NVP Software Solutions

Category: Software Testing

  • Review Requirements (by Reviewing)

    The title of this Blog may be considered to be a self-evident truth. How else would you review a set of requirements except by reviewing them? There are other ways which we will get to in a couple of weeks. However, our initial look will be by the standard method of reviewing them.

    Reviewing requirements can be surprisingly difficult for some people. The following problems may arise:

    • You don’t know anything about the system under review
    • The requirements are disorganised
    • It is difficult to maintain concentration for an extended period of time

    There are ways around these problems. Some of them are personal and some relate to the methodology used to review the requirements.

    On the personal level:

    • Familiarise yourself with the system for which the requirements are being created. You cannot review in a vacuum.
    • Organise the requirements by tagging them according to the type and what they discuss. (It would be preferable if everyone used the same organisation but there is no guarantee of that occurring.)
    • Break up the review into sections

    Once you have completed your personnel review, you may be asked to join a group review bringing in your comments and hearing from everyone else. There are several methods of review depending on Risk including Desk Checking, Walkthroughs, Reviews, and finally Inspections. These vary from informal to very formal. However, they are all aimed at finding the errors in the requirements sooner rather than later. They also all assume on previous individual work.

    For a different way to review requirements, look for our next blog on this topic.

    Take a look at some of the seminars that we offer that address this situation and see if they apply to your situation. Requirements review is very cost-effective.

    Contact us for further information.

  • Online Courses starting April and May 2018

    QAI LVC Courses starting April 3, 2018

    1. CSTE Certification Training – Online – April
    2. CSQA Certification Training – Online- April
    3. EMST – Effective Methods of Software Testing – Online – April
    4. CSBA Certification Training – Online – May – New

    Courses are continuing throughout 2018.

    Take your opportunity to get training created by experts in the field. Make 2018 your best Quality Assurance year by being prepared and ready for whatever might come your way in terms of Software Testing or Quality Assurance.

    Quality Assurance is not just a solution to a technical software problem. It is a consideration for the entire business. Software Quality Assurance failures impact the entire business and can lead to large problems if not addressed.

    Training testers using NVP supplied courses provides testers with the techniques, tools, and knowledge to select the best method for testing – not the one that has been used for the last 15 years that’s falling short!

    When you work with an experienced software testing trainer you benefit by:

    • Creating more valuable employees that pays back more than investments
      in any test tool!
    • Getting real value from testing
    • Enhancing speed, accuracy and results from your testing processes
    • Seeing larger profits

    Quality assurance training is a great way to help ensure your systems are working for you while supporting and contributing to the growth of your company.

    Let us know if we can help!

  • Debugging versus Scenario Testing

    Recently someone in a class asked about the difference between debugging and scenario testing given the fact that many errors that need to be fixed must be completed in the code.

    If we make the assumption that we are doing a calculation of some sort or running an algorithm then the following applies.

    During User Acceptance Testing – the test should work end-to-end without an error in actual execution. The appearance, formatting or placement of the result may be incorrect but there should be no problems in running the actual process. This applies to normal cases. Clearly there is a possibility of issues with the unique cases that may have been identified late in the process. If the algorithm or test case does not run or cannot be completed then we are probably debugging rather than scenario testing.

    During System Testing – the calculation should complete although the result may be wrong and one or more steps along the way may provide incorrect results. So the results should be available and the algorithm complete although the results may be wrong. System Testing is aimed at Requirements so this is where we should whether the results agree with the requirements. If the individual test cases do not run or cannot be completed then we are probably debugging rather than scenario testing.

    During Integration Testing – each individual piece (validation of a piece of the overall algorithm) should run but they may not be able to work together. If the individual pieces do not work, then we are debugging. If they cannot be run as an integrated whole, then we are testing.

    During Unit Testing – we are debugging each individual piece of the algorithm. This is code debugging and is not expected to be anything else.

    Contact us to see whether you are scenario testing of debugging.

    Diagram by Veronica

  • 2018 Training Courses

    Enrolment for 2018 courses on the following topics is still open:

    1. Test Leadership – Toronto – April and October 2018
    2. Manager’s Test Planning – Toronto – February, April and October 2018
    3. Effective Software Testing – Toronto – February, April and October 2018
    4. Effective Software Testing – Online – April and September 2018
    5. Boot Camp for Testers- – Toronto – February, May and October 2018
    6. CSTE Certification Training – Online – April and September 2018
    7. CSQA Certification Training – Online- April and September 2018
    8. CAST Certification Training – Online February and September 2018
    9. Certifed ScrumMaster (R) (CSM) – Toronto – February through June 2018
    10. Certifed Scrum Product Owner (R) (CSPO) – Toronto – February through June 2018
    11. Other courses on request

    Courses are continuing throughout 2018.

    Take your opportunity to get training created by experts in the field. Make 2018 your best Quality Assurance year by being prepared and ready for whatever might come your way in terms of Software Testing or Quality Assurance.

    Quality Assurance is not just a solution to a technical software problem. It is a consideration for the entire business. Software Quality Assurance failures impact the entire business and can lead to large problems if not addressed.

    Training testers using NVP supplied courses provides testers with the techniques, tools, and knowledge to select the best method for testing – not the one that has been used for the last 15 years that’s falling short!

    When you work with an experienced software testing trainer you benefit by:

    • Creating more valuable employees that pays back more than investments
      in any test tool!
    • Getting real value from testing
    • Enhancing speed, accuracy and results from your testing processes
    • Seeing larger profits

    Quality assurance training is a great way to help ensure your systems are working for you while supporting and contributing to the growth of your company.

    Let us know if we can help!

  • QAI Testing Courses – Toronto, Canada – February 2018

    Still time to register for these three courses

    The following courses are being offered in Toronto in February 2018.

    1. Test Leadership
    2. Manager’s Test Planning
    3. Boot Camp for Testers

    Courses will be repeated in April and October of 2018.

    Registration is available at nvp.ca/training

  • Quality Assurance for Packaged Software

    There has been a large change in the last decade in how software is built and used. With the ability for anyone to build an app and market it, many organisations have realised that it is ‘easier to buy than build’. There are unique applications that are still being built (many of them) but for regular business functions and even some unique business functions it is often better and more effective to buy. A lot more functionality is available in the purchased package than could be built internally for the same cost.

    However the end result of this is that the Quality Assurance and testing aspects are frequently overlooked because they should have been taken care of by the vendor. However, most EULAs do not provide any assurance that the product works or provides valid results or information. Usually they state the opposite, there is absolutely no promise made of any ability to rely on the results. Thus you are on your own for the Quality Assurance (‘QA cannot be outsourced’).

    What tends to be overlooked in the rush to acquire the package is that considerations for QA need to be made at the time the purchase is being considered. They become part of the contract or requirements to ensure that the package is most of the way to fulfilling our needs before it arrives on site. We don’t want to be in the position of trying to change a package after it has already been purchased.

    Take a look at some of the seminars that we offer that address this situation and see if they apply to your situation. Considering the Quality Assurance and testing aspects early can save you a lot of effort, time and funds later on.

    Contact us for further information.

  • Upcoming Events – January and February 2018

     

    NVP Software Solutions will be participating in the following software testing and quality assurance events happening this January in Ontario, Canada. The events are located in Toronto, Kitchener-Waterloo and London in the coming two weeks. Check out the relevant websites for more information and to register. This is a great opportunity to connect with other software testing and quality assurance professionals. We hope to see you there! (more…)

  • Toronto based Courses for February 2018

    The following courses are being offered in Toronto in February 2018.

    1. Test Leadership
    2. Manager’s Test Planning
    3. Boot Camp for Testers

    Courses will be repeated in April and October of 2018.

    Registration is available at nvp.ca/training