15 Points To Consider While Hiring a Software Testing Company

Posted on July 2, 2018 by tbsupadminnxtbackendacc

Why do we test something? Well to see if the ‘something’ in question is up to the mark or not. The same applies for software which before launching in the market is necessary to test. This is in order to ensure its functioning, accuracy and simplicity of the system.

Software developing companies hire software testing companies like any other outsourcing service as they are experts in ensuring that a software system runs flawlessly and measures up to all the essential quality criteria put into place. But what is the criteria, based on which we hire a software testing company?
We shall discuss this in the following sections. But first let us understand, what is software testing?
Software Testing:-
It is an investigation which is conducted to provide information about the quality of the software. It is done to assure that the software is working as expected.
There are two ways of doing software testing:-
Black box software testing done by professional testers qualified for the job.
White box software testing done by non-technical end-users.
Software Testing Company:-
It is an organization that conducts software testing for different companies or business entities.
So now, in the following section, we will discuss the points that should be considered while hiring a software testing company.
1. Experience:-
It is one of the most important aspects that should be considered while hiring a software testing company. you should check whether the company has any experience in software testing or not. To do so, you can check or read their portfolio and by going through their past experiences. Some parameters on which you can rate the company’s experience are Parameters of coding, usability, the performance delivered, design and marketing, load balancing capabilities etc.
2. Qualification:-
However qualification plays a vital role in selecting the software testing company, but it is not necessary that a more qualified outsourcing company will give you the better result. The things that matter is the innovative ideas, the capability of the team and of course the qualification as well. So, before hiring a company the criteria of qualification is also need to be considered. You should give your project to the company who have a team of well-qualified professionals.
3. Coding Standards & Framework:-
Before hiring a software testing company you should assure that the company and the team should have a sound knowledge of programming language and tools related to software testing. The company having the more structured framework and an organized coding system will have the better code maintainability compared to others.
4. The Extent of Service:-
It is another important point that needs to be considered before hiring a software testing company. It is very important to see the extension or the scope of the services rendered by the company as it will help you in the long run. You should assure that the company is providing you with all the steps of software development lifecycle.
5. Team Location:-
It is another important question that comes to the mind while selecting a software testing company. The question is whether you should choose an offshore company or a company in the same country?
The overseas company can provide you the high-quality service but at the same time, there can be an issue of communication barriers, language issue, cultural differences etc. So, if you are choosing an international company, make sure that they are able to beat these barriers.
6. Service Level Agreement:-
It is an agreement or a contract signed between both the parties i.e. the service provider and the client. the SLAs defines the output expected from the service provider. It is very important to define the SLAs between both the parties to ensure 100% alignment of goals settled between both the parties.
Some key points that your SLA must have are:-

Knowledge transfer
core business know-how
Process compliance
Timelines of reporting and project management
Quality measures etc.

7. Flexibility and Scalability:-
There should be flexibility in the services provided by the software testing company or an outsourcing company. It should be decided by examining the factors such as modifiability, ease of exit, robustness, new capability etc. Outsourcing contracts demand a degree of mouldability to ensure that the timescale fluctuations are met.
8. Quality Improvement:-
It is one of the primary objective of the client to achieve a remarkable quality improvement through outsourcing a software testing company. As the agreement comes to an end, the working method and process tried to improve continually. Eventually, the target should be the overall improvement of the end product.
9. Intellectual Property Protection:-
It is one of the important aspects to be taken care while outsourcing the services. IP refers to the creation of mind like inventions, designs, artistic work, and symbol etc. used in commerce. It is one of the biggest challenges to protect the IP of business when it is outsourced.
10. Security:-
When you hire a software testing company, security is the most important aspect that needs to take care. The software must be having the information about the company that should not be disclosed to everyone. So, a business should choose the company which provides security to the software.
11. Testing Infrastructure:-
It refers to the tools and techniques that are required for software testing. Before hiring a software testing company you should make sure the service provider must have all the required infrastructure to support your software or product. The testing infrastructure includes software, hardware, operating system, backend database systems, testing tools, platforms etc.
12. Management Style:-
Management plays an important role in software testing. So before hiring a software testing company, you should make sure that the managerial style of your company is compatible with the service provider. It is important that both should have a same managerial language which will help them work together.

13. Responsibility and Accountability:-
Responsibility and accountability should go together. The software testing company you are hiring must be responsible and should be one who can take the accountability also. You would love to work with the company who is ready to take the responsibility and the accountability as well.
14. Cost of Working:-
After accessing the company on the above-mentioned parameters, you should decide the true cost of working with them. You should choose the outsourcing company which provides you the maximum ROI in terms of quality, overall value addition, and timely delivery.
15. Documentation Standards:-
Before hiring a software testing company, you should make sure that the company should have all the required documentation standard you need. Some of the documents are; test plans, scripts, test plans, test scenarios and test results etc. You should make sure that the company you are hiring should be well documented and you have easy access to the documents.
Final Thought
Today, software testing is the need of almost every software project or company. For conducting a software test we need to hire or outsource a software testing company who fulfill all the above-mentioned parameters or aspects. The main motive of outsourcing a software testing company is to get the quality work at a reasonable cost. Another reason for outsourcing the company is that the organization hiring the software testing company can focus on its core business area.

What is V-model and W-model in Software Testing

Posted on December 8, 2017 by tbsupadminnxtbackendacc

V model and W model are two of the most important models that are followed in the process of software testing. V Model, also known as Verification and Validation Model, is similar to waterfall model that follows a sequential path of execution of processes. Waterfall model is a linear sequential design approach in which the progress flows in one direction.
On the other hand, W model is a sequential approach to test a product and can be done only once the development of the product is complete with no modifications required to be done in between.
This type of testing is most suitable for short-term projects as medical applications.

There are a number of other ways in which the two models are different from each other. Read on to know and understand the difference between the two models in detail.

V-Model

Devised by the late Paul Rook in 1980s, V-model was developed with an aim to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of software development. The model was accepted both in Europe and Asia as an alternative to waterfall model.

V-model is a step-by-step process in which the next phase begins only after the completion of the present phase. The steps in this process do not move in a linear way. Instead, the steps in this process are bent upwards. When this model is compared with the waterfall model, there are larger chances of emphasizing on products testing.
If this model is used to test a product, there is an assurance that the final product developed will be of high quality.

Phases of V-Model

The phases of V-model includes verification, coding, and validation that are further divided into different stages.

1) Verification phase:

The verification phase of V-model includes business requirement analysis, system design, architectural design, and module design.

Business requirement analysis is the stage of having a detailed communication with the customer so that it gets easier to understand and comprehend his/her exact requirements. It is beneficial to complete acceptance test design planning at this stage.
System design stage involves understanding and detailing out the entire hardware and communication setup for the product being developed. System test design can also be planned at this stage.
Architectural design stage involves understanding the technical and financial feasibility of the product before it is actually developed. The focus is to understand the data transfer that will take place between internal and external modules.
Module design stage focuses on designing a detailed plan for the internal modules of the system. Also known as low-level design (LLD), it is important to ensure that the design is compatible with other modules in system architecture and other external systems.

2) Coding Phase:

During this phase, the actual coding of the system modules is taken up. On the basis of system and architectural requirements of the program, the best suitable programming language is selected using which the coding is done at par with the coding guidelines and standards. The code is then reviewed and optimized to ensure the delivery of best performing product.

3) Validation phase:

During this phase, the product undergoes various forms of testing.

Unit testing is conducted at an early stage so that the bugs are eliminated at the starting stages of product development.
Integration testing is done to check whether there is a valid and proper communication within the internal modules of the system.
System testing enables the testing of the entire system and to ensure if the internal modules communicate effectively with the external systems.
Acceptance testing is done to test a product in the user’s environment and to check if it’s compatible with the other systems available in the environment.

Advantages and Disadvantages of V model

Advantages of the V model

Simple and easy
Systematic
East to track
Testing starts from requirement phase itself
All the Functional Areas can be covered
Instructions and recommendations included
Detailed explanations of problems
Defects can be found at an early stage
Works well for small projects

Disadvantages of the V model

Not flexible
Regular updates required if changes in the project are required
Can’t be used in complex projects
No scope for risk management and mitigation
One the project is over its end

When to use the V model?

Mostly used in the smaller level project with budget constraints
Can be used when the testing time is less
When you have enough senior and experienced testers
Optimum for projects which will not have any changes in between the project

W-Model

Introduced by Paul Herzlich, W-model signifies the one-to-one relationship that exists between the documents and test activities.

Using this model helps in ensuring that the testing of the product begins from the very first day of the product’s development.
This model is known to deal with the problems that could not be resolved using V-model.

Phases of W-Model

Using W-model helps in ensuring that each phase of the product development is verified and validated. W-model can be divided into a number of stages that includes:

Building test plan and test strategy to ensure that the product delivered is tested rigorously before delivery.
Identifying the scenario for the product.
Preparing the test cases using specification and design documents.
Reviewing the test cases and sharing an update on the basis of review comments.
The product is then sent for testing using various testing methodologies such as unit testing, integration testing and specification-based testing, etc.
Once the product is tested rigorously, it, then, undergoes regression test cycles and user acceptance testing.

Know More: 11 Differences between verification and validation in Software Testing

Advantages and Disadvantages of V model

Advantages of the W model

Testing can run in parallel with development process
No division between constructive and destructive tasks
Often Developer is responsible for removing defects

Disadvantages of the W model

Complex to implement
Resource allocation might not be sufficient in most of the cases
Testing have equal weightage as many activities in the development process

When to use the W model?

When there are much more activities to do
Performed when the V model is not enough
Can be implemented Technical design, architecture and functionality comes to the picture

Conclusion

While it is true that the V model is an effective way to test and reveal results for dynamic test cycles, W models are more effective and help one get a broader view of testing.

The connection that exists between various stages of testing is much clear with W Model.
One must choose wisely as the game is not about choosing a v model and w model but delivering an optimum quality product.

Explain the Heuristic Test Strategy Model

Posted on December 6, 2017 by tbsupadminnxtbackendacc

Heuristic test strategy model is the set of patterns that are used to design a test strategy for a particular product. To be used predominantly by professional testers with an aim of self learning, a heuristic model particularly includes a project environment with numerous testing techniques that help in identifying the product’s quality criteria and product elements.

Some of the key areas of heuristic model are as mentioned below:

Project environment is a set of resources and limitations related to the project that may impact the entire process of testing.
Product elements are the elements or specific areas of a product that the testers intend to test. The aim behind this is to include all relevant and important areas that require attention.
Quality criteria are the specific rules, ethics and sources that assists testers in identifying if a product has some issues or not.
Test techniques are the methods used to create tests for a product. These involve analysis and study of project’s environment, product elements and quality criteria.
Perceived quality is the result attained after conducting tests on a product. This involves applying of various testing methods, which enables one to reach a conclusion about the product’s quality.

Common Testing Techniques
Since heuristic is an observation-based model that evolves over time, there are a few other techniques that can be applied universally in every sphere. These include the following:

Function testing

This type of testing is used to identify the functions performed by a particular product. It involves testing each component of the program to validate its functions and sub functions.

Domain testing

To conduct this type of testing, the user decides on the type of data to be tested for different functions along with several other aspects such as typical values, invalid values, convenient values, etc.

Stress testing

This type of testing aims at testing the product’s functionality under different stress situations. The conditions selected can be varied such as complex data structure, high load, long test runs and low memory conditions.

Flow testing

Conducted to check the entire flow of the program, flow testing is based on establishing connection between activities.

Scenario testing

This type of testing is done to check the product on the basis of all the possible situations and circumstances. Conducting this helps in identifying the way in which a product would respond in different situations.

Claims testing

This testing is done to verify the various claims made about the product in magazines, advertisements or any other place.

User testing

Conducting this type of testing helps in determining the ways in which a user interacts with the system. The aim behind this type of testing is to be at the users place and test the product from his/her perspective.

Risk testing

This type of testing is used to check the way in which a product responds in a particular circumstance or situation. Designing of appropriates test cases based on the issues identified is an important part of this type of testing. The best test cases can be prepared after seeking help from past test reports, design documentation, etc.

Automatic Checking

This type of testing enables one to conduct automated testing of a product. It is important to ensure that the tool selected for automated testing enables one to partially automate test coverage, use automatic test data generators, etc.
Things to consider before conduction heuristic testing
It is important to keep certain key factors in mind before conduction this form of testing. Some of these include:

The purpose of the project as interpreted by the user as well as the tester
Information needed to conduct the test should be precise and concise
Relationship between tester and developer
The team members who will be conducting or supporting the test
The sequence and duration of product events

Selecting product elements
While performing a test, it is important to ensure that all the unique and important aspects of the product are taken in focus so that there is no bug that is missed. Some of the product elements that are important while conducting a test are:

Structure of the final product
Functionality delivered by the product
The data used by the product and to be used while testing the product
Interfaces that are used to access the product/system
Identifying the ways in which product will be used
Defining quality criteria such as reliability, usability and scalability

Conclusion
Testing a product involves a lot of challenges. Therefore, it is important to have well-defined strategies that can enable one to deal with such challenges and situations. Since heuristic model is one such strategy, implementing some new rules and focusing on developing some better products can enable one to deliver much-better products.

Unit Testing vs Integration Testing : What’s the Difference?

Posted on November 10, 2017 by tbsupadminnxtbackendacc

Unit Testing vs Integration Testing! Do you know what’s the difference between unit testing and integration testing?
Both of them are essential in the development phase as unit testing will evaluate the code you have written for particular feature means while integration testing will ensure that it’s working fine with the rest of the system.
But the difference doesn’t end there.
Let’s make an inch to inch comparison between both the process. Unit Test vs Integration Test!

1) What is UnitTesting:

Tests that are conducted by developers for a particular unit of code such as module or component that has been developed by them
One of the most effective and simple way to determine if the individual units of source code that are being tested are perfect and ready to use
Helps in cutting down the cost of bug fixes as the bugs are identified during the early stages of the software development life cycle (SDLC)

2) What is Integration Testing:

A type of testing that tests a product in terms of the integration between its modules
Its one of the most effective software testing techniques in which the individual units of a program are combined and tested as a group
Executed with the help of test stubs and test drivers that assist in its easy execution

Unit Testing vs Integration Testing – The Differences.

Both these forms of testing have their own significance but it is important to understand the difference between the two:

1. Aim

Unit testing tests each part of the program individually so as to ensure that each of them perform correctly. Whereas, integration testing combines the modules and test them as a group for their optimum functionality.

2. Time of testing

Unit testing is independent and can be performed at any point of SDLC. On the other hand, integration testing is conducted after unit testing is completed and system testing begins.

3. Sub-Divisions

Unit testing cannot be sub-divided whereas integration testing can be divided into top-down integration, bottom-up integration and so on.

4. Integration Errors

Unit testing cannot identify integration errors, or other system-wide errors that exist. Whereas, integration testing can identify all sorts of errors as its purpose is to test and identify errors in modules.

5. Specification

Unit testing begins with the specification of the modules whereas integration testing begins with interface specification.

6. Type of Testing

Unit testing is a form of white-box testing, which refers to testing of internal structure of a program or application. Whereas, integration testing is both white-box and black box testing.

7. External Dependencies

Unit testing does not examine whether a program code works properly with external dependencies whereas integration testing tests the code on the same parameters.

8. Maintenance

Conducted by the software developer oneself, testing a program using unit testing is cheaper as compared to integration testing which is executed by a team of testers.

Unit and Integration Testing are Equally Important

Both these forms of testing have their own importance as the absence of one might impact the overall performance and development of the product.

While unit testing ensures that optimum quality during the development phase of the product, integration testing ensures that there are no errors pending after the development of different modules.
Moreover, identifying the errors during integration testing raises the need for conducting unit testing again so as to identify the specific error in the program.
Therefore, to ensure the premium product delivery, it is better and advisable to keep implementing both these forms of testing as and when required.

9 Best Practices to Improve Software Testing Process

Posted on October 26, 2017 by tbsupadminnxtbackendacc

Software testing is the process used to evaluate a product to find out whether it actually meets the specific functions. It is the process that helps to provide the product owners with the information about its quality and whether it meets the required standards.

Providing the team with an unbiased and independent view of the software, software testing is an excellent step that allows business houses to comprehend the risks associated with the implementation of the software. Some of the common properties that are tested during software testing include whether it meets specified needs such as its design, development, responds correctly to all kinds of inputs, executes the desired functions within the desired time frame, is operational and achieves the results as desired by the stakeholders.
Software testing is conducted at a different stage of Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). However, when a team chooses to begin it early, it helps in saving a lot of time, cost as well as ensure the delivery of an error-free product. If not, the team can always begin to conduct testing on a software as soon as an executable version of the software is available.
A typical testing process can be divided into five major steps:

Planning
Analysis and designing
Implementation and execution
Evaluating and reporting
Test closure activities

While every organization ensures that the software testing is conducted in a way that helps identify and fix all bugs, there is always a scope of improvement. Mentioned below are some of the simple ways that can be implanted to ensure process improvement in software testing:

Define a process

To ensure a successful execution of a software testing process, it is important to have a process in place beforehand. The process defined by the company should be robust as well as approved by the experts to ensure that there is no hurdle in its execution. Even though it is not required that the testing team follows this process stringently, but this definitely can serve as a guideline to begin the process. The process can improve and develop along with the product and testing requirements.

Involve testers in development

It is an excellent practice to involve testers in the process of product development right from the beginning of the SDLC. This is because, it helps the testers gain a better understanding of the product, its requirements and thus, develop comprehensive tests for the product. Along with this, doing so is also a cost-effective option to avoid bugs in the final product as well as prevent any delays in its delivery.

Maintain all the records

While it is true that all the bugs and product development related information is readily available over email, it is highly advisable to store this information intelligently in the form of documents and reports. This is to ensure that there is no scattering of the information over email or internet rather, it can be easily accessed from one single place, which, in turn, helps improve productivity.

Keep test cases ready in advance

It is good to keep the test cases ready in advance during requirement analysis and design phase. This will help improve the productivity as well as save a lot of time of both the developers as well as testers. It can also help the testers identify and determine whether the requirements mentioned for the product can be tested or not.
It is important to make sure that the test cases were written are clear enough to be comprehended by both the developer as well as a tester.

Have a positive mindset

For a tester to successfully implement the testing of a software, it is important to have a positive mindset before starting the test. This is because having a positive attitude helps one to easily identify any bugs or errors in the application. Think that there are multiple bugs and errors in the code and you will definitely end up finding many.

Divide the functional module

It is important for the testing team to divide the entire product module into smaller parts. This is because it helps ensure that each and every aspect of a particular application is tested. The division of the entire logic into smaller modules also make it easier to identify and fix the bugs so as to deliver a high-quality product.

Write a detailed bug report

When a testing team opts to write a clear and detailed bug report, it not only saves a lot of time of the company but also for the developers. It is important for the testers to understand that the clarity in the bug report is essential to fix any sort of bugs that are present in the product and hence, ensure the delivery of an error-free product.
Establish a good relationship with the development team by not only sharing a bug report but also suggesting them the most appropriate ways to fix the same. This will not only save the time of developers’ but also safeguard you from any sort of delay.

Create a good test environment

It is the responsibility of the testing team to ensure that the test environments established by it are an exact imitation of the product’s production. This is to ensure that there are no flaws or bugs that are missed out during the product’s testing.
For instance, there might be a situation when a developer has added certain configurations or run scripts but has missed adding the same in release document or configuration file. This, in turn, would lead to the application’s success in the lower environment but failure during production. In such a situation, when the testing team has complete control over the testing environment but developers do not, it is possible to gain a control over such situations.

Increase communication with developer

Establishing better and improved channels of communication between tester and developer can help in the process improvement in software testing. Having a discussion with the developer regarding any sort of issues, bugs and confusion can help in making things, process and the product better.

It is important to keep a record of all such discussions over email so that one can refer back to them in the case of any clashes or when the need arises.
To meet the ever-changing demands of the clients, it is important for the testing team to upgrade their skills and meet the essential requirements. Incorporating the above-mentioned tips can also be helpful for process improvement in software testing. Thus, it is the time that you stand strong professionally with your skills and deliver the best to the market.

5 Latest Software Testing Standards

Posted on October 4, 2017 by tbsupadminnxtbackendacc

Software testing standards are a set of rules or standards that are expected to be met in a particular product or service offered by a company. Compliance to these set of rules is important for a company as it defines the extent to which a company is performing it duty legally and is not engaged in any sort of malpractice. Moreover, doing so also ensures the delivery of high quality products.

While there are several software testing standards like ISO and IEEE standards already in place, another ISO has been recently added to the list in order to match with the pace of global technological advancements and it is ISO/IEC/IEEE 29119.

IEEE Standards Association

According to the IEEE standards association, the latest software testing standards are permitted to be used within a software development life cycle (SDLC) or in any particular organization that is involved in software development and testing.
Implementing these standards is an excellent way for the companies to adhere to the only internationally recognized and agreed standards for software testing as well as find a supreme quality approach towards quality assurance.
Introduced and developed by a group known as “Working Group 26” in May 2007, the new software testing standards have been developed as a series that when executed ensures maximum quality and performance of the product.

Standards of ISO/IEC/IEEE 29119

Divided into five different sections, each section of this testing standard has a different purpose and need to serve as mentioned below:
1. ISO/IEC/IEEE 29119-1
This software testing standard focuses on definitions and concepts of all other standards in the 29119 series of quality standards. It helps user understand the vocabulary on which the other standards in the series are built as well as provides relevant examples to show the way in which each concept works in practice.
A complete knowledge bank, the 29119-1 can also be considered to be the foundation of IEEE software testing standards. Some of the topics that are included in this series are introduction to software testing, testing processes in SDLC, risk-based testing, common test practices, defect management, etc.
2. ISO/IEC/IEEE 29119-2
This standard has been designed with an aim to develop a generic process model that can be used for conducting testing in any SDLC.
As per this standard, the testing process will work on a three-layer process that would include organizational test specifications such as organizational test policy and test strategy, test management and dynamic testing.
Laying a special emphasis on alleviation of risks, this standard allows the process of testing to focus on product’s key features and attributes under test.
3. ISO/IEC/IEEE 29119-3
With a special focus on documentation, this standard provides standardized templates that are designed in a way that covers the entire SDLC. However, these templates can also be customized as per each organization’s unique requirements.
Designed in alignment with the process defined in the ISO/IEC/IEEE 29119-2, this software testing standard is likely to surpass the IEEE 829 standard.
4. ISO/IEC/IEEE 29119-4
With a focus on software test design techniques developed for organizations and SDLC models, the techniques present in this standard can be an effective way to develop test cases that can be used to present evidence that each requirement mentioned under test have been successfully met or there are certain defects that need to be rectified.
Designed on the basis of BS-7925-2 component testing standard, this standard covers a number of dynamic software testing techniques such as equivalence partitioning, classification tree method and boundary value analysis.
5. ISO/IEC/IEEE 29119-5
This standard supports those techniques and approaches that support keyword driven testing, a technique that involves describing test cases on the basis of predefined set of keywords.
These keywords are based on a set of actions that are required to be performed using specific steps in a test case. Writing keywords in a natural language helps one gain an easy understanding of these test cases.
Implementing these standards may enable companies to deliver better products in the market, a lot of these are encouraging to follow authentic and reliable software techniques and approaches as a whole.
Conclusion
Software testing standards are a must as it serves a validation for customers as well as the owner the testing company in ensuring that software testing is meeting certain standards.

It doesn’t matter what kind of standards or regulatory rule your company is complying. Ultimately these standards will make sure that customer is happy and the testing company is getting good reviews. A win win situation for everybody.

What’s the Difference Between Alpha and Beta Testing: When to use them?

Posted on September 19, 2017 by tbsupadminnxtbackendacc

Alpha and beta testing might be confusing when it comes to explaining it, but the clear distance would be

Alpha testing is done before product release to find out issues it can have once it reaches the user. It’s a kind of user acceptance testing where a group of people will be given access to an early version and their reaction to the software will be recorded via video and questionnaire

Beta Testing on the other hand is testing the software after deployment. The Beta version of the software will be released in the AppStore itself and limited users who have signed up for beta testing will get access to the app.

Phases of Alpha and Beta Testing

Phases of Alpha testing

Alpha, Beta, and Gamma tests are usually done for product-oriented companies.

Pre-Alpha:- During this phase the software is in a prototype form. Though the UI is complete, all other features might still be incomplete.
Alpha: During this phase, the Software is close to the development, and internal testing for bugs and flaws begins.
Beta: During this phase, the software is released to a certain user base known as beta testers to collect their reviews and feedback and then Amend the software based on that feedback.
Gamma: After Beta Testing the changes are made to the software and the software is tested for any bugs or flaws. No major changes are made in the functionality of the software during this phase, rather software is checked for bugs and they are corrected.
Release: If everything goes well, the software is released to the public.

Alpha Testing

Alpha testing is a type of internal testing performed for Commercial off-the-shelf software (COTS) by a highly-skilled group of testers and engineers at the developing site to find bugs that were initially not found.

This dedicated team observes the behavior and notes the product down the differences.

It usually involves testing the product by imitating the real user environment by carrying out tasks that an actual user might perform.

Once the software passes the alpha test, it is considered fit to be used for the next phase, i.e. beta testing.

The term ‘alpha’ can be differentiated based on the projects it is used for.

In the case of a web application, alpha testing can be interpreted as an online application that has access via personal invitation, to gather initial feedback from the users for improvement and bugs.

Pros of Alpha Testing

Primarily used as usability testing which is done by internal developers who develop the app or by the testers
Critical issues or fixes can be addressed by developers immediately in Alpha testing
This is one of the fast ways of getting approval from the customer before proceeding with the process of delivery
Any major or minor changes, which might have been missed in the requirement gathering phase, can be fixed at this stage itself

Cons of Alpha Testing

Data presented by the customer usually doesn’t represent the actual data. Data created by testers/team might need a pre-approval from the customer
Since alpha testing is just the usability testing, reliability and security are not performed
The key users of the system deployed by the customer might not be the actual system users in reality and may be unaware of the working of it

Beta Testing

Beta-testing basically deals with imitating the end-users input to ensure release readiness.

It’s considered the last stage of testing and includes distributing the products to beta test sites and individual users.

Some other tests may also include testing a free trial of the product downloaded from the internet.

The product is then tested by users in real-time to find bugs that are left to be fixed. It is also used to determine the quality of the product.

Beta testing also includes many sub-tests if required, for some software, particularly for PC games.

These tests are known as Open beta tests and closed beta tests.

The closed beta test is followed immediately after the alpha test ends and is limited to only a few selected beta testers.

The latter which includes testing by the general public is then known as the open test.

Pros of beta testing

This testing helps in identifying the gaps between the actual implementation and the requirement gathering. This may add/remove a few requirements
Any requirement which may not have been captured initially in the contract is worked upon thereby reducing the product failure risk via customer validation
The Beta test ensures the application runs in a real business environment with live data
The after-sales service requirements may be identified in beta testing. Any support required for future implementation can be understood and arranged accordingly

Cons of Beta testing

Finding the correct beta tester or a group of testers can sometimes be difficult
Since the testing is carried out in a real-time environment, you cannot have any control over the testing mechanism

Gamma Testing
Many of us have been turning around the term ‘Gamma’ thinking about its importance.

It is the third and final testing phase just before the release of the app.

Since being the final phase of the testing, Gamma does not include any enhancements and changes to be made to the product, only the part of the code that is wicked or tends to affect the performance of the product can be changed.

It validates the performance and functionality of the product making sure the product is completely ready for use by the end-user.

Pros of Gamma testing

You can be assured of the safety and functionality of your application just before its market release. It does not bring any chance of modification and changes unless the identified bug is of high importance.
This testing is done directly without any in-house testing being repeated. Hence, saves a lot of time
You can be well sure about the readiness of the application, fulfilling all the requirements stated by the customer

Cons of Gamma testing

There is very limited scope for the team to update or change the code, and if there is any, it might hamper the performance of the application
Due to heavy deadlines, increasing pressure, and shorter development cycles, many organizations tend to skip the Gamma testing phase

Phases of Testing

Alpha, Beta, and Gamma tests are usually done for product-oriented companies.

Pre-Alpha:- During this phase the software is in a prototype form. Though the UI is complete, all other features might still be incomplete.
Alpha: During this phase, the Software is close to the development, and internal testing for bugs and flaws begins.
Beta: During this phase, the software is released to a certain user base known as beta testers to collect their reviews and feedback and then Amend the software based on that feedback.
Gamma: After Beta Testing the changes are made to the software and the software is tested for any bugs or flaws. No major changes are made in the functionality of the software during this phase, rather the software is checked for bugs and they are corrected.
Release: If everything goes well, the software is released to the public.

Difference Between Alpha Testing And Gamma Testing

	Alpha	Beta	Gamma
Why is it done	End to end testing of the software, make sure the software is ready for beta testing	Beta Testing is done to ensure that the software is ready to be released to the market	Gamma testing test the software for some particular requirements
When is it done	Alpha Testing is done at the end of the development phase	Beta Testing is done after Alpha Testing	Gamma testing is done after Beta Testing
Who does it	In house development or testing team	Beta testers who are a group of end-users conduct Beta testing	Gamma testing is done by a limited number of end-users with limited features and use
Result	Alpha Testing detects the bugs, flaws, missing features in the software	It is done to improve the functionality, usability, and compatibility of the software	It gives assurance to the software that all specified requirements are met
Next step	Beta Testing	Gamma Testing	Final release

Care to see an infographic about the difference between alpha and beta testing?
Entry and exit criteria for Alpha, Beta, and Gamma Testing
Entry Criteria for Alpha testing:

Software requirements document
Complete list of Test Cases
Testing Team
Test Lab environment setup
Ready QA Build
Test Management tool
Traceability Matrix

Exit Criteria for Alpha testing:

Execution of all the test cases and their pass status.
Completed Test summary report
Severity issues fixed and closed
Sign off document

Entry Criteria for Beta Testing:

Alpha Testing Sign off document
Completed Beta version of the software
Test Environment for Beta testers
Real-time fault catching tools
A team of Beta testers

Exit Criteria for Beta Testing:

All issues should be fixed
Beta tester’s Feedback report
Beta testing summary report

Entry Criteria for Gamma Testing:

Beta testing summary report
Software is ready for public release
Software fulfills all its requirements for the Public Release

Exit Criteria for Gamma Testing

Software is ready for market release
No critical bug is detected in the software
Software fulfills all the specified requirements

Conclusion

Alpha and beta testing are very important when it comes to software engineering. So next time, don’t forget to do your homework about alpha, beta, and gamma testing for improved software quality.

Strategy and Methodology of Big Data Testing

Posted on September 11, 2017 by tbsupadminnxtbackendacc

With advancement in technology and the new development taking place on a regular basis, there is a large pool of data that is also being generated. This, in specific terminology, is known as big data. Big data is a large pool of information which is made up of large data sets that cannot be processed using traditional methods of computing. This is because traditional methods work effectively on structured data stored in rows and columns and not for the ones that do not follow any specific structure.

Big data can be available in varied formats such as images or audio. This data varies in its structure as well as format for every record tested and is typically characterized by volume, velocity and variety.

Volume: Available in large amount, big data is generally available from different sources
Velocity: Generated at high speed, this data is to be processed and handled quickly
Variety: Big data can be available in various formats such as audio, video, email, etc

Big data testing
Availability of big data is leading to a demand of big data testing tools, techniques and frameworks. This is because increased data leads to an increased risk of errors and thus, might deteriorate the performance of applications and software.
When conducting big data testing, a tester’s goal is completely different. Testing of big data aims at verifying whether the data is complete, ensure an accurate data transformation, ensuring high data quality as well as automating the regression testing.
Strategy and methodology of big data testing
Big data testing is typically related to various types of testing such as database testing, infrastructure testing, performance testing and functional testing. Therefore, it is important to have a clear test strategy that enables an easy execution of big data testing.
When executing big data testing, it is important to understand that the concept is more about testing the processing of terabytes of data that involves the use of commodity cluster and other supportive components.
Big data testing can be typically divided into three major steps that include:

Data staging validation

Also known as pre-hadoop stage, the process of big data testing begins with process validation that helps in ensuring that the correct data is pushed into the Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS). The data for which validation testing is done is taken from various sources such as RDBMS, weblogs and social media. This data is, then, compared with the data used in the hadoop process in order to verify that the two match with each other.
Some of the common tools that can be used for this step are Talend and Datameer.

“MapReduce” validation

MapReduce is the concept of programming that allows for immense scalability across hundreds of thousands of servers in a Hadoop cluster.
During big data testing, MapReduce validation is counted as the second step in which a tester checks the validity of business logic on every node followed by the validation of the same after running against multiple nodes. This helps in ensuring that:

Map Reduce process is working flawlessly.
Data aggregation or segregation rules are correctly executed on the data.
Key value pairs are generated appropriately.
Data is validated after Map Reduce process.

Output Validation

On successfully executing the first two steps, the final step of the process is output validation. This stage includes generating files that are ready to be moved to an Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW) or any other system based on the specific requirements.
Output validation phase includes the following steps:

Validating that the transformation rules are correctly applied.
Validating the data integrity as well as successful loading of data into the target system.
Ensuring that there is no data corruption by comparing the target data with HDFS file system data.

Architectural & Performance testing
Big data testing involves testing of a large volume of data, which also makes it highly resource intensive. Therefore, to ensure higher accuracy and success of the project, it is important to conduct architectural testing.

It is important to remember that an improperly designed system may degrade software’s performance as well as does not allow it to specific requirements. This, in turn, generates a need of conducting performance and failover test services.
When performance testing is conducted on a system, it implies that it is being tested for aspects such as time taken to complete a job, utilization of memory and similar system metrics. On the other hand, the purpose behind conducting a Failover test is to verify that data processing takes place with a flaw in case of data nodes’ failure.
Conclusion
It is obvious that big data testing has a set of its own challenges such as need of technical expertise to conduct automation testing, timing issues in real time big data testing and need to automate the testing effort, it has numerous advantages over traditional database testing such as ability to check both structured and unstructured data.
But, a company should never rely on one single approach for testing its data. With an ability to conduct testing in multiple ways, it gets easier for the companies to deliver fast and quick results

What is Test Scenario? How to Write a Test Scenario?

Posted on August 17, 2017 by tbsupadminnxtbackendacc

What is Test Scenario?

A test scenario also called as Test Condition or Test Possibility is a document that specifies all the functionalities that need to be tested for a software application to deliver what it is meant to. Exactly defining what should be tested as part of a particular feature or application, a test scenario calls for the tester to identify himself as the end-user.

It is only then he/she will be able to relate to the requirements of the user. This process of the tester putting himself in the shoes of the customer will help him unveil many real-life scenarios that need to be addressed for the application to perform its ordained task.
Scenario Testing
Getting its name from testing different functionalities, Scenario Testing is an arm of software testing. Tagged as a simple way of testing complicated systems, scenario testing is all about enlisting different scenarios to be tested for the entire application to perform without any bugs. Below is a simple example that will help you understand what a test scenario is all about.
The Purpose behind Test Scenarios
After understanding the definition of a test scenario, it is now important to know the benefits of test scenarios. Here is a rundown of the purpose behind the documentation of a test scenario.

A test scenario is a comprehensive testing procedure.
Test scenarios are quick tools that will help identify crucial end-to-end transactions supported by the real utility of various software applications.
It is a document that can be vetted by stakeholders including developers, business analysts and end-users.
Helping to measure testing efforts, test scenarios assist your clients in the formulation of a proposal to reorganize their manpower requirements.
The prime objective of a test scenario is to ensure that the entire functionality coming under a test is checked completely for its performance.

Step-Wise Detailing to Formulate a Test Scenario
You as a tester can follow the below mentioned 5 steps to create different test scenarios:
1^st Step: Primarily, you should be read and understand requirement documents. These include: SRS (Software Requirement Specifications), FRS (Functional Requirements Statement) and BRS (Business Requirement Specification) concerning the System Under Test (SUT).
2^nd Step: Delving deep into each and every requirement, it is important that you identify various possible user actions that will come up while specifying all the user objectives. Attaching technical specifications to every requirement, this step is complete once you discover various scenarios when the system can be abused through the intervention of a hacker.

This is the most important part of the second step when you put yourself in the shoes of a hacker and try to come up with loopholes concerning the breach of application security and functioning.
3^rd Step: Gathering of information and inferences gained after the completion of the above 2 steps will be your next step. This is followed by the enlisting of various test scenarios that call for verifying each and every function of your software that is to be tested.
4^th Step: After enlisting all the probable test scenarios, you should chalk out a Traceability Matrix. This is a document that is created to confirm that every requirement has a matching test scenario that should be tested.
5^th Step: The last step is all about reviewing the test scenarios. Involving your supervisor, all the test scenarios drafted by you will be studied. Upon the successful scrutiny by your superiors, your test scenarios will reach the tables of your stakeholders who will then sit for reviewing of the scrutinized document.
Tips to Create Effective Test Scenarios
Below is the list of simple tips that will help you chalk out comprehensive test scenarios:

As a tester, it is not only your ordained duty to ensure that every requirement should be tied to a test scenario but also to adhere to the specifications of the Project Methodology
It is only when you compartmentalize complex requirements that you can check whether every requirement comes attached with a test scenario. This tip thus helps you cover all the requirements in total.
It is best to stay away from creating complicated test scenarios concerning multiple functional requirements.
It also comes as an intelligent move to stick to your client’s priority list. Bearing in mind the cost involved in testing multiple scenarios, it is important that you conduct selected test scenarios that are vital to your client.

Read also : Difference Between Test Case vs Test Scenario [Infographic]

Conclusion
Tagged as a significant component of testing, a Test Scenario effectively saves a lot of money and time involved in testing procedures. Adhering to the quality specifications of the software at every step, this document goes a long way in delivering bug-free functionalities. Not to confuse a test scenario with a test case, it is an important fact to understand that a test case primarily relies on a Test Scenario and not the other way round.

What is Bucket Testing and How is it Performed?

Posted on July 27, 2017 by tbsupadminnxtbackendacc

Commonly, a large number of business houses rely on their website’s design, content and other features to gain popularity. However, this becomes easier and much more ensured when a thorough testing and study of the complete website is done by the owners. And, this is what bucket testing is meant for.
Bucket testing, also known as A/B testing or split testing, is a kind of testing which is conducted on (at least) two different versions of a website to check which one performs better. This test is based on a set of key metrics like clicks, downloads or purchases that are measured from each page variation.
Companies that are into online selling and dealing majorly rely on bucket testing to maximize their profit by optimizing the conversion rates for their websites and landing pages.

How it works?
Any bucket test begins with a hypothesis, which can be in the form of text, design or usability change. This hypothesis is based on a team’s decision which believes that incorporating a particular change in real-time situation can work effectively to improve conversion rates.
On conducting the test, if it is found that a particular variation would be able to perform better than the control page for key metrics, the necessary change is incorporated in the website and landing page design.
There is no limit on the number of bucket tests that can be conducted on a particular page. One can continue to conduct these until he/she is satisfied with the outcomes of the new change.
For instance, there is an existing landing page for a free magazine. This page, also known as control or Variation A, will include all the relevant information about the magazine along with a sign-up form and a ‘Submit’ button.
A bucket test can be conducted on this page with a minor textual change incorporated at its bottom that will replace the word ‘Submit’ with ‘Get your free copy’. This page with the new change will be known as Variation B. The metric to be measured during this test would be the number of visitors who successfully fill the form completely.
Since, it is an ad-campaign landing page, the probabilities are very high that there will be a large number of visitors on the page. However, only a few will successfully complete the form. In such a situation, when the key metric is measuring the number of people completing the form and the results are not satisfactory, the bucket test will be conducted again with some other variation.
Common elements to test
One should have a clear understanding about the elements that can impact their website or landing page’s conversion rate. Some of the most common elements that are tested include:

Headlines and sub-headlines such as altering the length, size and font.
Images such as the number of images on each page, their placement, type of imagery and subject matter.
Textual such as varying the number of words, style and font.
Call-to-action (CTA) buttons such as ‘Buy Now,’ ‘Sign Up,’ ‘Submit’ or ‘Get Started.’
Logos of customers or third party sites.

Optimizing conversions
The basic purpose behind creating any website for a business firm is to generate maximum leads by attracting a large number of visitors. Therefore, a lot is spent by the companies to meet this goal.

However, incorporating simple changes in terms of text, image or layout can benefit the company. With bucket testing, there is no need of subjective opinions about the page’s design or layout. The quantitative data collected from this test can drive the decision.