Summer 2006 Newsletter: Feature Function Testing
Originally published August 1, 2006

Letter from the Publisher
by Jim Jenkins

Feature/Function Testing:
What is it and why is it important?"
by Jim Jenkins

Asked & Answered
Read our answers to some of our readers' most critical testing questions.

Fermentations
by Chuck Blethen
Chuck Blethen explains how you can bring your own wine into a restaurant and provides advice on how to choose
the best-priced wine for you.

Summer 2006

If your second quarter was anything like ours, you deserve a vacation! With seven trade shows during the last few months, we’ve been all around the country visiting with customers new and old. I always enjoy this time of year because it gives me the opportunity to speak face-to-face with people and learn how we can better meet their testing needs.

Today, I am excited to announce a new way in which we can better serve you: our expanded Feature/Function Testing. Our upgraded service allows you to test each feature of a voice business solution, ensuring that it works precisely as designed. IQ Services’ analysts take your business solution documentation and use our automated test process to verify and document the application is ready for use by your customers. Feature/Function Testing will give you confidence that your new business solution works as it was intended and, that your customers will have the best possible experience using your system.

In this issue we’ll focus more on our Feature/Function Testing services and the confidence it can provide you.

Thank you, as always, for reading our publication.

Sincerely,

Jim Jenkins
President & CEO

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Feature/Function Testing

I. WHAT IS FEATURE/FUNCTION TESTING?

Voice business solutions involve menu-driven processes that allow customers to perform a wide range of self-service activities. A key requirement for successfully implementing and maintaining these business solutions is the ability to test them before and after they have been deployed, in order to confirm they work as designed. To thoroughly test the solution, every path a customer can take, including those associated with entry errors, must be tested. Within the industry, this kind of testing is referred to by many different names including, “unit level testing,” “feature testing,” “function testing,” “regression testing,” “flow testing” or “dialog traversal testing.” The purpose of this paper is to discuss this testing requirement as it relates to voice business solutions. IQ Services refers to this type of testing as “Feature/Function Testing.”

II. WHY IS FEATURE/FUNCTION TESTING IMPORTANT?

The return on investment (ROI) for self-service business solutions is dependent upon having well-designed applications that work both when they are introduced and later on, in production. Feature/Function Testing during development verifies the application has been programmed correctly and reduces the schedule risk created by this critical activity. Feature/Function Testing, as a key part of customer/user acceptance testing, ensures a business solution is ready for use by customers. Feature/Function Regression Testing after deployment ensures that periodic changes to the business solution infrastructure or to the solution content does not affect the quality of the customer experience. In today’s environment where customer satisfaction is a key element of customer loyalty, a business solution that delivers a good end user experience is critical to meeting business objectives.

III. WHEN AND HOW SHOULD FEATURE/FUNCTION TESTING BE PERFORMED?

Feature/Function Testing is a task that is frequently on the critical path of business solution implementation. It may be performed by the developer of the business solution or in some cases the end user who is purchasing the solution from a vendor. In either case it is important to perform the testing as soon as the configuration and/or programming of the application is completed and a test bed is available. Regardless of who performs the test, it must be done in a disciplined, well-documented manner that quickly identifies errors and verifies fixes. Testing during the development phase is not about acceptance; it is about management of the development process. After testing is complete and the solution performs as designed, there may be a period of time when other work must be completed before the solution is deployed. It is good practice to perform the Feature/Function Testing again as part of the final user acceptance testing, which typically also includes performance/load testing. If the testing is set up correctly during the development phase the acceptance test phase becomes a regression test that can be performed very effectively in terms of both time and cost.

Business solutions frequently change early in life when customers provide feedback on how solutions can be improved and when more options become available. It is important to periodically perform Feature/Function Testing to ensure not only that new features work as designed but also to confirm that changes to the solution have not negatively affected business solution performance. If the Feature/Function Testing has been properly setup during the project implementation phase, additional post-implementation testing can be done in a timely and cost effective way.

IV. IMPORTANT ISSUES AND CONSIDERATIONS RELATED TO FEATURE/FUNCTION TESTING

During Planning:
• Quality application documentation increases the effectiveness of testing
• When designing a business solution, you should take testability into consideration
• Remember to include an extra iteration of testing in your planning to mitigate cost and schedule risk
• You should provide a dedicated test system during the development phase of a project, if possible
• Good test discipline and documentation are key to quick problem resolution and regression testing
• It is important to use someone other than the business solution developer to perform Feature/Function Testing

For Business:
• Well-planned, implemented and documented Feature/Function Testing will add value through the entire business solution life cycle
• Thorough, disciplined and repeatable Feature/Function Testing will reduce risk during implementation and on-going risk related to customer satisfaction
• Feature/Function Testing during the development phase may not be adequate for user acceptance

In General:
• Recording of test calls significantly enhances testing process and problem resolution
• An automated process increases test effectiveness and makes regression testing practical

CONCLUSION

Feature/Function Testing is not an option in implementing and maintaining today’s complex business solutions; it is a necessity. Business solutions must be well designed and must work well for customers to ensure a good end user experience. Good quality assurance practice dictates that disciplined, effective testing to demonstrate and document performance should be done at the appropriate times during a business solution life cycle.

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Asked & Answered

If you have a question that you'd like to see answered in our quarterly newsletter, contact us!

Q: I know I need to test my new solution, but I have no idea how to do it. Can you help me?

A: Yes! We frequently work with people who need assistance to define the testing component of their new system implementation plan. IQ Services’ testing experts have years of experience calculating proper load levels for a solution, configuring test cases, determining test objectives, selecting appropriate report styles and much more. We will help you every step of the way. Our simple implementation documents make it easy for you to submit the information we need to set up your StressTest™. Before your test, we’ll help you understand what you’ll be able to see in real time via ORCA™, the Online Reporting and Charting Application, as well as how we’ll formally report the analyzed test results.

If you need help over and above what we provide standard with our test support services, we offer consulting services to help you with more in-depth needs. One of our consultants can work with you to create an RFP, respond to an RFP, develop a business solution life cycle test plan and define acceptance criteria to help you determine when a new or upgraded solution is ready for production. We also have the expertise to provide testing project management support that goes beyond the limits of the StressTest™ or HeartBeat™ implementation. This is only a sampling of the work our consultants can provide. Once you’ve realized you need to test your business solution, contact IQ Services for help throughout your project.

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Fermintations

Corkage fees are charges made by a restaurant for handling and serving a bottle of wine brought to their restaurant by a patron. It is increasingly customary in many parts of the country for restaurants to extend corkage policies for patrons whom wish to bring their own wine. Typically, such restaurants will offer no corkage fees on an off night like Tuesday or Thursday. However, this is not the case everywhere, (especially on the East Coast), and proper wine etiquette dictates that several things be kept in mind when bringing your own bottle of wine to a restaurant.

Always call the restaurant in advance to verify that corkage is allowed. Ask what the corkage fee is to avoid any surprises. In my experience, very few restaurants charge over $20 as a corkage fee – most charge $5 to $10 per bottle. Some restaurants will waive this fee if an additional bottle is purchased from the wine list, but do not assume that this is the case.

Wine brought to a restaurant should be relatively unique or rare in some way. Make certain that the particular bottle of wine you want to carry into the restaurant does not appear on the restaurant's wine list. It may be a special bottle made up with a custom label to commemorate a birthday, retirement, or anniversary. It could even be a special bottle from a friend who made the wine or purchased an exceptional bottle in a price range that you would not normally spend. After the waiter/sommelier opens and pours the contents, proper wine etiquette requires that you offer them a taste. Following these guidelines will ensure an enjoyable corkage experience.

Typically, whoever did the inviting for a particular meal is paying so that person is also expected to choose and taste the wine ordered from a wine list. If you are not comfortable in this role, simply delegate the responsibility to someone who is, perhaps one of the guests who may be more knowledgeable about wine. Feel free to ask the wine steward/sommelier for advice as well.

In spite of what most people think, the most expensive wine is not always the best wine. Choose a wine that fits your budget. Regardless of how fantastic a particular vintage may taste, you will not enjoy it if all you can think about is how much it cost. A good rule of thumb is to order a bottle that costs the same as a full course meal.

There are so many blends and varieties of wine available to us that the old adage of "white wine with white meat " and "red wine with red meat" does not necessarily apply. If you don't have a preference, ask the wine steward/sommelier to suggest a wine that compliments your meals or just go ahead and order whatever the majority prefers.

A good “plan B” is to order a good bottle of Pinot Noir. It is the lightest of all the red wines and goes well with most foods.

One last word on price: Remember that you will be shown the sealed bottle to verify that it is indeed what you ordered. Make sure that you check. It will save you an embarrassing moment at billing time when you may discover that you just drank two bottles of 1968 Cabernet Sauvignon at $350.00 a bottle when you actually wanted the 1986 Cabernet Sauvignon at $32.00 a bottle.

Next time: What to do when the bottle of wine arrives tableside.

- Chuck Blethen, Vigneron in Residence, Black Mountain Oasis Vineyard, Scottsdale, AZ

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