[All Things Quality] Perhaps They Should Have Tested More - Windows Phone

Mang... oh, no!

A recent flaw in Microsoft Windows Phone 7.5 allows certain SMS messages to cause the phone to reboot and come back up with the messaging hub disabled. It's kind of one better than the Google Android flaw which rebooted a phone in response to a simple texted message. In the case of Windows Phones, you get a reboot and a disabled service - a twofer! And the only way to cure the now-disabled messaging service is to reset the phone, and clear out all of its data.  copyrightjoestrazzere

Perhaps Microsoft should have tested more?

It does lead one to wonder - what messages might do that to a Windows Phone?  Here are a few guesses:
  • Reboot
  • SJobsRulz
  • URJustAZune
  • Mangle
  • QualityIsJob1
  • WhoNeedsSMS
  • IE9
  • PutPeopleFirst
  • wINrUMORS
  • Droid
  • Windows95

See also:

This article originally appeared in my blog: All Things Quality
My name is Joe Strazzere and I'm currently a Director of Quality Assurance.
I like to lead, to test, and occasionally to write about leading and testing.
Find me at http://AllThingsQuality.com/.

[All Things Quality] Sharing Lessons Learned

Good Lessons Are Meant To Be Shared

Yesterday, I posted a long-overdue report on my favorite book on QA and Testing: Lessons Learned in Software Testing.

I mentioned that I use it in group discussions with me Team. When I handed out copies of the book, I wrote up a few notes and put them inside the cover of each book. I talked about them during our first group discussion. I thought I'd share them with you.


Lessons Learned in Software Testing
The book is a gift to you.  Put your name on it and keep it for yourself.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

My thoughts on what we can do with this book.
1.       Of all the testing books I have ever read, I think this one is
a.       The most useful
b.      The most practical
c.      One of the easiest to read and understand
d.      Has a great Bibliography at the back copyrightjoestrazzere

2.       The authors are all smart, practical, thoughtful people.  They also write a lot of other things you might want to read.

3.       On the Dedication page, Anna Allison was a friend and co-worker who died in the first AA plane to crash into the world trade tower on 9/11

4.       Lots of lessons here
a.       You already know most of them!  (But you might not know that you know)
b.      Not all of them apply to us
c.       None of them are “gospel”, just ideas to talk about

5.       I thought we might go through a chapter at a time
a.       Spend 2 weeks reading a chapter and writing up a few notes
b.      Discuss what we see in our next bi-weekly meeting
c.       We don’t have to cover the chapters in order
d.      We don’t have to cover all chapters

6.       I hope this is
a.       Fun first
b.      Educational second
c.       Not too boring for anyone

7.       Please let me know what you think
a.       I’m considering blogging about our process if it works out well


This article originally appeared in my blog: All Things Quality
My name is Joe Strazzere and I'm currently a Director of Quality Assurance.
I like to lead, to test, and occasionally to write about leading and testing.
Find me at http://AllThingsQuality.com/.

[All Things Quality] Book: Lessons Learned in Software Testing

Lessons Learned in Software Testing
by Cem Kaner, James Bach and Bret Pettichord


I'm often asked to recommend a good book about software testing. Sometimes I'm even asked what I think is the best book about software testing. I usually hesitate to ever say "best", since I believe the best for me may not necessarily be the best for you. But if I had to pick just one book that I think would prove to be the most valuable across the widest range of readers, it would be Lessons Learned in Software Testing by Cem Kaner, James Bach, and Bret Pettichord.

Lessons Learned is a terrific compilation of 293 "lessons" - short, real-world, easily-readable treatments of a range of topics relevant to new and seasoned testers, developers, managers, and executives. These lessons, culled from the experiences of the authors, are arranged in chapters addressing everyday topics you might face: copyrightjoestrazzere

  • The Role of the Tester
  • Thinking Like a Tester
  • Testing Techniques
  • Bug Advocacy
  • Automating Testing
  • Documenting Testing
  • Interacting with Programmers
  • Managing the Testing Project
  • Managing the Testing Group
  • Your Career in Software Testing
  • Planning the Testing Strategy

Of all the testing books I have on my bookshelf, this is the one I find myself coming back to time after time.

I've even gone as far as purchasing a copy of this book for each member of my Test Team, and using it in group discussions. We find ourselves disagreeing about some of the points made in the book (as you will too), but we have found that virtually all of the lessons lead to a lively discussion about software, testing, and our profession. Books that are this thought-provoking are rare.

I'm convinced that every software tester who reads this book will find at least a few gems that are particularly relevant for their individual situation. And I believe that most folks will find most of the book extremely valuable.

If you get a chance to read Lessons Learned in Software Testing, do so, then let me know what you think.  And if you've already read it, do you agree with my assessment?


This article originally appeared in my blog: All Things Quality
My name is Joe Strazzere and I'm currently a Director of Quality Assurance.
I like to lead, to test, and occasionally to write about leading and testing.
Find me at http://AllThingsQuality.com/.

[All Things Quality] Requirements Are...

Requirements are

According to Google (and Google knows everything), requirements are ...
  • Requirements are your friends
  • Requirements are surprisingly reasonable
  • Requirements are bullsh!t copyrightjoestrazzere
  • Requirements are not enough
  • Requirements are changing
  • Requirements are approved
  • Requirements are fittingly barren
  • Requirements are the test
  • Requirements are the foundation of knowledge
  • Requirements are changing continuously
  • Requirements are absurd
  • Requirements are cumulative
  • Requirements are your true north compass
  • Requirements are rules
  • Requirements are met
  • Requirements are reasonable
  • Requirements are helpful, but
  • Requirements are needed
  • Requirements are driving significant technology purchases
  • Requirements are getting tougher
  • Requirements are wasting your money
  • Requirements are coming
  • Requirements are a joke
Can you add to the list?


This article originally appeared in my blog: All Things Quality
My name is Joe Strazzere and I'm currently a Director of Quality Assurance.
I like to lead, to test, and occasionally to write about leading and testing.
Find me at http://AllThingsQuality.com/.

[All Things Quality] Top 5 Books About Testing and Quality Assurance

Just a few books from my bookshelf

A while back, I posted a list of Testing and QA books I have on my bookshelf. http://www.allthingsquality.com/2011/11/my-testers-bookshelf.html

A few folks commented that the list was good, but too long.  They wanted to know a short list of books I would recommend.  It's tough, because there are so many good ones worth reading. But for those who want to start with just a few, here goes. In no particular order:


Lessons Learned in Software Testing by Cem Kaner, James Bach, and Bret Pettichord

In this book, the authors present almost 300 "lessons" covering a wide variety of testing topics that should be of interest to any testing professional. In addition to reading and enjoying it personally, I also use it in group discussions with my test team to help us explore what we do, why we do it, and how we might do it better. copyrightjoestrazzere

How We Test Software at Microsoft by Alan Page, Ken Johnston, and Bj Rollison
This book provides a terrific mix of insight into testing at Microsoft, along with in-depth explanations of practical test processes. While not all of the solutions will apply to everyone (unless you happen to work at a company with over 9,000 testers), everyone will learn something.

Perfect Software: And Other Illusions about Testing by Gerald M. Weinberg
Perfect Software is a high-level look at some of the "big picture questions" about testing, such as: Why do we have to bother testing? Do we have to test everything? What makes testing so hard? Is perfect software possible? Why can't we just accept a few bugs?  
It's a small book (under 200 pages), and a quick read.  
If you are looking for a "how to" book, you should look elsewhere. If you are looking for a "why" (and sometimes "why not") book, this might be for you.

The Art of Software Testing by Glendford J. Myers
This was the first book on software testing I ever read.  Some of it is outdated, but much of it still stands up.  You may find it hard to get hold of a copy at a reasonable price, but if you do - it will be worth a read.

High Performance Web Sites: Essential Knowledge for Front-End Engineers by Steve Souders
In High Performance Web Sites: Essential Knowledge for Front-End Engineers Steve Souders explains that at least 80 percent of the time it takes to display a web page happens after the HTML document has been downloaded, and describes the importance of the techniques in this book.  
The book is a quick read containing some good hints and tips. Many are fairly easily investigated and implemented in most companies.  
Overall, an interesting book, particularly for those tasked with testing websites that could benefit from a performance improvement.

So there you have it.  Have you read any of these? Agree or disagree with the list? Can you recommend a book that should have been here, but isn't?


This article originally appeared in my blog: All Things Quality
My name is Joe Strazzere and I'm currently a Director of Quality Assurance.
I like to lead, to test, and occasionally to write about leading and testing.
Find me at http://AllThingsQuality.com/.

[All Things Quality] My Sports Bookshelf

Sports!  Read all about it!

I enjoy sports, particularly NFL Football, and most particularly the New England Patriots. Here are a few sports books I have on my bookshelf:

This article originally appeared in my blog: All Things Quality
My name is Joe Strazzere and I'm currently a Director of Quality Assurance.
I like to lead, to test, and occasionally to write about leading and testing.
Find me at http://AllThingsQuality.com/.

[All Things Quality] Book Recommendations for Testing Circus Magazine

Testing Circus Magazine - November 2011

Last month, I received an email from the good folks at Testing Circus Magazine. They recently started a monthly feature on "Testing book recommendations by testing celebrities", and asked if I would help.

Specifically, they wanted: copyrightjoestrazzere
  • A list of 2 books that you would recommend for other testers
  • 2 lines on why you'd recommend that book

While I'm certainly not a celebrity, I'm always happy to help. So I wrote back with my recommendations and reasoning. The results are in the November 2011 Issue of Testing Circus in the Book Worm's Corner on page 11.  Check it out at http://testingcircus.com/default.aspx. Enjoy!

And yes, they spelled my last name incorrectly.  No worries - with a name like Strazzere, I've seen lots worse! 


This article originally appeared in my blog: All Things Quality
My name is Joe Strazzere and I'm currently a Director of Quality Assurance.
I like to lead, to test, and occasionally to write about leading and testing.
Find me at http://AllThingsQuality.com/.

[All Things Quality] A New Kindle Game - Pirate Stash

Amazon released yet another new (free) game for the Kindle - Pirate Stash.
Pirate Stash is a logic puzzle game that challenges you to hide all of your treasure chests on a deserted island. 
X marks the spot as you push one or more treasure chests to be buried in designated hiding places. Maneuver your loot through a maze of obstacles, but be careful not to make the wrong move. You can only move one chest at a time and the chests cannot be pulled. When the treasure chests are all in place, you have solved the puzzle. 
Your score for a puzzle is the number of times each chest is pushed, with a lower number of pushes being better. Achieve up to three stars on a puzzle. Gain one star for solving the puzzle, two stars for matching par for the puzzle, and three stars for a perfect score. Over 100 puzzles of increasing difficulty allow anyone, from beginners to experts, to challenge their minds. Can you beat them all? 
If you like puzzle games, you'll love Pirate Stash!
It's an interesting game, requires a small bit of thought, and is reasonably well implemented within the e-ink limitations of the device. Not my favorite, but it can be amusing. copyrightjoestrazzere

Note: This game was free at the time I downloaded it from Amazon.  As with all free items, you must check before you download, since it may no longer be free.


This article originally appeared in my blog: All Things Quality
My name is Joe Strazzere and I'm currently a Director of Quality Assurance.
I like to lead, to test, and occasionally to write about leading and testing.
Find me at http://AllThingsQuality.com/.

[All Things Quality] Sites For Practicing Your Web Testing

If you miss a note, I'll whack you with this stick!

As the old joke goes: "How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, Practice, Practice."

And how do you get to be a good Web Tester? Practice, Practice, Practice.

Here are some web sites that might help.

ParkCalc Widget
copyrightjoestrazzere
A copy of the parking fee calculation widget from the Gerald R. Ford International Airport.

This "application" has some serious flaws, and has been the subject of lots of exploratory testing. Often the goal is to try and attain the highest parking fee you can, and discover the features/bugs in the widget along the way.

Read more here:

Brown & Donaldson (B&D) online brokerage Web site

The case study featured in The Web Testing Handbook by Steven Splaine & Stefan P. Jaskiel and the SQE Web testing training seminars.

B&D is a fictitious online brokerage firm created with the specific purpose of providing you with the opportunity to practice the Web testing techniques discussed in the book and training seminars, thereby gaining real-world interactive Web testing experience.

It even includes sample Requirements and Test Plans.

The Mercury Tours Web Site

Used in conjunction with the tutorials for some HP (formerly Mercury Interactive) products, such as QuickTest Pro.

Know of any other sites used for practicing your web testing craft? Shoot me a note, and I'll add them to the list!


This article originally appeared in my blog: All Things Quality
My name is Joe Strazzere and I'm currently a Director of Quality Assurance.
I like to lead, to test, and occasionally to write about leading and testing.
Find me at http://AllThingsQuality.com/.

[All Things Quality] All Things Quality Is Now AllThingsQuality.com!

strazzere.blogspot.com


is now


AllThingsQuality.com


After six years of posting, I've decided that this little blog might actually have a chance to stick around a bit. So I purchased the domain AllThingsQuality.com. copyrightjoestrazzere

So, when you have a chance, change your bookmarks to http://AllThingsQuality.com.

Same great blog you know and love... in a beautiful new blog domain!


This article originally appeared in my blog: All Things Quality
My name is Joe Strazzere and I'm currently a Director of Quality Assurance.
I like to lead, to test, and occasionally to write about leading and testing.
Find me at http://AllThingsQuality.com/.