This story happened quite a time back, not so long though. I reported one issue – reported and assigned the issue to the developer working on that project. As per the practice sent out email too to make sure that everyones is aware of it. Few days passed by like this as there were some other issues too. I’m being assigned back the issues fixed by the developer, so I had to perform regression testing. One morning I just came to the office – such a fine day (because it was Friday) so I was more happy. I checked my mail and surprised to see that the developer has re-assigned the issue to me the one reported earlier. The developer asked me to close the issue – Reason: “User will not try such a scenario, so can you please close this issue. Thanks”. I thought I should talk to the developer for the last time to make sure that – this is what it meant. I went to him and queried about it and found that he meant the same. After discussing the same with TM,PM and concerned developer – I decided to close the issue.

Months passed by and the project was successfully deployed. Everyones’ happy.

Everyone busy in their work and just working on the other project. The one fine day we got an email which was forwarded to us by our PM – says that the issue # xxxx need to be fixed on PRIORITY. Meeting has been called for the same by PM. We went to the meeting rooms (not to mention carrying out pad/pen with us) and found out that the discussion was getting heat up. After a good analysis in our Bug Tracking tool we found that I closed the issue but not to mention that, notes section contains the reason the developer has given to me. They questioned me and I answered back that this is the same issue that I closed for the reason given by developer. I was safe as all the time everyone aware of this. Then PM started saying that one user has indeed tried the scenario mentioned by me in my report and there is an issue now. This is the users’ response and now the customer has asked us to FIX it. Meeting ended with discussing the things like fixing of the issue on PRIORITY, time spent, time for testing, what needs to be done on PROD and analysis report which needs to be submitted by TM.

After coming from the meeting room I went to developers’ desk [not to mention big smile on my face ]….just asked him:

Can you please fix the issue now? )

Best Regards,

Amit

testing is my passion!!!

http://bugteaser.blogspot.com

Started writing the blog: 9:20 PM and completed the blog: 09:59 PM

By the way – What is CAPTCHA? Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart. A CAPTCHA or Captcha is a type of challenge-response test used in computing to ensure that the response is not generated by a computer. A common type of CAPTCHA requires that the user type letters or digits from a distorted image that appears on the screen. E.g. post available for public, registration forms etc.

I have filled up so many registration forms, blog post where they ask for CAPTCHA to be entered by the user. But I always wonder if the application has kept the CAPTCHA in UPPERCASE letters that means if all the combination of letters and numbers, if they are in UPPERCASE letters then why not automatically enable CAPS lock on when the user move their focus to this field. Any security issue?? Nah…I don’t think so.

So many sites I’ve seen with CAPTCHA in UPPERCASE letters but when the user move their focus to CAPTCHA field where the user has to enter the letters, they first have to put on CAPS lock ON. Isn’t that pain for the user? IMO.

Why it is not possible that when the user move their cursor to CAPTCHA field, automatically their CAPS is lock is ON or if not that, then while the user enter the characters as per the CAPTCHA image – it should display in CAPS. What it does?

The user don’t have to perform one more task of putting on their CAPS lock ON again!
The frown on the users face if they fail to put on CAPS lock on and enter the character and hit “Submit” button.
I believe that for any application (site, blog etc.) if CAPTCHA is going to be in UPPERCASE letters then make sure that, the application will either display the characters in CAPS or it automatically enable CAPS lock for them!

How it would be? When the user reach to the text box as given in below image – the application is smart enough and turn on CAPS lock for the user OR it display the characters in CAPS which the user is entering but they have not put on the CAPS lock.

Isn’t that useful for the user?

As always I wonder – if what I assumed is not a good OPTION. What say?

Best Regards,

Amit

testing is my passion!!!

http://bugteaser.blogspot.com

We say ourselves as “Quality” masters but then we fail to face the truth. There is nothing wrong in accepting the truth and move on, and also make sure that we learn from these mistakes though!

I was just watching a team where developers and testers were fighting on the issue that cropped up and now there is stakeholder for it. This is not a true team work then. There was one issue cropped up on PRODUCTION and frankly speaking the testing team should have taken the responsibility, but no they’re just shouting out We’re not responsible for that.

When you succeed you make sure that all credit goes to you but when something goes wrong, there is no one to accept the responsibility. I term this as “ownership”. This is applicable for all the teams and the task in their hand. When you take ownership for any task then it is your responsibility if anything goes wrong then you’ll be held responsible, and if everything goes smooth you’ll get all kudos!!!

We’re human being and prone to make mistakes. The best way is to learn from these mistakes and try to make sure that we’ll not repeat them! Rather I’d say its always better to make mistakes so you know the importance of them and the lesson you learn from them.

The next time you make a mistake, accept it and learn from it.

Please do not say I’m not responsible for that.

Best Regards,

Amit

testing is my passion!!!

http://bugteaser.blogspot.com

If you’re novice to a company or organization then it takes time for you to get in the comfort zone. This is a scenario which mostly observed and there is nothing wrong with it. It is advised to a novice tester to seek or rather gain experience on their own, as that will help them to become an expert one day. There are some tricks and tweaks which they have to learn as the time pass by. I’m not saying please do not stick or adhere best practices of your company but try to find a better way for you. It is always advisable to cultivate own ideas which are within the limits of your company or organization, but at the same time are quite handful.

However, the problem starts cropping here. A novice user who got good experience now moves to state where they just makes sure that, they have to secure the job. Such resources are good in their given work but then there is no returns from them to the company or organization. Every company or organization would like to see their employees come up with new ideas which they can include in their best practices. This is the responsibility of an expert user to try and make sure that they try to find out ways of doing the same things. Best practices are for betterment of the employees as well as company or organization. This hurts when a novice employee come up with an idea and discusses with it an expert, but they do not see any or rather get any response from them. This demoralize the whole purpose of innovating new things of doing the same old tasks. This is bad both for the employee and for the company or organization.

“An airplane pilot doesn’t refer to a manual”. Likewise, the experts on a test team should not be required to go by the book which are the best practices referred by your company or organization. Best practices can be a birth of creative ideas, innovative ways of doing the same old things but in new way. Even if the expert employee is ready to take an initiative but because of the best practices levied by the company or organization can become frustrating at times. The Management has to make sure that they listen to the new ideas, innovative ways of doing things and encourage the employees.

The best way of doing things is not just following best practices levied onto the employees but make amendments too.

Best Regards,

Amit

testing is my passion!!!

http://bugteaser.blogspot.com

There is been so much said about testing but it is always learning – and I’m still learning. There is a long way to go.

I was working on a project for a past month and the work is not completed from my side. The day I finished the work my client asked me – Is testing completed? I answered them back in affirmative – as I interpret the question as they meant to ask me whether I’ve finished my work. They laughed at me and re-phrase the question – Have you tested the application completely?

I said to myself ….huh!!!! What I interpreted was totally different from the re-phrased question they asked me.

I tried to explain them it is not possible for tester to completely test the application. Even if they spend all their life there will be some scenarios that they might miss out. As a tester it is not possible for you try out all the possible permutations/combinations as there are so many. We can decide a phase in testing cycle where we can say that the application can now be deployed. The client decides when to stop as the costing is their territory and that is not a thing that a tester has to worry about. The look on my client seems to be satisfactory so I said to myself time to move on.

I thought of this question so many times and it is just not possible to cover all the scenarios wherein you can say that this application is bug free. A user and tester have altogether different mindset so their approach towards using the application is obviously different. A tester can think more or less like an end user but vice-versa is not possible.IMO.

In a testing life cycle there are so many iterations takes place and even after completing all these iterations can you say that you have completely tested the application? Can you?

Best Regards,

Amit

testing is my passion!!!

http://bugteaser.blogspot.com

I speak for the user – this is the most common reason from any tester when any argument takes place. It is feasible as long as a tester is fighting for the most obvious issues, but how about the scenarios which a user may not even try. Developers do not have any problem fixing obvious issues, but what about the scenarios which the tester tries which a user may not even try in their life. How many times in a meeting for project a tester says that the user hates such issues and I am speaking on behalf of them. The next question someone may ask – whether the user has appointed you as their agent?

If you always come up with this excuse for your issue that the user will hate it then obviously that makes the developers unhappy. Testers work differently than that of the users as they want to make sure that application works fine for all the cases. But then is it fair? I have seen, heard or been a part of meeting where such argument takes place. You assume that the scenario you have tried will be tried by the user and if it is not fixed that will be a loss. Is that so? Think again.

As a tester we need to change the most common sentence while justifying any issue – “I speak for the user.”

Best Regards,

Amit

testing is my passion!!!!

http://bugteaser.blogspot.com

This Halloween though – all the bugs got together and the leader of their union stands in front of all these bugs for a speech. It all started with distributing in different groups – the task given obviously stalks the developers/programmers. The groups were allotted different parts of the world and they have been starting the mission as soon as possible. Every bug listens to their leader carefully and raised their hands for questions. The mission notes successfully noted down by the group leaders and started with the journey.

The mission – stalk the developers/programmers. Just stalk!!!!!

Every one of the group leader then informed their team on how they will complete this mission. The masks were distributed by the group leaders to the team members. Each one of them put on the mask and shown it to the fellow team members. Mission started guys!!!!!

Developers/programmers all across the world enjoying their Friday fun and unaware of this. One developer who was online tweet one of his friend that they have seen news flashing on LCDs about the mission of bugs. The news spread like anything but that did not demoralize the bugs from the mission they have been asked for. Bug started following stalking developers/programmers and didn’t hurt them.

Developer: Why are you stalking us?

One of the bugs: This is our mission for this Halloween.

Developer: Why are not you staling testers as they are the ones who find you?

One of the bugs: They do their job but you don’t.

Developer: But I never see you with my naked eyes?

One of the bugs: Tester finds me just like that and you don’t, why?

Developer: May be next time I will make sure that check everything.

One of the bugs: Every time you say the same thing and newer releases too have the same bugs which are supposed to be fixed earlier and reported by testers – just your note “not reproducible” “deferred” and we still there very much.

Developer: Next time I will sit with tester and learn from them on how to find you. Is that okay for now?

One of the bugs: Just don’t sit with anybody try to make sure that you deploy everything with less bugs. =)

Hey where are you going bug? Well the mission is stalk developers/programmers, I guess you learnt your lesson and I want every developer/programmer learn this. So I am going to find the next developer/programmer.

My mission will not end till I teach the same lesson to every developer/programmer.

Best Regards,

Amit

testing is my passion!!!

http://bugteaser.blogspot.com

What do you think of networking?
Importance of Network.

We’ll use twitter, Orkut, Facebook etc…..all these networking sites helps you get to close with your friends. My question though: Do you believe you network on whatever site it may be helps you in real and professional life. We use all these for fun or just to be in touch with friends.

For me networking is an important aspect in everyones life as it gives you what all think, what they think, what make them think so etc. In my professional life (testing) this is an important aspect if one wants to keep updated with the latest things happening around them. With my network I can ask their point of view on things which needs constructive discussion and for that I need to have large coverage. My network is not just for fun but it add additional value to it of sharing the knowledge. To keep myself updated I always have so many questions to ask these gurus who can advice or give their opinion. Ultimately its me who is going to decide what is good or bad, but its good to have the opinions of others to make the final decision.

It is an important aspect in everyones life to understand what others think, what they think, what approach they take while thinking, and what makes them so successful. I’m in a phase where I’m just working on my network to grow but I must admit that it has helped me a lot! Even I’ve big plans – one of them would be to meet-and-greet other testers from other cities and have a casual get together with all these people. I’m just working on how to implement it? This one needs lots of planning, resources etc so I’ve keep the thing on hold for a while.

I’ve been observed the trend that if you’re active on various platforms, forums, networking sites and make use of them, it helps a lot. Think of a scenario where you can interact with hundreds or thousands of people virtually and get their views. This helps in your real life as well as your professional life. If you follow all the gurus – one thing is common that they’re always active and always sharing the immense knowledge they have. To grab this opportunity you just need to follow them and get their views – free of cost with no more time!

For me networking is an important aspect to be always touch with others and enjoy the knowledge sharing process.

Bottom line: The networking is invaluable. What say?

Best Regards,

Amit

testing is my passion!!!

http://bugteaser.blogspot.com

Some patterns like:
(a) curiosity
(b) zeal
(c) excitement
(d) innovation
(e) creative ideas
(f) always find out other way to do the same thing
(g) motivating yourself that you’re doing wonderful job!
etc….

The list can vary for others as per their priority as I tried to cover the hot ones. People can argue here as to what all things has to with their work. My friend….it will not only gives you new ideas or brainstorming ideas but also you’ll find that you’ve raised the bar in your productivity. It always matter what attitude we keep the work we’re doing. If some task comes to your desk and you say it is just one of those which you hate then definitely it will make you feel worse! But what if we try to find the different ways for the routine and add some flavor to it ….wouldn’t it be good then?

All gurus of testing always on hunt for innovative ideas on how to do the same work day in day out. It serves two purposes it gives them a good brainstorming and at the same time the joy of doing the task in hand. These people will never complain about the work they’re doing. Wouldn’t it be great to join them?

I am just in the phase where I’m trying to innovate some ways to complete the task in hand with a big smile on my face.

Best Regards,

Amit

testing is my passion!!!

http://bugteaser.blogspot.com

Over here just would like to share a simple example with your all. I know I am talking with the audience which is much expertised in their domain so this is just me sharing something with you. We all have worked on the paint application from Microsoft – we enjoy using this application. As a kid we love to draw, paint and do funny things using this tool. As an adult we try to use this tool as per our convenience……I believer most of the testers use this tool for taking or saving their screenshots because it is such a simple to use. As an old man I am not sure though – how they are using it but one thing I am sure of that their use is very simple and they do not try go beyond the boundaries. Here is what I tried as an adult as I always love to see ……what happens for a particular scenario which will not considered by users but they at least 1% of them will try this out.

Here we go then. Just follow the simple steps over here….to check out what I am trying to explain. It may or may not be an issue but this scenario should be considered while testing any application.

For basic users: Go to Start –>Programs–>Accessories–>Paint

Experts: Directly type ‘mspaint’ in ‘run’ and hit enter key.

Both the things will open MSPAINT for you. Just draw something or type something or use any tools you are familiar with.

Screenshot 1: I just try to draw something as I am not good in drawing. =)

Screenshot 2: Tried to close the file without saving it, so I got a pop-up window asking me “Save changes to untitled?”

Screenshot 3: I just can not think the same unlike others so I try to play with this error or pop-up window. (I know I’m like this only =))

Screenshot 4: The next screenshot will not show the pop-up window because I can move the message anywhere so I moved it out of the window area…to see whether it allow me to do. As a user I thought of the application should not allow me to move the error message here and there……obviously not out of the window area.

The pop-up window or the message is no more accessible to me. I can not get in using my mouse too….because it is just lost somewhere. The only option left to me close the application ‘abruptly’ and open it again.

I know many of us will argue on this…why would someone like to do this? I tried it then why not others.

I always believe that either the pop-up windows should ‘stick’ to their respective places like a rock or they can be movable but obviously not out of the focus or window area allotted to it.

I have seen this issue with many of the applications and I always wonder – why? I know this sounds very stupid at the first instant but if by mistake you play with your messages or pop-up window – you not only lose the information but also you have to re-launch the application again.

I got a +ve response whenever I reported such issue and I am here to make the applications user-friendly. So this is all to my fellow testers – consider this scenario too while testing such applications.

Best Regards,

Amit

testing is my passion!!!

http://bugteaser.blogspot.com