Test Design

Conference Presentations

STARWEST 2001: Designing an Automated Web Test Environment

This paper offers an alternative to the typical automated test scripting method of "record and playback now and enhance the automation environment later." It explores a regression automation system design for testing Internet applications through the GUI, along with scripting techniques to enhance the scalability and flexibility of an automated test suite. This paper will present a basic
structure for an automated test environment, and will expand on each of the items found in that structure. Web testing levels will be laid out, along with a basic approach to designing test scripts based on those Web testing levels.
Dion Johnson, Pointe Technology Group, Inc.
STARWEST 2001: Exploratory Testing in Pairs

Exploratory testing involves simultaneous activities-learning about the program and the risks associated with it, planning and conducting tests, troubleshooting, and reporting results. This highly skilled work depends on the ability of the tester to stay focused and alert. Based on a successful pilot study, Cem Kaner and James Bach discuss why two testers can be more effective working together than apart. Explore the advantages of testing in pairs, including ongoing dialogue to keep both testers alert and focused, faster and more effective troubleshooting, and an excellent opportunity for a seasoned tester to train a novice.
James Bach, Satisfice, Inc. and Cem Kaner, Florida Institute of Technology
Establishing Best Testing Practices in Your Organization

The path to best testing practices begins with communication. By building relationships with a product's key players-developers, analysts, and end users-your test team can achieve a higher level of both quality and customer satisfaction. Discover the link between effective communication and implementing critical step-by-step test processes such as test conditions, test case design, test data construction, and reporting.
Michelle Lynn Baldwin, Booz, Allen & Hamilton
Accessibility Testing for Users with Disabilities

Testers have taken a lead role in providing disabled persons access to computer resources. On behalf of the nearly twenty percent of Americans with disabilities, companies are now improving the accessibility of their Web sites, hardware, and software products. This presentation describes the regulatory framework for accessibility issues and suggests approaches for testing a range of accessibility aids including screen readers, voice recognition software, refreshable Braille terminals, and alternative point-and-click devices.
James Speer, VeriTest
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.
A White Box Approach to Testing an eCommerce System

This presentation gives one team's experience installing and testing a multiserver eCommerce system that had storefronts that were to be created by the customer.
Andrew O. Mellinger, Critical Path Software
The Dangers of Use Cases Employed as Test Cases

Use cases are a great way to organize and document a software system's functionality from the user's perspective. However, they have limited uses for testers. They are great vehicles to accomplish some tasks, and not so great for others. Understand what you're trying to accomplish by testing before deciding if use cases can help-and be cognizant of the challenges they present. They are useful to testers, but not for every situation.
Bernie Berger, Test Assured, Inc.
Designing Reusable Test Automation

This paper introduces the Sequencer design that facilitates the creation and execution of reusable operations. The idea behind the Sequencer is to carve the product under test into sets of functional operations. A test case data file describes the operations to be executed including their order and required data. The Sequencer’s test driver executes the test by loading the test case and sequencing the operations. The beauty of this approach is with a well-stocked library of operations coded, new tests can be generated by combining different sequences of existing operations.
Edward Guy Smith, Mangosoft Incorporated
Internationalizing Your QA Process

The main topics of this presentation are: Understanding G11N, I18N and L10N; Planning for a Global QA Process; Overcoming Language-Specific Testing; and Selecting the Proper Tools.
Benson Margulies and Tom Lee, Basis Technology
Enjoying the Perks of Model-Based Testing

Software testing demands the use of some model to guide such test tasks as selecting test inputs, validating
the adequacy of tests, and gaining insight into test effectiveness. Most testers gradually build a mental
model of the system under test, which would enable them to further understand and better test its many
functions. Explicit models, being formal and precise representations of a tester’s perception of a program,
are excellent shareable, reusable vehicles of communication between and among testers and other teams
and of automation for many tasks that are normally tedious and labor-intensive.
Ibrahim K. El-Far, Florida Institute of Technology

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