testing environment

Oct 8 2008   10:35AM GMT

Bug Management - Major Concerns being felt across the Globe

Posted by: Jaideep
software quality assurance, software testing, Project Management, software, software quality, Quality Assurance, software engineering, Software testers, SDLC, software qa, Bug, Project Lifecycle, software testing cycle, software testing projects, softwaretesting, STLC, tester, project manager, testing environment, Bug Management

Senior Management including CIOs, QA Heads, CEOs, Development Heads, Project Heads, Customers, Vendors and/or sub-contractors related to software Organizations across the globe has repeatedly displayed their concern over the Bugs Management Process from time to time.

These concerns could be grouped as below:

1. The results of the Testing process are regularly inconsistent: This means that if same code is being tested by different group of testers under different leads, the results will vary always. Also the same team performing testing on different products will result in different performances.

2. The test results do not lead to more effective coding: The coding is always prone to create bugs (programmers are always as overconfident as ever).

3. The identification and quantification of a Bug is highly dubious: All the efforts by testing team in identifying and categorizing a bug is not always able to meet the seriousness it is meant for. Moreover sometimes a bug becomes an issue of debate over its category (critical/ severe/ desirable etc.).

4. Quality managers and testers often appear to have a limited knowledge of the code and business concepts and related issues.

5. Excessive focus and reliance on quantitative bug analysis is dangerous.

6. Bugs with a low probability occur more often than would be expected.

7. Bug management leads directly to bug avoidance.

8. Bug prioritization by Test managers is usually a simple ranking showing little or no understanding of the business process or customer requirements.

Most of the time the goal of testing is to diagnose the cause of bugs and produce better solutions. Instead the focus should be more on avoidance of bug generation at the code level so that least changes happen in the code once generated.

Sep 15 2008   10:56AM GMT

Why build a test environment for software testing?

Posted by: Jaideep
software quality assurance, software testing, software, Development, software quality, Quality Assurance, Software testers, software qa, software testing procedure, software testing process, software testing tips, tester, testing environment, software testing environment

In continuation to my previous blog – “what is a test environment?”, let us understand here why a test environment is required for testing a software product? I see two major purposes for this, one purpose catering to customer end, and the second purpose catering to the vendor end quality testing team.

The vendor or supplier who is preparing or supplying a software product to its customer must be very clear that in what environment his customer is planning to run this product. The environment could be the hard side – i.e. the hardware configuration comprising of hardware server and users PC components viz – hard disk size, its speed, RAM – size and speed, Processor, bus speed etc. in the soft side it will comprise of the Server/ Users PCs Operating System and its version, OS Patches requirements, Browser – which all browsers are supported and which versions, IIS server specifications at server end, Database Server – What database and which version or release. Any other software components required at server or users computers. The purpose is to run this software as if it is being used by the client at his site. In a way it is the simulation of client site.

The second purpose to have the test environment separate to development environment is to restrict developer’s intervention in test environment during the test phase. This is to be done so that the test results are clear, real and non-ambiguous.

Any other reason coming to the mind while reading this blog that comes to my readers – is most welcome in the comments section.

Sep 12 2008   10:35AM GMT

What is a Testing environment for software testing?

Posted by: Jaideep
software quality assurance, software testing, software, software quality, Quality Assurance, software engineering, Software testers, software qa, software testing tips, softwaretesting, tester, testing environment, software testing environment

A testing environment is a setup of software and hardware on which the testing team is going to perform the testing of the newly built software product. This setup consists of the physical setup which includes hardware, and logical setup that includes Server Operating system, client operating system, database server, front end running environment, browser (if web application), IIS (version on server side) or any other software components required to run this software product. This testing setup is to be built on both the ends – i.e. the server and client.

I remember a case where an application was built strictly as per customer requirements by a software vendor without understanding or taking it seriously that what database version the client is intends to use for this software. The vendor developed the application on Microsoft SQL Server x version and the client purchased the new server with the next version of MS SQL. When the product was completed at vendor side, he did a fantastic testing and made the software functionally very strong meeting customer’s all business needs. And when the product was launched at the customer location on the next version of OS and database, the product misbehaved (or did not perform) in few of the instances for which the technical team had to be sent to the customer site to fix the gaps and make it run hassle free. Now this not only affected the product cost but delayed the project deadlines in a major way. This small ignorance at both client and vendor end made a recursive effect at the vendors profits and next few projects.

The production or development team when completes a product development at their end, have to produce this test environment for testing team prior to loading their newly developed product on that environment for testing.