Www.sequentus.com ©2006 Sequentus LLC 1 Improving Test Groups a Dime at a Time Bob O’Brien...

www.sequentus.com ©2006 Sequentus LLC 1

Improving Test Groups Improving Test Groups a Dime at a Timea Dime at a Time

Bob O’BrienBob O’BrienSequentus Sequentus

April 20, 2006April 20, 2006

www.sequentus.com 2©2006 Sequentus LLC

Management Response to Ideas?Management Response to Ideas?


AgendaAgenda Challenges of birthing a Software Test Challenges of birthing a Software Test

groupgroup Small changes that led to larger changesSmall changes that led to larger changes What worked and what didn’t What worked and what didn’t What you can doWhat you can do How to get betterHow to get better


Testing is an extremely creative Testing is an extremely creative and intellectually challenging and intellectually challenging task. The creativity required in task. The creativity required in testing a large program exceeds testing a large program exceeds the creativity required in the creativity required in designing that program. designing that program.


One Project – No ProcessesOne Project – No Processes

• Project in the ditch and burning• No plan of attack• Formal processes of any kind

lacking• Extremely unhappy end user• No test group or test plan• Minimal project plan


This is not the story of a project recovery This is not the story of a project recovery but the birth of testing in the organization. but the birth of testing in the organization.


First Formal Testing – 1996First Formal Testing – 1996 No management interest in better testingNo management interest in better testing Didn’t have timeDidn’t have time Too many projectsToo many projects Not convinced of valueNot convinced of value DOADOA


Successful Test Group – 2002Successful Test Group – 2002 Established best practicesEstablished best practices Start to finish project involvementStart to finish project involvement Multiple successful projectsMultiple successful projects Sought after test team membersSought after test team members Two certified testersTwo certified testers Successful implementation of automated Successful implementation of automated

test tooltest tool


What Took So Long?What Took So Long? Very, very small stepsVery, very small steps EducationEducation Low perceived valueLow perceived value Many road blocksMany road blocks Changing prioritiesChanging priorities Changing jobsChanging jobs


What Achieved Success?What Achieved Success? PersistencePersistence Hard work by many peopleHard work by many people PersistencePersistence Many, many small changesMany, many small changes PersistencePersistence Belief in a visionBelief in a vision PersistencePersistence No one ever told me to stopNo one ever told me to stop


Where Do You Start?Where Do You Start?


Start with Any of TheseStart with Any of These Testing techniquesTesting techniques Standards Standards Workflow diagramsWorkflow diagrams Use CasesUse Cases Formal test casesFormal test cases Status reportsStatus reports

Timed testingTimed testing Formal test plansFormal test plans Analytical reportsAnalytical reports Requirements testingRequirements testing Automated testingAutomated testing


Plan Your StrategyPlan Your Strategy What modest changes do you want to What modest changes do you want to

make?make? Develop elevator speechDevelop elevator speech

““I discovered this technique and it saved I discovered this technique and it saved $300…”$300…”

““I used this new technique with a customer I used this new technique with a customer and boy were they happy about...”and boy were they happy about...”

Find alliesFind allies Concentrate where you have influence or Concentrate where you have influence or

controlcontrol


Never make anyone else look bad!Never make anyone else look bad!


T.A.U.N.T.T.A.U.N.T. Tell how you do itTell how you do it Advise about the results Advise about the results Understand their concerns Understand their concerns Never forget company needs Never forget company needs Try again later when idea is rejectedTry again later when idea is rejected


Testing TechniquesTesting Techniques K.I.S.S.K.I.S.S.

Equivalent classEquivalent class Boundary valueBoundary value

Start with small tasksStart with small tasks Keep it low keyKeep it low key Use results to ask questionsUse results to ask questions Keep records of time needed and resultsKeep records of time needed and results

Pay attention to reactionsPay attention to reactions


StandardsStandards Document as you go alongDocument as you go along Write down proceduresWrite down procedures If you have allies, do it togetherIf you have allies, do it together Reveal as interest growsReveal as interest grows Don’t be pushyDon’t be pushy


Formal Test CasesFormal Test Cases One of the most valuable and hardest One of the most valuable and hardest

practices to get acceptedpractices to get accepted Start with the most troublesome area of Start with the most troublesome area of

systemsystem Should be complete enough to Should be complete enough to

demonstrate considerable valuedemonstrate considerable value Befriend a developerBefriend a developer Record time to develop, execute, analyze Record time to develop, execute, analyze

results, record defect and retestresults, record defect and retest


Test Case SampleTest Case Sample

Feature Title Transfer Cash Test Description: This test will verify that cash can be withdrawn from the ATM and that required extensions execute as specified. Data Pre-requisites: 1. The customer’s card and PIN have been validated.

2. Savings account balance is $100. 3. Checking account balance is $100.

Test Case

Description of Input Conditions Expected Outcome Pass /Fail

1. a. Select savings account as transfer from. b. Select checking account as transfer to. c. Enter $50 to transfer.

a. Receive card and receipt showing savings account balance of $50 and checking $150.

2. a. Select checking account as transfer from. b. Select savings account as transfer to. a. Enter $40 to transfer

a. Receive card and receipt showing checking account balance of $110 and savings $90.

3. a. Select savings account as transfer from. b. Select checking account as transfer to. c. Enter $100 to transfer. d. Customer selects cancel

a. Message displays on screen “Insufficient funds, enter another amount or cancel” Screen shows option to enter amount or cancel.

b. Card is returned, no receipt printed. (Use case didn’t specify that no receipt is printed in this condition. It also didn’t specify what to do if amount selected equals balance in account. Check with user.)


One-Page Status ReportsOne-Page Status Reports Easiest to get accepted across the Easiest to get accepted across the

organizationorganization Easy to doEasy to do RevealingRevealing Short Short


Test Status Report Test Status Report Overall status – R, Y, GOverall status – R, Y, G Overall percent completeOverall percent complete Overall estimate to completeOverall estimate to complete By functional category and risk By functional category and risk

Total test casesTotal test casesTotal test cases passedTotal test cases passedTotal test cases failedTotal test cases failedPercent completePercent complete

Defects found by severityDefects found by severityDefects fixed by severityDefects fixed by severityDefect corrections failed, by severity Defect corrections failed, by severity Rework percentageRework percentageAverage time to fix defects, by severityAverage time to fix defects, by severity


Key to Being the ExpertKey to Being the Expert Soak up knowledgeSoak up knowledge Go to seminarsGo to seminars Read booksRead books Read articlesRead articles Subscribe to Subscribe to

StickymindsStickyminds Attend webcastsAttend webcasts Try what you learn – Try what you learn –

quietlyquietly


Which Key – Which Door?Which Key – Which Door? Knowledge is power Knowledge is power Solve a sticky Solve a sticky

problemproblem Watch for openingsWatch for openings

A new roleA new role A new job A new job A new companyA new company


FinalFinalThoughtThought

Programming today is a race between softwareengineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs and the Universe tryingto produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning. - Rich Cook


Questions?Questions?

Contact [email protected] [email protected]

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