Application Development archives - Quality Assurance and Project Management

Quality Assurance and Project Management:

Application development

Aug 10 2009   10:00AM GMT

Two approaches in defining testing scope of an application



Posted by: Jaideep
Quality Assurance, software testing, quality control, QA, QC, functionality, new feature, Application development, quality, application quality, functional testing

There is no end to an application. It always asks for a new feature, alter in functionality, addition/ change of business rule etc. With any change in the existing application running in a live environment, the change needs to be tested for all aspects of quality before putting it live. The question comes what should be the scope of testing in this case. Should tester test only for the change part or the complete application?

A change in application small or big is always going to mark an impact on the whole application. Even if not on the whole application, to some extent at various places in the application. Sometimes it could be beyond the knowledge of developer.

Therefore, in my opinion, it is wise to test to whole application even if it going to take more time and efforts to minimize the risk of impact of ‘change’ in the application.

Aug 7 2009   10:00AM GMT

Ten Mantras for a software developer



Posted by: Jaideep
Software developer, software development, Application development, Software application, software testing, bug-free, Bug, software, application, bug identification, application building, code writing, application performance, business requirements, Business Rules, code validation, business process, process owner, end user, collaboration, tester, application functionality, software functionality, software performance, quality, customer experience, software build, bug fixing

Lot of efforts can be saved in terms of time and money if we reach to a stage of ‘first time right’ in application development. It has been proven largely that no good application can be built and released without extensive testing. Testing is not developers’ ball game – this is also a well proven fact. Reasons are many as far as it is concerned that why developers can’t build a bug-free application, or why can’t they test on their own. We are not going to discuss those reasons here. Focus here would be on what developers should keep in mind while building an application that it requires minimum efforts and time in all testing stages. As we all know the cost of bug fixing goes manifold, depending on how much distance (in terms of time and project stages) it has covered after development for bug identification. The bugs identified at a later stage, say during UAT cost more significantly as compared to the bug identified by the developer himself immediately after writing a code. Few qualities if a developer acquires and keeps in his mind while writing codes would not only benefit him but the organization he is working for and their customer also for whom the product is being built.

1. Commitment to application performance should be kept in mind while writing a code.
2. Clarity of business requirements and rules/ validations that are being translated into the application with real aptitude of business and not a developer. Don’t imagine and build. If there is some lack in clarity – discuss, record and build.
3. Treat yourself as the business process owner and end user – and build the application accordingly as if you have to use it. Don’t think yourself as a bartender, think as if you are preparing the drink for yourself.
4. Collaborate and build – rather than building in isolation- collaborate with other developers working on the application, the end user, and the testers.
5. Optimize your code – don’t just write it. There are n numbers of optimizers almost in all technologies. Use them and build a strong application in terms of functionality and performance. Be quality focused. Don’t do efforts that call for more efforts later.
6. Be focused. Don’t work on various applications development at the same time unless it is too mission critical.
7. Gain customer experience after launch of your application. It will certainly help you in your future builds. Build a customer satisfaction metrics.
8. Don’t take short cuts in fixing bugs – whatever stage they are identified. That way you will build more bugs while fixing identified bugs.
9. Work like a champion. There is a difference between playing a shot and playing an accurate shot.
10. Be loyal to yourself, your organization and your work.


Apr 10 2009   9:59AM GMT

Application developed, tested and built well does not ensure successful implementation



Posted by: Jaideep
Application development, software development, application implementation, software implementation, post implementation, successful implementation, project manager, software project manager, project vision, project sponsor, project director, stakeholder, software testing, application readiness, Project Management

It is not only the project manager but all stakeholders who get affected by the project over-run or failure. It could happen due to any reasons. One of the major reasons that have emerged is the lack of vision of the project manager, project sponsors, project directors and other stakeholders to foresee the problems faced by customer during implementation or post implementation while using the product.

The product may have been developed well, tested well and built well to launch, but what happens if some soft issues that may arise during implementation or even post implementation period are overlooked. It could lead to a disaster…