Tips

Tips

• Here's what you need to know -- and do -- to be a more technical tester

  Want to be a better tester? It's not about coding, it's about reading the code. Expert Matthew Heusser takes you through the step-by-step process of setting up a Unix server.  Continue Reading

• The advantages of turning Agile pair programming into pair coaching

  Working on the idea of pair programming, pair coaching is another way to get the most out of Agile. Expert Yvette Francino explains how and why the process works.  Continue Reading

• How a source code review process helps breed better developers

  Collaborating on a code review process will not only improve the quality of a codebase, but it's also an easy way to build solid, team-wide best practices.  Continue Reading

• Who is to blame for bad coding? Time to look in the mirror

  Sometimes, when software goes wrong, the problems are self-inflicted. Expert Gerie Owen explains why development teams can fall prey to bad decision-making, and how to get out of the downward spiral.  Continue Reading

• An insider's guide to successful pair-programming techniques

  Two heads are better than one, but sharing one computer can be tricky. Expert Yvette Francino explains how pair programming can make for better-quality code.  Continue Reading

• Software testing in the cloud? Meet testing as a service

  Testing as a service offers the flexibility to test applications in almost any type of cloud combination you'd need. Expert tester Gerie Owen explains how it works.  Continue Reading

• Comparing development methodologies: Agile vs. DevOps vs. Lean Startup

  It's a confusing, jargon-filled world out there. Expert Christopher Ward brings clarity in part one of a series of articles on the differences between Lean, Agile and DevOps.  Continue Reading

• When DevOps and requirements gathering techniques collide

  Moving from Agile to DevOps? Requirements gathering is a great place to start rethinking and incorporating a high level of collaboration. Expert Christopher Ward explains.  Continue Reading

• Key steps to save time when testing microservices

  Microservices are a hot dev choice, but how do they fit into a software tester's job? Expert Matt Heusser explains how they speed up testing time and support continuous delivery.  Continue Reading

• ChatOps is a new software testing strategy for DevOps teams

  Testers can feel left out when it comes to the "Ops" side of a DevOps team. But ChatOps can be a way to get involved and add value. Expert Gerie Owen explains.  Continue Reading

• How to make crowdsourced testing actually help the development process

  The trouble with paying bug bounties to outsiders for testing help is doing so can create an adversarial relationship between developer and tester. Expert Robin Goldsmith offers advice.  Continue Reading

• Does the DevOps tester really exist? Maybe, with some work

  With the DevOps focus on continuous integration and delivery, is there room left for testers? Expert Justin Rohrman makes the case for why testers can still add value.  Continue Reading

• Want disciplined DevOps software delivery? It takes six steps

  If your Agile organization is heading down the DevOps path, there are key processes you will need to implement. Expert Yvette Francino lays out a plan to ensure disciplined DevOps.  Continue Reading

• Would your app get Olympic results? It's not looking good

  There's no more grueling trial by fire for an application than a huge international event. Find out if your app is going to make it to the podium.  Continue Reading

• Bad case of TMI? AI design software is coming to the rescue

  You really can have too much information, which is why APM companies are adding artificial intelligence features to their products. Help is on its way.  Continue Reading

• Large-scale Agile development doesn't work. Or does it?

  It might be heresy, but Agile coach Michele Sliger isn't buying Agile on a large scale. Here's why she thinks it's just not ever going to work in that environment.  Continue Reading

• What modern test manager responsibilities entail

  What does a test manager do? That's not the easiest question to answer, as responsibilities vary. Expert Matt Heusser explains the crux of the role and provides some tips as well.  Continue Reading

• Find the joy in Agile team building -- it's easier than you think

  Want a productive Agile team? Then you need a group of people who truly trust each other. Expert Jennifer Lent explains how to create a workplace developers will love.  Continue Reading

• Security testing basics: Fending off hackers and crackers

  It's critical to apply security testing into your app, as cybersecurity affects everyone. Testing before production can help prevent attacks. Expert Gerie Owen explains further.  Continue Reading

• Web pages slow to load? No worries -- here are 19 fixes

  What can you do to speed bloated, slow-to-load Web pages? Expert Tammy Everts suggests 19 different ways to fix the problem.  Continue Reading

• Is artificial intelligence in software testing coming to you?

  Is the machine software tester coming to make your life even more stressful? Expert Matt Heusser explains where AI and testing intersect, and reveals why you don't need to worry about it.  Continue Reading

• We love to hate performance testing metrics, but still need them

  We need quality testing metrics, but only to a point. Expert Yvette Francino explains why we need to choose the metrics and the process carefully.  Continue Reading

• Master interrupt testing on mobile devices

  Since mobile devices were made to be interrupted, the challenge is to create -- and test -- an app that rolls with it all. Yvette Francino explains how interrupt testing works.  Continue Reading

• Are you ready for big data testing?

  Data is everywhere and that means it's time to sharpen your big data testing skills. Expert Gerie Owen explains what you'll need to know to embrace this brave new world.  Continue Reading

• When it comes to DevOps and testing, change is certain

  The DevOps mind-set is spreading fast and that means testers need to rethink their roles. Expert Stephen Elliot predicts what will happen with DevOps and testing.  Continue Reading

• Requirements with the Agile process management

  Ben Linders explains why a team-based approach to Agile process management can help better meet the needs of customers and support development teams.  Continue Reading

• Teach your team to embrace change and create an Agile mindset

  Change is always difficult, but never more so than trying to create an Agile mindset for the first time. Learn the secrets experts use to overcome resistance to change.  Continue Reading

• The secrets of successful Lean software testing

  Are you overwhelmed by Lean software testing options? Expert Matthew Heusser explains in detail how to get your team on the Lean bandwagon.  Continue Reading

• For 2016, take charge of your career in software testing

  Software testers, it's time to stand up for yourselves and the value of your career. Expert Matt Heusser's advice: Become management's trusted advisor.  Continue Reading

• What you need to know about cloud testing strategies

  In the brave new world of testing, the cloud is everywhere. Expert Gerie Owen offers insight into the secret world of cloud testing.  Continue Reading

• It's the end of 2015 and perhaps the beginning of Agile maturity

  Nothing is harder to accomplish than Agile maturity, but expert Jennifer Lent thinks it happened in 2015. Here's why she and other experts believe it.  Continue Reading

• Can opposites attract? Here's how to create an Agile UX team

  Although seemingly at odds with each other, Agile and UX are moving inexorably closer. Expert Yvette Francino shows us they can come together.  Continue Reading

• The secret to asking the right usability testing questions

  In the brave new world of software testing, usability can be overwhelming. Expert Gerie Owen guides us through asking the right usability testing questions.  Continue Reading

• Understand how DAD works as an Agile framework

  If your team is struggling to implement Agile principles, it might be time to give DAD a try. Expert Yvette Francino explains how to use this Agile framework.  Continue Reading

• Emulator vs. real device testing: Do you have to choose?

  When coding a mobile app, you should no longer question whether to use an emulator or test with a real device. Expert Chris Riley makes the case for testing using both methods.  Continue Reading

• Understand the importance of a mobile testing strategy

  By 2017 users will have downloaded 270 billion mobile apps. Gerie Owen explains what every tester must understand about developing a mobile testing strategy.  Continue Reading

• A primer on automated API testing

  Not sure where to begin with automated API testing? Expert Yvette Francino demystifies the process from start to finish.  Continue Reading

• Seven ways to know when to automate testing

  Everyone wants automation, but knowing when to automate testing is the trick. Expert John Scarpino gives you seven questions to ask.  Continue Reading

• Tips for effective software project collaboration

  Software project collaboration sounds easy, but how do you really do it? An expert shows how to get started and avoid traps along the way.  Continue Reading

• Tips for an effective continuous integration process

  Maintaining software quality can be challenging, but implementing a continuous integration process can help reveal problems quickly.  Continue Reading

• Security in Agile product development: What not to do

  In Agile product development, user stories may not be enough to ensure application security. Here are tips for dealing with security more effectively.  Continue Reading

• Choose team collaboration tools for quality assurance

  To reach their goals, QA teams must work together effectively. Here are some team collaboration tools that can ensure effective collaboration.  Continue Reading

• Use Agile software testing principles to plan your tests

  An expert walks you through two Agile software testing methods so you can choose an Agile testing strategy that best fits your needs.  Continue Reading

• Scaling Agile using nine SAFe principles

  There is no step-by-step recipe for scaling Agile, but with solid principles the software development team will have the ingredients to create high-quality enterprise software.  Continue Reading

• Editor's choice for innovation: Sauce Labs

  Sauce Labs' new continuous integration user interface for its test automation PaaS achieved the editors' choice for innovation for July 2015.  Continue Reading

• Agile thinking: Failure is the new success

  Agile thinking allows for mini failures along the way, leading to success.  Continue Reading

• Strategies for developing business mobile apps

  Everyone wants mobile applications that improve productivity in the enterprise. Here's what you need to think about before developing business mobile apps.  Continue Reading

• How to move from Web to mobile business apps

  Moving from Web to mobile business apps goes beyond reaching out to customers. Mobile apps extend enterprise application functionality to mobile workers.  Continue Reading

• Agile vs. Waterfall: When is each approach to software requirements best?

  When it comes to choosing between Agile or Waterfall projects, Agile proves more valuable for helping development teams and stakeholders retain focus on the right software requirements.  Continue Reading

• How to test mobile responsive design applications

  Two experts offer 10 tips for testing mobile responsive design applications, with or without software requirements.  Continue Reading

• Companies need to embrace distributed Agile teams

  No matter where software team members are located, they must work productively. Companies can benefit from having distributed Agile teams.  Continue Reading

• How ALM tools help embrace distributed Agile teams

  Distributed Agile teams offer many advantages, and when using ALM tools, such teams provide the flexibility that both employees and employers need to communicate more efficiently.  Continue Reading

• How API testing is evolving as a regular part of application development

  Whether it is obvious in an organization or not, API testing exists. Learn why API testing is necessary in the application world.  Continue Reading

• Why a COTS package requires testing

  Buying COTS systems doesn't necessarily mean security. Learn why COTS testing is needed.  Continue Reading

• Tracking bugs effectively in continuous development

  Tracking bugs in a continuous development environment can be challenging. An expert offers tips for smoothing the process.  Continue Reading

• Use APM data for continuous process improvement

  Continuous process improvement is an important part of achieving the Agile vision. Learn to leverage APM data to support better processes over time.  Continue Reading

• Assemble an ALM system out of best-of-breed tools

  Today's ALM systems are a mix of project management tools that work well together. Matt Heusser explains how to build a custom ALM system.  Continue Reading

• Consider building salespeople's business analysis skills

  Business analysis skills are lacking at many organizations. BA training and certifications may be underutilized resources for supporting better sales.  Continue Reading

• Testing APIs protects applications and reputations

  When testing public APIs, test expert Amy Reichert recommends testing API functionality, endpoint security and, above all, proper connectivity.  Continue Reading

• Tracking the evolution of ALM tools

  Modern ALM tools evolved from physical story walls. Matt Heusser explains what was lost in translation and what can be gained.  Continue Reading

• Testing techniques for data exchanges and interoperability

  Testing data exchanges involves the ability to view, track and verify messages, among other things. Here are techniques for testing data exchanges.  Continue Reading

• Automation processes for continuous delivery

  Implementing continuous delivery requires automation processes. Here are tips and tools to help smooth the implementation process.  Continue Reading

• What are the best database testing tool features for testers?

  Software testers need database viewing tools that make their job easier, not harder. Here are features non-SQL experts shouldn't be without.  Continue Reading

• KillerIT evaluates application portfolios

  In this innovation spotlight, learn how KillerIT Application Portfolio helps organizations evaluate application portfolios using data-driven initiatives.  Continue Reading

• Use story mapping for more customer-focused apps

  Story mapping can replace requirements gathering and shows developers what is needed to solve business problems in end users' workflows.  Continue Reading

• Choose the right software testing service

  Learn about tips for choosing a testing service and whether it makes sense to test outside the business.  Continue Reading

• Insight on data masking tools

  Private and non-public data must not be compromised during testing. Learn about data masking and the vendors that offer data masking tools.  Continue Reading

• Infrastructure as code and other prerequisites for CD

  Are you ready for continuous delivery? This article outlines three prerequisites: automated testing, infrastructure as code and a staging environment.  Continue Reading

• Consider these requirements when building B2B mobile apps

  Many factors must be considered when building mobile B2B apps. Take into account these must-have requirements.  Continue Reading

• Explore cloud application testing technique

  Learn some cloud application testing techniques to ensure data security.  Continue Reading

• Five tools to improve embedded software testing efforts

  Embedded software testing tools are useful for catching defects during unit, integration and system testing. Here are five such tools that can make testing easier.  Continue Reading

• Explore integration testing tools and services

  Review integration testing and some available tools in this tip. Learn about how specific tools work and what they can do.  Continue Reading

• Explore the benefits of continuous delivery

  An outgrowth of Agile, continuous delivery lets organizations release small, incremental updates constantly. What's more, it keeps the codebase stable and boosts quality over time.  Continue Reading

• Continuous development brings changes for software testers

  Continuous development calls for lots of automated testing and a little manual testing. Form a continuous testing plan based on the right balance between the two.  Continue Reading

• Agile testing methods for multiple teams

  Learn the latest Agile testing methods for converting multiple teams from a traditional process to Agile.  Continue Reading

• Five rules for using software quality metrics

  Software quality metrics can either tell us what needs work or disguise the real root causes. If you want to play the testing metrics game, you have to play by the rules.  Continue Reading

• Working with legacy code: An easy way to kill hard bugs

  It turns out working with legacy code might not require days of pouring over cryptic comments. For finding and fixing bugs, developers can use simple testing tools to peel and slice their way down to the problem.  Continue Reading

• CI success depends on quality acceptance criteria

  Successful continuous integration requires testable acceptance criteria that help to guide developers.  Continue Reading

• Why is SaaS testing harder than traditional testing?

  SaaS development cycles are shorter than traditional Web apps, require more test types and result in greater scrutiny from quality assurance.  Continue Reading

• MAM tool options abound for developers

  Software testing expert Amy Reichert walks through the importance of MAM tools and options for developers looking for one.  Continue Reading

• Taking on embedded software testing

  Experts explain why embedded software testing projects call for heightened security and better code coverage than mobile or desktop test efforts do.  Continue Reading

• Android testing: Expert gives step-by-step guidance to mobile testers

  Test expert Matt Heusser gives Web app developers specific instructions for Android testing.  Continue Reading

• Application performance metrics are what to test, not how to test

  Test expert Amy Reichert explains what measures are valuable metrics for application performance and what the numbers mean.  Continue Reading

• Agile project management: Increasing business agility with Agile ALM

  Increase business agility capabilities with Agile project management. Find tips and tools for Agile ALM best practices.  Continue Reading

• Agile and ALM: A marriage made in heaven?

  Learn why developing Agile and ALM can benefit organizational processes.  Continue Reading

• How Agile ALM tools shape business agility

  Learn how Agile ALM tools can increase agility in businesses.  Continue Reading

• Identifying user personas for software quality strategies

  User personas help define your most valuable users so you can better understand them and direct the path of your projects accordingly.  Continue Reading

• Remote wiping: Tools and practices to protect corporate data

  Mobile connectivity increases productivity but threatens corporate data. John Overbaugh discusses the advantages and limitations of remote wiping.  Continue Reading

• Agile development practices: Three predictions for 2014

  Agile expert Yvette Francino predicts that Agile development practices will gain momentum in 2014.  Continue Reading

• Find the project metrics you need to track your Agile team's performance

  Project metrics are a useful method to determine if an initiative is on track or off the rails. Expert Johanna Rothman shows you how to get started.  Continue Reading

• Software requirements: Why the term 'nonfunctional requirements' misleads

  Requirements expert Robin Goldsmith explores the problems with common nonfunctional requirements scenarios and offers more useful alternatives.  Continue Reading

• Using a nonfunctional requirements template, plus examples

  Requirements expert Robin Goldsmith explains how and why to use a nonfunctional requirements template.  Continue Reading

• Agile teamwork: When collaboration becomes groupthink

  Quality assurance consultant Gerie Owen discusses how Agile teamwork can lead to groupthink if it's not tempered.  Continue Reading

• Good software design and development starts with customers' needs

  Discovering customer needs isn't a simple query and response. It takes some work to get the information your design and development efforts rely on.  Continue Reading

• Avoiding too many user stories in software development

  In software development today, the overuse of user stories has become a common waste of time and resources.  Continue Reading

• Continuous integration testing: Challenges and solutions

  Why is continuous integration testing such a challenge for development teams? Find out why and learn the best solutions.  Continue Reading

• SaaS application testing: Keep performance tests in mind

  Performance testing must be a high priority for SaaS application testers. Learn why and pick up tips on how to test a SaaS system's performance.  Continue Reading

• Four tips for finding the right cloud testing tools

  Cloud testing tools might improve testing efforts by reducing costs and freeing up resources, but only if the test tools fit what you test and how.  Continue Reading

• A good QA team needs a proper software staging environment for testing

  Testing on an accurate staging environment is essential to the QA team's ability to accurately determine how applications will perform in production.  Continue Reading

• Software testers: Get a professional development plan

  STAREAST 2013 participants offer advice to software testers on setting up their company's professional development plan.  Continue Reading