Conference Presentations

Usability Testing: A Recipe for Success

Many organizations are finding out that their customers and users won't accept poorly designed Web sites and other critical applications. Through usability testing, you'll increase sales, increase traffic, and improve user productivity. In this case study from a major retailer, Antonet Bekker describes how to evaluate a system's usability in step-by-step approach. Often, recommended improvements to the software's usability design before (or after) the software goes live will result in dramatic increases in efficiency and effectiveness.

Wayne Mallinson, Test and Data Services
Rapid Automated Test Script Development In A Fast Paced Web Shop

Before you start writing automated test scripts, you need an automation framework that matches your application and environment. Not surprisingly, Web applications at HotJobs, a Yahoo! Company are constantly changing and need a fast, flexible methodology for test automation. Clay Givens illustrates the importance of designing this flexibility into automated tests with an emphasis on modularity for speed. He describes how to design automated tests, run them efficiently, and share test results using both commercial and homegrown open-source testing tools.

Clay Givens, HotJobs, a Yahoo! Company
Static Testing of Source Code

What is static testing of source code and why it is one of the most efficient testing techniques for your software projects? Peter Zimmerer explains how to perform static testing and shares valuable experiences, best practices, and pitfalls from his testing projects. Learn how to maximize the benefits of static testing in your projects and avoid the mistakes many make in using this technique. Although not restricted to a specific programming language, this presentation features examples of static testing using C and C++.

Peter Zimmerer, Siemens
Survival Skills for Today's Test Managers and Test Teams

Build and keep a strong QA/testing team valued by upper management while successfully competing for limited IT budgets. William Ginn shares his success at strengthening his team in a chaotic and changing development environment. Use the tools at your disposal (scheduling, bug tracking, version management, test case management, and test automation) to build reliability and structure, and to expose QA’s value and contribution to the organization through defined measurements. Learn to implement new, agile development methodologies while continuing to create and demonstrate value.

Bill Ginn, Onvia.com
The Process And Politics of Implementing Change: Moving To Formal Testing

Organizing test artifacts and having an automated process to manage them is critical to the success of test groups in complex application development lifecycles. Managing test cases in MS-Word or a spreadsheet no longer work. From the initial business case for upper management and achieving buy-in within the test team to tool acquisition and implementation, learn how to deploy a structured testing management system in your organization. Vivek Bhatia shares the challenges and his insights from Wells Fargo's successful transition to a structured testing model.

Vivek Bhatia and Jon Harader, Wells Fargo
Automated Testing of Packaged Applications Upgrades

If you are responsible for Oracle Application implementations, you probably understand the complexity and quality challenges of implementing 11.5x upgrades. You may also be struggling with how to best use automated testing for these upgrades. Find out about Mentora Group's experiences tackling these issues and the criteria they have developed for a successful project. Walk away from this session with specific insights for testing Oracle 11i Financials and Manufacturing, as well as general techniques applicable to testing any packaged ERP project.

Dan Downing, Mentora Inc
Code Reviews - An Improved, Light Weight Process

Formal code inspections work for some organizations, but are often considered too structured for many others. Thirumalesh Bhat discusses the pitfalls of formal inspections and presents a lightweight code review process that works at Microsoft. Learn the value of code reviews to improve the quality of both the test code and production code. Find out why test teams at Microsoft participate in all code reviews. Start a code review process in your organization, or improve the one that's in place now.

Thirumalesh Bhat, Microsoft
Combating the Test Schedule Killers

By focusing on three simple but often overlooked methods, David Petrella’s test team consistently stays on schedule and delivers the testing results his projects expect. Learn how to develop and employ Risk Assessment documents to define the scope of testing and identify areas that cannot be tested with available resources. Publish an Entrance Criteria document that defines what resources (hardware, software, data, etc.) are needed for a successful test project. Then, use the Code Freeze concept to ensure that the software is not constantly changing until the day of delivery. Take away specific examples and helpful templates based on David’s experience using these methods in numerous projects.

David Petrella, SysTest Labs
Testing Dialogues: Technical Issues

Test professionals face a myriad of issues with immature development technologies, changing systems environments, increasingly complex applications, and 24/7 reliability demands. We must choose the right methodology and best testing techniques to meet these challenges, all with a limited set of tools and not enough time. In this double-track session, you'll be able to ask for help from your peers, share you expertise with the group, and develop some new approaches to your biggest challenges. Johanna Rothman and Esther Derby facilitate this session, focusing on topics such as model based testing, security testing, testing without requirements, testing in the XP/Agile world, and configuration management. Discussions are structured in a framework so that participants will receive a summary or their work product after the conference.

Facilitated by Esther Derby and Johanna Rothman
Improving Testing In A Small Informal Organization

Many smaller organizations are looking for ways to improve their testing processes and approaches. They do not need complex assessment reports, change task forces, extensive implementation of guidelines, or expensive training programs. Solutions for smaller organizations often involve gradually upgrading test awareness and test process performance. Even introducing a supporting template and providing a little coaching helps considerably. Martin Pol shares his experiences with process improvement and outlines ways to improve testing in your small organization.

Martin Pol, POLTEQ IT Services BV

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