In our 2026 survey of 215 supply chain and logistics leaders, only 12% reported that their most recent logistics technology implementation delivered on time, on budget, and achieved expected business outcomes.
When asked how system testing was approached, only 9% described their approach as primarily scenario-based, while 42% relied on primarily technical validation, vendor-led testing with limited stakeholder involvement, or conducted no formal scenario-based testing at all.
Organizations that relied on technical testing alone were disproportionately likely to report that the implementation delivered a working system while the business itself struggled to operate inside it. JBF calls this disconnect the "Go-Live Gap."
This disconnect represents one of the largest hidden risks in logistics technology transformation. Most organizations approach testing as a quality assurance exercise designed to validate system functionality. They ask:
• Do the workflows execute correctly?
• Are the integrations complete?
• Does the configuration match requirements?
These are necessary questions, but they are insufficient for determining whether the organization can run the business using the new platform. McKinsey research shows organizations can lose up to 20% of expected transformation value when operational adoption fails to mature, and Gartner found that 76% of logistics transformations fall short of critical targets tied to budget, timelines, or operational KPIs.
Organizations that close this gap approach testing differently — they validate the operating model alongside the software.
JBF's operational testing framework is built around a four-layer validation model where each layer builds on the one below it, and skipping a layer does not save time so much as transfer risk directly to the go-live.
