeScript to support Synertec’s four key web applications, working under the guidance of an expert mentor. This framework introduced core utilities such as custom file parsers, environment setup scripts, and reusable components - all fully documented to enable smooth onboarding and long-term maintainability.
The framework supported testing across 16 device emulations, covering desktops, tablets, and mobile devices. This wide coverage led to the creation of over 5,000 automated tests, ensuring thorough regression across platforms.
To ensure the sprint team could operate independently, we provided targeted training to a Senior Tester with a manual testing background. The training covered interpreting automated test reports and troubleshooting test failures, enabling the team to run and evaluate automation results without external support.
This phase delivered an 80% reduction in manual regression time, expanded coverage by enabling support for additional devices without added overhead, and laid the architectural foundation for all subsequent automation phases.
Cheryl Penny, Testing Manager at Synertec, shared her experience:
“The approach has been refreshingly pragmatic, focusing on simple, effective solutions that empower our testers to upskill in automation tooling and actively contribute to the delivery of automated tests as we grow.”
Phase 2: Desktop and Backend Automation
The second phase extended automation to Synertec’s desktop applications, many of which relied on complex, file-based backend workflows. We automated four desktop applications with the dedicated support of a veteran Synertec in-house tester and domain expert, who provided critical guidance on the organisation’s proprietary systems whenever we encountered blockers. These applications primarily involved backend, file-based workflows, with each system processing files through multi-stage pipelines that required validation of file structure, content, and storage locations.
To ensure consistency and enable future tester upskilling, we strategically continued using Playwright with TypeScript, despite traditional desktop automation complexities. Where necessary, we extended Playwright’s capabilities using C++ to handle native interactions, while most tests validated backend workflows directly.
This phase delivered a 65% reduction in existing regression test effort and established an automation-first approach for phases three and four, ultimately eliminating manual regression testing entirely. Consistent on-time delivery across these two years demonstrated reliability, which led to reassignment to the critical cloud migration project in year three.
Phase 3: Cloud Migration (Primary Risk Area)
The cloud migration programme represented the most critical and risk-sensitive phase of the engagement. During phase 3, Synertec’s cloud migration initiative progressed within a coordinated, team-based delivery model with test automation embedded into sprint ceremonies and wider programme discussions. This marked a shift from earlier standalone delivery into a more structured, collaborative approach aligned with migration priorities.
Throughout this phase, close collaboration with Synertec’s internal testers supported the coordination of automation activity and the establishment of consistent test practices. Structured review approaches and shared working standards were introduced to help safeguard quality and maintain alignment across contributors.
At this stage, the CI/CD pipeline was still in development and had not yet been fully integrated. Instead, we developed custom scripts and clear documentation that enabled manual testers to independently execute tests and interpret results through tailored, non-technical reports. This approach significantly improved early defect detection, team collaboration, and delivery confidence and laid the foundation for the CI/CD workflows introduced in Phase 4.
Phase 4: Transition to Sustainable Automation
Following the completion of testing for the core services and desktop applications in the cloud migration project, the focus shifted to sustaining automation capability and supporting ongoing development. Our ongoing efforts are focused on two key areas: supporting new application development and evolving the automation ecosystem to ensure consistency and maintainability over time.
Automation has been introduced for a new customer-facing web application that integrates directly with the cloud services delivered in Phase 3. Compared with earlier applications, this application introduces more complex user behaviours and a significantly broader API surface. Testing is being conducted in parallel with development under an automation-first approach.
Early value has already been delivered through infrastructure enhancements, including:
- A proprietary Credential Manager developed using C++ native add-ons, fully integrated with Windows Credential Manager and CI pipelines, and abstracted into a reusable Git submodule.
- A clean, fully documented CI process using Azure DevOps and self-hosted agents, supporting both scheduled runs and pull request–based execution for all projects.
- In parallel, the automation codebase has been reviewed and restructured. These efforts include:
Reviewing and refactoring test implementations produced during the migration phase - Splitting projects into standalone repositories to promote clearer ownership and modular design
- Identifying and implementing shared utilities and reusable components as submodules to enable centralised maintenance
- Establishing an architecture to support future contributors and delivery teams
Together, these activities are laying the groundwork for Synertec’s next phase of automation maturity - building a more resilient, consistent, and reusable foundation across projects.
Results
Across all initiatives, comprehensive automation capability was delivered across web, desktop, and cloud-based systems, supporting both legacy platforms and new development:
- Web: Automated four web applications across 16 device emulations.
- Desktop: Backend automation for four complex desktop apps.
- Cloud Migration: Automated four cloud applications, supported manual testing for three additional apps, including a critical installer component.
- Ongoing Development: Introduced automation for a new, API-driven web application as part of an automation-first strategy.
Automation significantly reduced regression testing time - from multiple days to just a few hours - accelerating release cycles and improving feedback loops. The cloud project achieved substantial coverage across critical workflows, with dozens of key defects identified and resolved before release. Work on the latest web application is already contributing early value through infrastructure-level improvements and greater test visibility during development.
Client Feedback
Feedback from Synertec highlighted strong technical capability, particularly in delivering automated testing across desktop, web, and service-based applications. Adaptability across platforms and testing environments was recognised as a key asset, coupled with a meticulous approach that consistently produced reliable, maintainable solutions. Effective collaboration with developers and testers, which helped embed quality throughout the development lifecycle. Our growing expertise across multiple application layers was credited with significantly improving test coverage and confidence in releases.
Cheryl Penny, Testing Manager at Synertec, reflected on the partnership:
“Working with 2i over the years has been a pivotal step in our automation journey at Synertec. Together, we’ve delivered high-quality tests and established a stable foundation that we can confidently build upon. The approach has been refreshingly pragmatic, focusing on simple, effective solutions that empower our testers to upskill in automation tooling and actively contribute to the delivery of automated tests as we grow. The professionalism, collaborative mindset, and eagerness to learn demonstrated throughout the engagement have made this a highly effective partnership, and it’s been a pleasure to see the service evolve alongside our own needs.”
Conclusion
This engagement demonstrates the ability to deliver effective test automation in challenging environments from technically demanding standalone solutions to sustained automation delivery. By aligning automation with Synertec’s business goals, regulatory compliance requirements, and long-term maintainability needs, the engagement supported a transition from a manual-only testing model to a more mature, automation-first approach.
Crucially, automation was introduced in a way that empowered Synertec’s own testers, enabling long-term ownership, upskilling, and continued evolution of quality practices.
Dylan Westhead, Quality Engineer at 2i said:
“This engagement was a defining part of my growth as an SDET. I joined Synertec at the very start of both my own journey and their automation journey, and we learned and evolved together throughout the engagement. I collaborated closely with their teams to establish strong automation foundations across web and desktop systems. What made this work particularly rewarding was the opportunity to grow alongside Synertec’s testers - focusing not just on building automation, but on shaping it collaboratively so it was accessible, maintainable, and genuinely useful to those running it day to day. Supporting testers as they developed confidence with automation, and seeing quality practices become more embedded across delivery as a result of this shared learning, was a key highlight.”
Synertec continues to empower organisations to deliver secure, inclusive, and automated communications.
To learn more about their products, services, and ongoing transformation initiatives, visit the Synertec website and explore how they are shaping the future of digital transformation.