Software Testing Strategies

I found a nice set of articles on formulating a test strategy for a software product. It is presented in 'tell a story' way which I hope is much more eye-catching than any other methods. All credits to www.edistalearning.com

1. Opening scenario

• Click this link

2. Planing software testing

• Click on this link
• Hover mouse pointer over each box that appears to view detailed description of each item

3. The testing strategy- Your testing strategy will be based on how your system is built. The software process should be examined to understand how a testing strategy can be designed.

Analysis->design->code->test


4. Roles and Organization for Testing -Who is going to implement the strategy

• Click on the link

Concepts of Software Quality

1. Difference between defect and error

Courtesy http://www.edistalearning.com/

Offshore Testing Nightmares !!!

I work in a project who's owners are working few thousand miles away. Developments are done there and we receive the product to be 'black box-tested' for quality before it reaches the customer.
If everything is going OK then there is no issues. But things don't go the way we like..as anything in our life.
So what goes wrong? well..things can go wrong from the very moment guys say now the product is ready to test till its successfully set up in our testing environments.
Things get worsen if they have a product line. This is the case with my situation. We have not only one product but multiple products to be tested. How awkward?

Now comes the nightmares...multiple different products, different supporting environments, limited domain/product knowledge on each, perhaps some are totally new!!!, installation issues, above all - Fixed dead lines.

So shouldn't we think of a way to come out of this misery?
If one can device an approach to tackle this, wouldn't that be nice ?May be a heuristic approach ??

What are your requirements?

1. Successful build installation
2. Test environments set up for the product being tested
3. Domain/product knowledge

what will be your challenges?

• Time
• communication issues- delays, misunderstandings among parties
• Getting help from partners
• Acquiring necessary documentation

How to fulfill your requirement under challenges?

1. If you are installing the build for the first time, then you should expect the 'unexpected'. Keep your MSN and Outlook (or what ever method you use to communicate)handy for immediate communication. Make sure to identify who the responsible people are. Troubleshooting will need expert help from the developers/architects. If an installation guild is available make use of it. but probably you may not find one

2. Set up your test environment as soon as possible. Best case would be to get ready with them before you get the mail saying 'OK guys build is ready for testing...'. You should have a matrix stating that which environment set up is required for which product. So make sure that you have procured necessary hardware and software in time. Co-ordinate with system administrators.

3. Gather domain/product knowledge
You might find several documentation related to the product being tested. may be the Help, use case, specification, and even test cases can be used to learn the product. Also trying out similar product which are available might be a good approach to learn the stuff. Playing around is also a good way to learn

4. Next most important thing is to document the lessons learned for future references.

If the all above are met, then its up to the tester to 'break the code' !!!

following diagram explains the scenarios

Setting up Oracle 10g in Windows - Tips to a Newbie

Are you new to Oracle? Have you been spending tiresome hours troubleshooting Oracle?
Well.. I would say 'Yes' if someone asked me :)
But I never think that the time has been wasted. Remember... 'No pain, No gain' :)
Recently I did setup an Oracle 10g on a Vista machine and I would like to share some important scenarios that I experienced.

1. Is your Oracle compatible with the OS?
Well.. the first issue came across is this. I tried to install 10.2.0.3 on a XP machine and it says 'Your OS does not support...'. I should have had 10.2.0.1 to install in a XP

How the DB is versioned?
10.2.0 is the actual release version and '3' is the patch set. Check Oracle site (http://www.oracle.com/technology/software/products/database/index.html) for compatibility, before you download.

2. Is your DB server DHCP enabled?

If your server is DHCP enabled, you will get a test failed condition in verification phase. To solve this add a Microsoft loop back adapter
Go to Control panel->Add Hardware
Select Network adapters
select Microsoft Loop back adapter
Once Installed, configure properties for IPV4 with following static IP values 10.10.10.10/255.255.255.0

3. Have you come across a situation where you are in front of the Db server and trying to connect to the database via sqlplus "/ as sydba", and get the following error 'ORA-01031: insufficient privileges' enter your use-name: and your sys password is not accepted

One reason might probably be that you have logged in to the DB server not as the administrator.(or probably not as product owner). If that is the case and if you are unable to log in as product owner, and if you still want to log in to database, there is a work around for you.

1. Delete and recreate a new password file
give password file name and location, and password
In DOS prompt type:
orapwd file = c:\ora_home\database\pwdfile.ora password=oracle

2. Restart Oracle database
Go to Services and restart the service (OracleService)

3. Now try to log in to DB via sqlplus "/ as sydba" with new password

Let's discuss about CRMs....

Customer relationship management (CRM in short) is a software,a company uses to track its contacts( customers/suppliers,etc).
Its typical goal is to improve services provided to customers, and to use customer contact information for target marketing

Why a company choose to have a CRM solution?

Lets look at this simple equation:

Profit= Revenue-Cost

According to the above equation, there are two ways that you can increase company profit.
That's either by reducing the cost or by increasing revenue. If a company is 'cost-conscious' then it would prefer an ERP solution, where all your processes get streamlined, hence can optimize the costing. Prtimising processes may vary from raw material management to supply chain mgt, production optimization, sales distribution, finance and also may be HR processes.

If a company is more 'revenue-concious' then it would probably choose a CRM solution to increase its sales.

There are mainly two ways you can increase your market share.
1. Create new customers( prospects)
2. Retaining existing customers

Therefore you have t make sure that your CRM solution will address those issues adequately.
So how CRM increases market share?
It should help to device a good marketing strategy. A strategy which fulfill the following:
- identify suitable customer segments (customers, potential customers, partners, suppliers etc)
- Helps to focus customer needs well, thereby improve 'quality' of good or service
- coordinate marketing activities affecting customers that is to have a good communication strategy- establish multiple channels of communication
- create long term relationship based on value and satisfaction- to fulfill customer expectation
Keep this in mind 'while a potential customer is looking for you, your competitor's system will find him first than you'

How CRM retains customers?

CRM should have the ability to gather data about customers, store that data in a format that is easy to access, analyze and to use this information to market or to communicate with customers.
This is very valuable for a company who is engage in repeat business.
'Cost of acquiring a new customer is far greater than the cost of maintaining a relationship with a current customer' this in turn lower your cost of sales thus increase profit.

About Me

Hi...

I'm Tharinda, working as a Software QA for a reputed company in Sri Lanka. Apart from the job, my interests spread across QA and its related,technologies (network,db,application..you name it :), Sports, NEWS, and of course Nature. Artistic and Wild life photography are some of my unrealialized desires. Hope this is going to be the best place to leave some thoughts about everything.