Criteria for selecting a management testing tool (or quality management tool)

5 02 2009

Criteria for selecting a management testing tool (or quality management tool):

This article will help you to choose a management testing tool in peace. Why? Because for some client it’s not easy as we can believe. Example: a client already has a tool from HP (Quality Center) and at the same time using Enterprise Architect (EA) to manage its requirements. The question is “Is what we use quality center or EA?”. From this question there was a stir on the choice. And inter-service policy and the brake of some users does not help the stand-by was delivered … until the list below is made.

This list exists only to provide FACTUAL information about the main functions to be performed by a management testing tool. As you may be able to see it is not oriented for Quality Center is chosen (I want to say it’s not irony).

A repository of tests should be able to manage (only basic functions):

Level 1 Functions
Manage the test requirements:
* Support for the creation
* Multi-user: easy sharing between all project stakeholders
* Easy change
* Easy link between requirements> Test Sheets > Defects
* Generating a matrix coverage requirements ==> campaign / scenarios
* Analysis of coverage
* Print friendly list
* Version management requirements

Manage the test plan to test cases:
* Support for the creation
* Easy change
* Ability to attach documents
* Multi-user
* Version management

Manage books / files / test plan:
* Support for the creation of scenarios
* Multi-user
* Version management

Help manage tests:
* Status of design tests
* Status of the test run
* Status of an overall campaign test
* Printing of reports already formatted and filled
* Multi-user

Function Level 2:
Manage defects:
* Tools for creating worflow defects
* Create and complete an information sheet defect
* Possibility of attachments, screen captures, etc.
* Integrated search engine
* Easy and direct link between a sheet / test cases and an defect
* Notification by mail to the defects involved in the project
* Multi-user
* Printing of reports already formatted and filled with figures and statistics modules / functions, etc.

Interfacing and direct steering:
* Automates functional tests
* Automates testing techniques (performance)
* Defects (if not integrated)





Best practices and test repository

22 10 2008

Say Uncle, you can give me some best practices pleaaaaaaaaaaase?
The first good practices are:
- Good sense
- Organization,
- Reflections.

Nothing but magic, properly implemented, will guarantee the proper use of a benchmark test. I will expose them as a question to ask the good moments:
Management requirements or requirements:
- Uniqueness?
o This is the only item on this test?

- Clarity?
o Reflect on the tree to establish,
o The need is expressed clearly enough and is there no gray area or ambiguities on the understanding?
o What are the requirements implicit and not listed in the expression of needs (for example), but we must still consider?
- Accuracy?
o The requirement is it enough to be measurable and quantifiable targets via specific test?
- Validity?
o The document led to the requirement is updated and validated by the customer?
- Testability?
o Is it possible to create one or more relevant cases to effectively test all aspects of this requirement?

Managing the card catalog test or the Test Plan:
Fundamental:
- Each sheet test should be linked to one or more requirements or you can say goodbye to the test coverage
- Once the test sheet drafted a trick is to check if all the cards are connected at least once a requirement, otherwise you have holes in your racket!
- Depending on the strategy, the Test Plan should be prioritized according to the functional, organizational or business customer
- The tree test plan must:
o Be easy to understand by functional
o In order of business process / application client (use numerical codes to manage the directory eg
o be determined at the outset between all actors
o 4 to 5 levels MAXIMUM directories otherwise you watch the madness
- Provide care tabs “Details” and “Design steps:
o Enter a clear description of the common people for the purpose of the test card
- Provide care to the tab Design steps:
o Be sufficiently precise and detailed to avoid any ambiguity and interpretation at runtime
o Display data to be used and their origins
o = A STEP ONE ACTION
o Inform the expected outcome (RA) so precise and clear because the result will be compared to the result (RO) during execution

Good questions:
- Uniqueness?
o A target = sheet test
- Clarity?
o The stages of the procedure are clearly identified, no-til no gray area or ambiguities on the way forward?
- Data?
o All representative data needed for testing are they identified?
o Have data that are:
consistent
Clarifies
Representative
Prepared
- Coverage?
o The modus operandi of the sheet test is relevant and complete the objective identified?
- Generic?
o No test sheet valued unless a value is hard in the test

Design and execution of test campaigns or Test Lab
- Cash?
o Environment to conduct any tests available?
o The application to test it is installed with the correct version (versioning policy of the client)?
o The access (login / passwords) to applications and other servers valid?
- Preparation?
o The test cards are up to date or she date a year ago?
o Automated test scripts are identified and in the right directories?
- Clarity?
o The names of campaigns and test sheets are quite explicit for your next tier include?
- Data?
o At’on all the data needed to run the cards?
- Coverage?
o The entire campaign covers happens objective identified?

Good practices during the execution of the test sheets:
- Have environments, platforms and networks available
- Availability of the coffee machine effective
- During the execution of steps:
o Follow the procedure in the “description” on LETTER!
o The tests outside the marked paths are BANNED!
o Compare the result (RO) with the field Expected Result (or expected outcome (RA)).
o

Management of anomalies or Defects:
Fundamental:
- Have a workflow defined anomalies that is known, validated, shared and clear. This is for all players
- If yes, do all the players are aware of their roles and responsibilities?
- If the execution proceeds failure:
o Verify that the specified outcome is correct
o Enter the result as clearly as possible
o Check that the anomaly is reproducible integrator or ridicule you and not take into account the anomaly
o Open an anomaly
o Describe the anomaly as clear as possible otherwise your work will not help and you will lose a lot of time in explanation
o ALWAYS associated with a sheet test

- Reproducibility?
o The anomaly is it reproducible under the same conditions?
- Compliance?
o The abnormality has been detected by following the procedure laid down in the sheet test?
o expected results included in the file are updated?
- Uniqueness?
o The anomaly detected is not already open?
To do this, ask your colleagues and your manager is a good start
Use filters and search fields
o Is not there already opened a ticket on a subject almost identical?
Clarity?
- Gravity?
o What is the level of severity of the anomaly?
Critical
Major
Minor

A final practice for the road? Make a copy and paste the above practices in an Excel file, the file named “Checklist guaranteeing the quality of the test repository”. You do not have:
- Go to request and ask a bonus to your manager ;-)
- And submit your client to be finally a real example of industrialization of testing tools

And for the record, know that putting into practice every day these recommendations will make the implementation of this tool CMMI level 3 (see article on CMMI3 and QC).