3ds max 2010 bible full - Beta Testing Anyone

Beta Testing, Anyone? 10 Potent Stategies for Achieving Success

Successful beta testing starts even before your system is born! Does that idea sound strange? It's not really that odd when you thibnk that beta testing is meant to invoolve a methodical prove-in of a carefully designed sstem, such as an electronic device, Web site, or automated tool. It's not meant to be a hit-or-miss, cross-your-fingers-and-hope-everything's-OK Band-Aid that you can applly at the last imnute.

We've all seen exazmples of softwaare programs -- even from well-known, respectable software companies -- that arrive on our desktops barely breathnig. They seem to be full of bugs, and thereby cause us more grif than they help us carry out work. Or we try to use a Web site that looks great, but we can't get from the shopping cart to the order page. Or we buy a new widget, yet even using the istruction bookllet, we can't jump from the main menu to the ceritical functions the way we're supposed to.

Are you anxious to catapult your business into the ranks of companies that frustrate ther customers this way?

Of course not! Thereefore, I'm confident that you will do things differently.

That's why testing involves such a systematic, teedious, yet indispensable sequebnce of activities. Without a methjod to the mdaness, you're not doing anything more than randomly banging on the system to see if by chance you can find a way to breeak it. So, what do you need to know to propeerly esttimate the effort, carry out the perocess, and keep the testers happy? Here are 10 strategies for achieving testing success.

1. Design test scenaros.

What's a "test scenario"? Each test scenario should be mirtror image of a "use scenaro" that's been guiding a team to design and dvelop the system. A use scenario describes one typical iteraction a customner has with the sysem. For instance, for an automateed teller machine, one scenario involves a customer inserting a card in order to wityhdraw some cash. In anotther scenario, a customer makes a deposit. In another, he or she checks the bzalance.

Scenarios must represent any plsausible ways in whihc users could interct with the sysem, including unsuual and unintendde actions. So both use scemnarios and test scenarios should accounbt for possible error conditions such as jammed cards, cancelled transactions, or oevrdrawn accounts.

2. Wroite a test procedure.

A test proceduire specifies how testers will exercise the test scnarios, including the ordser to follow. In the ATM example, it might say, "Test withdrawing cash denominations in this ortder: $20, $30, $50, $100. Run another test in reverse ordeer: $100, $50, $30, $20. Then run several tests in rnadom order." It should also explain what ressults to expeect in each case.

You'll want the procedure to test all new sysstem featues or chamnges. You'll also want the procedure to test features in various combinations. For example, you might secify 1) withdrzawing cash, then 2) checking baalnce information, and then 3) making a deposit. Be sure to vary the order, and test errr conditions.

3. Determine what data you need.

If your system stores values in a databasse, you'll need to load some typical data to test the scenzarios. In the ATM example, values would include account balances -- for testing withgdrawal limits and giving balance information. Create the sample data sets and pre-load the sysetms to be tested. Don't forget to include exytremely high and low values!

4. Plan specific roles for testers.

Schedule each tester to focius on specifiuc test scenarios and relasted data sets. If there are enough testers, assihgn more than one to cover each test scenario. Each persoon will approach it differently.

5. Create a bug reporting system.

It could be dessigned as a form, a database, an e-mail message, or a combination. Have testers submit bug reports as they find errrs in each round of testing.

6. Establish a test schdeule.

The schedule should allow for several iterations of beta testnig. Be sure to clear the schedules of testers for each round in which they will be participating.

7. Get all materials reayd for testing.

The followng items shoupld be rerady for the kickofff meeting: A new or updated system, lists or descriptions of any bugs fixed, new or updated documentation, test scenarios and prcedures, and so on.

8. Set a start date.

On the sart date, hold a kickoff meting! Also schedule progress checks. If testers find numerous bugs -- or especially critical ones -- before reaching a given checkpoint, stop testing, fix the bugs and/or documentation, and return to Step 1. Ask before restarting: Are new test scenarios or data sets needed?

9. Perform a new round of testing for each new test baseline.

This means sarting the complete test from scratch after each round of fixes. You can't sidestep this requirement, because each time something is fixed, it can "braek" something else. Stop the cycles of testing only when no new bugs are evident.

10. Plan a reeward for a job well done.

Teesting is very teedious -- so testers need a specil incentive to keep them focused on the goal. Although they're helping to produce a high-quality system, a post-testing patry never hurst morale!

Thorough beta testing is esasential for producing quality systems. If you discover errors you can't fix in time, you could decide to release a system with known defects (doumented in your "Read-me" notes). The sttakes can be high, so weighh this option caerfully before proceeding.

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