A cross browser-testing checklist that can be referred while testing a web project on different browsers and operating systems is referred:

- CSS validation
- HTML or XHTML validation
- Page validations with and without JavaScript enabled
- Ajax and J Query functionality
- Font size validation
- Page layout in different resolutions
- All images and alignment
- Header and footer sections
- Page content alignment to center, LHS or RHS
- Page styles
- Date formats

Cross browser testing involves testing of web sites or applications on both the sides i.e., client side and server side.

What is Cross-browser Testing

Cross-browser refers to the ability for a website, web application, HTML construct or client-side script to function correctly across all, or the majority of web browsers.

Web Statistics and Trends – Source from www.w3schools.com

2012	Internet Explorer	Fire fox	Chrome	Safari	Opera
February	19.5 %	36.6 %	36.3 %	4.5 %	2.3 %
January	20.1 %	37.1 %	35.3 %	4.3 %	2.4 %

]]> http://qcboss.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=596 http://qcboss.com/blog/?p=586 http://qcboss.com/blog/?p=586#comments Thu, 28 Jul 2011 06:41:23 +0000 admin http://qcboss.com/blog/?p=586

Database Testing – The most commonly used backend testing

Database Testing checks the quality of the information within the database, constraints on inputs, and triggers consistency of the data. Database functionality and the interface can be tested using black box testing methodologies. Testing a database can be done visually by scanning the database entry by entry. However, this is a slow and inaccurate method of testing. A better approach is to automate regression testing. This saves time since the test can be repeated whenever needed. For agile software development, testing is done at early stages and the same should apply to regression testing of databases.

Database testing includes the following:

• Data Validity testing.
• Data Integrity testing.
• Database Performance testing.
• Testing the database procedures, triggers and functions.

Difficulties faced in backend testing when compared with front end testing

It is not that easy to understand and verify a backend than a front end because a front end usually has friendly user interfaces.  Whereas a backend has its own objects, such as, tables, stored procedures and triggers. Data integrity and protection is critical. Performance and multi-user support are big issues in backend. Slowness in operation can be vital to the project’s future. There are no sufficient tools for backend testing. SQL language is mainly a testing tool. MS Access and MS Excel can be used to verify data but they are not perfect for testing. However, there are a large number of test tools available for front end testing. To be able to do backend testing, a tester must have strong background in SQL server and SQL language. It is relatively difficult to find testers who understand both SQL server and SQL testing. Hence, there is always a shortage of backend testers.

A backend is the engine of any client/server system. A bug in a backend may raise a serious impact on the entire system. This includes deadlock, data corruption, data loss and bad performance. Too many bugs in a backend will cost tremendous resources to find and fix bugs and delay the system developments.

Backend testing mainly includes testing the integration between the application and the database. It is more like checking whether the changes made in the database gets reflected in the front end application. For example, consider a new column is been added in the table. We can test this by providing values in the front end application and check whether they are stored in the table (backend database).

Front end testing mainly focuses on testing the application from the user perspective, it consists of functionality, usability, GUI and verification and validation. It is very likely that many tests in a front end only hit a small portion of a backend. Backend testing methodology has many things in common with front end testing and API testing. There are many test methods like Structural testing and functional testing. However, the two methods may discover different bugs.

• Structural testing: A backend can be broken down into a finite number of testable pieces based on its structure. This test verifies each object in a type of structure.
• Functional testing: A backend can be broken down into a finite number of testable pieces based on application’s functionality. This test verifies focuses on functionality of input and output but not on the implementation and structure.

Conversion Rate Optimization (Landing page optimization) is the practice of increasing the amount of online sales and leads on a website, without increasing the amount of web visitors.

By optimizing or improving your web conversion rate you can get more people to take more action without spending money on attracting more visits to your landing page or website.

Conversion goals include a lead, purchase, download, social interaction and more.

Conversion rate optimization is the most efficient way to generate more revenue & improve return on online advertising spends.

Now a day, Conversion rate optimization is carried out by most of the popular sites. But it’s still a relatively new initiative for many marketers.

We would like to suggest the following process for achieving Conversion Rate Optimization efficiently and effectively.

1. Analyze your website, and identify those elements that consistently tend to produce the greatest improvements. (A/B testing).

2. Fix all the problems based on web design & content.

3. Do your Multivariate testing to ascertain which content or creative variation produces the best improvement in the defined goals of a website

4. After a few weeks or days (depending on the volume of traffic on your website) identify the elements that convert the best, and implement the necessary changes to achieve better results.

5. Periodically continue the process all over again.

A/B testing:

An A/B experiment allows you to test the performance of two (or more!) entirely different versions of a page. Start with your original test page — the page whose content you want to test — then create alternate versions of that page. You can change the content of a page, alter the look and feel, or move around the layout of your alternate pages — whatever you choose. We’ll vary traffic to your original page and your alternate versions, to see what users respond to best.

A/B experiments are the simpler version of testing with Website Optimizer. If you have a low amount of traffic and want results fast, creating an A/B test may be the right place to start.

Multivariate testing

A new form of testing based upon technologies that allow for the measurement of multiple aspects of a webpage.

Multivariate testing is the process of creating varied “recipes” of web content, that are served to your visitors in order to decipher intelligence into which mix of messaging and imagery works best.

In simple terms, it is carried out by performing numerous A/B tests performed on one page at the same time. ]]> http://qcboss.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=563