Web traffic spikes: How PerformanceFlex enables Fuel50 to pass the test

SECTOR / INDUSTRY

Technology

CAPABILITIES FEATURED

PerformanceFlex

CASE STUDY PDF

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OVERVIEW

As Fuel50 evolved from a fast-growing startup into a global leader in talent marketplace solutions, the company partnered with Assurity Consulting to deliver on-demand performance testing via the PerformanceFlex platform. This collaboration enabled Fuel50 to confidently scale its platform to support thousands of concurrent users, ensuring seamless onboarding and reliable performance for enterprise clients.

KEY OUTCOMES

Scaled platform to handle 90,000 logins per hour and onboard 135,000 logins daily.

Created durable test assets in PerformanceFlex, reducing reliance on costly internal testing infrastructure.

Enabled on-demand performance testing, allowing development teams to focus on innovation.

ABOUT THE CLIENT

Fuel50 is a pioneering talent marketplace platform that intelligently matches employees to internal opportunities, short-term gigs, and learning pathways based on their skills and aspirations. For HR leaders, Fuel50 offers in-depth insights into workforce capabilities, enabling agile talent strategies and fostering enhanced employee engagement. To learn more, visit Fuel50

THE CHALLENGE

In its early years, Fuel50 focused on rapid feature development and bug fixes, with performance testing taking a back seat. As the platform gained traction with large enterprise clients, the need for robust performance assurance became critical.

“We’d run the platform for around seven years with organic growth and no major issues,” says Karl Maire, Tech Team Lead – Platforms at Fuel50. “But as our client base grew, we needed to prove we could handle onboarding tens of thousands of users in a single transaction.”

Enterprise clients often bring entire workforces onto the platform at once, requiring Fuel50 to demonstrate its ability to scale instantly. Additionally, Fuel50 needed to satisfy CIOs and compliance teams that its platform would integrate smoothly with existing HR systems.

“We had to show we could onboard 135,000 logins over the course of a business day and still perform flawlessly during peak periods, like end-of-year reviews,” Maire explains.

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OUR SOLUTION

Traditional performance testing approaches, which utilise public cloud environments and ad hoc setups, have proven costly and inefficient. Fuel50 turned to Assurity for a more sustainable and expert-led solution.

This performance testing initiative was conducted at a pivotal point in Fuel50’s growth journey during 2023. As the company prepared to onboard several large enterprise clients, the need for scalable, reliable performance assurance became urgent. The testing executed through Assurity’s PerformanceFlex platform provided timely insights and validation, enabling Fuel50 to confidently meet the demands of high-volume user activity and enterprise-grade expectations.

“Software testing is a bit like going to the dentist,” Maire jokes. “You know it’s necessary, but it’s not something anyone looks forward to.”

Assurity created durable, reusable test assets via its PerformanceFlex platform, tailored to Fuel50’s platform, enabling continuous performance testing aligned with ongoing development. Their consultants worked closely with Fuel50’s infrastructure team to identify and resolve issues, iteratively refining test scripts and monitoring metrics.

“This isn’t easy, but it is necessary. It exposed execution challenges such as the conflict between day-to-day development flows and the testing.”

RESULTS

Fuel50 now has a robust performance testing framework that delivers confidence and clarity.

“One of the biggest advantages is flexibility,” adds Maire. “I can turn the performance testing assets on or off as needed, without having to manage them in-house. It’s a huge time and resource saver for our team.”

The enduring test assets provided by Assurity have been integrated into Fuel50’s main codebase, enabling repeatable testing and ongoing performance assurance.

“We’ve seen how performance testing identifies bottlenecks and helps resolve them. We’re confident future test runs will continue to deliver the insights we need,” Maire concludes.

Five people in a business meeting, with one person presenting data on a screen displaying graphs and charts.

“Previously, we worked on confidence alone. With metrics, we know how the system will respond and where its breaking point sits. It’s the power to know.”

Karl Maire, Tech Team Lead – Platforms, Fuel50

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