Firefox is a testers friend it really is. The extensions available are excellent and save a massive amount of time. Get Firefox from the right nav over there >>
Then add a few extensions to it >Tools>Add ons
These are must haves
Try the developer add on, its excellent, and lets you query all aspects of the page your testing. Also has a very handy overlay ruler tool for measuring page items.
Try the TAW add on, it's an accessibility extension that allows you to verify, with just a click, the accessibility of the Web sites that you are visiting, by means of the TAW3 online service (www.tawdis.net) and making use of the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 1.0).
Try the HTML validator - never let a dodgy coded page out of your sight again.
Thursday, 1 March 2007
Testing and Design Matters
Brand stewardship is a big thing - it can make or break most web development agencies. Design QA is an essential part of the test job so make sure it's at the forefront of the testers thoughts at all time.
Designers PSD's are the key, once the client has signed them off, create a design bible from them so the tester has a reference point and get them set up with cool rule, juicy studio plug in for Firefox and a bunch of test beds with all the browsers your sites supporting.
Pixel matching the HTML to PSD's is time consuming but essential if what the client eventually sees is what they were expecting to see. It also keeps your designers on side and reinforces the QA teams position in the company as not just button pushers.
When your logging your bugs show them what the issue is, Gadwin do an excellent print screen tool just for the job.
Repeat the process once template to application integration has taken place as this usually breaks the designs - but you know if there are problems that they are integration issues and not the templates per se.
Finally get design reviews as explicit tasks in the project plan. The last thing you want is designers on launch date pulling the site apart because it doesn't match their vision.
Designers PSD's are the key, once the client has signed them off, create a design bible from them so the tester has a reference point and get them set up with cool rule, juicy studio plug in for Firefox and a bunch of test beds with all the browsers your sites supporting.
Pixel matching the HTML to PSD's is time consuming but essential if what the client eventually sees is what they were expecting to see. It also keeps your designers on side and reinforces the QA teams position in the company as not just button pushers.
When your logging your bugs show them what the issue is, Gadwin do an excellent print screen tool just for the job.
Repeat the process once template to application integration has taken place as this usually breaks the designs - but you know if there are problems that they are integration issues and not the templates per se.
Finally get design reviews as explicit tasks in the project plan. The last thing you want is designers on launch date pulling the site apart because it doesn't match their vision.
Wednesday, 28 February 2007
Being Agile with Creative Testing
Agile Project Management requires testers and QA staff to re-think their approach. Get creative. You have no functional spec, requirements exist on post it notes and test data is non-existent.
What do you do?
Hypothesize like hell. You are now in a position where you can influence requirements and functionality so jump in and enjoy the experience. This does require a little experience and a little confidence, but instead of translating stuffy specs into test cases you get to hypothesize what should happen in all the different conditions. Take the user stories and go to town with test cases.
Much more fun.
Get creative!
What do you do?
Hypothesize like hell. You are now in a position where you can influence requirements and functionality so jump in and enjoy the experience. This does require a little experience and a little confidence, but instead of translating stuffy specs into test cases you get to hypothesize what should happen in all the different conditions. Take the user stories and go to town with test cases.
Much more fun.
Get creative!
Automated Testing
Never let the automated tool take up more time than it will save, that's one of the golden rules. These things are like scabs and love to be picked at. Don't forget if you have a small team or maybe it's just you, these tools should work for you not get in the way of the actual test work.
Badboy is my current favorite. It's fantastic for getting very quick data driven tests set up with a load of assertions along the way. This has been used on most projects, and has a handy web service called Wave Test Manager which lets scheduled runs to be created with email alerts regarding status.
Try Badboy here
Badboy is my current favorite. It's fantastic for getting very quick data driven tests set up with a load of assertions along the way. This has been used on most projects, and has a handy web service called Wave Test Manager which lets scheduled runs to be created with email alerts regarding status.
Try Badboy here
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