beginners qa testing

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Beginner’s QA Testing of Websites

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Introduction to website quality assurance testing

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Page 1: Beginners QA Testing

Beginner’s QA Testing of Websites

Page 2: Beginners QA Testing

Who I Am...• Part of the team at Lucidus, an

Internet Strategy & Services Firm

• interface designer; HTML/CSS developer

• QA tester

• Analytics and usability consultant

• Regional account manager

• The “South Florida office”

Page 3: Beginners QA Testing

The Commodity Is Not As Important As

The Way It Is Delivered.

We deliver a proven process that combines engineering precision with creative flexibility

What We Care About:

Page 4: Beginners QA Testing

What isWhat isQuality Assurance?Quality Assurance?QA is part of all good production

processes.

Quality Assurance (QA) is part of

the process that ensures:

•quality in work

•activities are being performed

effectively

•the product meets requirements

Page 5: Beginners QA Testing

What’s unique What’s unique about Website QA?about Website QA?

=

Page 6: Beginners QA Testing

It’s Not EqualIt’s Not EqualWebsite QA has some differences:

•functions, benefits and production costs are not as easily measured as a physical product

•when a website is deployed, it is not

necessarily “complete”... it lives, it

evolves, is updated. “Finished” is a term

applied for the purpose of releasing it for

use.

Page 7: Beginners QA Testing

The ChallengeProcesses and methods to manage,

monitor, and measure quality in websites

and apps can be as fluid and elusive as the

defects they are meant to keep in check.

For processes and methods to be most

effective, you need to implement both web

standards and company guidelines.

Page 8: Beginners QA Testing

QA Testing is not limited to Usability

or Cross-Browser

Testing• Usability is an essential part of QA

• Cross-browser testing is tests for acceptable display in modern browsers

• QA tests the entire process, including functional accuracy

QAQA Function,Function, DesignDesign andand UsabilityUsability

Page 9: Beginners QA Testing

The Benefits of QA• Improved client satisfaction:

profitable relationships, good testimonials, waves of referrals

• Reduced cost of development: fewer defects, streamlined and simplified stages of development, retesting runs smoothly, deployment on time, on budget

• Reduced cost of maintenance: good development is less troublesome to support, support is costly

Page 10: Beginners QA Testing

Methodology of QA

Validation testing: entering erroneous data to test for an expected result

• what is the expected result?

• should this error have happened?

• if this error is likely to happen, is there any way we might prevent its occurrence?

Page 11: Beginners QA Testing

Form Validation

• character limit, add more chars than the field

• do the unexpected, try to break the form

• form submits when numbers or characters are entered in the fields:

1,2,3,4,5 etc.“ ” & ‘ ( ) ’

Page 12: Beginners QA Testing

Methodology of QAData comparison: compares the output of an application to previously entered data

• if the appropriate data types are entered, are we getting the correct result?

• does the way the page delivers or displays those results make sense?

• is there anything about this part of the application that should be more obvious?

Page 13: Beginners QA Testing

Data Input vs. Output

• does it make sense?

• any inconsistencies with the data entry?

• test and change the data entry and see if output updates the same way

Page 14: Beginners QA Testing

Methodology of QAUsability Testing:tests out how users actually use a website, to match it more closely to what user needs

• is the user doing what we expected in the manner we expected?

• are they finding and performing tasks?

• where are the weaknesses in the design?

• where and why are tasks not being completed?

• how can we assist the user?

Page 15: Beginners QA Testing

Usability

• does it make sense?

• how can we improve the design?

• how can we help the user know what to do?

• how can we assist workflow?

Page 16: Beginners QA Testing

Testing often and little is far more

valuable and cost effective than doing

one whopping big usability test of an

entire site when it is almost finished.

- Steve Krug, “Don’t Make Me Think”

Page 17: Beginners QA Testing

Testing Guidelines• Test by developer repeatedly as critical

sections are finished, to validate functionality

• Test when all sections are ready and “code complete”

• not involved with the site in any way• new to the website (don’t ask them

twice)• familiar with the web in general

• Use an outside user or colleague who is:• colleagues may provide very useful

feedback

Page 18: Beginners QA Testing

Learn the requirements

Examples of requirements:

• A streamlined, purposeful interface that is easy to understand and navigate, with obvious links, and no clutter

• Forms use inline validation to assist user

• Actions which cannot be undone should ask for confirmation

• An online forum where users can add topics, edit their posts, and comment

Page 19: Beginners QA Testing

Gather use cases from the developer and account management team

Use cases specify how users carry out a task in the website. Examples include:

• Complete application start to finish

• Start, Save, then Continue later

• Change status; Verify update to status

• Filter and reorder list

• Add or Edit an item

• Search for an item

Page 20: Beginners QA Testing

Draft a Checklist for the tester for what to test

• Content

• spelling, grammar, mechanics

• all critical information is present

• titles, headers, and navigation labeled correctly

• Graphics and layout

• image quality

• download time

• text layout

• alignment of elements

• color accuracy

• User preference

• font size and link colors

• Browser compatibility• check on different

platforms• check on different

browsers• Functionality• form validation• erroneous data• input vs. output• meets expectations• makes sense

Page 21: Beginners QA Testing

Draft a questions for the tester to ask during testing

Does the user:• gets the point of the page(s)• understands the navigation system• can guess where to find things.In a general test you want to know:• how do users interact with the web site?• what is difficult to do?• where do they get lost?• what makes sense to them?• what makes them feel distrustful or insecure?• what do they like and hate?In a specific test you might want to know, for example:• can the user accomplish a key task?• can the user find something specific

Page 22: Beginners QA Testing

Create a testing matrix

Page 23: Beginners QA Testing

Then... Test!Test in all browsers needed to meet requirements:

•Firefox 2

•Safari

•Internet Explorer 6

•Internet Explorer 7

Document findings!!!

Page 24: Beginners QA Testing

Get the Benefits• No surprises late in the game

• You KNOW it works and can stand by it confidently

• You can sleep at night

• Happy clients

• Long-term clients

• Deliver real value

Page 25: Beginners QA Testing

Thank You!Resources and Q&A

• “Designing the Obvious: a common sense approach to web application design” by Robert Hoekman, Jr.

• Hoekman’s Design Description Documents http://rhjr.net/ddd/

• Web Commandments http://rhjr.net/eReader/webCommandments.html

• “About Face 2.0: The Essentials of Interaction Design” by Alan Cooper & Robert Reimann

• “The Elements of User Experience: User-centered Design for the Web” by Jesse James Garrett

• “Communicating Design: Developing Web Site Documentation for Design and Planning” by Dan M. Brown

• Website Checklist http://www.chromaticsites.com/web-design-blog/2008-05-26/the-official-successful-website-checklist-challenge/