Conference Presentations

Testing Toolkit for J2EE Systems: A Case Study

Taking a test team from a client/server environment to J2EE-based Web technologies and implementing test automation at the same time is a challenge. Introducing an agile test methodology into a traditionally waterfall-oriented organization at the same time is even bigger. In this case study, share Clay Coleman's successes and challenges as he mentored and supported a test group throughout this project. Walk with Clay from the days of early analysis and design; through test strategy development and planning; on to test case design and automation efforts; during all stages of test execution; past system rollout; and, finally, completion of an initial regression test suite. If you think you may go through such an experience, you'll learn some lessons Clay will never forget.

  • Integrate test automation into the construction phase of a development project
Clay Coleman, CapTech Ventures
Beyond GUI: What You Need to Know about Database Testing

Today's complex software systems access heterogeneous data from a variety of back-end databases. The intricate mix of client-server and Web-enabled database applications are extremely difficult to test productively. Testing at the data access layer is the point at which your application
communicates with the database. Tests at this level are vital to improve not only your overall test strategy, but also your product's quality. Mary Sweeney explains what you need to know to test the SQL database engine, stored procedures, and data views. Find out how to design effective automated tests that exercise the complete database layer of your applications. You'll learn about the most common and vexing defects related to SQL databases and the best tools available to support your testing efforts.

Mary Sweeney, Exceed Training
eXtreme Programming's Unit Test Fixtures: Experience from the Field

Are you interested in adopting eXtreme Programming's (XP) unit test fixtures and related methods? Stan Bell shares his team's experiences with the Visual Basic version of the Xunit unit test framework. He then explains the methodology employed in the development shop, i.e., how engineers and QA analysts interacted prior to the application of this technique versus after. He points out the challenges, pitfalls, and successes encountered during the adoption process, and reports on the much-improved defect detection and correction rates that occurred post-adoption.

Stan Bell, McKesson
Performance Testing E-Commerce Web Systems

Performance testing of e-commerce Web systems is critical to the effectiveness of Web sites. Michael Hagen describes how Vanguard went through extensive load testing in preparation for the Y2K weekend. Discover how to develop performance requirements, set up a performance testing environment, and execute the actual testing. Gain invaluable insight into what makes a Web system--from browser to mainframe-perform or not perform.

Michael Hagen, The Vanguard Group
Applying Development Best Practices to Automated Testing

Test automation is a specialized form of software development where executable code is produced for the validation and testing process. Many best practices have been identified to allow developers to code more quickly, efficiently, and correctly, but few test automators have adopted these practices. Learn about several of these "best practices"-including code reviews and coding standards-that can be applied to automated test development. Discover how you, as an automated test developer, can capitalize on the benefits provided by these practices.

Andy Tinkham, Spherion Technology Architects
Testing in the Extreme Programming World

Much attention has been given to the topic of lightweight development processes-especially eXtreme Programming (XP). Robert Martin explains the concept and significance of a paradigm that believes acceptance tests should be defined by customers, and requires developers to write the unit tests before they write the code. He then separates the difficulties from the benefits inherent in this relatively new discipline. By cutting through the controversy, he's able to address the essential issues such as environmental possibilities and the need for XP. But most importantly, he addresses the question: What is the relevance of software testing and testing professionals within XP?

Robert Martin, Object Mentor, Inc.
The Simplest Automated Unit Test Framework That Could Possibly Work

Everyone pays lip service to the importance of unit testing, but rarely do developers actually integrate unit testing into their daily routine. In the spirit of eXtreme Programming, this presentation offers a simple two-class framework for automating unit tests in three popular languages: C++, Java, and C. No GUI, no templates, just a fast and productive way of organizing and running suites of unit tests. You'll walk away wondering how you have done without this simple technique for so long.

Chuck Allison, Utah Valley State College
Software Code Inspection for Defect Prevention

Thousands of hours are spent testing, but most software professionals find that traditional testing simply isn't enough to ensure code quality. This presentation gives software professionals a complementary approach: software inspection. Learn how software inspection differs from traditional testing, and gain an understanding of principal inspection techniques.

Jasper Kamperman, Reasoning
Is Quality Negotiable? Experiences of an eXtreme Programming Tester

If you want a higher quality product in an eXtreme Programming (XP) project, you must be prepared to pay a higher price. We make decisions and compromises based on quality versus cost every day. Extreme programming teams are driven to do their best work, but customers have the right to specify and pay for only the level of quality they require. This presentation explores ways to resolve these two potentially conflicting points of view.

Lisa Crispin, BoldTech Systems
STARWEST 2001: Bug Hunting: Going on a Software Safari

This presentation is about bugs: where they hide, how you find them, and how you tell other people they exist so they can be fixed. Explore the habitats of the most common types of software bugs. Learn how to make bugs more likely to appear and discover ways to present information about the bugs you find to ensure they get fixed. Drawing on real-world examples of bug reports, Elisabeth Hendrickson reveals tips and techniques for capturing the wiliest and most squirmy critters crawling around in your software.

Elisabeth Hendrickson, Quality Tree Software

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