Test Design

Tutorials

MM Test Attacks to Break Mobile and Embedded Software NEW

Jon Hagar, Grand Software Testing

Mon, 06/08/2015 - 1:00pm

In the tradition of James Whittaker’s book series How to Break Software, Jon Hagar applies the testing “attack” concept to the domain of mobile and embedded software systems. First, Jon defines the environments of mobile and embedded software. He then examines the issues of software product failures caused by defects found in these types of software. Next, Jon shares a set of attacks against mobile and embedded software based on common modes of failure that teams can direct against their software. Like different kinds of software design patterns, attacks are test design patterns that must be customized for particular contexts. For specific attacks, Jon explains when and how to conduct the attack—and why the attack works to find bugs. In addition to learning these testing concepts, you can practice the attack patterns on devices containing mobile and/or embedded software―so bring your smart phones.

TC Rapid Software Testing for Programmers NEW

James Bach, Satisfice, Inc.

Tue, 06/09/2015 - 8:30am

Perhaps you’re a programmer, trying to identify important problems in your code before they affect customers. Or a tester with skills in reading or writing code on a mission to find coding defects. James Bach presents Rapid Software Testing, a universal methodology for testing that consists of both a mindset and a skillset that can be applied whether or not you have a technical background. However, for people with coding skills, it has additional dimensions. Long before you can apply tools or write code to help solve problems, you must identify technical risk and consider the costs and benefits of various testing tactics. This is not a session about canned test tools and how to use them. It does not cover the mechanics of any specific tool or simple technique. Instead, we use practical exercises and Socratic questioning to explore the deeper skills of investigating, framing, and solving real testing problems using the skills and perspective of a programmer.

LAPTOP REQUIRED. Delegates must bring Windows-based laptops to this tutorial.

TN Testing the Data Warehouse: Big Data, Big Problems NEW

Geoff Horne, NZTester Magazine

Tue, 06/09/2015 - 1:00pm

Data warehouses have become a popular mechanism for collecting, organizing, and making information readily available for strategic decision making. The ability to review historical trends and monitor near real-time operational data has become a key competitive advantage for many organizations. Yet the methods for assuring the quality of these valuable assets are quite different from those of transactional systems. Ensuring that the appropriate testing is performed is a major challenge for many enterprises. Geoff Horne has led a number of data warehouse testing projects in both the telecommunications and ERP sectors. Join Geoff as he shares his approaches and experiences, focusing on the key “uniques” of data warehouse testing including methods for assuring data completeness, monitoring data transformations, and measuring quality. He explores the opportunities for test automation as part of the data warehouse process, describing how you can harness automation to streamline and minimize overhead.

Concurrent Sessions

BW4 Mobile App Testing: Design Automation Patterns You Should Use

Jon Hagar, Grand Software Testing

Wed, 06/10/2015 - 11:30am

In mobile app development, better test design is important to project velocity and user satisfaction. Jon Hagar explores underused or poorly practiced test design automation approaches that you should employ in development and testing. Jon begins by defining the domain of mobile app software and examines common industry patterns of product failures. He then shares three approaches you can use to speed development and improve quality for native, web-based, and hybrid apps. The methods examined—each supported with detailed checklists—are combinatorial testing, model-based testing, and user experience testing. Jon explains when, where, and how each testing approach can be used to support improved testing and to benefit the whole team. In addition to mobile apps, you and your team can use these same three approaches in other software environments to reduce technical debt during development.

BT8 The Value of A/B Testing

Alan Page, Microsoft

Thu, 06/11/2015 - 11:30am

Recently, a wide range of new testing ideas has emerged that makes testing online systems easier and faster. One idea goes beyond functional testing to a more basic question: Does the system convert shoppers into buyers? Since that is a key function of commercial websites, it is important for an organization to understand its website’s effectiveness. One way to do this is to create two different variations of the site—the A and B versions—and then assess the more-effective variation. The A/B tester plays a key role in the entire effort. His role is to gather A/B test requirements; prioritize, develop, and execute the tests; and partner with the analytics team to report the findings. Venkat Atigadda explains the types of tests involved, advantages, best practices, and key guidelines for performing A/B testing. This approach can be generalized to test for signing up for additional services, viewing the site longer, and visiting additional parts of the site.

BT12 Prevent Test Automation Shelfware: A Selenium-WebDriver Case Study

Alan Ark, Eid Passport

Thu, 06/11/2015 - 1:30pm

Eid Passport had a suite of Selenium tests with a bad reputation—difficult to maintain, broken all the time, and just plain unreliable. A tester would spend more than four days to get through one execution and validation pass of these automated tests. Eid Passport was ready to toss these tests into the trash. Alan Ark volunteered to take a look at the tests with an eye toward showing that Selenium-based tests can, in fact, be reliable and used in the regression test effort. Alan shares techniques he used to transform a sick, test automation codebase into a reliable workhorse. These techniques include AJAX-proofing, use of the Page Object model, and pop-up handling. The test process that used to take more than four days to turnaround now finishes in under two hours. And this is just the beginning.