“In technology, to stay the same is to fall behind” says Eileen Martinson, CEO of Sparta Systems. Sparta is the world’s leading provider of quality management software. Their solutions, analytics and expertise make them the go to player in highly regulated industries like pharmaceuticals and biotech, medical devices and electronics manufacturing.

But the quality management industry is transforming quickly. Large corporations that have been successful with Sparta’s flagship software system now need to collaborate with an ever-expanding supplier network. To defend their market-leading position, Sparta needed to create a new type of product for small and medium sized companies in just 12 months.

A better way to track and manage quality

Sparta partnered with ThoughtWorks to integrate 20 years of quality management expertise into an entirely new product based on SaaS technology.

For Sparta customers, the new solution puts the highest value on simplicity of design. The true multi-tenant SaaS design means customers can be up and running in weeks. A simplified UI means a more user-friendly and intuitive design, making it easier for them to track and record quality transactions. It enables connections between suppliers and manufacturers (many of which use Sparta’s flagship product TrackWise) to improve efficiency and get products to market quickly and safely. 

Capability over co-dependence

Sparta didn’t just want to buy their way to a better solution. They wanted to change the way they work and upskill their own teams along the way. The engagement focused on capability building. For the early phase of the project, Sparta moved their development team into the ThoughtWorks New York offices to immerse themselves in agile methodologies. “We’ve now taken the processes that we learned from ThoughtWorks, and we’re applying it to every product that we develop” said CEO Eileen.

Their new way of working focuses on self-directed cross-functional teams, continuous integration and testing, and short, iterative releases. Instead of working in a vacuum disconnected from business goals and user feedback, technologists work directly with product owners and users. This collaboration empowers Sparta to deliver customer-focused solutions in a shorter period of time.

New product, new markets

For Sparta, the engagement transformed the way they work and drove significant growth in new markets. The new product positions them to serve mid-market pharmaceutical companies and consumer brand manufacturers, is less expensive to deploy and maintain, and delights users with a premium user experience and task efficiency.