Testing procedures

["Sherry McMahon" <smcm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello everyone,

 

Before I start, I am also 'youthfully challenged' (experience-wise) and left college with just a 3.6 GPA so please be gentle.

 

I am making the Y2k modifications at a company with six divisions.  Each division has it's own library and database and are separate from the others.  Each library has 20 to 30 RPGs, 10 to 15 physical and logical files, 10 to 15 display (subfile) files, etc.  I am using the L data type in the PFs and showing the dates on the screens and reports as a 8,0 and handling the testing and moves within the RPGs.  I have successfully tested all my modifications (aw Scott, you'd be proud, I went from not quite sure how to write a conversion program for my PFs to making these programs spin like a Y2K top). 

 

I am now a week into user testing the first division.  I have asked a key user to enter all data into two parallel 'systems'. The 'live' and my test environment so they can compare the results on any calculations on reports and so I can be shown exactly what it used to do as compared to what it does now.  With a few minor adjustments this has worked well. 

 

What has not worked well is the difference between what I thought the user understood and what the supervisor and the user of that division actually understood.  I sat down with them at the beginning and explained what I was doing, any differences they will see, asked if they could think of any difficulties that might occur because of the changes.  I gave them a week to think about it and at a second meeting discussed any concerns they had and came up with a solution.  During this week of testing every day there have been small things (example: queries they forgot to put on the list for me to change) and while this has not been a problem I can see it getting out of hand with the other, bigger divisions.

 

Now to my question.  Has anyone seen a standard 'before we begin' check list for me, the division supervisor and the main user to use as a guide that I can customize for the situation?  And a sign-off form?  Or could anyone give me some ideas on what they have used or how they have handled a situation like this?  Anything I have written sounds like a dictator ordering my troops.

 

I apologize if I've confused anyone. But you see why I'm asking for help with these two forms.  My writing skills are awful.  Any suggestions will be very much appreciated.

 

Thanks in advance,

Sherry McMahon