Transcript QA For Web Sites: Talk 4: Intro To QA

Talk 4
http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/qa-focus/presentations/ili-2004/
QA For Web Sites:
Introduction To QA
Brian Kelly
UKOLN
University of Bath
Bath
Email
[email protected]
UKOLN is supported by:
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Recap
We have learnt:
• Why checking is important
• Tools which can be used for checking
• Findings from using tools across
communities in benchmarking surveys
• Limitations of the tools
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About Quality Assurance
Quality Control:
• Spot an error and then fix it
• Fire-fighting
• Failure to learn
Quality Assurance:
• Documented policies (you know what you
are seeking to achieve)
• Systematic compliance checking
procedures
• Audit trails
• Learning from experiences
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Simple QA For Web
An example of QA policy and procedures for
Web standards is given below
QA example
Policy: Web Standards
Standard: XHTML 1.0 and CSS 2.0
Architecture: Use of SSIs and text editor
Exceptions: Automatically-derived files
Checking: Use ,validate after update
Audit Trail: Use ,rvalidate monthly and
document findings
Please note that this is a template – you can add
additional headings
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Need For Usable Testing Tools
You should aim to ensure
that checking compliance
with your policies is
simple to achieve
We recommend the
,tools approach for:
• HTML & CSS
compliance
• Link checking
• Recursive checking
• …
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This approach is:
• Simple to implement (redirect in Apache conf. file)
• Requires no additional software
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• Can be used by anyone
Fitness For Purpose
Aim for fitness for purpose and not perfection:
• It would be nice to have compliant HTML version
of PowerPoint slides
• But MS's HTML conversion creates dodgy HTML
• Rather than (a) not having resources available or
(b) wasting time fixing errors we can define our
policy accordingly
Note that:
• We do ensure that the HTML version is
acceptable to all browsers
• If a better conversion tool becomes available we
can tighten up our policy
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Example 2 – Link Checking
What should we do when links on our Web site
start to break (remember Web sites ‘rot’)
Policy Area: Linking
Policy: Internal links should always work and external
links when link created. Periodic checking of links and
broken links to significant resources fixed.
Architecture: Links are embedded in Web pages
Exceptions: If external Web site reorganised and
links break, we can’t guarantee to fix.
Checking: Use ,checklink after update
Audit Trail: Use ,rchecklink monthly and
document findings. Proportion of broken links
monitored over time.
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Document Architecture, Not
Aspirations
When documenting the architecture you may become
aware of better ways of doing things (e.g. manage
links in external database to make management
easier)
However your policy should document what you do,
not what you should have done or would like to do
The aspirations (based on an understanding of current
policies, possibly found through checking and audit
trails) can be implemented in new services (or
upgrades to existing services)
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Conclusions
This approach to QA:
• Can be easily understood
• Benefits should be apparent
• May complement existing approaches
• Should help to minimise firefighting
For further details see the QA Focus briefing document
on “Summary of the QA Focus Methodology”, briefing 30
at <http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/qa-focus/
documents/briefings/briefing-30/>
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Accompanying Resources
QA Methodology
• Summary of the QA Focus Methodology,
QA Focus, Briefing Document No. 30
Quality Assurance Tips
• Top 10 Quality Assurance Tips, QA Focus,
Briefing Document No. 37
A URI Interface To Web Testing Tools
• A URI Interface To Web Testing Tools, QA
Focus, Briefing Document No. 59
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