Beginner’s QA Testing of Websites By Quontra Solutions

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Beginners QA Testing of WebsitesByQuontra
Solutions

• Email info_at_quontrasolutions.com
• Contact 404-900-9988
• Website www.quontrasolutions.com

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What is Quality Assurance?

• QA is part of all good production processes.
• Quality Assurance (QA) is part ofthe process
  that ensures
• Quality in work
• Activities are being performed effectively
• The product meets requirements

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Whats unique about Website QA?

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Its Not Equal

• Website 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.

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The Challenge

• Processes 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.

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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

QA Function, Design and Usability
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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

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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?

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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.
  ( )

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Methodology of QA

• Data 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?

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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

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Methodology of QA

• Usability 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?

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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?

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• 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.

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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 (dont ask them twice)?
• familiar with the web in general
• Use an outside user or colleague who is
• colleagues may provide very useful feedback

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Create a testing matrix
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Then... Test!

• Test in all browsers needed to meet requirements
• Firefox 2
• Safari
• Internet Explorer 6
• Internet Explorer 7
• Document findings!!!

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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

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Thank You!!