Where is the Value?

As we know, we cannot test everything. This is especially true for End to End testing. This activity is often carried out at the end of the Implementation phase after System testing has completed. There will be many paths through the software and to test them all will be a large task. So only critical paths are tested through the system that provides an acceptable level of test coverage. Add automation into the mix, and this can become extremely challenging at the end of the delivery cycle. Teams often accept that the effort required for automating the End to End tests is too much of a risk to a timely delivery. Often, it is cut down to small manual End to End tests as an afterthought that adds little value to the overall quality or post-release teams. Ironically, this is where it adds the most value!

What Are the Core Components of Usability Testing?

It goes without saying that all apps whether they be native, web or hybrid must make a great first impression on the end user when it comes to their functionality and usability. In the real world however, extensive testing and the usability of the app is often overlooked. Not only does this lead to apps that don’t really satisfy the needs of the target audience but sometimes means the app isn’t able to fulfil its purpose.

Introduction to Performance and Load Testing

Whether a system is to be used internally by your work force or externally by your customers, it’s stability and performance directly correlates with your success.

Research shows a clear relationship between website load speed and response times with customer conversions. The faster a page loads the more likely customers will be to do business on your site. Conversely, customers are less likely to buy your products and engage with your brand, the slower your website responds to their actions. Obviously, for internal applications, your workforce will be more productive and effective if the tools they use in their day to day activity are responsive and quick.

Best Practices for Each Testing Phase

Testing can be thought of as the backbone of every software development project. It’s not hard to see why testing has a place in each part of the System Development Life Cycle (SDLC). Employing a poor testing methodology will potentially lead to the production of an unstable system and most likely, one that will cost you more money and time to put right.

Understanding Requirement Specifications

In Scrum, quality is defined as “The ability of the completed product or deliverables to meet the Acceptance Criteria and achieve the business value expected by the customer”. 

So how can we assure quality so that delivered products meet this definition? Sometimes, testing and quality assurance are used interchangeably so just to be clear, for this blog, by quality assurance I don’t just mean testing. Testing can be part of the QA process but for now I’d like to define quality assurance as a consistent (or at least regular) set of checks that are applied throughout the application lifecycle. There are 2 main parts to it:

It all starts with Quality

Testers do not just “do testing” in an Agile team and have many roles to play during the delivery of software. Testers are fully involved in the development lifecycle, meaning quality starts from day one. Although everyone in the team is responsible for quality, the test team tend to drive this and lead by example to promote good working practices, as well as being at the forefront when identifying product risks.

Introduction to Test Management Tools

Test management tools are resources used to help manage software testing activities and make them easier and faster to perform. They help to save time and money so that people/applications and other resources involved in actively testing can use their time more effectively.

Overview of Performance Testing Objectives and Scope

I hope you find this Performance Test Plan template helpful. Please use it wisely. You see, I have mixed feelings about template test plans – performance or otherwise.

Key Components of Software Testing

The software testing process involves activities categorised into key stages during the evaluation of software quality.

The purpose is to facilitate confidence building and informed decision making by running tests, checking results, finding software bugs (known as defects) and articulating results to stakeholders. The results help to determine if the software is fit for its intended use.

Achieving Victory with an Agile Test Plan

As England battled to victory against the Tunisian rugby team in their first fixture of the 2018 World Cup, many are praising the way in which the England manager Gareth Southgate has prepared his team. Team morale is at an all-time high, a team has been picked based on ability and potential and finally a formation/system that fits the players. Of course, this plan will need to change throughout the tournament – it will need to be Agile and adaptable to change. We can draw many parallels to the software development world and this article focuses on how an Agile Test Plan fits within the life-cycle of a project.