software performance

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.

Jul 6 2009   10:00AM GMT

Five stages in a project when Software Tester becomes Quality Analyst

Posted by: Jaideep
Quality Assurance, Software tester, software testing, Project Planning, Test Plan, test case, product analysis, customer requirement analysis, product functionality, software functionality, software documentation, software document, test result, test performance, software performance, testing process, quality analyst, QC, QA, quality control, load testing, performance testing, functional testing, security testing, test coverage, software build, software, analysis, functionality

A software tester evaluates software based on certain parameters. These parameters are set as per product, customer and organization requirements. Testing could be just of functional features or include load, performance and security. For any parameters a tester has to work as quality analyst to understand requirements, features and accordingly build test cases and perform test. This is the quality control part. On quality assurance front the quality team has to build standards for requirement freezing, planning, development, implementation and post implementation phases of a project.

A software tester at various stages of a project gets on to the job of a Quality Analyst by performing following tasks:

Analysis of customer requirements: The first and foremost analysis required is that of the customer requirements to ascertain if it is complete, detailed and free from any confusions, ambiguities or equivocalness. Any flaw in requirements will certainly lead to a big disaster at a later stage. Unclear requirements are not difficult to build, but are difficult to manage. Every requirement should be in black and white. Each line should be very clearly documented such there should be nothing hidden between the lines.

Analysis of Product Functionality: Requirements documented and product built has to go hand in hand. It should not happen that requirements and product speak differently even a single line. Usually while testing functionality of a product, tester forgets to refer to requirements documented, or asks developer about the functionality. The developer will certainly explain him the functionality he has built not what exactly has been mentioned in the requirements document. If this happens, it will certainly cause a big blast at implementation or acceptance stage.

Analysis of Product related documents: There are many documents prepared during the project. Some are meant for internal use, some are prepared for customer. All these documents need to be inspected thoroughly and neatly.

Analysis of test results: Test cases are built to perform tests resulting in bugs report or test results report. A thorough scan is must to ensure complete coverage and thorough testing. The report should be detailed in all respects in terms of clarity and coverage.

Analysis of Testing Process: The testing process once establishes need to be revisited again and again to improve further at every go. Once established does not mean it is ultimate and best. Improvement has always a scope howsoever best your process or product is.

May 29 2009   10:00AM GMT

Post Implementation Review – When, ldeally?

Posted by: Jaideep
post implementation, post implementation review, Project Management, project board, project sign-off, project closure, Software Project, software implementation, project acceptance, software performance, product performance

When is to perform a post implementation review? A witty answer could be – obviously after implementation. Ha! Definitely a successful closure of implementation could declare a project closure with a formal project acceptance report or project sign off. So shall we have a post implementation review as soon as we have a project sign off? Nah! That would not solve the purpose. Give an appropriate time to the customer team key users to settle down as the captain of the ship and sail it smoothly. One day or one week smooth sailing will not tell you the turmoil or undercurrent storm about to come in future. Correct. Then future is too long. That means keep waiting for turmoil. But mind it, all ships sailing in the sea do not experience storm. Similarly all products after implementation and project sign off do not guarantee a serious disaster.

Product performance in actual sense requires a certain timeframe to establish and to give confidence to end users. Some part of post implementation review related to team performance (implementation) can be answered quickly, maybe immediately after the project closure. But the other part needs a considerable amount of time to understand the product from different perspectives and accordingly present a right picture in the review report.

Certainly, then, atleast a period of minimum three months is required to experience the product and then fill in the post implementation report. Ideally, I would say, wait for six months, use product in all respects, aggressively, and then the top management need to sit with their key users and project board to evaluate, assess and fill the post implementation review.

May 27 2009   10:00AM GMT

Post Implementation Review – Why required?

Posted by: Jaideep
post implementation review, Project Management, project implementation, Software Project, implementation team, end user, project training, project knowledge, project lerning, software features, software functionality, software performance

A successful implementation does not ensure the completion of project. The reality starts when the implementation team has gone back and users have started using the project in full swing with the help of training material, learning, knowledge and product. The health of users in respect of using the product is sustained, deteriorated, or improved will depend on many factors. A post implementation review is always important to understand the users understanding, pains and delights during this tenure. This will translate further into management’s pains and delights. The overall delight weightage has to be higher than the pain. In a blow of project implementation phase users might feel quite confident regarding the product features, functionality and ease. When the whole thing falls upon them, it usually drive them in confusion, wrong actions or stoppages. Or a smooth drive.

A post implementation survey will help in a real measurement on two fronts. One front will be users’ understanding, ease and comfort (or vice versa). Second front will be product’s stability, performance and functionality. It also will assess the after effects of a successful project implementation.

The conclusions could be misleading although and will require a deep analysis. A user’s lack of understanding may spell into products inefficiency or the opposite of it.