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TL;DR
❌ Features didn’t align.
❌ Key UX flows were broken.
❌ Bugs made it to production.
The client’s response: “We expected more. Can you fix it by January?” It was peak holiday season. Backend team was offline. Expectations were sky high. We ramped up. Postponed our break. Built and shipped a tricky React Pivot Table in record time.
✅ By early Jan, the review call lasted 2 hours. Every feature passed.
✅ The client called it “flawless execution.”
✅ Trust restored. Stakes met.
Not every release starts well — but with the right team, it can still end with a win.
To deliver winning software releases we also highlight the 5 most important principles. These are prioritizing reliability and enforcing rigorous testing to ensure stability. These also include fostering genuine collaboration across teams and deeply understanding the user and business context to build the right solution. Finally, it is vital to go beyond functionality—create moments of delight that elevate user experience and drive long-term engagement.
The High Stakes World of Aviation Tech Releases
Did you know … A failed aviation software release costs airlines $1.2M per hour in downtime.
In aviation, a software release determines client retention. It can profoundly impact client relationships and operational success. We recently experienced this firsthand in a project involving Sabre, a global leader in Aviation Technology, and a new middle eastern airline client. While the initial rollout had its challenges, the story eventually became a successful case study in how to win back credibility—with grit, speed, and flawless delivery. Here’s how we turned it around, and what your team can learn from it.
This article will take you through our journey: the initial stumble, the roadblocks we faced, the strategic game plan that turned things around, and the crucial lessons we learned – including "The 5 secrets to winning releases".
The Initial Touchdown: October Release & The Expectation Gap
In October 2024, Sabre shipped a key module to Riyadh Air. It should have been a celebratory milestone. But here’s the twist, the response was lukewarm: “Partially happy, but not fully satisfied.”
That raised a red flag, so what went wrong?
The reaction from the client highlighted a significant expectation gap. So where did things go wrong and what did this gap look like in practice?
• Core features missed the mark.
• UX gaps broke expected workflows.
• Bugs slipped through.
The message from Riyadh Air was clear and direct: "We need better alignment, and faster releases from January".
Navigating the Turbulence: What Stood in the Way?
Responding to this feedback and closing the expectation gap wasn't without its challenges. Several factors stood in the teams’ way:
- Critical Feature Demand: The new airline was focused on boosting Middle East connectivity. For their Revenue optimization module, they had a very specific and technically demanding requirement: they needed a first-of-its-kind React Pivot Table. Additionally, there were too many backlog items contributing to the complexity of the demands.
- The Holiday and Deadline Pressure: Compounding the technical and scope challenges , there was a twist waiting to be tackled. There was a tight deadline coinciding with the holiday season. Time was running out. Sabre's backend API team was on leave for the Christmas break. Adding to the pressure, the CodeWalnut team also had a planned one-week holiday scheduled.
Rising to the Challenge: The Game Plan and Turnaround
Here's exactly how the team turned it around
Faced with these hurdles and a clear mandate from the client, the teams involved didn't falter and was determined to deliver. This project stands as a testament to "A Story of Commitment & Excellence". Throughout the journey CodeWalnut was explicitly committed to Sabre's Success.
The real turning point came with the onboarding of a new team. It does not stop here, the team was quickly upskilled with thorough context of the project to increase the velocity and make them productive right from the get go. The front end lead took ownership of the product and requested the back end team to provide the POC before their planned break. The team also aware that few back end pieces wont be ready created mocks for that. The planned Christmas holidays by the code walnut was postponed and full availability of the team was ensured. The pivot table POC was approved before the team at Sabre went for their Christmas break.
The important checkpoint was what the team called the "Early January Check-In". When the product team returned from their holiday break, they conducted a quick review. The verdict was overwhelmingly positive: "A solid 👍". What had been achieved during that intense period was remarkable. Not only was the Proof of Concept (POC) complete, but the full release was even nearly complete.
Here’s the kicker: Despite tight timelines, CodeWalnut prioritized reliability over adding more features, achieving over 82% unit test coverage. This slowed development slightly, but when last-minute changes caused regressions, tests caught them immediately. When Riyadh Air’s team rigorously tested edge cases, the product passed confidently. Ultimately, test-driven reliability became the team’s true advantage.
In a 2 hour deep dive, our client- a global leader in aviation technology had with their technology- tested every feature. The result of that was flawless execution and business stakeholders were super impressed.
Let’s wrap this up with a win.
This rapid progress and tangible delivery had a significant impact and Sabre's credibility was restored. The successful delivery created a moment of delight for this global leader in aviation technology.
As a reward for the work, here, the team at code walnut earned the appreciations of Sabre team’s crucial members.
What we discovered will change how you approach releases
Lessons Learned: The 5 Secrets to Winning Releases
This experience, moving from client dissatisfaction to delight and restored credibility, crystallized essential best practices for software delivery. These can be distilled as
"The 5 secrets to winning releases":
- If it's not reliable, it's not ready. A feature that breaks under real-world use isn't a feature; it's a liability. Every release must prioritize rock-solid performance, because if a product doesn't work reliably, nothing else matters. Reliability is the absolute foundation.
- Test Extensively, Ship Confidently. It's a proactive practice that safeguards the system from regressions, bugs, and unintended consequences as new features are introduced. Automated unit tests, integration tests, and end-to-end validations are vital to ensure every change enhances the product rather than breaking it. Rigorous testing is crucial to prevent regression, especially when releasing new features.
- Collaboration isn't a checkbox. Effective frontend and backend alignment is described as the backbone of solid execution. The intersection of frontend and backend development is where execution either thrives or crumbles. Real alignment doesn’t happen through ticket handoffs or siloed updates—it happens through real conversations, shared context, and mutual ownership. It requires genuine teamwork.
- Understanding beats assumption. Teams that take the time to thoroughly grasp the product’s purpose, the user journey, and the business context are the ones that build it right the first time. This means involving developers in product discussions, exploring edge cases early, and ensuring that everyone—from engineers to designers to product managers—is aligned on what success looks like. Invest in understanding.
- Functionality isn't enough - delight matters. Meeting functional requirements is a baseline; exceptional products go further by creating small moments of joy. Whether it's a faster response time, an intuitive interaction, a playful animation, or thoughtful copy—these finishing touches elevate a product from “done” to “loved.” In a world where users have choices, delivering delight is not just nice—it’s strategic.
These principles are interconnected, forming a strong chain for successful delivery.
Conclusion: Soaring Towards Future Success
From missed marks to a delighted customer, this story wasn’t about a flawless start—it was about how we landed right in the end. This is a powerful testament to the importance of addressing feedback, tackling challenges head-on, and committing to excellence. By recognizing the Expectation Gap, navigating critical demands and external constraints, and strategically delivering impactful progress, the teams involved reinforced trust and demonstrated their capabilities. Applying the 5 secrets – prioritizing reliability, mandatory testing, deep collaboration, true understanding, and aiming for user delight – is key to turning potential turbulence into successful triumphs in technology releases.
