F15-10/5: WORKSHOP: Implementing Business Context to Test Heuristics Model

Track/s: Strategy

We live in a world with various business domains. Testers in these domains are called upon to understand the business context, and while the core approach to their testing should be similar to other testers, it is important to understand the industries that are out there. Have you ever wondered how testers in another domain or industry might approach testing for their organizations? Have you ever wondered if something that someone is doing in another testing domain would benefit the work you do in your company?

As testers, it is critical to understand the various business verticals and industries. Educating yourself on these various industries adds an immense depth to your skills as a tester and provides you the ability to test from various angles. Most importantly, it expands your experience and your reputation among your peers in the testing community.
Let’s face the facts: Business leaders are focused on cutting costs and lowering the time-to-market. But are they aware of the impact to quality? Projects are getting more and more complex in nature, both in functionality and technology. Even with this increased complexity, the business continues to expect the same depth and quality of effort from testing in the same timeframes as in past projects.

How often do the testers on your team handle this pressure by keeping their heads down and just focusing on the work to be done? Do they move ahead with a limited awareness of the business contexts, which causes missed opportunities to prioritize testing activities, find critical defects early, reduce risks of failure, and reduce the cost of post-production defects?

This two-part tutorial will equip you with an understanding of the various vertical business domains that exist today, as well as an understanding of the various approaches to testing within them. Armed with this knowledge and practice, your team will look to you for the diverse aspects to testing in your organization, and you will become highly respected for your approach to testing.


Part 1: Applying Business Context to Heuristics Model for Testing

Part 1 will introduce you to the theory of business contexts as it relates to heuristics. This tutorial will explain the various business verticals and the theory for which you can apply heuristics to each of them. If you are unfamiliar with heuristics, or if you want to expand your knowledge of them and how to use them in various business contexts, this tutorial is for you.

Part 1 Key Takeaways:

      What are Heuristics?
      What are the “General” Test Heuristics?
      Understanding the Heuristics Test Strategy Model (James Bach’s published model)
      The nuances of a business vertical and the business context for testing an application
      Implementing the business context in “Domain Testing” and other Heuristics.

Part 2: Implementing Business Context to Heuristics Model for Testing: Applying Business Context to Test Reporting and Management

Part 2 will move from theory to practice. Attendees will be given exercises that will give hands-on experience to the practice of testing within various vertical business domains. While this tutorial does not require attendance to Part 1, we will be leveraging the coursework on heuristics within business contexts to build upon the exercises.

Part 2 Key Takeaways:

      Practicing hands on – testing exercises, to implement business domains in testing (Retail, Healthcare, and BFSI – Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance).
      How to develop interactional expertise of different domains
      Product Risks – how to identify these and highlight the risks to the management
      Implementing the business context for test reporting and management (Retail, Healthcare, and BFSI – Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance).
      Testing exercise – implementation of business context in end to end test strategy and testing model (quick practice session)


Download Presentation

Please Note: The presentations are intended for attendees only. The presentations page is password protected – contact info@softwaretestpro.com for verification of attendance and the password to access the presentation.


Session Speaker:

Smita Mishra – CEO/Principal Consultant, QAzone Infosystems

Smita Mishra is the CEO and Chief Test Consultant at QAzone Infosystems, which is a software testing organization. In her current role, she is involved in creating test teams, managing testing for software companies, leading the overall test strategy for them. She specializes in driving Testing in the right business contexts. She supports her customers in identifying the risks their applications are carrying and / or passing on further to their end customers, through carefully crafted skills of software testing. She also engages with different forums to assist growth for women in her field and otherwise too.

Speaker Details:

Smita Mishra – CEO/Principal Consultant, QAzone Infosystems
Twitter: @Smita_QAZone
Facebook: Smita Mishra
LinkedIn: Smita Mishra
Website: www.QAZone.in
Blog: SmitaMishraBlog.com
Past Events: STPCon, QAI, Test Practitioner’s Club, Discuss Agile 2015