Questions to Ask

You are informed by your lead/manager of a new project being assigned to you. As part of your preparation to move in
to the project ask the following questions.

What is the Project Background?

· Is this a new project or product enhancement?
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· What is the project? What is the intended benefit from the application?
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· What is the existing System/Process (Manual/Application)?
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· What is the proposed system/Application
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· How this product help the business
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· What are the critical success factors for this project?
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· Who are the stakeholders for the change process?
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What are the Roles/Users for the Application & Project?

· Intended Users and different roles in application
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· Prepare User Matrix (accesses & restrictions)
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Process
· When is the Project Kick Off meet?
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· Who are the developers?
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· Who are the Business Analysts?
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· Who is the Project Manager?
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· Who is the Process Consultant?
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· Who is the Product Manager?
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· What is the project Name in Jira?
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· What is the current Project/Test schedule?
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· How is the signoff process? Are all documents signed off and available on TFS?
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· What are the identified risks and issues and known issues with the application?
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· What are the dependencies, assumptions and constraints?
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· Sign off procedure for Testing Documents (Schedule/Test Plan/Reports/Test Conditions/)
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· Level of test coverage - Requirement Traceability Matrix
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· Is Usability audit required?
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· What are the entry and exit criteria for system test?
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· What are the deliverables as part of each release?
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· What is system test completion criteria
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· How and to whom should the daily test progress report is sent? Insist on constant interactions from the very
beginning.
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 Questions to Ask

Are all Documents available, well documented and signed off?

· Is Vision and Scope signed off?
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· Detailed Business Requirement, System Requirement, Use Case Documents base lined?
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· System Design document available?
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· Test Plan Document prepared / approved?
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· Application Prototype / Screen Shots/Wire frame available
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· Other documents pertaining to process & functionality
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What is the Application Technology & Testing Methodology

· What is the technology used for developing the application?
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· Does the current application interface with other systems?
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· Operating environments and other compatibility needed?
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· Is design document prepared, what is the architecture of this system
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· Is there anything specific that the testing team should know prior to test design and run?
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· Is test data required / prepared for test execution?
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· Is any data prerequisite required to start system testing
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· Is the V Model of testing followed in the current project? Any deviations?
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· Are UAT Scenarios identified and available? How long is UAT Planned for and when?
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· Is there any language specific requirements?
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· Is there any non-functional requirements like usability, localization, browser / OS compatibility
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· What are the requirements with respect to application availability and response time?
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· What is the size of regression pack that can be reused?
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Defect Management
· Is any deviation in defect management process?
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· Defects assigned to whom?
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· Who will validate rejected defects?
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· How are ‘Not Required’ and ‘Not a bug’ defects managed?
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· How and to whom should the daily test progress report is sent?
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· Conduct defect triage meet and document MoM
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Several of the above questions may not get immediate answers, and you would have already started with your system
study. Don’t worry; the following questions will guide you to a better understanding of the system.
But ensure that you have answers for all the questions before moving in to the Test Execution Phase

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 Questions to Ask

General Application Information

· Do we have a milestone plan? What are the dates for GO LIVE! System Test Sign off, UAT etc.
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· Are there multiple phases prior to go live?
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· What are the types of test planned other than system test? Compatibility, Usability etc
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· What are all my responsibilities and effort available?
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· Who all are worked in this project earlier?
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· Are there any special training’s required for this project?
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· What is the percentage of regression pack that can be reused?
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Are Reports generated by the application? If yes,

· Identify intended recipients – customer/ internal
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· Check format (XL/ Adobe/ etc) and analyse implications.
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· Check compatibility (if used by external applications)
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· Report formats (alignment, spacing, colour, font, titles etc)
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· Validate Field Data (populated from application)
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· Check spelling & grammar
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· Check the printouts (as mentioned above)
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· Is the report layout as agreed?
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Test Data and Test Bed Preparation?

§ How is the test bed planned? Access restrictions, application availability, database, speed etc?
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§ Identify need for Test Data.
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§ Do I need to prepare Test Data?
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§ Analyse, Create and Manage Test data.
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§ Is any data set required to state sanity test.
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