PACE NONCREDIT COURSE:
Software Quality Assurance and Testing
Areas of Study
Course Type
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Overview
Hours: 36
In this course, we will learn the basics of manual software testing and best practices and that will equip you to start in a career of software testing.
Have you ever opened your banking app on your computer or mobile device and asked … “did anyone test this?” or “why is this so slow”? This is where quality assurance in software development should have, and may have identified the issue. Software testing is a key component of quality software delivery and will always maintain a space for manual, human hands on keyboard testing. Quality assurance and software testing leverage the application of critical thinking and a repeatable process that helps ensure a software project results in the delivery of working software. These are often referred to as Best Practices. They are basic building blocks that all software delivery methodologies use, regardless of which it is.
Key Concepts
Product Quality: Understands common business practices regarding product quality, as well as importance of internal and external standards and best practices.
Outcome: By the end of this course, students should be able to identify and describe current standards and best practices for ensuring digital product quality
QA Tools: Understands commonly used tools for quality testing such as devices, operating systems, hardware and software, network operations, and web- and cloud-based services.
Outcome: By the end of this course, students should be able to identify tools commonly used in industry for testing quality, and justify their selection
Product Development Lifecycle: Understands product development lifecycle processes and how/why quality testing contributes to a successful product.
Outcome: By the end of this course, students should be able to describe the stages of a product development lifecycle and explain the role and importance of quality testing and assurance
User Profiles: Understands end user behaviors and tendencies.
Outcome: By the end of this course, students should be able to describe some of the general behaviors and tendencies of end users of a digital product
Testing Plan Development: Ability to keep detailed records, formulate plan for regular testing and auditing cycles, and use critical thinking to analyze results.
Outcome: By the end of this course, students should be able to create a testing plan that incorporates business requirements, interpret testing results, and adjusting the testing plan as appropriate/necessary
Communication: Ability to clearly communicate findings to stakeholders using common platforms.
Outcome: By the end of this course, students should be able to clearly communicate testing results to internal and external stakeholders through reports and/or other forms of documentation
Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving: Demonstrates problem-solving skills and ability to think critically to respond to challenges and design/suggest solutions in theory and/or practice.
Outcome: By the end of this course, students should be able to triage emergent issues and challenges, and propose potential solutions to ensure product quality
Curriculum
Structure of the Course
Each weekly module includes an overview, video presentations, and a list of readings. Most of the readings will be from web based material, and additional articles, blogs, videos will be provided as links or downloadable files. Before diving into each module, be sure to review each module overview. These appear at the top of the webpage for the modules and will give you a sense of the topics and scope of the module. These overviews also include an outline of the learning activities that are due to be submitted or posted that week. Modules will open on Mondays at 12 am. Each week concludes on Sundays at 11:59 pm.
Assignments
Each assignment in this course will involve completing an exercise on your own, and then sharing your work with your classmates in discussion boards. This will provide you with practice in putting your work out there and receiving feedback from colleagues. Similarly, this will provide you with opportunities to give feedback to your classmates/colleagues, which can help to hone your critical eye and practice providing feedback in ways that are constructive and respectful. Strive to start your discussion posts earlier in the week so that you have ample time to review and respond to your classmates’ posts. Each assignment is worth up to 10 points: you can receive up to 7 points for your initial post, and up to 3 points for your responses to your classmates based on the substance of your replies. You may receive up to 70 points in this course.
Important:
You will need to view all of the provided readings, videos, and resource files before the discussion board will unlock. This is to ensure that you’ve at least accessed the materials before attempting the assignment. In addition, you will need to post your response to the discussion forum before you will be able to see and respond to your classmates’ posts: your initial reply to the discussion prompt will “unlock” your colleagues’ posts for you to see. This will help to ensure that your contributions to the discussion are your own thoughts, based on your own understanding of the module’s topics.
Each week we will meet via Zoom for 1 hour on Tuesdays (7 PM CST) to discuss the assignments and open questions in addition to a the instructor reviewing the key concepts for the module. The instructor will also monitor the discussions and reply to any questions that may come up that are not resolved in the board discussions.
In this course we will cover the basic repeatable processes of manual software testing that are transferable to any project delivery method by choosing a known website to use as our ‘project’, identifying specific pages or features and beginning with what are requirements. We will then follow the typical SDLC through to include Test Plans, Test Cases, Execution of Test Cases and outcomes. We will also discuss risks, how to identify them and the importance of Communication.
Students will learn how to apply critical thinking strategies by helping extract the requirements and breaking down both ‘happy path’ test cases and negative tests. They will then follow-up with exploratory tests and how to use common, free tools to organize and track their work in addition to actually testing.
As a class, we will explore and understand the cost impacts of defects found in various stages of the software delivery cycle, both monetary and non monetary. We will also explore the different types of issues such as defects, anomalies, bad user experience, performance issues, etc. from a high level.
Finally, we will touch on test automation and how it can benefit some projects. In reviewing this topic, we will briefly review tool options, current industry directions and limitations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I earn a certificate for completing this course?
Certificates of completion will be given to all students who have satisfactorily completed course requirements. Multi-course programs require satisfactory completion of all courses before a certificate is given.
Is financial assistance available for this course?
An application for financial assistance (in the form of a 10% course-fee rebate) is available to all enrolled students. If you feel you are eligible for financial assistance, please complete this application after enrolling. These are highly competitive scholarships and eligibility is determined on a case-by-case basis. Students deemed eligible will receive a rebate equal to 10% of the course fee paid at the time of enrollment.
How can I get additional information about this course?
For additional information, please email pace@uno.edu or call our office at 504-280-4756.
What if I need to drop this course?
All PACE courses must be dropped no later than 3 business days before the first class session to be eligible for a full refund less a $50 administrative fee. Course materials are ineligible for refunds.
Do I need to know how to code?
No
Is this a good entry point into understanding software development processes in general or at a high level?
Yes
Moodle & Zoom
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Course Requirements
Hardware Requirements: Software Requirements:
Course Prerequisites
None
Instructor(s):
Janet Genusa
She is a graduate of Mississippi State University with more than 20 years of experience in technology and over 15 years focused on quality assurance and testing of software. Previous roles in the industry include Senior Manager of Quality Assurance for Raistone Capital, Director of Quality Assurance for iSeatz, Staff Quality Assurance manager for GE Power (GE Digital) and GE Capital, Quality Assurance analyst and manager with Deloitte & Touche, LLC and Bearingpoint, Kinemagic, and System Administrator for Anheuser Busch wholesale distribution. Project deliveries supported span Fintech, Travel, Dept. of Defense (Navy), State of Texas, Industrial, IoT; client server, web, VR and mobile applications; waterfall, scrum, agile, and kanban methodologies.
