What is Validation?
The process of evaluating software at the end of the software development process to ensure compliance with software requirements. The techniques for validation are testing, inspection and reviewing.
Validation: Are we building the right product?
What is Verification?
The process of determining whether of not the products of a given phase of the software development cycle meets the implementation steps and can be traced to the incoming objectives established during the previous phase. The techniques for verification are testing, inspection and reviewing.
Verification: Are we building the product right?
How to test the Web applications?
The basic difference in web testing is here we have to test for URL's coverage and links coverage. Using WinRunner we can conduct web testing. But we have to make sure that Web test option is selected in "Add in Manager". Using WR we cannot test XML objects.
How do we test for severe memory leakages?
By using Endurance Testing. Endurance Testing means checking for memory leaks or other problems that may occur with prolonged execution.
Why does software have bugs?
1. Miscommunication
2. Programming errors
3. Time pressures.
4. Changing requirements
5. Software complexity
What are memory leaks and buffer overflows?
Memory leaks means incomplete reallocation - are bugs that happen very often. Buffer overflow means data sent as input to the server that overflows the boundaries of the input area, thus causing the server to misbehave. Buffer overflows can be used.
How you will describe testing activities?
Testing activities start from the elaboration phase. The various testing activities are preparing the test plan, Preparing test cases, Execute the test case, Log teh bug, validate the bug & take appropriate action for the bug, Automate the test cases.
What are the tables in test plans and test cases?
Test plan is a document that contains the scope, approach, test design and test strategies. It includes the following:-
1. Test case identifier
2. Scope
3.Features to be tested
4. Features not to be tested.
5. Test strategy.
6. Test Approach
7. Test Deliverable
8. Responsibilities.
9 Staffing and Training
10.Risk and Contingencies
11. Approval
How is testing affected by object-oriented designs?
Well-engineered object-oriented design can make it easier to trace from code to internal design to functional design to requirements. While there will be little affect on black box testing (where an understanding of the internal design of the application is unnecessary), white-box testing can be oriented to the application's objects. If the application was well-designed this can simplify test design.
How can World Wide Web sites be tested?
Web sites are essentially client/server applications - with web servers and 'browser' clients. Consideration should be given to the interactions between html pages, TCP/IP communications, Internet connections, firewalls, applications that run in web pages (such as applets, javascript, plug-in applications), and applications that run on the server side (such as cgi scripts, database interfaces, logging applications, dynamic page generators, asp, etc.). Additionally, there are a wide variety of servers and browsers, various versions of each, small but sometimes significant differences between them, variations in connection speeds, rapidly changing technologies, and multiple standards and protocols. The end result is that testing for web sites can become a major ongoing effort. Other considerations might include:
- What are the expected loads on the server (e.g., number of hits per unit time?), and what kind of performance is required under such loads (such as web server response time, database query response times). What kinds of tools will be needed for performance testing (such as web load testing tools, other tools already in house that can be adapted, web robot downloading tools, etc.)?
- Who is the target audience? What kind of browsers will they be using? What kind of connection speeds will they by using? Are they intra- organization (thus with likely high connection speeds and similar browsers) or Internet-wide (thus with a wide variety of connection speeds and browser types)?
- What kind of performance is expected on the client side (e.g., how fast should pages appear, how fast should animations, applets, etc. load and run)?
- Will down time for server and content maintenance/upgrades be allowed? how much?
- What kinds of security (firewalls, encryptions, passwords, etc.) will be required and what is it expected to do? How can it be tested?
- How reliable are the site's Internet connections required to be? And how does that affect backup system or redundant connection requirements and testing?
- What processes will be required to manage updates to the web site's content, and what are the requirements for maintaining, tracking, and controlling page content, graphics, links, etc.?
- Which HTML specification will be adhered to? How strictly? What variations will be allowed for targeted browsers?
- Will there be any standards or requirements for page appearance and/or graphics throughout a site or parts of a site??
- How will internal and external links be validated and updated? how often?
- Can testing be done on the production system, or will a separate test system be required? How are browser caching, variations in browser option settings, dial-up connection variabilities, and real-world internet 'traffic congestion' problems to be accounted for in testing?
- How extensive or customized are the server logging and reporting requirements; are they considered an integral part of the system and do they require testing?
- How are cgi programs, applets, javascripts, ActiveX components, etc. to be maintained, tracked, controlled, and tested?
- Pages should be 3-5 screens max unless content is tightly focused on a single topic. If larger, provide internal links within the page.
- The page layouts and design elements should be consistent throughout a site, so that it's clear to the user that they're still within a site.
- Pages should be as browser-independent as possible, or pages should be provided or generated based on the browser-type.
- All pages should have links external to the page; there should be no dead-end pages.
- The page owner, revision date, and a link to a contact person or organization should be included on each page.
What if an organization is growing so fast that fixed QA processes are impossible?
This is a common problem in the software industry, especially in new technology areas. There is no easy solution in this situation, other than:
- Hire good people
- Management should 'ruthlessly prioritize' quality issues and maintain focus on the customer
- Everyone in the organization should be clear on what 'quality' means to the customer
How does a client/server environment affect testing?
Client/server applications can be quite complex due to the multiple dependencies among clients, data communications, hardware, and servers. Thus testing requirements can be extensive. When time is limited (as it usually is) the focus should be on integration and system testing. Additionally, load/stress/performance testing may be useful in determining client/server application limitations and capabilities. There are commercial tools to assist with such testing.
What if there isn't enough time for thorough testing?
Use risk analysis to determine where testing should be focused.
Since it's rarely possible to test every possible aspect of an application, every possible combination of events, every dependency, or everything that could go wrong, risk analysis is appropriate to most software development projects. This requires judgment skills, common sense, and experience. (If warranted, formal methods are also available.) Considerations can include:
- Which functionality is most important to the project's intended purpose?
- Which functionality is most visible to the user?
- Which functionality has the largest safety impact?
- Which functionality has the largest financial impact on users?
- Which aspects of the application are most important to the customer?
- Which aspects of the application can be tested early in the development cycle?
- Which parts of the code are most complex, and thus most subject to errors?
- Which parts of the application were developed in rush or panic mode?
- Which aspects of similar/related previous projects caused problems?
- Which aspects of similar/related previous projects had large maintenance expenses?
- Which parts of the requirements and design are unclear or poorly thought out?
- What do the developers think are the highest-risk aspects of the application?
- What kinds of problems would cause the worst publicity?
- What kinds of problems would cause the most customer service complaints?
- What kinds of tests could easily cover multiple functionalities?
- Which tests will have the best high-risk-coverage to time-required ratio?
How can it be known when to stop testing?
This can be difficult to determine. Many modern software applications are so complex, and run in such an interdependent environment, that complete testing can never be done. Common factors in deciding when to stop are:
- Deadlines (release deadlines, testing deadlines, etc.)
- Test cases completed with certain percentage passed
- Test budget depleted
- Coverage of code/functionality/requirements reaches a specified point
- Bug rate falls below a certain level
- Beta or alpha testing period ends
What makes a good QA or Test manager?
A good QA, test, or QA/Test(combined) manager should:
- be familiar with the software development process
- be able to maintain enthusiasm of their team and promote a positive atmosphere, despite what is a somewhat 'negative' process (e.g., looking for or preventing problems)
- be able to promote teamwork to increase productivity
- be able to promote cooperation between software, test, and QA engineers
- have the diplomatic skills needed to promote improvements in QA processes
-have the ability to withstand pressures and say 'no' to other managers when quality is insufficient or QA processes are not being adhered to
- have people judgment skills for hiring and keeping skilled personnel
- be able to communicate with technical and non-technical people, engineers, managers, and customers.
- be able to run meetings and keep them focused
What makes a good Software QA engineer?
The same qualities a good tester has are useful for a QA engineer. Additionally, they must be able to understand the entire software development process and how it can fit into the business approach and goals of the organization. Communication skills and the ability to understand various sides of issues are important. In organizations in the early stages of implementing QA processes, patience and diplomacy are especially needed. An ability to find problems as well as to see 'what's missing' is important for inspections and reviews.
What are 5 common solutions to software development problems?
1. solid requirements - clear, complete, detailed, cohesive, attainable, testable requirements that are agreed to by all players. Use prototypes to help nail down requirements.
2. realistic schedules - allow adequate time for planning, design, testing, bug fixing, re-testing, changes, and documentation; personnel should be able to complete the project without burning out.
3. adequate testing - start testing early on, re-test after fixes or changes, plan for adequate time for testing and bug-fixing.
4. stick to initial requirements as much as possible - be prepared to defend against changes and additions once development has begun, and be prepared to explain consequences. If changes are necessary, they should be adequately reflected in related schedule changes. If possible, use rapid prototyping during the design phase so that customers can see what to expect. This will provide them a higher comfort level with their requirements decisions and minimize changes later on.
5. communication - require walkthroughs and inspections when appropriate; make extensive use of group communication tools - e-mail, groupware, networked bug-tracking tools and change management tools, intranet capabilities, etc.; insure that documentation is available and up-to-date - preferably electronic, not paper; promote teamwork and cooperation; use prototypes early on so that customers' expectations are clarified.
What are 5 common problems in the software development process?
1. Poor requirements - if requirements are unclear, incomplete, too general, or not testable, there will be problems.
2. Unrealistic schedule - if too much work is crammed in too little time, problems are inevitable.
3. Inadequate testing - no one will know whether or not the program is any good until the customer complaints or systems crash.
4. featuritis - requests to pile on new features after development is underway; extremely common.
5. Miscommunication - if developers don't know what's needed or customer's have erroneous expectations, problems are guaranteed.
What's the difference between QA and testing?
QA is more a preventive thing, ensuring quality in the company and therefore the product rather than just testing the product for software bugs?
TESTING means 'quality control'
QUALITY CONTROL measures the quality of a product
QUALITY ASSURANCE measures the quality of processes used to create a quality product.
Describe some problem that you had with automating testing tool
1. The inability of winrunner to identify the third party control like infragistics controls
2. The change of the location of the table object will cause object not found error.
3. The inability of the winrunner to execute the script against multiple languages
What are the main attributes of test automation?
software test automation attributes :
Maintainability - the effort needed to update the test automation suites for each new release
Reliability - the accuracy and repeatability of the test automation
Flexibility - the ease of working with all the different kinds of automation test ware
Efficiency - the total cost related to the effort needed for the automation
Portability - the ability of the automated test to run on different environments
Robustness - the effectiveness of automation on an unstable or rapidly changing system
Usability - the extent to which automation can be used by different types of users
What skills needed to be a good test automator?
1. Good Logic for programming.
2. Analytical skills.
3. Pessimestic in Nature.
What are the main attributes of test automation?
Maintainability,
Reliability, Flexibility, Efficiency, Portability, Robustness, and
Usability - these are the main attributes in test automation.
What testing activities you may want to automate in a project?
Testing tools can be used for :
* Sanity tests(which is repeated on every build),
* stress/Load tests(U simulate a large no of users, which is manually impossible) &
* Regression tests(which are done after every code change)
