Conference Presentations

Testing "Best Practices": From Microsoft's Context to Yours

Testing is a never-ending series of trade-off decisions, what to test and what not to test; when to stop testing and release the product; how to budget your testing resources for automated vs. manual testing; how much code coverage is good enough; and much more. To make these difficult judgement calls, we often turn to the "best practices" recommended by testing experts and others who have encountered similar problems. The key to successful implementation is matching their "best practices" to your own context (team make-up, company culture, market
environment, etc.). Barry Preppernau shares his insights gathered from over 20 years of testing experience at Microsoft. You'll learn about the tools and processes that have been successful within Microsoft and ways for you to identify, adapt, and implement successful test improvement
initiatives within your organization.
Barry Preppernau, Microsoft Corporation
I Take It (Almost) All Back

Turn to The Last Word, where software professionals who care about quality give you their opinions on hot topics. This month, an industry expert explains why he changed his mind about the value of exploratory testing—well, mostly.
Rex Black's picture Rex Black
July 15, 2004
Just Use It!

Like exercise, usability testing is something we all say we want to do but somehow never get around to doing. Yet, as the saying goes, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Find out how to take the first steps toward a real usability testing regimen.
Carolanne Fisher, Ph.D.'s picture Carolanne Fisher, Ph.D.
July 15, 2004
A Perfect FIT

Programmers, how do you make test-driven development better? By involving those outside of development in writing test scenarios. FIT is a tool that’s being used by many to do just that. Dave Astels will show you how.
Dave Astels
June 2, 2004
Soap Opera Testing

Test design, FUN? Hans Buwalda thinks so. His approach will infuse your testing with creativity and drama. Careful, you might get hooked!
Hans Buwalda's picture Hans Buwalda
April 16, 2004
Inside the Mind of an Exploratory Tester

Among the hardest things to explain is something that everyone already knows. We all know how to listen, how to read, how to think, and how to tell anecdotes about the events in our lives. As adults, we do these things every day. Yet the level possessed by the average person of any of these skills may not be adequate for certain special situations.Exploratory tester James Bach describes eight key skills that expert explorers possess, and how you can develop them too.
James Bach's picture James Bach
February 16, 2004
The Power of "What If..." and

Sometimes your imagination can be your most valuable testing tool. Learn when to use scenario tests, when not to, and nine ways to make them work better for you.
Cem Kaner
November 19, 2003
Leading Successful Software Projects

Presentation Leading Successful Software Projects
Andy Kaufman, Institute for Leadership Excellence and Development
Efficient Testing Using the Pairwise Approach

This article discusses the All-Pairs testing method and how to implement it for your testing team. Detailed instructions are also provided.
Bernie Berger, Test Assured Inc.
TTCN-3: A Standard Test Scripting Language

In this article, the author lays out the case for having a dedicated, standardized test language. The benefits of using a TTCN-3 are also detailed. Read on for an explanation of TTCN-3 and learn how TTCN-3 may be instrumental in bringing testing into the modern age.
Matt Graney, Telelogic North America Inc

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