Conference Presentations

The Past, Present, and Future of Software Test Automation Tools

Gregory Pope examines the past, present, and future of software testing tools. By contrasting the best thinking of ten years ago with what's happening today, he brings a clear and unique perspective to what the future might hold. Greg also provides insight into the successes and failures of once-promising tools. Using the historical factors that make test automation successful, he demonstrates how to pick tools that will be successful now and in the future.

Gregory Pope, Gregory Pope Consulting
Taking Test Automation Mainstream

By now, most test organizations have implemented at least one test automation tool. However, the success of these tools is by no means guaranteed. Why is it that these products often fail to meet their potential? What can managers do to increase the tool's return on investment? Andrew Pollnew helps you with ways to ensure that tools support rather than hinder you. He discusses a number of common-but-flawed approaches to automation, then explains how to change them.

Andrew Pollner, ALP International Corporation
Performance: The Overlooked Quality Metric

The amount of time allocated to quality testing is always under pressure due to slippage in development and delivery dates-this often results in performance testing being overlooked in the quality process. This presentation examines various factors of performance testing including why it's important, how to determine the metrics that are essential to individual situations, and how to automate the collection and analysis of data. Ernest Huber gives you an example performance testing process, much of which is applicable to your quality assurance tasks.

Ernest Huber, TCI Solutions, Inc.
Software Test Automation Spring 2002: Test Automation With Action Words: A Practical Experience

Action Word Testing. This concept illuminates testing as an action, a process, an art. Learn how Action Word Testing can be applied to deal with critical test issues such as lack of functional knowledge of a system under test; instability of the design during test development; and automation of 100% of the functional or technical tests. Hans Buwalda uses a financial exchange that's introduced a new electronic trading system to demonstrate Action Word Testing (approximately 15,000 tests). In this example, automation of the entire test was essential, but it was difficult to achieve.

Hans Buwalda, LogiGear
A Practical Approach to Early-Cycle QA Test Automation

Everyone knows that a large body of automated unit tests for classes, subsystems, and frameworks adds to overall code quality. However, the "burden" of unit test automation is frequently placed squarely on the shoulders of developers because of the perception that only a developer can write a unit test. Since QA personnel typically test from the user interface-and usually have to wait until later in the development cycle for the availability of that interface-they're often left to scramble at the end of the cycle to get their testing done. Michael Silverstein reveals a model for early-cycle collaboration between developers and testers where testers augment the developers' unit testing activities without adding additional process overhead.

Michael Silverstein, SilverMark, Inc.
Effective Test Automation and Deployment Strategy for Java Servlet and JSP Applications

Recent advances in Java servlet and JSP technology have gained popularity and support from the industry. The backbone of this technology is the J2EE platform and Model 2 JSP architecture which effectively separate presentation from content. However, since this design includes a wide spectrum of technical areas, developing and automating JSP test applications is a challenge for many test professionals. This presentation teaches you to employ and modify a logic to build a customized performance testing tool for any JSP application, including the successful deployment of the application into the servlet container. Heesun Park also gives you practical tips for JSP application deployment strategy.

Heesun Park, SAS Institute
Testing in the Fast Lane: Automated Acceptance Testing in an eXtreme Programming Environment

Are you looking to apply the values of eXtreme Programming (XP) to test automation? In eXtreme Programming Explained, Kent Beck compares XP to driving a car-meaning the team must make constant corrections to stay on track. This includes plotting the course, establishing check points, tracking progress, and occasionally even asking for directions. But XP test professionals have a need for speed given their tight deadlines, so is this much process really possible? To be the windshield and not the bug, you have to use lightweight automated test frameworks and tools that won't slow you down. Lisa Crispin delivers pointers on selecting or developing these tools to assist in test automation.

Lisa Crispin, BoldTech Systems
Software Test Automation Fall 2001: Test Automation with Action Words: A Practical Experience

Action Word Testing. This concept illuminates testing as an action, a process, an art. Learn how Action Word Testing can be applied to deal with critical test issues such as lack of functional knowledge of a system under test; instability of the design during test development; and automation of 100% of the functional or technical tets. Hans Buwalda uses a financial exchange that's introduced a new electronic trading system to demonstrate Action Word Testing (approximately 15,000 tests). In this example, automation of the entire test was essential, but it was difficult to achieve. Explore this real-world situation as it reveals the issues encountered in the process, and the lessons learned from them.

Hans Buwalda, LogiGear Corporation
Blind Alleys in Automated Testing

More often than not, even modest software test automation efforts fail to achieve their goals. Usually these project shortcomings happen because the introduction of test automation reduces the effectiveness of the test group, thereby reducing the number of tests and the number and complexity of product defects found. Several common misconceptions about the value and techniques for software test automation contribute to this problem. Douglas Hoffman explores some of the more common issues and addresses how to recognize and avoid them. He delves into each blind alley, describing each one and showing you how and why they sometimes lead to failure. He then offers you strategies for understanding and avoiding them.

Douglas Hoffman, Software Quality Methods LLC
Unified Test Automation Using XML

Are you looking to reduce the maintenance costs of your testware? Unified Test Automation (UTA) is one approach that's demonstrated cost-saving success. UTA serves as a cost-reduction strategy by centralizing test resources and minimizing the overhead of maintaining the different components of testware, such as test documents, test software, and test data. The advent of new technologies such as the XML markup language and associated XML third-party tools for editing XML content has produced an ideal framework for the centralization of all testware. Rodrigo Geve cites specific examples and explains how this has been achieved.

Rodrigo Geve, Geve & Associates

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