OUR THINKING

The questions retail technology teams are actually asking.

We publish what we learn from the programmes we run - the patterns, the problems, and the things worth knowing before they become expensive. No filler.
 
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-Land Big Change-

The UAT change champion model in practice

4 min read

The UAT change champion model in practice: How to set it up and what it delivers

Earlier in this series, we introduced the change champion as one of the most effective tools for managing UAT risk on large retail technology...

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Spike logo, Retail Jam logo plus article title: What retail tech leaders are talking about

3 min read

What retail tech leaders are talking about: Retail Jam 2026

A day at Knebworth Park. Two roundtables, dozens of frank conversations, and one big question hanging over the room: what happens to quality when AI...

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Making UAT more agile

4 min read

Making UAT more agile: Functional slicing

In the first article in this series, we looked at why UAT fails and what good looks like at a structural level. This article goes deeper on one of...

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Cover of Spike’s Graded Test Approach Guide: “Stop testing everything the same way”

2 min read

Stop testing everything the same way.

Your systems are unpredictable but your testing philosophy doesn't need to be. Composable commerce, third-party APIs, real-time pipelines, AI-driven...

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Why UAT hurts and what good actually looks like - article image

3 min read

Why UAT hurts and what good actually looks like

This is the first in a series exploring why UAT is one of the most consistently painful phases in retail technology programmes, and what it looks...

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Image featuring article title, plus Steve Dennis as author and an abstract image suggesting online shopping and technology

5 min read

The Shopify project that's harder than it looks

For most retailers, moving to Shopify looks straightforward on paper. The front end is clean, the configuration is fast, and the platform's...

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Image of code on computer screen with article title and Darryl Kennedy as author

4 min read

Why testing before coding is the smartest move in retail tech

If you're responsible for getting tech change over the line in retail, the pattern will be familiar: a UAT phase that doubles in length, defects that...

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Shoppers carrying bags walk past shopfronts on a busy high street

4 min read

When Is “Good Enough” Good Enough? QA Go/No-Go Decisions

This article is a practical guide to defining “good enough” in a world of constant tech change.

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30 years of marking their own homework

2 min read

Marking Their Own Homework – 30 Years of SIs Being Paid Twice

System integrators (SIs) have long played dual roles in enterprise technology projects: not only do they build and deliver software solutions, but...

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Cloud does not mean retail confidence

7 min read

Cloud doesn't equal confidence: Two big traps to avoid with cloud in retail tech.

Cloud migration has become a badge of honour over the past decade. From ERP to eCommerce platforms and CRMs to CDPs, enterprise retailers have...

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