Research Methodology Summary

Table 5. Methodology Summary

Deliverable Tool, Technique,

Methodology Application Data Results

Proposal Approach for testing process 1. Documental Investigation 2. Expert Judgment

After a revision of the Project Management theory and the Testing Books, the testing process will be matched with the project management.

As a result, we will have the testing process fitting in all the Project Management

Artifacts using PMBok

Starting with the Testing Team 1. One:One Meetings 2. Survey Schedule one:one meetings with each team member to apply a survey with numerous questions, in order for QA Project Manager to know what should be improved in the department and what the weaknesses and advantages of the team are. One-on-one meetings are a great way to build personal relationships while gathering data.

Also, the manager can identify the role that each team members wants to accomplish.

A list with these considerations will be generated to start working on the weaknesses and urgent points, making sure the information gathered is accessible to the higher decision making group. Revision of the Testing Process 1. Manual Revision 2. Team Meeting It is necessary to review the documentation

available and make some changes to improve them.

A meeting is needed with the senior team members to discuss

Update the Testing Process (Planning, Designing, and Executing) in the documentation posted in the Isthmus Sharepoint.

the process in each testing phase. What do we do now? Documentation 1. Documental Investigation. 2. Team Interviews

Revise the different testing techniques in the books and articles, to check what kinds of

techniques are performed in the Department.

Check the different tools available and generate a table with the best tools for each technique that can be used.

Check the roles and responsibilities of the team members to analyze what is needed to accomplish and provide another kinds of services.

Organize the information

gathered in a document listing the kind of testing techniques that are performed in the department.

Listing the skills of the team and the current status of the Department regarding this analysis. Testing Schedule 1. Documental Investigation. 2. QA Team Interviews.

Define the basic tasks that are performed by the team in the different phases of the testing process and create a Base

Create a MS Project file with a Base Schedule that must have the phases of the testing process.

3. PM Interviews. Schedule.

Check the books and articles so they can complement this information.

Analyze the information to check if

the metrics can fit in this schema. The information gathered on the tracking of hours with these tasks must be able to be used in the metrics calculation.

The interviews with the PM’s and the QA’s will define the expectations of the work that should be performed.

Each phase must have the basic activities that the QA Team should perform

throughout the project and this schedule must be able to help in the metrics recollection. Metrics 1. Documental Investigation. 2. Delivery Manager Meeting.

The books have a lot of metrics that can be implemented in the Testing phases.

The basic metrics will be gathered so the

A document will be generated to explain each metric and how to

gather the information to apply them.

documentation can be started with the metrics that can be performed by the Team using the tracking tool.

Accordingly this must be accordingly the base schedule and the data that is being recollected by this channel.

Also a meeting with the delivery manager will be performed to define his/her expectations. Lessons learned 1. Team Meetings 2.Documental Investigation

The team members will have a team meeting after each Project is closed so they can talk

about what improvements that can

be made in the next project. This feedback will be gathered every time that a project is closed.

A document with this information should be The lessons learned will be recollected in a file and will be implemented accordingly the action items suggested.

generated.

Apply the changes, if needed, to the actual documentation

(schedule, estimation process, testing process, test plan, test

log, etc).

Information should be gathered from books and articles to support the lessons the team learned. Proposals presentation 1. Documental Investigation 2. Experimental Methodology, it means installing the demo Software to analyze which is more applicable for

the Isthmus Testing

Department.

The tools for each testing technique will be studied and selected depending on the QA Department’s needs. There will be one person searching for tools and installing them in the environment to test them and documented the characteristics. After that, there will be a meeting to define the final tools.

Create the proposal and show

it to the Delivery Director.

Create documentation with the benefits and why this tool was selected.

Schedule an appointment to present

the proposals.

Role and Job Description Definitions for QA Testing Team 1. Documental Research 2. QA Testing team members’ Interviews

1. Look for different schemas to define those roles in the books and internet articles.

2. Define the roles and responsibilities of each role of the testing Department. Create the different responsibilities, knowledge and experience

required for each role. Create profiles.

Create the matrix

with the information above. Risk Management 1. Documental Research. 2. Current Isthmus Project Analysis. 2. Assessment Assessment is begun by gaining a full understanding of the issues at hand and all of the limitations and constraints.

Register the risks that

Create the matrix

with the information gathered. Create a template where the information will be

were identified in the current projects. A simple file will be available where the team members can add issues presented in the projects and track how they were or were not resolved.

Check the contingency plan in the books and add those risks with

the additional information in the risk

matrix. organized following a standard for documenting risks. Estimation Process 1. Team Meeting 2. Documental Research. 3. Analyze the current projects.

Define the correct activities and the order that should be performed when an estimation process is requested, due to a change or a new project.

Check the books and articles to improve this approach.

Use this approach in at

Create a diagram and a guide to explain the details of the process and the steps that should be carried out in order to present estimation for testing.

least 3 projects to see the issues that it must present.

In order to improve the way of how the estimation using the requirements is done, it is critical to define estimation criteria for designing test cases.

Progress Reports 1.Project Managers Interviews 2.Documental Research 3.Assessment

Define the basic parts for a report that are being used in the current projects.

Check the books and articles to define the best templates for reporting the testing progress in the different phases.

Create the templates and the

guide that explain the basic parts for a QA Status Report and the QA final Report. Implement those reports in the upcoming projects. Change Control Process Documental Research Assessment

Due to the fact there has not been a process defined for changing controls that include the testing phase, a process will

Create the diagram of the process and the guide with the details of the process for

be created that will define the right path to address the changes during the Project Lifecycle.

Check the documentation to find

the correct methodology for tracking and analyzing

the impact of those changes and the communication path. Change Management. Communication Process 1.Documental Research 2.Assessment Create the documentation that

should explain how the communication should be between the project team members. Define milestones and the follow-up.

Define the communication

paths in the project that include the testing process.

Define the channels that must

be in place before the project begins.

Explain the dynamics the Project Manger, and QA Project Manger,

developers and the QA Engineers should have.

Document the dynamics that the current projects have in this aspect.