Load testing tips

Tips to ensure successful testing

Often companies embark on testing projects only to find that they fail to deliver expected benefits. There are a number of factors that influence testing projects, however they rarely fail for technical reasons.

What can you do to help ensure your project runs on time and to budget whilst delivering the results you need?

• Make sure that budget is pre-approved with sufficient authority and autonomy. Delays in getting budget approval can have real a real knock on effect and prove expensive in the long term.
• Ensure that there is sufficient budget. Test results and analysis are meaningless if only half a job is done.
• Set clear objectives at the start of the project. This will help to ensure the continued approval of the project from the business and IT.
• Set up a steering group that meets regularly to monitor progress and ensure that the project is progressing to plan. This should include senior decision makers and budget holders within IT and sometimes the business
• Key resources are usually required to assist with the development and approval of the plan, running tests and analysis of results. Make sure that their time is planned in advance and they are not distracted by other demands from the business.
• Make sure that the project has buy in from the business. They should give it sufficient priority and not resent time and budget spent. Testing should be viewed as part of the bottom line.
• Ensure that any work required from IT Development has sufficient priority. Often parts of the application need to be modified to fit in with the testing plan.
• Make sure suitable hardware is available to create a robust test environment.
• Watch out for scope creep. What starts as out as a testing project should not become a quality improvement program.
• Plan the work and work the plan. Adapt to changes but keep focused on what you are trying to achieve.
• Ensure that the testing team and support groups work effectively together to achieve the project objectives.
• Don't be afraid to use specialist resources. This may be the first time you have done this, but not the first time we have. This is one area where previous experience can help to ensure success.