BIG Deployment to LIVE!

Finally, the current Change Request is deployed to LIVE! What a relieve.
Well, we have done the testing by phases and in different servers, i.e UAT, Training and Live servers. The type and quantity of testings is huge and repetitive just to ensure everything is working fine and as specified, without affecting the existing system behaviour.

The things I've learned from this Change Request:
1. Testing by phases and at different servers is highly helpful for both QA and Developers.
Reason: Practise makes perfect

2. Need better Clarification and Understanding about the Change Request within the current system.
Reason: Lots of hiccups are due to the lack of understanding in
=> the existing system behaviour
=> the Specifications & Requirements in the Change Request
=> the system design

3. As for the QA, apart from what stated in #2, we also need to prepare the Test Design. The Test Design can only be 100% achieve if have better understanding of the above #2 criterias.

4. Finally, I strongly disagree with the use of Test Cases when performing the testing. Test Cases is very time consuming and ineffective. I prefer to have a good Test Design, then from there prepare the Test List in simple way using simple method like table, matrix and forms.
Reason: Faster, Simple, Easy & Usable - Everything in one place (Specs, Criterias & Test Results)

All in all, testing is about one's passion. It's not everyday job for everybody. As it is a highly repetitive job, ones must have patient as well as highly imaginative in testing the same features but from different angles.

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Why I am a Software QA?

Being a Software QA is never been planned in my career prospects. It's all happen through lucks (I believe it's a Miracle), hardwork, preseverence and deep passion on what I'm doing. People still keep on asking me why I become QA Software, which is totally out from my speciallity. My answer is very simple and easy, "I am passionate about Quality. The core principles and objectives of Quality is applicable to all system, industry, organizations, or whatever you call it. The main things is we understand the main meaning of Quality."

Black Box Testing

Black Box Testing is testing without knowledge of the internal workings of the item being tested. For example, when black box testing is applied to software engineering, the tester would only know the "legal" inputs and what the expected outputs should be, but not how the program actually arrives at those outputs. It is because of this that black box testing can be considered testing with respect to the specifications, no other knowledge of the program is necessary. For this reason, the tester and the programmer can be independent of one another, avoiding programmer bias toward his own work. For this testing, test groups are often used, "Test groups are sometimes called professional idiots...people who are good at designing incorrect data." 1 Also, do to the nature of black box testing, the test planning can begin as soon as the specifications are written. The opposite of this would be glass box testing, where test data are derived from direct examination of the code to be tested. For glass box testing, the test cases cannot be determined until the code has actually been written. Both of these testing techniques have advantages and disadvantages, but when combined, they help to ensure thorough testing of the product.

Source taken from: http://www.cse.fau.edu/~maria/COURSES/CEN4010-SE/C13/black.html

Test management and bug tracking tools

As part of my responsibilities as SQA Engineer to upgrade our QA overall processes, I have to evaluate free tools for handling Test Management and Bug tracking. Currently, my company has been using Eventum for handling support issues as well as Project Releases for many years.
We found that Eventum have limited features and capabilities which affects our efficiency and effectiveness in handling issues arise from Code Review and Software Testing. Furthermore, I can't find any free tools that can easily integrate with Eventum for Test Project Managements. This lead us to source for new free tools that cater for both Test Project and Bug Tracking Managements.
My new team member has suggested Mantis as he did used Mantis as the Bug Tracking tool in his previous company. My Manager also did used Mantis in her previous company. We evaluate Mantis as well as BugNet and few more bug tracking tools. Finally, we have decided to use Mantis as it is quite similar with Eventum but with additional features, capabilities and catered for multi-level projects. At the same time, we also look for Test Project Management tool that can easily be integrated with Mantis. TestLink is the best choice so far.
With TestLink, we can create the Test Cases for the Test Project dynamically and collectively. The testing is only be executed after created a Test Plan for the Test Project. Meaning that, each Test Project can have many Test Plan, which we previously called it as Releases in the Eventum. Once the Test Plan is created, the Test Cases is pooled from the Test Specification and assigned to the Tester. The assigned Tester will execute the Test Cases and manually select the option for the test outcome, which is either Failed, Blocked or Passed. For Failed or Blocked outcomes, we need to click on the bug's icon to enter the Mantis's Issue ID. We have customized this part where when the Tester click on the icon, they will automatically pointed to Mantis and able to report the issue, without need to login at different page. The same goes to Mantis where we have added link at each issue for the specific Test Case. Meaning that the QA/Tester focal point is the TestLink, while the Developer is Mantis.
As I've use both TestLink and Mantis now for few projects, I am very happy to say that both tools has complemented each other very well and most importantly has improve our efficiency and effectiveness tremendously.

My views of Quality - Food Industry

I'm graduated from The University of New South Wales, Australia in Bachelor of Science and majored in Food Science and Technology. I was really enjoyed my university years and looked forward to become a professional in Food related sectors. My most favorite subject was called Quality Evaluation and Control. Here I've learned the basic concepts of what the real meaning of Quality, such as Quality Assurance, Quality Control, Quality Management, ISO9001:2000 etc and how to apply the concepts for different type of risks. At that point, I've already set my mind to pursue my career in Food Quality Management.
Little did I wonder that in Food Industry, Quality is the most critical issues to handle. The risk is so high that require us to be innovative, creative and knowledgeable but at the same time to be firm in decision-making. Quality is about end-to-end process which started with the raw materials and only ends at the consumption point, without ignoring any single point of contacts that might be critical for the process. Therefore, HACCP become the most applicable and sought after certification in Food Industry. HACCP is stand for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points, that analyzing the end-to-end process to determine the critical points of the process that will affects the overall quality. Once the critical points determined, it was analyzed for the risk levels and necessary measures to be taken. Therefore, the risk is properly handled, managed and controlled throughout the process, from preparing raw materials to the point of consumption.
Take for example, an ice cream manufacturing company. First of all, they have to make sure that the raw materials they ordered is as per specifications and not expired. Raw materials is checked against the required specification. Once the raw materials meet the specifications, they have to make sure that the equipments is cleaned and in good working conditions. The production environment must be clean, safe and free from contaminations. Then, the production process must be followed and monitored closely, from mixing, packing to hardening and so on. Transporting ice cream from factory to the customers is also need to be considered. Then, the storage of the ice cream at the customer sites must also taken into consideration up to the point of consumption. The quality is maintained and controlled throughout the food chains at the determined critical points. Missing or ignore one of the critical points might affetcs the quality of the ice cream directly and indirectly.
Now, I am working as Software QA Engineer. Though in Software Quality we don't apply HACCP principles, the concept is still applicable where Quality is starting from the beginning of the project until delivered. We use different in Software Quality as the risk management is different.

My Life before become QA Software Engineer

My previous company simply assigned me as QA and Operational Executive. I was responsible for the overall quality of the management of the Company as well as Production and Software development since I am the only QA there. I have developed an ISO9001:2000 Quality Management for the Company. Apart from that, I have developed SOP for the Production department, handled the Customer complaints, managed the Production Network & databases, as well as managed Software Testing and deployments. The hectic work schedule without having someone to assisst my work has taught me to be multi-tasker, efficient and be more pro-active. I've quickly learned the art and skill of good software tester. All-in-all, I have gained an invaluable experience throughout my 2.5 years there. Now I know what I want to become and vision myself as Professional Software QA.