RE: Testing procedures -- RPG400-L

My experience, limited as it is, suggests procedures can help, but
installing something new that's not very simple and straightforward never
goes smoothly.  To some extent it depends on your understanding of the
process, and (this is often the important part) the end users' understanding
of the process.  I work in a shop where we rarely go through the sort of
formal development process where end users have to agree to a detailed
design specification before any coding is done and changes involve serious
renegotiation.  I've worked on some things where I wish we had.  In many
cases developing in an evolutionary way works well.     


-----Original Message-----
From: Sherry McMahon [mailto:smcm@frontiernet.net]
Sent: Wednesday, August 04, 1999 4:07 AM
To: RPG400-L@midrange.com
Subject: Testing procedures


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
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