Tips for Making the Most of 5 Ws & H

Do you know the poem that starts?

“I keep six honest serving-men
(They taught me all I knew);
Their names are What and Why and When
And How and Where and Who.”

These six fundamental questions can serve you very well when creating user stories. They can be particularly useful if used in a group setting. Even more so if the group has wide representation across the various stakeholder groups. In fact, having input from a mixed group is particularly important if you are looking to get comprehensive user stories that everyone can agree to.

Risk Based Testing - How testing can help you make the right decision

There are massive pressures associated with any IT project:

• Bonuses
• Timelines
• Reputations (individuals & the company)
• Spend already committed
• Risk
• Cost
• Time
• Old systems failing & not fit for purpose
• Cost of maintaining existing systems

'I want to lose my Digital Weight'

All of us like to express our thoughts and experiences in the form of blogs, presentations, files, photos, emails and posts on professional as well as social platforms. We also like to create a memory of such occasions and save them for future reference. But when we need to, we create new artefacts in-line with our reflection at the given point and of course, save it again for future reference!

Recently, I’ve been reflecting upon the evolving software testing role. Here are my reflections, some of which may be present in your organisation.

The Role Definition

Historically, the role was defined as a ‘Tester’ or a ‘Test Analyst/Software Test Analyst.’ In recent years, it’s changed to ‘Software Engineer.’ The role has evolved along with technology and now requires a degree of programming knowledge. The original remit was fairly set and involved reading, questioning, analysing and lots of manual keying. Current day requires automation skills for data creation, performance testing, use of API automation and generic regression test execution.

Introduction: Transitioning to Remote Work

With the Government’s latest announcement to move to ‘Plan B’ restrictions amid fears of Omicron variant infections, I thought it would be good to talk about my own personal experience of working at home during the pandemic.

I’ve now been working from home since Boris made his initial announcement in March 2020, ordering people to stay at home. At the time, I was working in Manchester as a Test Manager. We had a great test team, good relationships with the clients and frequent social activities in the evenings.

Benefits of effective 'User Acceptance Testing' - nFocus Blog

The role of UAT and how it can be an important driver for quality and continuous improvement. How UAT is often misused or misrepresented - its usefulness and its limitations.

Introduction: Exploring the Power of Logical Thinking

Being a tester requires a whole mix of skills. Nowadays, it requires as many soft skills as it does technical skills. For example, a tester should not just have the ability to find defects, they should also have the ability to present their findings and ability to solve problems.

One incredibly important attribute a tester must have an aspect of logical thinking or an ability to think logically. 

Understanding the Purpose of Test Requirements

Sometimes, testers are required to think outside the box. Maybe they don’t have test requirements or don’t have sufficient data; or maybe it’s simply a case of unscripted, exploratory testing. Whatever the reason, they are expected to use their testing superpower to interrogate the system and provide some answers…

Unveiling Insight: Test Analyst Interview Questions & Strategies

Aftermath of the Halloween, I thought it would be good to consider if there are any ‘tricks’ to a successful interview? Over the past few months, I've drafted a selection of interview question templates to standardise the nFocus interview process. As part of this process, the templates have been used successfully to identify quality test resource for several clients who are now part of the nFocus team. Congratulations to those now hired!

The Essential Guide to DevOps Process Flow

The words DevOps Process Flow refers to the continuous momentum achieved using the blended functional pipeline activity performed by a dynamic team. The team will typically be made up of solution architects, programmers and testers, plus other key roles. There are of course distinct activities which drive any substantial delivery. There are 8 core stages to a successful DevOps.