SECCO: A test framework for controlling and monitoring end user service sessions

In order to evaluate the efficacy of new research approaches as well as existing systems for management of end user service sessions, it is necessary to set up controlled sessions in a realistic, measurable, and repeatable manner. While service delivery clients support automation of end user sessions and expose mechanisms for retrieval of end user service experience and context, there is no single manner for collection of service experience and context measurements, or for collation and delivery of those measurements to a management system. The Service Experience and Context COllection (SECCO) framework was developed to fulfil three roles. Firstly, it allows end user service sessions to be run in a controlled manner. Secondly, it records end user service experience and context for running sessions. Thirdly, it compiles terminal reports for end user sessions and forwards them to Aesop for processing. This paper outlines the design and implementation of SECCO and describes three separate cases where SECCO was applied.