People profile: Shweta Vyas

Shweta Vyas is a test and deployment manager who is part of the 7-Eleven Technology Tribe in the Release, Change and Incident Squad. She joined 7-Eleven in 2019 from Telstra where she managed multiple technology test phases and planned and managed the deployment and release activities across Australia.

At 7-Eleven Ms Vyas is responsible for end-to-end quality assurance of customer digital transformation initiatives.

“We are a 24/7 business that operates 365 days a year, so there is no change window that doesn’t impact stores and customers. So, making sure we are exceptionally thorough about our testing and planning of rollouts and updates is vital,” Ms Vyas said.

“To make sure that digital developments are frictionless for our customers and our stores, I create test processes to ensure everything we rollout meets our high-quality standards. I plan release schedules, complete end to end quality assurance, and manage go-live activities.

“As part of that work I spend a lot of time with our partners and our internal teams to ensure that everything goes to plan when we make changes to the website, My 7-Eleven app, or our mobile payment and eCommerce systems.”

“I also need to work simultaneously across Agile and Waterfall methodologies to enable us to get the best outcome from each of our partners. Getting that balance right is critical.”

Being able to achieve high quality outcomes in step with the rapid pace of innovation happening at 7-Eleven is both engaging and a challenge.

“No project is challenge free, especially if it is a focus project for the business, which our customer digital initiatives are,” Ms Vyas said.

“In one of our biggest projects last year we had to condense the release schedule by three months, to ensure we had the system changes thoroughly tested and rolled out in time to hit the market with a seamless transition for customers and stores.

“Despite the challenges of the year, where we needed to deliver on schedule while at the same time moving to a 100% remote way of working due to COVID19 our team culture remained strong.

“For me it’s absolutely thrilling to concurrently handle multiple initiatives in different stages of completion.”

Ms Vyas says that the team’s ways of working enable success and that the positive approach is important to her.

“We promote a one team mentality across our internal and supplier partner teams and focus on ensuring we collaborate to find solutions and achieve our goals,” she said.

“For me it is important that there is a commitment to being positive, supportive and calm, while maintaining a solution focused mentality.

“Through the digital transformation we are in the process of getting closer to our customers and understanding and enabling their needs better.

“For me, being part of making 7-Eleven even more relevant to customers’ lives through well tested and seamlessly rolled out technology is exhilarating.”