4.2 Tasks Completed During Quality Assurance

The Project Manager should now have a completed project waiting to be tested , a first-draft document from Documentation, and QA s completed Beta Plan. If it has been over six months since Phase 1, Business Development should update the Project Requirements Document (PRD). The Project Manager presented Phase 3 to the executive staff and received approval to proceed to Phase 4.

QA is now on the critical path . During this phase, QA begins testing the project in earnest. QA must test the project according to the description of how the project will be used as defined in the PRD and the Beta Plan. One of the tests that QA performs is to install the project and run through a simulated use of it, in the same way an actual user would. This means going through the documentation as an average user would and testing the project on a system configured like that of the average user . Most technology projects use a browser interface. It is very important that all browsers are tested. If the project will be used internally, there is tighter control on the possible browsers employees have on their desk. A caveat is home access; it should be clearly identified in the PRD if employees will have access to this application from their home computers. For example, if this is an E-Learning project, employees may be accessing training from their hotel rooms or from their homes . QA will need to identify what speed modem out-of-the-office users will have access to and what browser they will be using. QA will need to try the application using the lowest common denominator configuration ”a 28K modem, a portable computer screen, and an AOL browser. If the project is being designed for customers, all possible browsers and all possible version levels need to be tested, including Microsoft, Netscape, and AOL for both PCs and Macs. A customer will be repelled by an application that does not work with his or her environment. A few minutes of testing can save a project. All errors and problems that are uncovered and all recommendations that would make the project easier to use or more effective are logged. It is important for QA to install and use the application the same way end users will. The money saved supporting a project that works will make up for any inconveniences encountered and the time spent properly testing a project.

During the QA phase, the documentation writer reviews changes and recommendations provided by QA. The documentation writer incorporates these changes into the manuals or online help. If appropriate, the documents and online help are augmented with install, usage, and debug samples.

It is important that each week QA presents to the team their test status and an annotated bug count. Once QA certifies they have run all their tests and there are no severity 1 or 2 bugs , the project can move to Phase 5 ”Beta.

IT s role during the QA phase is to support the QA organization and to fix bugs in a timely manner. Near the end of the QA phase, IT is responsible for creating and presenting a technical class. The audience of this class is Help Desk, Training, and any other department involved in supporting the project through the beta process. The purpose of this class is for technical information to be transferred from IT to the Help Desk organization and to the people responsible for creating user training. The class is referred to as a Transfer of Information (TOI). An E-Learning version of this class should be developed and placed on the company s intranet so that Help Desk workers located in other facilities or who join the project after its release can receive in-depth training directly from the developers. The team s Help Desk representative works with the IT representative to make sure that the information IT presents meets the needs of the Help Desk organization. The Project Manager is responsible for confirming that the class logistics are handled. The Help Desk organization is responsible for inviting the appropriate people in their organization and the training organization.

For most companies, Quality Assurance is a group within IT. For smaller IT organizations, there typically is not a separate Quality Assurance group . It is very important to identify someone who is not involved with developing the project to assure quality. The most experienced , detail-oriented developer can miss simple things. A fresh set of eyes is needed on all projects to assure that the project works as specified.

4.2 in a Nutshell

The project has been created; QA is now the critical path team member.

• QA tests the project in accordance with how the project will be used by end users.

• IT is available to support QA by fixing any bugs.

• Documentation works with QA to complete the manuals and help files based on the needs of the end user.

• Project management creates a Release Plan.

• Beta sites are identified.

• IT provides training for Help Desk people and people responsible for creating user training.