This document provides information to help new testers get started with uTest, including an introduction, overview of uTest, guidelines and policies, instructions for creating a profile and participating in projects, frequently asked questions, and contact information. Key sections include an introduction welcoming new testers, descriptions of uTest services and the roles of project managers, community managers, and test team leads, instructions for using help topics and forums, and a checklist for completing necessary steps to begin testing.
The document provides an overview of .NET, including:
1) .NET is a platform and vision for software development that includes frameworks, languages and services.
2) The .NET Framework includes common language runtime, libraries and compilers that support multiple languages.
3) Web services are programmable application components accessible via standard web protocols that are central to .NET.
Visual Basic is a programming language designed for building graphical user interface (GUI) applications. It uses a drag-and-drop interface building tool to create GUIs rather than writing code. Visual Basic supports features like database access, internet capabilities, and rapid application development tools that allow quick creation of full-featured applications. Visual Basic .NET was created as a completely new language to support Microsoft's .NET framework and allow easier development of web applications. It is fully object-oriented and supports the .NET runtime environment, web forms, and web services.
This document provides an introduction and overview of LINQ (Language Integrated Query). It discusses that LINQ allows developers to query data from different sources using a SQL-like syntax directly in .NET code. It also summarizes the key LINQ concepts like data sources, query operators, LINQ providers for different data types, and IDE support for LINQ in Visual Studio.
The Common Language Runtime (CLR) provides a managed execution environment for .NET programs. It performs memory management, security and type safety. When code is run under the CLR, compilers first convert source code to Microsoft Intermediate Language (MSIL) which is then compiled to native machine code. The CLR also defines the Common Type System (CTS) and Common Language Specification (CLS) to allow interoperability between .NET languages.
The document discusses architectural design in software engineering. It covers topics like architectural design decisions, views, patterns, and application architectures. Architectural design involves identifying major system components and their communications in order to represent the link between specification and design processes. Common architectural patterns discussed include model-view-controller, layered architectures, repositories, client-server, pipes and filters. The document also provides examples of architectures for different types of applications like transaction processing systems and information systems.
The Command pattern encapsulates a request as an object, allowing requests to be parameterized with different objects and queued or logged. A command object represents the method call and stores the method name, owner object, and parameters. A client creates a concrete command object and passes it to an invoker, which stores the command and calls its execute method, invoking the action on the receiver object. This decouples the requestor from the performer and allows invokers to be parameterized with different commands at runtime.
This document discusses design patterns, beginning with how they were introduced in architecture in the 1950s and became popularized by the "Gang of Four" researchers. It defines what patterns are and provides examples of different types of patterns (creational, structural, behavioral) along with common patterns in each category. The benefits of patterns are that they enable reuse, improve communication, and ease the transition to object-oriented development. Potential drawbacks are that patterns do not directly lead to code reuse and can be overused. Effective use requires applying patterns strategically rather than recasting all code as patterns.
In software architecture, publish–subscribe is a messaging pattern where senders of messages, called publishers, do not program the messages to be sent directly to specific receivers, called subscribers, but instead characterize published messages into classes without knowledge of which subscribers, if any, there may be. Similarly, subscribers express interest in one or more classes and only receive messages that are of interest, without knowledge of which publishers, if any, there are.
The document provides an overview of .NET, including:
1) .NET is a platform and vision for software development that includes frameworks, languages and services.
2) The .NET Framework includes common language runtime, libraries and compilers that support multiple languages.
3) Web services are programmable application components accessible via standard web protocols that are central to .NET.
Visual Basic is a programming language designed for building graphical user interface (GUI) applications. It uses a drag-and-drop interface building tool to create GUIs rather than writing code. Visual Basic supports features like database access, internet capabilities, and rapid application development tools that allow quick creation of full-featured applications. Visual Basic .NET was created as a completely new language to support Microsoft's .NET framework and allow easier development of web applications. It is fully object-oriented and supports the .NET runtime environment, web forms, and web services.
This document provides an introduction and overview of LINQ (Language Integrated Query). It discusses that LINQ allows developers to query data from different sources using a SQL-like syntax directly in .NET code. It also summarizes the key LINQ concepts like data sources, query operators, LINQ providers for different data types, and IDE support for LINQ in Visual Studio.
The Common Language Runtime (CLR) provides a managed execution environment for .NET programs. It performs memory management, security and type safety. When code is run under the CLR, compilers first convert source code to Microsoft Intermediate Language (MSIL) which is then compiled to native machine code. The CLR also defines the Common Type System (CTS) and Common Language Specification (CLS) to allow interoperability between .NET languages.
The document discusses architectural design in software engineering. It covers topics like architectural design decisions, views, patterns, and application architectures. Architectural design involves identifying major system components and their communications in order to represent the link between specification and design processes. Common architectural patterns discussed include model-view-controller, layered architectures, repositories, client-server, pipes and filters. The document also provides examples of architectures for different types of applications like transaction processing systems and information systems.
The Command pattern encapsulates a request as an object, allowing requests to be parameterized with different objects and queued or logged. A command object represents the method call and stores the method name, owner object, and parameters. A client creates a concrete command object and passes it to an invoker, which stores the command and calls its execute method, invoking the action on the receiver object. This decouples the requestor from the performer and allows invokers to be parameterized with different commands at runtime.
This document discusses design patterns, beginning with how they were introduced in architecture in the 1950s and became popularized by the "Gang of Four" researchers. It defines what patterns are and provides examples of different types of patterns (creational, structural, behavioral) along with common patterns in each category. The benefits of patterns are that they enable reuse, improve communication, and ease the transition to object-oriented development. Potential drawbacks are that patterns do not directly lead to code reuse and can be overused. Effective use requires applying patterns strategically rather than recasting all code as patterns.
In software architecture, publish–subscribe is a messaging pattern where senders of messages, called publishers, do not program the messages to be sent directly to specific receivers, called subscribers, but instead characterize published messages into classes without knowledge of which subscribers, if any, there may be. Similarly, subscribers express interest in one or more classes and only receive messages that are of interest, without knowledge of which publishers, if any, there are.
This document discusses software processes and models. It covers the following key points:
1. Software processes involve activities like specification, design, implementation, validation and evolution to develop software systems. Common process models include waterfall, incremental development and reuse-oriented development.
2. Processes need to cope with inevitable changes. This can involve prototyping to avoid rework or using incremental development and delivery to more easily accommodate changes.
3. The Rational Unified Process is a modern process model with phases for inception, elaboration, construction and transition. It advocates iterative development and managing requirements and quality.
.Net Assemblies are the fundamental units of deployment and reuse in .Net applications. They consist of executable code (CIL/MSIL), type metadata, and resources. Assemblies provide a logical grouping of types and resources and record versioning and dependency information that allows side-by-side loading. Assemblies can be private and deployed with an application or shared and installed in the global assembly cache for use by all applications on a machine.
The document provides an introduction and overview of the .NET framework. It discusses that .NET is an initiative by Microsoft to integrate their products for the next generation internet. The .NET framework provides a common language runtime, base class library, and supports multiple programming languages. It allows developing networked and web applications and services in a simplified and unified manner across devices and platforms.
Topics Covered
==============================
Overview of .NET
Overview of ASP.NET
Creating an ASP.NET Web Form
Adding Event Procedures
Validating User Input
The document discusses software design patterns, including definitions, types (creational, behavioral, structural), components, benefits, and examples. It provides examples of patterns like facade, observer, decorator, state, strategy, template method, iterator, bridge, and singleton from both non-software (e.g. auction, vending machine) and software domains (Temple Run 2 game). For each pattern, it explains the concept, provides a non-software diagram, describes an implementation in Temple Run 2 through diagrams and text, and references additional resources for design patterns.
This document provides an introduction to object oriented programming in Java. It outlines the course objectives which are to learn Java basics, object oriented principles, Java APIs, exception handling, files, threads, applets and swings. It discusses key characteristics of Java including being portable, object oriented and having automatic memory management. It also provides an overview of Java environments and tools, and includes an example "Hello World" Java program.
This document discusses task-based programming models for distributed computing. It defines tasks as distinct units of code that can be executed remotely. Task computing provides distribution by harnessing multiple computing nodes, unlike multithreaded computing within a single machine. The document categorizes task computing into high-performance, high-throughput, and many-task computing. It also describes popular task computing frameworks like Aneka, Condor, Globus Toolkit, and describes developing applications using the Aneka task programming model.
Aneka is a cloud application development platform that provides a middleware for managing and scaling distributed applications across physical and virtual resources connected through a network. It includes APIs for developing applications, a software development kit, and a runtime environment that supports multiple infrastructures. The Aneka framework consists of low-level fabric services for resource management and monitoring, foundational services for storage, accounting and billing, and application services for scheduling and executing distributed applications using programming models like task, thread, MapReduce and parameter sweep. Aneka provides tools for infrastructure, platform and application management through its cloud management studio.
Distributed Systems Architecture in Software Engineering SE11koolkampus
Distributed systems architectures allow software to execute across multiple processors. Key approaches include client-server systems and distributed object architectures. Client-server divides an application into client and server components, while distributed object architectures treat all entities as objects that provide and consume services. Middleware like CORBA supports object communication and common services.
Software reuse can take many forms from simple code reuse to complete application reuse. There are various levels of reuse including components, frameworks, libraries, services, patterns and full applications. The optimal approach depends on the available software, skills, and needs of the organization, with factors like schedule, lifetime, team, criticality and domain determining the best fit. Software reuse provides a cost-effective way to develop software.
The document provides an agenda and introduction for a Java training over multiple days. Day 1 will cover an introduction to Java including its history, features, programming paradigm, sample program execution, JVM, data types, objects, classes, variables, and flow control statements. The training will cover key Java concepts like objects, classes, variables, different loops and conditional statements. Assignments are provided to practice the concepts covered.
This document contains 71 questions related to database concepts including:
- Defining key terms like data, information, database, DBMS, data management, data models, and normal forms
- Describing the advantages of database approach over file system approach
- Identifying individuals like the "father of RDBMS"
- Comparing different types of operations, constraints, dependencies and normal forms
- Explaining differences between concepts like join vs cartesian product, different types of joins, and normal forms
- Discussing ACID properties, transactions, and relational algebra/calculus
This document contains a question bank for the cloud computing course OIT552. It includes questions about topics like cloud definitions, characteristics, service models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS), deployment models, virtualization, cloud architecture, storage, and challenges. The questions range from short definitions to longer explanations and comparisons of cloud concepts.
The document discusses organization and team structures for software development organizations. It explains the differences between functional and project formats. The functional format divides teams by development phase (e.g. requirements, design), while the project format assigns teams to a single project. The document notes advantages of the functional format include specialization, documentation, and handling staff turnover. However, it is not suitable for small organizations with few projects. The document also describes common team structures like chief programmer, democratic, and mixed control models.
The document discusses different strategies for software testing. It describes unit testing starting at the component level and progressing outward to integration, validation, and system testing. Validation testing ensures requirements are met through criteria like functional testing and alpha/beta testing with end users. Verification tests that the product is built correctly while validation ensures the correct product is built.
The document discusses software maintenance. It defines software maintenance as including error corrections, enhancements, deletions of obsolete capabilities, and optimizations. It categorizes maintenance as corrective, adaptive, perfective, and preventive. It discusses problems during maintenance like programs written by others without clear understanding. It presents models of maintenance like quick-fix, iterative enhancement, reuse-oriented, Boehm's model, and Taute model. It discusses regression testing and techniques to reduce regression testing effort like reusing existing test suites and selecting relevant test cases.
- Problems with traditional data centers.
- Cloud computing definition, deployment, and services models.
- Essential characteristics of cloud services.
- IaaS examples.
- PaaS examples.
- SaaS examples.
- Cloud enabling technologies such as grid computing, utility computing, service oriented architecture (SOA), The Internet, Multi-tenancy, Web 2.0, Automation and Virtualization.
1. Automated testing with QuickTest addresses the drawbacks of manual testing by dramatically speeding up the testing process through reliable and repeatable automated tests.
2. The QuickTest testing process consists of 7 main phases: preparing to record, recording a session, enhancing the test, debugging the test, running the test, analyzing results, and reporting defects.
3. The main QuickTest window contains elements like toolbars, panes, and views to assist with the testing process.
The document provides details about the internship of Dissanayake A.Y. at WSO2 Lanka (Pvt) Ltd from October 2015 to April 2016. It introduces WSO2 as a globally recognized open source software company that develops middleware products. The intern underwent training that prepared interns for work as software engineers. They learned about company culture, products, and implemented new systems. The intern gained technical and soft skills through teamwork and events. They concluded the internship helped them adapt for software engineering careers.
This document discusses software processes and models. It covers the following key points:
1. Software processes involve activities like specification, design, implementation, validation and evolution to develop software systems. Common process models include waterfall, incremental development and reuse-oriented development.
2. Processes need to cope with inevitable changes. This can involve prototyping to avoid rework or using incremental development and delivery to more easily accommodate changes.
3. The Rational Unified Process is a modern process model with phases for inception, elaboration, construction and transition. It advocates iterative development and managing requirements and quality.
.Net Assemblies are the fundamental units of deployment and reuse in .Net applications. They consist of executable code (CIL/MSIL), type metadata, and resources. Assemblies provide a logical grouping of types and resources and record versioning and dependency information that allows side-by-side loading. Assemblies can be private and deployed with an application or shared and installed in the global assembly cache for use by all applications on a machine.
The document provides an introduction and overview of the .NET framework. It discusses that .NET is an initiative by Microsoft to integrate their products for the next generation internet. The .NET framework provides a common language runtime, base class library, and supports multiple programming languages. It allows developing networked and web applications and services in a simplified and unified manner across devices and platforms.
Topics Covered
==============================
Overview of .NET
Overview of ASP.NET
Creating an ASP.NET Web Form
Adding Event Procedures
Validating User Input
The document discusses software design patterns, including definitions, types (creational, behavioral, structural), components, benefits, and examples. It provides examples of patterns like facade, observer, decorator, state, strategy, template method, iterator, bridge, and singleton from both non-software (e.g. auction, vending machine) and software domains (Temple Run 2 game). For each pattern, it explains the concept, provides a non-software diagram, describes an implementation in Temple Run 2 through diagrams and text, and references additional resources for design patterns.
This document provides an introduction to object oriented programming in Java. It outlines the course objectives which are to learn Java basics, object oriented principles, Java APIs, exception handling, files, threads, applets and swings. It discusses key characteristics of Java including being portable, object oriented and having automatic memory management. It also provides an overview of Java environments and tools, and includes an example "Hello World" Java program.
This document discusses task-based programming models for distributed computing. It defines tasks as distinct units of code that can be executed remotely. Task computing provides distribution by harnessing multiple computing nodes, unlike multithreaded computing within a single machine. The document categorizes task computing into high-performance, high-throughput, and many-task computing. It also describes popular task computing frameworks like Aneka, Condor, Globus Toolkit, and describes developing applications using the Aneka task programming model.
Aneka is a cloud application development platform that provides a middleware for managing and scaling distributed applications across physical and virtual resources connected through a network. It includes APIs for developing applications, a software development kit, and a runtime environment that supports multiple infrastructures. The Aneka framework consists of low-level fabric services for resource management and monitoring, foundational services for storage, accounting and billing, and application services for scheduling and executing distributed applications using programming models like task, thread, MapReduce and parameter sweep. Aneka provides tools for infrastructure, platform and application management through its cloud management studio.
Distributed Systems Architecture in Software Engineering SE11koolkampus
Distributed systems architectures allow software to execute across multiple processors. Key approaches include client-server systems and distributed object architectures. Client-server divides an application into client and server components, while distributed object architectures treat all entities as objects that provide and consume services. Middleware like CORBA supports object communication and common services.
Software reuse can take many forms from simple code reuse to complete application reuse. There are various levels of reuse including components, frameworks, libraries, services, patterns and full applications. The optimal approach depends on the available software, skills, and needs of the organization, with factors like schedule, lifetime, team, criticality and domain determining the best fit. Software reuse provides a cost-effective way to develop software.
The document provides an agenda and introduction for a Java training over multiple days. Day 1 will cover an introduction to Java including its history, features, programming paradigm, sample program execution, JVM, data types, objects, classes, variables, and flow control statements. The training will cover key Java concepts like objects, classes, variables, different loops and conditional statements. Assignments are provided to practice the concepts covered.
This document contains 71 questions related to database concepts including:
- Defining key terms like data, information, database, DBMS, data management, data models, and normal forms
- Describing the advantages of database approach over file system approach
- Identifying individuals like the "father of RDBMS"
- Comparing different types of operations, constraints, dependencies and normal forms
- Explaining differences between concepts like join vs cartesian product, different types of joins, and normal forms
- Discussing ACID properties, transactions, and relational algebra/calculus
This document contains a question bank for the cloud computing course OIT552. It includes questions about topics like cloud definitions, characteristics, service models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS), deployment models, virtualization, cloud architecture, storage, and challenges. The questions range from short definitions to longer explanations and comparisons of cloud concepts.
The document discusses organization and team structures for software development organizations. It explains the differences between functional and project formats. The functional format divides teams by development phase (e.g. requirements, design), while the project format assigns teams to a single project. The document notes advantages of the functional format include specialization, documentation, and handling staff turnover. However, it is not suitable for small organizations with few projects. The document also describes common team structures like chief programmer, democratic, and mixed control models.
The document discusses different strategies for software testing. It describes unit testing starting at the component level and progressing outward to integration, validation, and system testing. Validation testing ensures requirements are met through criteria like functional testing and alpha/beta testing with end users. Verification tests that the product is built correctly while validation ensures the correct product is built.
The document discusses software maintenance. It defines software maintenance as including error corrections, enhancements, deletions of obsolete capabilities, and optimizations. It categorizes maintenance as corrective, adaptive, perfective, and preventive. It discusses problems during maintenance like programs written by others without clear understanding. It presents models of maintenance like quick-fix, iterative enhancement, reuse-oriented, Boehm's model, and Taute model. It discusses regression testing and techniques to reduce regression testing effort like reusing existing test suites and selecting relevant test cases.
- Problems with traditional data centers.
- Cloud computing definition, deployment, and services models.
- Essential characteristics of cloud services.
- IaaS examples.
- PaaS examples.
- SaaS examples.
- Cloud enabling technologies such as grid computing, utility computing, service oriented architecture (SOA), The Internet, Multi-tenancy, Web 2.0, Automation and Virtualization.
1. Automated testing with QuickTest addresses the drawbacks of manual testing by dramatically speeding up the testing process through reliable and repeatable automated tests.
2. The QuickTest testing process consists of 7 main phases: preparing to record, recording a session, enhancing the test, debugging the test, running the test, analyzing results, and reporting defects.
3. The main QuickTest window contains elements like toolbars, panes, and views to assist with the testing process.
The document provides details about the internship of Dissanayake A.Y. at WSO2 Lanka (Pvt) Ltd from October 2015 to April 2016. It introduces WSO2 as a globally recognized open source software company that develops middleware products. The intern underwent training that prepared interns for work as software engineers. They learned about company culture, products, and implemented new systems. The intern gained technical and soft skills through teamwork and events. They concluded the internship helped them adapt for software engineering careers.
This document provides an overview of a capstone project to develop an inventory system and point of sale service for Thelma's Grocery Store. It includes an introduction describing the purpose and benefits of the system. It outlines the objectives to document the existing processes, problems, and needed improvements. The document also defines key terms and provides an acknowledgment and dedication sections.
qTest is a test management tool used to track and maintain records for all phases of the software testing lifecycle. It provides a 14-day free trial that allows access for up to 4 users with a business email address. To set up the free trial, users visit the qTest website and fill out a form with their name, email, company details, and create a username and password. This will generate a qTest URL that can then be used to log in. The main features of qTest include requirements management, release and build management, test case management, defect tracking, and reporting capabilities. It is a cloud-based tool that aims to help centralize, organize, and manage testing activities.
The document provides an overview of the Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC). It discusses the various phases of STLC including requirement analysis, test planning, test case development, test environment setup, test execution, and test closure. It also compares STLC to the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), noting that STLC is a subset of SDLC that focuses specifically on the testing phases. The goal of STLC is to ensure software quality through a structured process of requirements analysis, test planning, case development, execution, and closure activities.
This document provides an introduction to using R, an open-source programming language for statistical analysis and graphics. It outlines some key R concepts like vectors, matrices, data frames and factors for storing data. It also covers reading and writing data, creating scripts and objects, control statements, text manipulation, plotting graphs, and performing statistical tests. The document is intended as a handbook to accompany an introductory R course, with exercises for users to practice the concepts.
Digital learning; Document & web based training creation; Centralised and process based document management; Performance support. End user acceptance increase. Learning Content management Systems (LCMS)
The document summarizes key concepts in software testing and quality assurance. It discusses how testing helps measure software quality by finding defects. It also explains how testing can increase confidence in a software system if it finds few bugs, and how fixing defects found through testing improves quality. The document then discusses how projects aim to deliver high quality software that meets customer needs and specifications through validation and verification. Finally, it discusses root cause analysis for addressing the underlying causes of failures.
This presentation was provided by Adam Chandler of The SUSHI Maintenance Advisory Group, and Hanna Levay of The University of Washington Libraries, during the NISO event "SUSHI: Beyond Trial into Real Use," held on October 2, 2008.
The document introduces The Start-up Context Map, a taxonomy created to categorize the engineering practices, goals, and environmental factors of start-ups. It aims to address gaps in understanding challenges start-ups face and practices they need by providing a fine-grained breakdown of start-up engineering contexts. The map serves as a repository for systematizing knowledge from research and experience reports in order to support product engineering in start-ups and facilitate the transfer of research results. Contributions to the map are encouraged to expand and refine it.
Matt Reynolds discusses how building internal tools can help development teams become more self-sufficient and reduce bottlenecks. Some key points are:
1) As development teams gain more autonomy, traditional operations teams are overwhelmed, so tools can help developers account for operational concerns from the start.
2) Tools can standardize approaches, reduce specialist knowledge requirements per team, and speed up common operations like provisioning resources and testing environments.
3) Internal tools reduce friction between teams and flows, allowing operations specialists to take on more impactful work or reduce infrastructure spend. Regular feedback ensures tools address real user needs.
This document describes a project for automating a book store's inventory system. It begins with an acknowledgment section thanking those who provided guidance. It then includes an introduction outlining the problems with a manual system and benefits of an automated one. The document outlines the proposed automated system's requirements, design, source code, testing, and possibilities for future enhancements. The system is intended to allow easy searching and purchase of books in a store's inventory database.
This document provides an overview and instructions for customizing and utilizing an adult learning training course on mental skills. Key details include:
- The training materials are fully customizable and can be updated to make the content relevant for specific participants.
- The materials include instructor guides, modules, activities, presentations, and handouts. Customizations can include adding a company logo, relevant examples and case studies, and modifying content.
- Tips are provided for maximizing engagement during training, such as tailoring content to participants, incorporating a variety of interactive activities, and emphasizing relevance.
- An icebreaker activity is described that can help introduce participants at the start of training.
This appendix contains the questionnaires used in the HERE Project student transition surveys from 2009 and 2011. It includes questions about students' experiences adjusting to university, their academic and social experiences, and whether they have considered withdrawing. It also collects demographic information. The purpose is to understand student experience and identify ways to improve support for students, with the goal of increasing retention rates. Anonymized data was analyzed and may be shared with other universities and in academic papers.
This document provides an overview of systems analysis and design. It discusses the key phases of the systems development life cycle including planning, analysis, design, and implementation. It also describes various structured analysis tools used during the analysis phase like data flow diagrams, data dictionaries, and decision tables. The document outlines different design strategies and techniques for input, output, and forms design. It emphasizes the importance of testing and quality assurance activities.
Health Care System with Smart AssistantIRJET Journal
The document proposes a web-based health care system that incorporates a chatbot to allow patients to book appointments, receive health tips and predictions, and interact with doctors virtually. It describes the system architecture and modules for registration, appointment booking, health checkups, administrative functions, doctor functions, and patient functions. The system uses an SVM algorithm to classify data and aims to make healthcare more accessible and personalized through human-machine interaction.
First mule soft meetup in patna bihar's first mulesoft meetup-7th marchOm Prakash
The document summarizes the first MuleSoft meetup held in Patna, Bihar, India. It includes an agenda for introductions, presentations on API-led connectivity and the Anypoint Platform, and a discussion on resources for learning MuleSoft skills and obtaining certification. The meetup featured presentations from Pritam Prakash on API fundamentals and the Anypoint Studio, and from Om Prakash on Community Success Months initiatives for training opportunities. The event concluded with a networking session.
Providing better scaffolding - how BS8878 affects people designing inclusive ...Jonathan Hassell
Presentation given by Jonathan Hassell (Director of Hassell Inclusion and lead author of BS8878) at UK-UPA 'Call to action: Designing inclusive user experiences' event London, Sept 2011.
Covers: what accessibility is really all about (inclusive UX); how BS8878 helps organisations understand the business case for accessibility; how to embed accessibility in their business-as-usual; how different job roles each contribute to whether a product includes or excludes disabled and elderly people; how policies can facilitate or inhibit accessibility; now to make good decisions about accessibility; how to ensure you have the right user-research so your decisions are made on facts not assumptions; what BS8878 enables UX staff to do more easily; how hassell inclusion can help you move forwards in implementing BS8878
Tips for Tableau Beginners: Dashboard Design with Tableau DesktopSenturus
Learn techniques and best practices to turn critical data into meaningful insights in a matter of hours using Tableau. View the webinar video recording and download this deck: http://www.senturus.com/resources/tips-for-tableau-beginners/.
We demonstrate how to use Tableau to take raw data, both from the desktop as well as from a typical enterprise data warehouse to quickly create engaging, actionable visuals.
Demonstrations highlight the following: 1) Connecting to various data sources (flat file and database), 2) Core techniques for visualizing data using the Tableau canvas, 3) Enhancing visualizations with filters, calculations, summaries and palette selection and 4) Combining visualizations to construct dashboards.
Learn more about what the Tableau platform and philosophy, and how self-service solutions can complement a traditional, centrally managed BI initiative.
Senturus, a business analytics consulting firm, has a resource library with hundreds of free recorded webinars, trainings, demos and unbiased product reviews. Take a look and share them with your colleagues and friends: http://www.senturus.com/resources/.
This 6-month internship at Alcatel-Lucent involved penetration testing of connected devices and their protocols. The intern analyzed security for devices using Z-Wave, Sigfox, Lora and Bluetooth, and attacked the Z-Wave protocol. Additional tasks included scanning the network for vulnerabilities, hardening server security, and organizing a 24-hour hackathon. The intern gained valuable experience in ethical hacking, strengthened technical skills, and exceeded expectations of the internship.
2. New uTester Handbook
2
New uTester Handbook
Let’s Get Started!
Table of Contents
Getting Started Checklist...................................................................................3
Introduction.........................................................................................................4
Welcome to uTest!..................................................................................................................................................4
About uTest Inc........................................................................................................................................................5
Help Topics.................................................................................................................................................................5
Tester Forums...........................................................................................................................................................5
Terminology................................................................................................................................................................6
Who Does What? ....................................................................................................................................................7
Uncommon Sense...................................................................................................................................................7
Rules and Agreements .......................................................................................7
Tester Code of Conduct.......................................................................................................................................8
Tester Bill of Rights ................................................................................................................................................8
Three-Strike Policy..................................................................................................................................................9
Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure.................................................................................................................9
Tester Profile.....................................................................................................11
Creating Your Profile...........................................................................................................................................11
How am I rated as a Tester? ..........................................................................................................................12
Project Participation.........................................................................................14
Test Cycle Status .................................................................................................................................................14
Accepting & Declining a Test Cycle ............................................................................................................15
Why Can’t I See The Test Cycle I Was Invited To?............................................................................15
How do I Submit Test Cases?........................................................................................................................16
Writing Quality Bug Reports............................................................................................................................16
When do I Dispute a Rejection......................................................................................................................17
How Long is The Bug Review Process?...................................................................................................17
Communication During Test Cycles............................................................................................................18
Rules for When and How to Contact a Project Manager..................................................................18
Frequently Asked Questions ...........................................................................19
What Do I Do if I Need Help?.........................................................................................................................19
How Do I Get Projects?.....................................................................................................................................19
How Do I Get Paid?.............................................................................................................................................20
I Found a Bug in the uTest Platform...........................................................................................................20
Contact Us.........................................................................................................20
3. New uTester Handbook
3
Getting Started Checklist
Completing the following steps will ensure that you are on
the road to success with uTest:
Read and understand the topics covered in the New
uTester Handbook
Completed Tester Profile (and remember to update
once a month)
Registered for a Forums account
http://forums.utest.com
Introduced yourself on the Forums
http://forums.utest.com/viewtopic.php?f=56&t=25
Visit and look around the Help Topics & Crash Courses
http://help.utest.com/testers
4. New uTester Handbook
4
Introduction
Welcome to uTest!
Hi uTester!
This handbook is here to guide you through everything you need to know to get started
as a freelance software tester with uTest. As essential as this handbook is, it is important
to know that it is not all inclusive. This resource is here to get you up and running but
there are many more helpful tips
available within our Tester Help Topics
and our uTest Forums. Links are
provided in each section to bring you
to the particular Help Topic that further
elaborates on that topic.
Please be sure to read through this
handbook in its entirety and check out
all the great resources we have to
offer. You will also find a handy
checklist to make sure you completed
the most important action items to get
you on your way.
“Once you join uTest, make an effort to
learn and get comfortable with the uTest
platform. Utilize the uTest forums by
reviewing and participating in various
discussions and raising your hand for
upcoming opportunities. You will become
known within the community when you
start contributing and helping other testers
in various discussions.”
- Elena Houser
Gold uTester since 2010
We are excited to have you in our global community of software testers and we look
forward to your future participation.
Regards,
The Community Management Team
5. New uTester Handbook
5
About uTest Inc.
uTest provides in-the-wild testing services – including functional, security, load,
localization and usability testing – that span the entire software development
lifecycle. The company’s community of 80,000+ professional testers from over 190
countries put web, mobile and desktop applications through their paces by testing on
real devices under real-world conditions.
Thousands of companies – from startups to industry-leading brands – rely on uTest as a
critical component of their testing processes. To learn more about what uTest does you
can visit our website http://www.utest.com
Help Topics
Help Topics are designed to get you up-and-running in the most efficient way possible. If
you're already a software testing veteran, the Help Topics are also a great place to learn
more about the latest platform features. Help Topics include many more questions and
answers, as well as a few video tutorials to help you get started.
This section also includes Crash Courses. The Crash Course Program is a curriculum of
articles and resources that are written by and for the uTest Community. The goal of the
program is to provide digestible and relevant primers that will educate testers from
various degrees of software testing experience.
A link to the help topics and crash courses can also be found at the top right corner of
both the forums AND the lower left corner on the platform. So help is never more than a
click away!
http://help.utest.com/testers
Tester Forums
The uTest Forums provides members of our community with a place to discuss all things
related to uTest, as well as software testing in general. Discussions include testing tips
and resources; uTest best practices; platform updates and much more. Discussions are
moderated by the uTest Community Managers, as well as Global Moderators - who are
select members of the uTest community.
The Forums are by far the easiest way for new testers to acclimate themselves to the
uTest platform, and to get assigned their first test cycle. Here, you'll be notified of new
uTest projects from some of the most exciting software companies in the world. If you
have further questions, you can simply ask another member of the uTest community by
posting a new topic.
The forums do require you to create a separate user ID and password than the one you
created for a tester account. We ask that you please use the same email address for
both your forums account and your tester account.
http://forums.utest.com
6. New uTester Handbook
6
Terminology
• PM (Project Manager) – Manages the test cycles and maintains the relationship
between customers and testers
• CM (Community Manager) – Manages the community of uTesters, including the
forums and help topics. Assists testers with various topics and questions. Helps
to build test teams. Provides learning and engagement experiences for testers
• TTL (Test Team Lead) – uTest TTLs are select members of the uTest
community who contribute in certain test cycle activities that are usually reserved
for project managers
• TM (Test Manager) – The TM is the point person who manages test cycles on
the customer side
• Platform – uTest web property where test cycles are managed. This is also
where testers log bug reports, test cases and surveys
• Forums – uTest web property, a dedicated resource for uTesters to learn,
network, get important updates and find projects
• Chat – Real time, customer facing, chat room that can be found on the testing
platform. Each individual test cycle has its own chat room and gives you the
ability to add testers within a cycle to your contacts list for 1-on-1 conversations
• Test Cycle – Paid project with a specific start and end date
• Continuous Test Cycle – Paid project with multiple builds. Each build has a
specific start and end date
• Build – A version of a program or application. As a rule, a build is a pre-release
version and as such is identified by a build number, rather than by a release
number
• Test Case – Guided testing document
• EPR (Exploratory Path Report) – EPR or Exploratory Notes are a self-guided
test case where testers document the steps they take in their exploratory testing
efforts
• Issues – Synonymous with bugs (functional testing), surveys (usability testing),
vulnerabilities (security testing). On our platform, the ‘Issues’ tab is where you
can submit all of these types of reports. Test cycles that have test cases will have
a separate tab for those
7. New uTester Handbook
7
Who Does What?
As you will see each test cycle at uTest is unique and many of the tasks in a cycle can
be done by various different people. Here is a general list who does what at uTest.
Uncommon Sense
Standard uTest procedures that may not be obvious.
• No emulators or simulators (unless specified in the scope or Chat)
• No OS beta versions or jail broken phones (unless specified in the scope or
Chat).
• Bugs in a second environment and permutations of a single defect [i.e. found on
a second page of a site] are assumed duplicate unless otherwise specified
• Testers cannot be removed from a test cycle once they have logged a bug or
claimed a test case.
• Issues accessing the testing site, download or application are not considered
bugs. If you cannot log in, download the app to test or i f the testing site is
down, etc. please use Chat in the test cycle or email the Project Manager.
8. New uTester Handbook
8
Rules and Agreements
Tester Code of Conduct
Our community is a vital part of what uTest is and does. Whether you participate in a
paid test cycle, re-tweet our blog or tell colleagues about us, you represent the uTest
brand and all 80,000+ uTesters in every one of these interactions. This Code of Conduct
serves to sustain a level playing field and advance the uTest experience for all parties –
customers, testers and partners.
As a uTester, you are expected to…
1. Never publicize customer information outside the uTest Platform – including
customer/product name or any information revealed in a test cycle. This includes testing a
competitor's application and sharing information in any way. A recommended practice is to
disable all applications with sharing functionality while you test. Due to the severity of this
violation, infractions will result in the permanent suspension of your account
2. Never use file sharing sites to host any information from your testing sessions -
instead, always attach relevant files directly onto the uTest platform (30MB limit per file; up to
five files per report)
3. Never discuss or question payouts in front of customers, whether via bug reports,
disputes, Tester Messenger or Chat. All comments related to payouts should be directed to
the project manager privately
4. Never contact customers outside of the uTest platform. Additionally, never contact project
managers unless it is related to a specific test cycle that is pending, active or locked
5. Always be professional and polite when communicating with other testers, project
managers, and especially customers (via reports, disputes, Tester Messenger and Chat). The
uTest project manager is available to review your comment before you share with a customer
6. Always follow test cycle instructions and complete each assigned task thoroughly. You may
utilize the test cycle’s Chat to clarify any questions (however, do not post a bug to the Chat to request
if it is valid or not)
7. Never create more than one uTest account or payment account or share your uTest
account or payment account with anyone else
8. Never falsify information in your tester profile (e.g. legal name, location, hardware) and
never use emulators, simulators, and beta software for testing, unless otherwise instructed by
a uTest employee
9. Never create a “placeholder” bug report, only to alter its content later
10. Never ask, whine or beg the customer or Project Manager to approve your testing
work, remove you from a test cycle or make you a Favorite Tester. If you believe your
bug was rejected mistakenly, dispute the rejection directly from the test cycle or contact the
Project Manager if you have more than five rejected bugs
http://help.utest.com/testers/resources/best-practices/code-of-conduct
9. New uTester Handbook
9
Tester Bill of Rights
As a uTester, you have certain rights in your engagement with uTest and its customers.
These serve to protect you from unfair treatment, ensure consistency across our
community and enable you to be a productive uTester.
As a uTester, you have the right to…
• Be treated fairly and professionally by uTest and its customers
• Be paid accurately and in a timely manner, twice per month via PayPal or
Payoneer
• Receive clear scope, instructions and payouts for each test cycle before you
accept or decline
• Decline a test cycle if you do not wish to participate
• Receive timely updates about changes to test cycle scope or payouts
• Ask questions about the scope of a test cycle via the Chat
• Have your reports reviewed within 35 days of the test cycle becoming locked
• Dispute a rejected report within the stated rules and monthly limits
• Contact a project manager about any pending, active or locked test cycle, so
long as the question is professional
• Contact a community manager if you have questions that are not answered on
the forums or help topics at testers@utest.com
http://help.utest.com/testers/resources/best-practices/code-of-conduct
Three-Strike Policy
The goal of the Three-Strike policy is not to unfairly police and punish people, but rather
to hold our testing community to a high standard. By improving the caliber of our testing
community, we improve the value that we bring to our customers and fellow testers who
abide by these policies.
Any infractions to the Code of Conduct will be reported by the TTL or PM to the CM
Team. Please note that this policy is in regards to testers conduct, not their testing
abilities. All infractions will count as strikes on the tester’s record; each strike has the
following effects:
1. The first infraction will be Strike One, which counts as a First Warning on the
tester’s file and an email will be sent to the tester from the CM Team
2. The second infraction will be Strike Two, which counts as a Second Warning and
will result in a temporary suspension of the tester’s account for a time period of
the CM Team's discretion (minimum suspension of one week)
3. The third and final infraction will be Strike Three, which will result in the closing of
the tester’s account permanently
http://help.utest.com/testers/resources/best-practices/threestrikepolicy
10. New uTester Handbook
10
Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure FAQ
Can I talk about a uTest customer or app?
No. uTest’s terms and conditions prohibit talking about any uTest project by name
(customer name or application name) on any media outside of uTest’s platform, uTest
Forums or that cycle’s Chat.
Can I talk about a customer or app that I am testing on Twitter, Facebook, blogs or
message boards?
No. Our customers require absolute privacy relating to past, current and future projects.
For this reason, uTest's terms and conditions prohibit talking about any uTest test
cycle by name (customer name or application name) on any media outside of uTest's
platform, forums (private sections only) or Chats. This includes personal sites, blogs,
forums, message boards or social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
We don't do this to be harsh or stifle our testers, but rather to protect the all-important
privacy of our customers.
Can I talk about the fact that I am a uTester or that I am working on a uTest
project?
Yes. You can state less specific details like the following: that you're testing a "uTest
project," a "web application through uTest,” or even "an iPhone app on uTest." These
examples are fine as long as you leave out specific customer or application names.
uTest Terms & Conditions can be found here:
http://www.utest.com/terms-of-use
http://help.utest.com/testers/resources/best-practices/non-disclosure-faq
11. New uTester Handbook
11
Tester Profile
Updating Your Profile
In order for uTest to match you with incoming projects, you will need to keep your profile
complete and up-to-date. Be sure to update your profile as you pick up new gadgets
(mobile devices, laptops, etc.) and update your software. Removing outdated items you
no longer own is also very important. In addition to updating the hardware/software
section of your profile,
• Account Information: The account information tab contains most of the
basic details uTest uses to match you with projects. Apart from your account
details, location, and language, you can also specify the number of hours per
week that you are willing to dedicate to uTest projects and schedule any
dates that you are unavailable for.
• Testing Expertise: The testing expertise tab is where you will go to specify
which testing types you are willing to participate in cycles for. Depending on
your choices, you can then provide more detailed information on your
relevant level of expertise in each category.
• Experience & Skills: The experience & skills tab is where you can enter
which industries, hobbies and social networks you belong to.
• Hardware & Software: The hardware & software tab of your account & settings
is where you can select which application types you wish to test as well as
where you'll go to add any devices you might own or have access to for testing.
Important: Be sure that you have the appropriate Project Preferences selections
checked off. If you want to participate in mobile app testing but don’t have mobile
selected you will never receive any mobile projects. This also applies to the testing
types.
Profile Completion Percentages (not exhaustive):
Personal Info (city, postal code, phone, birth year, gender)
entered: 2%
Avatar Photo uploaded: 3%
"About Me" completed: 5%
At least one computer entered:10%
At least one mobile device entered: 10%
At least one experience & skill selected:10%
At least one testing type selected: 3%
At least one application type selected: 2%
Testing expertise completed (if you selected functional on
the Project Preferences page, you need to rate at least one
functional activity on the Testing Expertise page): 25%
For more information on keeping your profile up-to-date, as well as information
on Profile Settings and your Public Profile review our help topic here:
http://help.utest.com/testers/getting-started/tester-profile/update-profile
12. New uTester Handbook
12
How am I rated as a Tester?
All testers are rated against other active members of the community based on their
quality and activity level (tester rating calculations are performed on a daily basis). There
are a total of five tiers for a rated tester: Gold, Silver, Bronze, Proven and Rated (if you
do not have a badge/tier, this simply means that you have not filed enough "activity"
points - this threshold equates to approximately five "Exceptionally Valuable" bugs).
Testers can be Gold in Functional testing, and be lower or even unrated in testing types
they are less interested in.
Detailed Ratings per Testing Type
Instead of earning one overall rating, testers earn one rating per testing type, based on
their activity level and quality of work for test cycles of that testing type. The thresholds
for tester ratings differ across testing types. For Functional, the breakdown of ratings
among the tester population is as follows: Gold represents the top 4% of rated testers in
the community; Silver represents the next 5%; Bronze represents the next
6%; Proven represents the next 35%. This breakdown may vary from each testing type,
please refer to your tester snapshot for more details.
Additionally, Gold/Silver/Bronze testers receive higher payout rates than other members
of the testing community: Gold testers receive a 10% premium on all approved reports,
while Silver and Bronze testers receive a 5% and 2.5% premium, respectively.
Payout increases are determined by the rating that applies to the test cycle's testing
type. For example: If a tester is a Silver Security tester but a Rated Usability tester, he
gets 5% extra for Security bugs but not for Usability.
Your overall rating is made up of several factors called sub-ratings. Your profile shows
two of them: Activity Level and Quality of Participation.
Activity Level
Lifetime participation level: # reported bugs, # approved bugs, etc. (see
“Quality of Participation” below)
Recent participation level (prior 3,6,12 months)
Reliability: Reporting bugs and test cases for those in which the Test
Cycle Agreement was checked and vice versa
Declining a test cycle has higher positive weight than Accepting a test
cycle without submitting at least one report
13. New uTester Handbook
13
Quality of Participation
Approval percentage takes into account Exceptionally Valuable and Very
Valuable approved reports. For example: a tester with an average (75%)
bug approval percentage, who finds mostly “Exceptionally” valuable bugs
will be have a higher rating than a tester with a very high (95%) bug
approval percentage who finds mostly “Somewhat” valuable bugs.
(Please note that your approval percentage is not your rating it is simply
part of what we use to determine your rating.)
Approval percentage for all types of reports (surveys, test cases, usability
reports, etc) that also take into account tiered value.
Rejected disputes have more negative weight than an initial rejected
report.
Accuracy of your initial bug report/severity classification. If your bug is
reclassified it will hold more negative weight.
http://help.utest.com/testers/resources/best-practices/tester-rating-system
14. New uTester Handbook
14
Project Participation
Test Cycle Status
Depending on when you access a test cycle that you have been invited to, it may be in
one of the following phases:
Pending Activation:
Test cycles with a Pending Activation status aim to recruit and prepare the testing team
ahead of the formal project launch (not all test cycles will go through this phase). When
you receive a test cycle in this phase, please accept or decline the opportunity as soon
as possible because there are typically limited slots available on the testing team. When
you accept the test cycle, you will receive an email notification when the test cycle
activates. If you decline the test cycle, you will no longer receive notifications about the
test cycle (nor will you be able to participate in it). For pending activation test cycles,
please do not perform any testing until the test cycle is in Active status.
Active:
Test cycles with an Active status are ready for testing. To participate, you will first need
to accept the test cycle (read through Scope & Instructions carefully before committing to
participate). Once accepted, you will be able to submit bug reports and/or test case
results. If you come across the "File a Bug Report" or "Submit a Test Case Result"
buttons disabled, click here for more details.
Locked:
Test cycles with a Locked status are no longer available for bug reporting and test case
submission (you may claim available test cases, but cannot submit them unless the test
cycle reactivates). There are special cases in which the customer may reactivate a
locked test cycle, so please view the test cycle Chat for this information. Remember, test
cycles may lock well before the stated "End Date" listed in the platform. The various
reasons for this include the customer temporarily locking to adjust the scope and
instructions, or the test cycle had a high participation rate that resulted in the bug limit
being reached early, just to name a few.
Closed:
Test cycles with a Closed status are permanently unavailable for testing.
http://help.utest.com/testers/participation/test-cycle-questions/test-cycle-status
15. New uTester Handbook
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Accepting & Declining a Test Cycle
When you receive a test cycle invitation, via email, you have the option to either Accept
or Decline the project opportunity. If you accept the test cycle, you must view this as a
binding decision and make every effort to participate in the specified timeline (you must
accept a test cycle to be able to report bugs and test cases). On the other hand, if you're
not available for testing or perhaps you are not interested in a particular test cycle, you
have the option to decline. For test cycles that you decline, you will no longer be able to
view them in your Test Cycles list.
Occasionally, you will be invited to a test cycle with a status marked "Pending
Activation." The purpose of these test cycles is to gauge interest and assemble
members for the testing team. If you are invited to such test cycles, please remember to
either accept or decline – if you accept the test cycle, you will receive another email
notification when the test cycle activates, whereas if you decline, you will not receive
further notifications from said test cycle. If the test cycle requires you to email a project
manager to further qualify you for the project, go ahead and accept the test cycle (if
there are no slots available to you on a Pending Activation, your rating will not be
affected). For pending activation test cycles, please do not perform any testing until the
test cycle is activated.
http://help.utest.com/testers/invitations/accept-decline/review-accept-decline
Why Can’t I See The Test Cycle I Was Invited To?
Occasionally you will receive an email invitation for a test cycle that you are unable to
find in the platform. This situation could be caused by one of two situations:
First, and the more common, is due to a feature of the platform called “Team
Max.” When a customer creates a test cycle, they are able to set a
predetermined maximum number of testers that will be allowed to accept and
participate. Therefore, if a test cycle has a Team Max of 20 testers, but the
customer has invited 100 testers, only the first 20 testers to log in and accept the
test cycle will be allowed to view the test cycle and participate in it. Therefore, if
the Team Max is reached before you log in, you will not be able to see the test
cycle.
The other reason that you may not be able to see a test cycle you were invited to
is because you were manually removed from the test cycle by the Project
Manager. This happens infrequently so please do not email the project manager
to verify if this is the case (i.e., you can safely assume that you did not accept the
test cycle before the “Team Max” limit was reached).
http://help.utest.com/testers/participation/test-cycle-questions/missing-test-cycle
16. New uTester Handbook
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How do I Submit Test Cases?
If a test cycle contains test cases to be completed, you will first need to claim them from
the test case library. To do so, accept the test cycle agreement and proceed to "My Test
Cases." On this screen, you will be presented with the test cases associated with this
particular test cycle. Under "Available Test Cases," you can view which test cases are
available for you to claim based on your testing environment and predetermined rules set
by the customer (e.g. limited number of testers per environment, limited number of
pending test cases per tester). If a test case is available for you to claim, you will see a
"Claim" button under the 'Action' column; if unavailable, you will see "Not Claimable"
instead. To preview each test case, click on the test case name. To claim an available
test case, click on the 'Claim' button to the right of each test case. When you claim a test
case, you will need to select the testing environments you are able to test against. Only
claim one testing environment per test case unless otherwise noted under 'Scope
and Instructions'.
Remember, you may not claim any test cases once you have reached the predetermined
limit per tester and/or the limit of pending test cases per tester (this limit is based on the
test case level, as opposed to the test case and testing environment combination level).
Once you have completed one or more test cases, check back under "My Test Cases" to
see if you're eligible to claim more test cases. Additionally, you can still claim test cases if
the test cycle is in the locked status, but you cannot submit results unless the test cycle
reactivates.
When you are ready to begin executing the test case, please click on the "Start" button of
the relevant test case. You then have the ability to click Pass/Fail next to each step until
all steps have been completed. If you are unable to complete the steps, you may click the
"Submit" button and select a reason (e.g. invalid test case, unable to complete). Doing so
will result in a "Skipped" test case, and no payments will be issued. After you have
submitted your test case, you may click on 'My Test Cases' at any time to view the status
of your submitted test case (approved/rejected).
http://help.utest.com/testers/participation/submit-reports/reports-and-test-cases
Writing Quality Bug Reports
Writing quality bug reports is essential to success at uTest. The following points are just
a few aspects of a quality bug report. For a more detailed explanation you can view the
webinar and .pdf of our presentation on Writing Quality Bug Reports.
Title – a concise summary of the issue
Reproduction steps – detail the quickest route to the issue
Attachments – these are not a replacement for writing up the full reproduction
steps. Please use .png .jpg or .swf files. Do not paste screen shots into
PowerPoint or Word documents.
http://help.utest.com/testers/crash-courses/webinars/writingqualitybugreports
17. New uTester Handbook
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When do I Dispute a Rejection
You should only dispute a rejected bug if you are certain that you are correct. Perhaps
you did not elaborate enough in your first attempt, and now have additional information
for the customer to properly understand the bug. You may use the Chat to clarify any
misunderstandings centered around the scope of the test cycle (do not use the Chat for
difference of opinions on how things should work or post a bug to the Chat to request if it
is valid or not). If you determine that you need to dispute the bug, please click on your
rejected bug and then click the Dispute Rejection button; you will be provided one
chance to provide more information to the customer for further review. Be sure to
communicate professionally and provide further evidence, such as screenshots and
video captures (you can upload new attachments after you dispute the bug by clicking
on the "Edit" button of the report). This will increase the likelihood of your dispute to be
accepted.
One note of caution: Do not overuse this feature. If your bug is a duplicate, works as
designed, out of scope, or not reproducible, it may be rejected completely - even if you
dispute it. On the other hand, if you were misunderstood, then you may re-explain
concisely (you will have limited space for your dispute explanation). Additionally, never
ask the customer to approve your testing. Testers who violate these rules may be
subject to temporary or permanent account suspensions.
Additionally, do not use the Tester Messenger or Dispute feature to negotiate with the
customer in any way. In other words, do not ask the customer not to reject your bug or
bring up your tester rating as a reason for not rejecting the bug. We monitor all disputes
and tester messenger discussions; testers in violation of this rule will be subject to
further review and possible suspension of their accounts. We recommend that you state
the issue professionally, clearly and concisely in the first place so that you will not need
to dispute a valid bug. And because testers are allotted a limited number of total
disputes per month, we advise that you use this feature sparingly and
accordingly.
http://help.utest.com/testers/participation/dispute-rejections/disputing
How Long is The Bug Review Process?
The review timeframe will vary. There are some customers who consistently review
reported bugs as they trickle in. For example, the test cycle may still be active, but the
customer is already approving or rejecting bugs as they are being reported. On the other
hand, there are also customers who wait until the test cycle is complete before reviewing
the reported bugs. As a general rule of thumb, please allow 35 days after the test cycle
locks before sending a request about why your report has not been reviewed yet. You
may request this information by emailing testers@utest.com.
http://help.utest.com/testers/participation/test-cycle-questions/bug-review
18. New uTester Handbook
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Communication During Test Cycles
If you have questions about a particular test cycle, please utilize the Chat. However, do
not use this feature for disputing your bugs or requesting the customer to review your
bugs for validity. Furthermore, do not ever mention anything about payout rates and bug
approval in the Chat or Tester Messenger.
Keep in mind that the customer reviews all Chat messages, so please keep your
communication professional at all times. If you are concerned about privacy or perhaps
the nature of your question is complicated, you may email the project manager directly
and include the name and i.d. number of the test cycle in the email subject line (the
project manager's email address is typically found under the Scope & Instructions tab, if
you cannot find it you can then email testers@utest.com).
For more information on what to do if you need help, see the Frequently Asked
Questions section of this handbook or visit the forums.
Test Team Leads (TTL) may also be present in a Test Cycle. TTLs are select members
of the uTest community who contribute in certain test cycle activities that are usually
reserved for project managers. Because of their special role, you may interact with them
in future test cycles via the Tester Messenger or Chat. Ultimately, their role is to facilitate
the process of approving and rejecting bugs, so please treat TTLs with the same level of
respect as you would customers or project managers.
Below are a few ways in which TTLs facilitate test cycle activities:
Send recommendation for bugs and other reports (report status will
change from New to Pending Approval)
Request more information via the Tester Messenger
Communicate with the customer via Customer Notes (not visible to
testers)
http://help.utest.com/testers/participation/test-cycle-questions/communication
Rules for When and How to Contact a Project Manager
Format: Always include the test cycle name and the test cycle ID in the subject
of an email. All communication should be as concise as possible.
Payout: For questions about payouts always email PM directly.
Scope: To clarify questions about the scope use Chat.
Request a testing slot: Follow instructions in scope and do not email the PM to
request a slot unless requested to do so.
Disagree with a rejection: Dispute the bug, unless there are greater than 3
disputes – in which you may email the PM to avoid excessive disputes that may
annoy the customer.
19. New uTester Handbook
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Frequently Asked Questions
What Do I Do if I Need Help?
If you need help or have questions there are several things you can do. Below are the
steps you should take to find an answer.
Check this Handbook for the answer
Read the uTest Checklist, the answer to many common questions can be
found there
Search the Help Topics and Crash Courses. There is a wealth of
information here to answer your questions.
Search the forums, chances are you are not the first person to have this
question. uTest Related Discussions can be found here and Platform
related discussions can be found here
If you still have not found an answer to your questions you can post it in
the appropriate forum. Please be sure to post your questions in the
correct forum, have a clear and concise title and be professional in your
communication
If you have questions regarding a specific test cycle that you are
participating in, please use the test cycle Chat or email the PM. Try to
avoid posting specific information about test cycles in the forums. Please
do not use the Chat or email the PM to ask if something you found while
testing is a bug. It is up to you to determine whether or not to submit the
report
If the testing platform is acting strange, crashing or just not loading check
out @uTestOps on Twitter for updates & alerts.
If you found a bug in the uTest platform please send a report with screen
shot or video to bugs@utest.com
If you still need assistance please email the Community Management
Team at Testers@utest.com
How Do I Get Projects?
Projects are available to testers based on a match between customer demand and tester
supply. For example, if many of our customers require testers in Iceland, and you're one
of 10 testers in Iceland, you will naturally receive many project invitations. In addition,
testers who have a solid track record with previous uTest projects will likely receive more
testing projects compared to new uTesters.
Oftentimes, customers require a specific set of skills and experiences for their projects.
Therefore, projects are matched to testers whose profile and testing experience
information meet the requirements set forth by our customers.
When you are selected to participate in a test cycle you will receive an email notification.
Please view the test cycle and review the scope and instructions very carefully before
accepting or declining the project.
20. New uTester Handbook
20
Also, to hear about current and upcoming projects in need of more testers, please visit
the Opportunities section of the Forums.
http://help.utest.com/testers/invitations
How Do I Get Paid?
In order to receive payments, you need to select and set up one of two payment options:
PayPal or Payoneer. Sign in to your uTest account. Click on “Account & Settings" >
"Payments." If you have earned less than $10 with uTest, you will only be able to link
your uTest account with your PayPal account (if you do not have a PayPal account,
please visit PayPal’s public website to learn more).
Important: Be sure to verify that you are able to withdraw money from your PayPal
account to your bank account, as PAYPAL IS NOT FULLY SUPPORTED IN ALL
COUNTRIES. If not, you will need to set up a Payoneer account instead.
Payments are generated on the 15th and the last day of every month. During these
payment generation dates, funds in your Pending Payment field (as of 4pm GMT on that
day) are transferred to your default payment method, so please be sure to set up your
payment method before your first payment date. If the 15th or last day of the month falls
on a weekend, your pending payment will be noted in the platform under the payment
table, but paid out on the following Monday.
http://help.utest.com/testers/payments
I Found a Bug in the uTest Platform
If the platform is acting up, crashing, or not loading be sure to check out @uTestOps on
Twitter for updates & alerts. http://www.twitter.com/uTestOps
If you come across a bug in the uTest platform please submit a bug report, with attached
screen shot or video to bugs@utest.com. This is the best way to get the information to
our development team so the issue can be solved as quickly as possible.
Contact Us
You can reach the Community Management team in a variety of ways:
Email: testers@utest.com
Twitter: @uTestCommunity
LinkedIn: uTest Community Group
Facebook: uTest Community Page