blog

The New Frontier of App Development

Tue, 08 May 2012 16:32:48 +0100

Apple’s App Store recently registered its 25 billionth application download.

With iOS and Android featuring increasingly heavily in computing news, it’s only natural for technology enthusiasts to wonder what sort of effect the success of app-based development will have on the industry as a whole.

It’s not hard to see the benefits for developers where apps are concerned. All the software necessary to run the application is (in an ideal world at least) based on either the device itself or the app. There are no additional plugins to be downloaded, no additional settings that require tweaking. Users just select an app, download it onto their device, and away they go. This has a positive impact on product testing as well, as testers can spend less time preparing their devices for testing. Even something so simple as PDF reader functionality is built into iOS devices, making it possible for users to access the resources in applications more easily without repeated download processes.

Cost, too, is of particular significance, both for users and developers. Whereas users traditionally would spend a pretty hefty amount on software for a computer, users can now get access to thousands of good-quality applications at a very reasonable price. Taking, for instance, the example of Apple’s own iWork programs, users can access and download each individual application at a cost of £6.99 a piece for iOS. Speaking from experience, the functionality of these programs is more than adequate for mobile use, and allows users to create as well as simply modify documents to a decent level.

Allowing this kind of pricing model has no doubt been successful for Apple, as it has allowed them to bypass the traditional disc-based distribution channels more and more, as we head towards our digitally distributed future. The fact that Apple’s latest operating system OSX. 7 or “Lion” was deployed exclusively via the App Store and is not available in the physical form of a CD is firm proof of this. Gaming, too, has been in a significant shift in the portable space, as the iPhone and iPod touch are now considered by some analysts to be the main player in the mobile gaming space, eclipsing Sony and Nintendo’s dedicated handheld gaming systems.

Where development is concerned, the lack of fragmentation too is surely of benefit. Developers now have to take into account only a handful of operating system combinations, all of which are built on a similar framework. Much like the development of gaming consoles vs PC , with the latter subject to substantial numbers of configurations, the app-based space allows developers to create products that work more or less identically across multiple devices.

With the recent implementation of ‘Play’ by Google (which previously only existed on Android devices under the moniker of ‘Market’, but can now be accessed both online and via the device), the long standing App Store pioneered by Apple and the imminent release of Windows Store is to be released as a built-in feature of both Windows 8 and Metro in the same was the App Store is intrinsic to Apple’s OSX and iOS, there is no doubt that the future of computing will be heavily based around downloadable content and App based interaction.

The changing face of Internet browsers

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:43:20 +0100

On March 18^th, 2012, a major change occurred in the web browser space…for a day.

Google Chrome, previously trailing Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, overtook IE as the most commonly used browser, but fell behind IE again on the 19^th. While this lead was admittedly short-lived the change demonstrates the way in which browser usage has been shifting worldwide in the last few years. What’s more interesting, however, are the circumstances under which the change occurred.

Firstly, Chrome’s lead took place at the weekend, where internet users are more likely to be in their home environment rather than a workplace. An obvious explanation is that those who use IE in the week are either constrained by workplace regulations regarding software installation, or are simply not interested in changing settings on PCs that they don’t consider their own.

Also of interest, however, is that the shift occurred largely due to the surge in usage across India, Russia and Brazil.

While Brazil is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world at present (recently overtaking the UK as the world’s sixth-biggest economy), of key importance is that the three countries listed are part of what is known as the “BRIC” nations (which includes these three as well as China), a group of countries whose economic growth has been less affected by the recession than many of the global economic superpowers of recent years.

So what, then, has contributed to this shift in market share? Google’s force as a global brand cannot be dismissed as a factor, in the same way that Microsoft and Apple both benefit from being a household name synonymous with technology. This, it has to be said, is not the case with Mozilla whose usage statistics, and thus market share, tend to stay pretty consistent, suggesting a loyal user base (presumably one that is fairly tech-savvy).

Integration plays a big part too. One of the draws of Google’s browser is its seamless integration with all Google services including Google Mail, YouTube and their Google+ social networking service. While Microsoft’s browser boasts similar integration with Windows Live services (which now includes a much more robust feature set for Microsoft Office, including web-based ‘lite’ applications), Google’s dominance in the search engine market alone is sufficient to keep the name fresh in users’ heads.

Much in the same way as Apple’s iPod brand has now become synonymous with mp3 players, to the point where a member of the public might use the term “iPod” to refer to a non-Apple mp3 player, “google” is now the term which springs to mind to describe using search engine functionality. This verbification has arguably contributed toward Google’s significant market share in this space. As Google offer consumers their browser over all of the websites under their umbrella, and as that list of websites and services increases, users will certainly see a larger Chrome presence across the web.

Relatedly, the shift can also be part attributed to changes in the PC retail sector. Before Microsoft’s “Browser Choice” program was instituted as part of a settlement with the European Commission, manufacturers would ship Windows PCs with Internet Explorer as the default browsing platform. It was then left to users to seek out an alternative browser of choice if they were unhappy with this setup.

In addition to the “Browser Choice” functionality that is now standard in Windows, a number of today’s PC manufacturers ship with Chrome as the default browser (Sony Vaio being the first to sign such a deal with Google), and indeed a customer who purchases a laptop from Dixons Retail stores (Currys, PC World etc) will now be offered Chrome as the ‘recommended’ browser should they opt for an in-store personalisation and setup.

PC specification also comes into play when choosing a browser. While Microsoft has enjoyed phenomenal sales success with its current operating system, Windows 7, its user base only began to overtake the Windows XP user base in October of last year, as many users are still using XP both in a home and workplace setup. As Microsoft improves their browser – with Internet Explorer 9 and its users currently benefiting from a considerably less cluttered UI in a similar vein to Google’s popular browser – many XP users find themselves simply unable to upgrade to the latest version of Internet Explorer. In fact a number of comments on the Windows Team Blog at the time of IE9’s release were complaints regarding just that.

Naturally if users in this position are unhappy with Internet Explorer, in whichever form their most up-to-date version takes, they are left with no other choice than to choose another company’s product. This could play a factor in countries where less affluent PC users may find themselves unable to purchase a new machine and instead make do with hand-me-downs.

What does all of this mean for the future of the web browser space? Undoubtedly, Google’s momentum is considerable in the browser space, and as Chrome OS gets closer to becoming a reality, that momentum has the potential to increase exponentially as users begin to favour free operating systems over MS’ offerings (although it’s safe to assume that MS could have something up their sleeves in this area). Microsoft will, no doubt, continue to benefit from the familiarity element wherein users will stick with what they know, but the approaching release of Windows 8 may prove to be another radical shift which leaves some unable to upgrade their web browser to IE10.

Another consideration that cannot be ignored is the shift in how users browse the Internet. With users beginning to access the web in different ways, using a variety of devices, and with tablets and mobile technology improving constantly, it is conceivable that a larger share of the browser space will be taken by iOS, Android and other mobile devices. Today global browser usage statistics already demonstrate that well over 1% of web browsing is done from iPads alone.

Epicentre Exhibiting at Testfest 2012

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 11:49:04 +0000

Epicentre are proud to announce that we will be exhibiting at the Testfest Conference in Brighton this Wednesday 22^nd February--tomorrow!

Various members of our testing and test management teams will be present throughout the day, so please stop by our stand if you’re interested in discussing anything from strategic guidance to mobile application testing, or automated LSPS and security testing through to accessibility and usability. We’ve got it covered.

About Testfest: Testfest is a new and exciting event, bringing test teams from various industries together to learn from each other and network into one big community. With a compelling speaker line up and an exciting hands on experience, Testfest will be both an educational and entertaining day out!

To learn more please visit the Testfest website.

The form and structure of test cases matters…

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 16:55:46 +0000

Effective testing is most often the result of good test cases. The “goodness” of test cases is typically associated with the test case content, and is seen as ensuring high coverage and therefore effective testing.

Join this Hypothesis Based Testing (HBT) series webinar to learn more about how this evidence-driven test methodology can help you. This will be held on Wednesday 7th Dec, 9am – 10am UK time (2.30-3.30 IST) and will be delivered by T Ashok, Founder & CEO of our offshore testing partner STAG Software and architect of HBT.

The objective of this webinar is to highlight that the form and structure of test cases, in addition to the test case content, matters significantly to good testing. In fact, good form and structure aids in generating good content.

Who should attend this webinar?
Test/Project manager, Test lead, Test engineer.

Click here to reserve your place today.

End-to-end case studies

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 11:09:06 +0000

An excellent recent example of a successful end-to-end testing project was for an educational company – Soutien – who have recently put their offline products online as their GetMathsFit website, an educational e-commerce website.

The site provides e-learning in the form of a Maths tutoring program, allowing students aged between 11 and 19 to learn independently from home. Soutien were not only concerned with functionality but also that their users’ information was accessible and secure.

After an initial consultancy phase to gain an understanding of Soutien’s business drivers, Epicentre then recommended the most effective methods of testing that would ensure that Soutien’s objectives were met.

Epicentre’s test provision included:

Bespoke test script creation
In-depth functionality sweeps based on scripts
Exploratory functionality tests
WCAG 2.0 accessibility tests (inc. assistive technologies compatibility)
Extensive platform testing
Performance and load testing (using Open Source tooling)
Penetration testing

Since completion of testing and the product going live, Soutien have contracted Epicentre to support their end users through Epicentre’s Service Desk. This allows users to benefit from Epicentre's extensive familiarity with all facets of the site, and also facilitates the identification and execution of any subsequent maintenance or further testing needs.

As we mentioned in the main news piece, the end-to-end service need not be centered around a single product. It may instead mean an ongoing relationship whereby the customer can cherry-pick Epicentre's services to fit any particular project.

An example of such a relationship is one that Epicentre has with a major London web agency. Service levels have been set up and Epicentre now supplies them with:

Test strategy
Test scripting
Manual functional testing
Automated regression testing
Manual regression testing
Compatibility testing inc. mobile
App testing inc. Facebook and mobile
Performance testing
Penetration testing

Get in touch with marketingenq@epicentre.co.uk to explore how we can help you to achieve your business objectives.

Complete confidence in a complete system and process: End to end testing services

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 11:08:36 +0000

These days, when you take a project on, you may well find yourself building a multi-faceted entity. Perhaps there’s a website, a CMS, databases pooling information, a mobile version or even a mobile app that talks to the CMS, various marketing tools such as Facebook apps... we could go on.

One of your primary concerns will doubtless be, 'how can I be confident that all aspects of my product perform and present as they should?' This is where end-to-end testing can help.

So, what is end-to-end testing and what does it involve?

Traditionally, end-to-end testing is an approach to testing which examines an entire system or process as a fully-integrated whole at all points through the development lifecycle. In today’s testing world this technique can be more broadly applied, for example to a cohesive group of products that communicate with each other – such as a mobile app that allows students to study e-learning on the go which logs their progress on an LMS.

1. Consultancy

Any reputable testing house should offer you this crucial first step, begining with a discussion on the most appropriate test strategy to give you confidence in your products’ quality whilst bringing the most efficiency and reusuability.

2. Functionality

Ensure the functionality of your core system or product is sound as early as possible. This will save expensive headaches later and will inform all side-products and systems. Good testers can start finding issues even at the requirements gathering stage.

Functionality tests should then move to any offshoot products – perhaps a marketing-led app for smartphones which will promote your core offering or a large system that needs to integrate with existing systems.

3. Build reusable test scripts

Whenever possible, build a range of regression scripts. Whether manual or automated they will ensure more efficient, repeatable tests. This will also ensure that your developers can reproduce and fix defects more efficiently.

4. Compatibility testing

You’re probably delivering to multiple platforms. Not only do you have to test for compatibility with Windows, Mac and Linux OS alongside the multitude of popular browsers available for them – and perhaps in multiple languages – it's probably necessary to include mobile platform compatibility.

Epicentre can help you manoeuvre though the minefield of devices, operating systems, inputs and more. Check our top 5 mobile stats piece in this newsletter.

5. Integration testing

If you’ve disparate products or systems, they may well need to talk to one another.

Presuming steps 1-3 have had positive outcomes, now’s the time to ensure that the mobile version talks to the PC versions, that the database talks to the CRM system, that the Facebook app talks to the website and so on (aka systems integration testing or SIT).

6. Load, Stress, Performance and Scaleability testing (LSPS).

Ensure your product and its environment is able to handle your expected user base.

You’ll want to be sure your code doesn’t present bottlenecks that make the product fall over, or that your hosted environment or cloud is big enough to handle all those users on the system at the same time. Or perhaps you need to ensure that executive mobile app performs as expected in a loaded environment.

7. Penetration and security testing.

Security flaws not only risk your product's uptime, they also risk potential loss of confidential information – or worse. If you’re not confident in your product’s ability to keep the right people in and the wrong out, your brand’s reputation will be at risk and the lawyers may begin rubbing their hands with glee.

Many people pay lip service to penetration testing by using quick and dirty approaches. Don’t. Epicentre recommends you use an accredited, qualified agency that gives you real confidence.

8. Service or Support Desk.

What if something unexpected occurs post -release? As anyone who works in IT will tell you, the only thing you can be sure of is that you can't be sure of everything. As a result it's vital to be ready to respond to the unexpected – and that is exactly what post-delivery support is available for.

How can Epicentre help?

Epicentre can assist you throughout the entire process described above, or selected elements – there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Our team stands ready, able and willing to support you throughout the difficult and thorny paths of development, with a full suite of testing and support offerings that can be tailored to meet your every need. We are also the only UK testing company with an in-house support desk – who have access to all of the knowledge built up throughout testing; an invaluable asset.

Email marketingenq@epicentre.co.uk to find out how Epicentre can guide you through the end-to-end testing process.

Testexpo/HBT workshop round up

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 11:07:39 +0000

Epicentre exhibited again at the TestExpo in September (the UK’s premier software testing event) and this time delivered a presentation on Hypothesis Based Testing (HBT). The presentation was delivered by T Ashok, originator of the HBT methodology and CEO of our trusted offshore partners STAG Software. We also supported this presentation by launching an HBT App at the event, which is available for free download on both iOs and Android!

Our stand was busy again and the thing that seemed to be on everyone’s mind was mobile testing. Another area of interest however, as is often the case, was test process improvement and the exhibition area was left almost deserted as people flooded into the presentation room to hear Ashok talk about HBT. This led to a huge number of attendees subsequently visiting the Epicentre stand and the common theme seemed to be ‘We want to find out more’!

HBT is new to the UK and has been introduced by Epicentre over recent months via a free webinar and the recent TestExpo presentation mentioned above. Due to the level of interest this has generated we are also now running detailed workshops on the subject so that Test Practitioners can fully understand the methodology in its entirety and how it can add value to their teams. The feedback from the first workshop sessions held in September has been very positive, including the comment below from an attending Test Manager:

“Very good. I will definitely try and implement some of the HBT process in our company and look forward to seeing it working.”

We are therefore repeating the workshop series on the 9/10 of November and these have already attracted a great deal of interest. We would urge anyone who is interested in improving their testing processes to attend and find out more about how HBT can help.

As a leading figure on the UK testing scene recently commented, “it’s not often that there’s a truly new testing methodology on the scene”. We feel that Hypothesis Based Testing is about to become the next big thing in testing and we hope you will agree!

Mobile madness: the minefield of mobile development and testing

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 11:06:20 +0000

Remember Marble Madness, the 80s arcade hit which saw you navigating a marble along a precarious serious of cliffs, valleys and slopes? One slip-up would see you dropping into oblivion...

Developing for mobile is a little like playing Marble Madness. There are so many sharp drops all around you that it's difficult to know where the safe route through is. By 'sharp drops', of course, we mean the quantity of mobile manufacturers, Operating Systems and variety of input technologies available today, and by 'safe route' we’re referring to your development considerations for reaching your target customers and users.

Fortunately Epicentre's mobile specialists have been hard at work in the information mines, extracting rich veins of knowledge which have been compiled into a useful set of Top 5s:

Top 5 Mobile Vendors

Apple – 19.1%
Samsung – 16.2%
Nokia – 15.7%
RIM – 11.6%
HTC – 11%

It's little surprise to see Apple occupying the top spot, but it's a little more surprising to see Samsung so high up – perhaps because they blow their own trumpet a lot less than their companions. This position is nonetheless deserved due, in part, to the quality of their Galaxy tablets and other smartphones.

Top 5 Android Smartphones

HTC Thunderbolt
HTC EVO 4G
HTC Droid Incredible
HTC Inspire 4G
Motorola Droid X

These, in particular, are causing a lot of confusion due to the semi-open source nature of Android and Google’s willingness to certify many device manufacturers. Perhaps surprisingly, Google’s own Nexus One comes in twelfth.

Top 5 Mobile OS Market Share

Android – 43%
Symbian 22%
iOS – 18%
RIM – 12%
Microsoft – 2%

Seeing Android at the top may not surprise you, but given what's been in the news lately it's easy to forget that Nokia were once the mobile monarchs, and that heritage still gives them a big market share, especially in S. America, Africa and Asia. We believe that they are now developing for Windows 8.

Top 5 Tablets

Apple iPad 2
Apple iPad 1
Apple iPad Asus Eee Pad Transformer
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
Motorola Xoom

No surprises to see the modern-day tablets from Apple at the top. On the rise is HP’s Touchpad currently at number 8 but sure to prove even more popular due to its $205 price tag.

Top 5 Most Anticipated Mobile Devices

iPhone 5 – disappointed by the 4S? iPhone 5 is now threatened for 2012.
HTC Titan & HTC Radar – shipping with Windows Phone 7.5. Perhaps an interim offering until the release of Windows 8?
Samsung Galaxy Note – the next entry in the popular Samsung tablet series.
Amazon Kindle Fire – could make big waves in the tablet marketplace.
Aakash/UbiSlate 7 – never heard of it? Targeted at India and the developing world, at an ultra-low cost of $35. Personal computing has never been more widely available; it is no coincidence that the increased availability of wifi and tablets means many countries are skipping cabled connectivity altogether.

Top 5 Compatibility Concerns

Operating System – what platforms could you, and should you, support? And therefore, which devices?
Screen size and aspect ratio – can you ensure your product scales on a tiny 320x240 screen as well as it does on a large 800x480 tablet, and that it handles differing aspect ratios correctly?
Input method #1 – do you support touchscreens? What about flipping the screen? Are capacitative and reactive touchscreens equally supported?
Input method #2 – does your product support QWERTY vs. alphanumeric keypads? What about behaviour with hard keys (keys that are always available e.g. “home”)?
Phone service interruptions – different functions can interupt an app including alerts, calls, emails and drops in connectivity. How will your product behave in these instances?

If you would like to know more about any of the above or obtain fuller lists, please get in touch with us: marketingenq@epicentre.co.uk

Hypothesis-Based Testing Masterclasses

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 09:03:16 +0100

Hypothesis-Based Testing Masterclasses

Following the recent success of Epicentre's software quality masterclasses in Hypothesis-Based Testing (HBT), we are now running the workshop series again in November. HBT is new to the UK and offers a unique approach to ensuring quality or 'clean' software.

Workshop 1: HBT Detailed Overview - 9th November 2011

The objective of this workshop is to enable the participants to gain a comprehensive overview of HBT and therefore apply a scientific approach to validating software.

Click here to read the full programme

Workshop 2: HBT Test Strategy and Planning - 10th November 2011

Hypothesis-based testing (HBT) is a scientific personal test methodology that is unique in its approach to ensuring quality or ‘clean’ software. This workshop focuses on using a scientific approach (HBT) to formulating test strategies and plans through identifying the levels, types, techniques and process models to ensure that potential defect types can be detected optimally.

Click here read to the full programme

Try out Epicentre's new HBT demo app

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 15:13:12 +0100

Epicentre is proud to announce the Hypothesis Based Testing mobile app, a handy guide that provides a solid overview of what drives the six stages of the HBT methodology in eight short learning topics:

Introduction to Hypothesis Based Testing
Stage 1: Identify Cleanliness Criteria;
Stage 2: Uncover Potential Defect Types
Stage 3: Purposeful Categorisation
Stage 4: Complete Test Cases
Stage 5: Sensible Automation
Stage 6: Goal-Directed Measurements;
Conclusion: The Six Stages of HBT

Hypothesis Based Testing (HBT) is a scientific personal test methodology that is unique in its approach to ensuring cleanliness of software. The objective of HBT is to slash test costs/support costs, ease integration and accelerate development.

The central principle of the HBT test methodology is constructing a hypothesis of potential defects that may be probable and then scientifically proving/disproving them. It is not a process system; rather it is a methodology for an individual to deliver clean software.

If you’re curious about how HBT can significantly reduce the number of defect escapes in your products, increase your test coverage, reduce support costs or drive a significant increase in ROI for test automation, download this free app to learn more.

You can find the iOS version of the app here and the Android version here , or simply snap the QR codes below.

Welcome to the Epicentre newsletter: July 2011

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 15:54:05 +0100

Welcome to the latest edition of the Epicentre newsletter, bringing you a round-up of the latest from the world of software testing, IT support and tech news.

If you would like more information about Epicentre, email marketingenq@epic.co.uk or call 01273 728686 to speak to one of our team.

Mobile testing is go

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 12:50:20 +0100

Download Epicentre's fully-updated 2011 datasheets here: Introduction to Epicentre, Manual Testing, Automated Testing, Service Desk, Managed Services, Remote Managed Services and Strategic Consultancy.

Our data sheets will give you an overview of the most important issues you’ll face when getting your product out to your audience. They’ll also tell you why they’re important and how we can help you get past them.

Download one of our PDF datasheets for an instant hit of testing & support know-how and tips.

Who are Epicentre? (PDF download)

Epicentre is one of the leading software quality testing specialists in Europe. With over 20 years of unrivalled experience in testing software including e-commerce, websites and online applications, e-learning products and other enterprise applications...

Manual testing (PDF download)

Testing is critical to the success of your project as it will save you money, time and preserve the integrity of your brand. It will literally pay for itself and more. Our manual testing business offers onsite, remote and offshore methods of delivery and caters for both traditional and Agile/Scrum methodologies...

Service Desk (PDF download)

For post-delivery support Epicentre offers a personable Service Desk, allowing you to rest assured that your customers’ issues are being dealt with whilst you move on to your next project. Post-delivery problems have proven the Achilles heel of many otherwise successful e-learning projects...

Automated testing (PDF download)

Every project has a unique set of automation requirements in terms of business focus, technologies, existing test environment and internal skill-sets. It is therefore critical to select an automation toolset that will fit your requirements and help you achieve your test automation objectives...

Managed Services (PDF download) and Remote Managed Services (PDF download)

In combination with STAG Software, our Managed Services for Testing Excellence (MSTE) means that we provide you with a range of comprehensive managed testing services tailored to your project and product requirements...

Strategic Consultancy (PDF download)

Epicentre offers a range of services designed to help our clients optimise their software assurance processes, and therefore the end quality of their software. This includes high-level services such as test process reviews and health-checks, test process improvement, test strategy support, transition services for various methodologies and more...

Whether it’s delivery of web content or apps designed to optimise the presentation of your content or service on a specific device, everybody’s talking about mobile.

Mobile testing isn’t new but it is becoming increasingly relevant and increasingly complex. This is due to the number of devices and related software available and their capability to provide a mobile user experience that grows ever-closer to your home computer, and is integrated with just as many existing systems.

All companies who are delivering content over the web are now under pressure to ensure that this is as accessible on a mobile/tablet device as it is via a traditional PC, including to those who have disabilities. This therefore increases their list of supported devices and software substantially, as well as the effort to thoroughly test their applications. Often it simply isn’t practical for such companies to keep pace with the skills and range of devices that are required.

Specialist testing services for mobile authoring tool, GoMo
Epicentre’s sister company, Epic, recently released their mobile authoring tool GoMo Learning to enable their clients to develop their own personalised and branded mobile learning content.

As part of the GoMo package, customers are offered the chance to utilise Epicentre to thoroughly test their apps to ensure that quality is optimised. This gives them an independent viewpoint of application quality, as well as the kit range and skills required to proactively seek out the functional, usability and accessibility defects that may adversely affect the end user.

Real versus virtualised or emulated
The debate rages on about the best options available for mobile testing, including use of virtualised or automated mobile testing solutions. However, the feedback we’ve had from a number of our clients and contacts has been that they are unsure about the reliability of such solutions compared to testing in the live environment with its many service interruptions. They also add that you can’t beat an actual tester pressing the buttons on a real device to get a quality result.

To find out more about how Epicentre can support your mobile testing requirements click here, or contact us on sales@epicentre.co.uk

Mobile Testing case study

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 10:00:00 +0100

Download one of our PDF datasheets for an instant hit of testing & support know-how and tips.

Who are Epicentre? (PDF download)

Manual testing (PDF download)

Service Desk (PDF download)

Automated testing (PDF download)

Managed Services (PDF download) and Remote Managed Services (PDF download)

Strategic Consultancy (PDF download)

Music Technology Ltd. are a Kent-based software company focused on producing recommendation-based applications and mobile apps for specific targeted markets. They had produced a bespoke app that communicated between desktop or laptop computers and modern smartphones or iOS devices.

The app interacts with a user’s iTunes music library and constructs playlists based on recognised tracks, simultaneously identifying gaps in a user’s collection and providing a link to a purchasing option. This playlist could then be pushed to a user’s mobile device for listening to on the move.

Epicentre were invited to provide a quotation for Functionality, Compatibility and Content testing across a range of home computers (Windows and Mac) and mobile (Android and iOS) platforms. Both the quote and the initial phase of testing had to be turned around very rapidly; the same day and the next day respectively.

Click here to read the full case study.

Are you cookie compliant?

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 09:30:00 +0100

Download one of our PDF datasheets for an instant hit of testing & support know-how and tips.

Who are Epicentre? (PDF download)

Manual testing (PDF download)

Service Desk (PDF download)

Automated testing (PDF download)

Managed Services (PDF download) and Remote Managed Services (PDF download)

Strategic Consultancy (PDF download)

In May 2011 a change in EU law regarding the use of browser cookies that store user information was rolled out. Shortly after this announcement a year’s grace was extended to businesses which need to comply with the new laws.

Cookies have been used to store site preferences since usage of the internet became widespread, allowing website servers to recognise devices when connecting to them. Although there are many legitimate uses for cookies they can also be used to track users’ browsing behaviour in ways they may be unaware of, or even take exception to. The new regulations require a user’s consent to store a cookie on their device.

Previous regulations required sites to tell people how cookies were used and how they could opt out if they objected to this, although this was often buried deep in an obscure privacy policy. Those who did read it would often be put off by the dense legalese explaining cookie usage. The new rule tackles this issue, requiring consent from the user. However, how this consent should be provided remains a thorny issue and the debate on how best to implement the legislation is ongoing.

With web users growing increasingly concerned about the tracking of their online movements, steps have been taken to enable them to free themselves from targeted marketing, behavioural analysis and the possibility of some errant webmaster tracking their steps around the net. And yet, even with plenty of time to make sure sites are compliant; many organisations in the UK still haven’t started to address the issue.

Some allowances are to be made for ‘necessary’ cookies, such as those created on a user’s machine by retail sites which need to store what shoppers have selected on the site. According to the new laws this is acceptable, but a cookie stored with the sole intention of targeting adverts at the user is not. However, the EU’s 27 nations all hold different opinions on the matter, with some yet to begin taking steps toward compliance.

Some have questioned whether penalties will be imposed on sites which are accessed by domestic users, but which are based outside the UK. Others have asked whether explicit permission is necessary or if simply amending a browser’s settings is sufficient.

With countless users across millions of sites in the EU, ensuring compliance will be a mammoth task, with heavy penalties for those who fail to bring their sites in line. As we’ve seen, there are many issues with this change in the law, but regulating compliance looks to be the most difficult, and in terms of business impact, those who fail to comply risk substantial fines and negative press.

Epicentre Says: “With such a long grace period it seems remarkable that many have yet to even get started on making the required changes. This is not an issue that companies will be able to shrug off or blame on browser vendors, nor can they blame it on a lack of awareness.

“These changes will not affect all sites as many do not need to store ‘permanent’ data on a user’s system. However, some sites will face far-reaching implications requiring huge changes to the way they store and indeed use stored data. That said, the UK Information Commissioner’s Office has issued sturdy, detailed guidance on what is required from those that must comply, making the task a little more approachable.

“With time rapidly ticking by, Epicentre advises those who are letting the issue linger to begin preparation now – while they still they can.”

Get in touch to find out how Epicentre can advise your organisation about the new cookie compliance regulations, email marketingenq@epicentre.co.uk

The Information Commissioner’s Office guidance, containing further details of the rulings, can be found here.

Epicentre's 2011 Datasheets

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 12:50:20 +0000

Download one of our PDF datasheets for an instant hit of testing & support know-how and tips.

Who are Epicentre? (PDF download)

Manual testing (PDF download)

Service Desk (PDF download)

Automated testing (PDF download)

Managed Services (PDF download) and Remote Managed Services (PDF download)

Strategic Consultancy (PDF download)

Download one of our PDF datasheets for an instant hit of testing & support know-how and tips.

Who are Epicentre? (PDF download)
Epicentre is one of the leading software quality testing specialists in Europe. With over 20 years of unrivalled experience in testing software including e-commerce, websites and online applications, e-learning products and other enterprise applications...

Manual testing (PDF download)
Testing is critical to the success of your project as it will save you money, time and preserve the integrity of your brand. It will literally pay for itself and more. Our manual testing business offers onsite, remote and offshore methods of delivery and caters for both traditional and Agile/Scrum methodologies...

Service Desk (PDF download)
For post-delivery support Epicentre offers a personable Service Desk, allowing you to rest assured that your customers’ issues are being dealt with whilst you move on to your next project. Post-delivery problems have proven the Achilles heel of many otherwise successful e-learning projects...

Automated testing (PDF download)
Every project has a unique set of automation requirements in terms of business focus, technologies, existing test environment and internal skill-sets. It is therefore critical to select an automation toolset that will fit your requirements and help you achieve your test automation objectives...

Managed Services (PDF download) and Remote Managed Services (PDF download)
In combination with STAG Software, our Managed Services for Testing Excellence (MSTE) means that we provide you with a range of comprehensive managed testing services tailored to your project and product requirements...

Strategic Consultancy (PDF download)
Epicentre offers a range of services designed to help our clients optimise their software assurance processes, and therefore the end quality of their software. This includes high-level services such as test process reviews and health-checks, test process improvement, test strategy support, transition services for various methodologies and more...

Welcome to the Epicentre newsletter: March 2011

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 15:54:05 +0000

Welcome to the 2nd edition of the Epicentre newsletter, bringing you a round-up of the latest from the world of software testing, IT support and tech news.

If you would like more information about Epicentre, email marketing@epic.co.uk or call 01273 728686 and speak to Heather.

You can BETT on it

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 09:00:00 +0000

Every January London plays host to the annual British Education and Training Technology exhibition, one of the year’s most significant events for the educational IT industry. It’s the largest event of its kind, running for over twenty-five years, and is one of the best ways to both advertise and demonstrate products to those who will be using them in the classroom.

Perhaps there were concerns this year that the exhibition might be smaller, or poorly attended, due to the universally belt-tightening influence of the global recession. Happily the number of exhibitors and attendees in evidence allayed any such concerns, with constant throngs moving around the floor and pouring in from the neighbouring train station. A wide variety of European languages and accents were also in evidence, so tighter funds haven’t stopped visitors travelling to BETT from overseas.

In terms of notable trends, a proliferation of ad hoc VLEs was in evidence – possibly a reaction to the fading influence of BECTA as a tastemaker within the sector. On the other hand significant technological advances were notable by their absence, with a few exceptions such as SMART Technologies’ new SMART Table – essentially a new approach to interacting with their ever-advancing whiteboard technology.

Recent trends like mobile learning were also not widely in evidence, and the big players appeared to be shying away from overtly game-based learning. Some movement towards cloud-based computing was in evidence, chiefly in terms of VLE design and integration, but nothing with an obvious ‘wow’ factor that looked set to shift goalposts.

Occasionally a brief war of the machines was on display: HP’s giant sweet offering robot pitted against a radio-controlled swarm of LEGO constructions. Epicentre put its money on the latter but only because we were briefly chased by them… besides, we don’t have much of a sweet tooth.

As always we found BETT an excellent opportunity to connect with clients, both old and new. It’s a great chance to grab a coffee or bite to eat and catch up on the latest news and future technologies, and discuss the events and exhibitors at the show.

Elsewhere, a huge number of seminars as well as keynote speakers were hosted, between them covering a huge range of topics from methods of utilising ICT solutions in support of dyslexic students to mobile learning and the use of Apple iOS devices in the classroom.

As always, we’ll finish by saying see you next year (and mine’s a cappuccino)!

The strengths of testing manually

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 09:00:00 +0000

I’ve written previously about automation testing and the unique solutions it offers, and its strengths as a testing methodology. Today I’d like to discuss the other side of the testing coin and take a look at what manual testing can offer.

The first and simplest strength of a manual approach is low-tech – or even no-tech – in that it relies upon tester eyeballs. That’s right, it’s the ability of a manual tester to examine a piece of software or elearning and understand what they’re looking at. Properly planned, scripted and executed automated testing can rigorously test every aspect of a product but only a human being can look at it and intuit what it is and what it is for.

In practical terms this means that if you’re concerned your product may contain layout issues, inappropriate content, difficult to read fonts, or just want feedback on general usability, you can’t beat having a professional, experienced tester take a look at it.

Another advantage of testing performed by people is that the way bugs are reported is clearly communicated in a manner that the human brain finds logical – which certainly helps when it comes to the recipient of a test report trying to understand the nature of a reported issue! Plus, a human being can tailor the way each and every bug is reported, to fit its individual needs or the needs of its future assignees, and is also able to investigate and explore encountered issues rather than simply report a pass/fail scenario. Epicentre’s trained and experienced testers are past masters at anticipating, understanding and working to meet the unique needs of our many clients.

Of course, whilst there is any number of ways that a person can do a better job than a machine (no matter what Terminator tells you) it’s also true that if sufficiently well-planned, an automated test can mitigate its inherent weaknesses. So why else might manual testing be a better choice for your needs?

Two words: cost and flexibility.

Automated testing is tailored to fit the needs of large projects with consistent needs and infrastructure. For smaller products with limited needs, or large numbers of disparate products for which a generic automated script cannot be produced, you’ll find that a manual approach is significantly more cost-effective as the time demanded by planning and writing scripts is an order of magnitude smaller.

Another side-effect of running a smaller, quicker test which requires less setup and preparation is that it is much simpler to schedule and perform – including at relatively short notice, which we all know is sometimes an unavoidable problem. This flexibility extends to within the test – a team of manual testers can encounter, identify, analyse and work around unanticipated problems in a fraction of the time it would take for an automated test to do the same (although of course, the entire principle of automated testing rests on not running into the unanticipated – because you’ve planned for every eventuality).

This is not even to mention specialist test types like accessibility testing which are best performed by an accessibility expert, or native OS compatibility which demands the experience to understand and work around the idiosyncrasies of localised software and platforms.

At the end of the day, automated and manual testing approaches are not mutually exclusive. It is all a matter of correctly identifying what your testing needs are, and then determining how best to fulfil them. Often, a combined automated/manual approach has its own advantages – meeting criteria and objectives by using whichever method is most suited to them. In recognition of this Epicentre has assembled services based on extensive experience in all areas of testing. We’re ready and waiting to go…

A touchy-feely future for hardware

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 09:00:00 +0000

With handheld devices and now desktop monitors offering users the chance to interact with content in new ways, hardware manufacturers are all vying for market attention with bigger, better and more accurate touch controls. But what exactly is multi-touch?

Dating back to the early synthesizer music scene of the 1960s, pioneers in the field experimented with new approaches to user input, with touch-sensitive sensors being used to control sounds generated by the instruments. In 1971, the first touch screen appeared and slowly, these technologies began to filter out into the larger world. It was only as recently as 1991 that a breakthrough was made by Pierre Wellner. He envisaged a ‘Digital Desk’, which showcased the first examples of the now familiar pinching and scrolling and swiping gestures seen on smartphones and tablet PCs currently.

Since Apple’s first iPhone was launched in 2007, manufacturers have been falling over themselves to bring these technologies to users, with increasing accuracy and responsiveness. Multi-touch control allows users to interact with their devices in a more natural, intuitive way, by using several fingers at a time to create gestures. As newer versions of the iPhone have been released, the screen’s capabilities have grown to allow for more complex input. The latest release of the iOS operating system, iOS 4.3, is expanding these features, with greater support for the iPad range of tablet computers.

Notable among rivals to the Apple range is the new Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc, which features 32-point multi-touch – potentially, the device’s screen will allow 32 points of input on the screen. This is a huge leap over the existing technologies, many of which still use just 3 points of input. With more tablets arriving at market by the day, this could be a complete game changer when applied to a bigger screen than that offered by a smartphone.

Microsoft is also looking for a slice of this particularly tasty pie, bringing their Windows 7 OS, and indeed Windows 8 when it’s released, to the market in Hewlett Packard’s Slate 500 devices, revealed in late 2010. Unlike the iPad, the multi-touch Slate 500 features various hardware connectors missing from the Apple range, as do many of the other multi-touch tablet rivals appearing recently. The Slate 500 also offers the option of connecting standard input devices , with an optional keyboard and mouse that can be plugged in. With multi-touch now prevalent in a wide range of devices, the focus now appears to be shifting towards the additional features that can be provided alongside touch screen functionality.

Never ones to be left behind in such things, Google is also entering the fray with their ‘Honeycomb’ Android OS, for which they have released an unfinished SDK. The software development kit is claimed to be specifically designed for developers creating applications for tablets and other handheld devices, and includes a ‘holographic’ UI. What exactly this means is as yet unclear, but shows that all the major players are looking to get their hands on your… hands.

In the educational field, SMARTTech’s SMART Table brings a fresh approach to interactive learning, with a multi-touch tabletop interface, which allows multiple users to interact together simultaneously. With other multi-touch devices appearing in a much smaller form, they tend to be more exclusive, forcing users to use them alone. However, the SMART Table brings several users together, not only giving a unique large form factor interactive display, but also bringing a group together to learn and interact in a unit. The SMART Table runs preset lesson and game applications that foster a team mentality and dynamic, teaching children to work together.

This move towards a less button-centric interface is not just limited to handheld and tablet devices, as games consoles and desktop machines all seem to be striving towards removing the use of standard control methods. Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo all now offer a motion sensitive control input, with Microsoft doing away with controllers completely for their Kinect hardware. Adoption of these technologies has already been huge, allowing the manufacturers to break out of their standard markets, and into less exclusive territory.

It’s clear that users want new ways to work with their gadgetry and manufacturers seem more than happy and indeed capable of providing these new methods. The future looks like a much more touchy-feely place to be.

Epicentre says:
“The multi-touch future is already upon us and so far, it seems to be working well. Developers are faced with a whole new world of opportunities, as well as a whole new world of headaches, in making their software compatible and responsive. This can only be a good thing in the long run, as it will foster more creativity in approaches to development, allowing developers to really push the boundaries of their imaginations and their projects.

The complexities of multi-touch should inspire development to move outside of current limitations, as projects embrace the potential now available."

The quality race

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 09:00:00 +0000

A large German manufacturer with a mature quality assurance practice was seeking new ways to improve its testing processes. It all started with a talk delivered by the CEO of Epicentre’s testing partner, Stag software, to senior management staff and test practitioners on ‘The Science & Engineering of Effective Testing’ – the talk generated a lot of interest from internal staff and was attended by over 75 people. Here’s how the scenario unfolded:

A few weeks after the talk, the management team decided to experiment with Epicentre’s Hypothesis Based Testing (HBT). They identify about twenty five people (a small subset of their QA team) to be trained on the new methodology. Epicentre conduct a 5-day workshop with intense application orientation, to enable them to understand HBT. The German company then decides to conduct a pilot to evaluate the HBT powered approach to testing, compared with their way of testing. Firstly, they identify a product that has been in use for a few years by consumers across the world. Next, they decide to have two identical five-member teams, consisting of people with a similar mix of experience levels, each given a timeframe of one month to evaluate the new release of this product. These two teams are kept apart to ensure a controlled experiment and the countdown starts. We wait with bated breath…

Enormous data has been generated and the management team analyses them thoroughly to spot the winner. A month later we are called by the senior management - it is clear that HBT is the winner. Epicentre’s HBT-powered team has designed 3x the number of test cases compared to the non-HBT team and uncovered 2x the number of defects! The icing on the cake is that the couple of defects uncovered by the HBT-powered team are ‘residual defects’, i.e. they have been latent in the product for over a year (remember the Minesweeper game on Windows?) and one of them corrupts all the data in the database. Now the discussion steers to effort/time analysis – Does the application of HBT require more effort/time? The team has conclusive evidence that the increase is not significant, applying HBT has enabled them to think better, rather than requiring them to work longer or harder.

What enabled the HBT powered team to win the ‘Quality Race’? The top three reasons are:
(1) The notion of Potential Defect Types (PDT) is powerful as it forces the team to hypothesize what can go wrong and enables them to establish a purposeful quality goal.
(2) PDT forces the team to adopt a thorough understanding of customer’s expectations and the intended behavior of the product.
(3) PDT assists in test design and optimizes the number of test cases produced, thus eliminating defect escapes and paving the way for robust software.

For further information on how Epicentre can help your testing processes, please contact us on 01273 728686 or email marketingenq@epicentre.co.uk