Questions+for+QA 2

 


51. What is the difference between verification and validation?

Verification: Verification is a process to ensure that the software that is made, matches the original design. In other words, it checks whether the software is made according to the criteria and specification described in the requirement document. It is to check whether you built the product right as per design. It is a low level checking. (It is done in walk-through meetings generally). It checked whether it is made accordingly to the design..

Validation: Validation is a process to check whether the product design fits the client’s need. It checks whether you built the right thing. It checks whether it is designed properly.
 
52. How do you know it is sufficient testing?
Answer: Every company has entry and exit criteria. When we test applications, we refer to exit criteria. When we are about to finish testing, then the QA Team (QA Manager) refers to the exit criteria (exit criteria tells the level of defect that you can be comfortable with before it goes to production. For example, there should be ZERO critical defect, ZERO high level defect, ZERO medium defect, 1 Low level defect, all the test cases must be 100% executed etc). Once the exit criteria meet the requirements, then the software is considered to be sufficiently tested.
Every company has entry and exit criteria. When we test applications, we refer to exit criteria. When we are about to finish testing, then the QA Team (QA Manager) refers to the exit criteria (exit criteria tells the level of defect that you can be comfortable with before it goes to production. For example, there should be ZERO critical defect, ZERO high level defect, ZERO medium defect, 1 Low level defect, all the test cases must be 100% executed etc). Once the exit criteria meet the requirements, then the software is considered to be sufficiently tested.                                                 53. How to derive test scenarios and use cases? What are the contents and format?
Answer: Test scenarios are derived from requirement documents. We follow each and every functionality (called business rules) mentioned in the requirement document. One functionality can have multiple business rules. For example, let us say in there is one requirement called “Login”. This “Login” may have various scenarios. For example, one scenario is, enter the right User ID and wrong password. The system should display an error message. Another scenario would be to enter wrong User ID and right Password. The system should display an error message. The third scenario could be to enter the right User Name and right Password. The system should allow the user to get into the system. This is how the test cases are derived from the requirement documents or from the Use Cases.
(For contents for formats of test scenario, please refer to question 4 in qaquestions.com)
54. What are the types of test cases that you write?
Answer: We write test cases for smoke testing, integration testing, functional testing, regression testing, load testing, stress testing, system testing and so on.                                                                                                                             55. How to write Integration test cases?
Answer: I have never written separate Test Cases Integration Testing. Since Integration Testing is a test to check whether the all the modules are integrated together or not (meaning that when the developers compile all their module and make a build, all modules should be working when they are combined together and those modules when combined, should work as expected). If they are not integrated (combined) in a nice way, then the application breaks. Basically, when we do the functional testing, the integration testing is automatically done. This is my experience.
56. How to write Regression test cases? What are the criteria?
Answer: Regression test cases are also based on the requirement documents. They are written more into detail and with every release (build), the testers need to do regression testing. The criteria for regression testing are; there should be no major defects while we do our smoke test and functional testing.
57. Is there a format for a test case? Do you follow any methodology for numbering test cases?
Answer: Yes. It depends upon the company how the company has followed the numbering of test cases. However, normally, it is just a simple numbering in most of the time (see question 4 of qaquestions.com). But some companies may also relate this numbering to the requirement number. For example, if the requirement for Login is “REQ-LOG-001”, then we can number the test cases like REQ-LOG-001-001 and so on.
58. What is Test Harness?
Answer: (Definition from www.wikipedia.org) “In software testing, a test harness or automated test framework is a collection of software and test data configured to test a program unit by running it under varying conditions and monitor its behavior and outputs. It has two main parts: the test execution engine and the test script repository.”
59. How to write User Acceptance Test plan & test cases?
Answer: The way of writing Test Plan and Test Cases is the same in all the test phases. However, specifically for User Acceptance Testing, the testers use data nearly real data (meaning that the data is very much similar to the production data or real data). For the format, please refer to question 3 and 4 in qaquestions.com.
60. What are the different matrices that you follow?)(Asked By jalees)
Answer: There are various reports we normally prepare in QA:
· Test summary Report – It is a report that has list of the total test cases, list of executed test cases, remaining test case to be executed, executed date, pass/fail
· Defect Report – In this report we normally prepare a list of defect in spreadsheet e.g. defect # CQ12345 [ if you log a defect in the application called Rational ClearQuest]
· Traceability Matrix [also called RTM (Requirement Traceability Matrix)] Report – the document which shows the relationship between the functionalities or the business rules and the test cases. So, with the help of Traceability Matrix we make sure that we includes all the functionalities in our test cases according to the requirement document.


61. Explain Bug Life Cycle.
Answer: I would describe this as below:
A Tester finds a defect and logs it. (But before you log it, you must try to recreate it for 3 or 4 times so that you are 100% sure that it is a bug)
The defect is now approved or disapproved by the Test Lead.
(If it is disapproved, then the test lead will come to you ask for more details and you have explain to him why it is a bug)
After the Test Lead approves the bug, it is now assigned to a development Team Lead (or Development Manager). He/she now assigns that bug to the concerned developer. The developer now looks into the bug and fixes it. Once the fix is ready, there will be another build ready to test. The tester now tests the defect. It the defect is fixed, then the tester closes the defect, if not then the test will reopen it and same cycle starts.
62. What will you do if developer does not accept the bug?
Answer: If the developer does not accept the defect, then he will reject it. Once it is rejected, then it comes back to the tester. Now, the tester will ask for clarification with the developer why the defect is rejected. Since everything is based on the requirement documents, both tester and developer will have to look at the requirement document, validate it and then reopen it if necessary or close.
63. What are the different tests that can be done for Client Server Application and Web-based Application. Give details.
Answer: For both client server and web based applications, the testing is the same except one thing: We test web based applications in different browsers, for example, Internet Explorer (will test in different versions like IE 5.0, IE 6.0, IE 7.0), Firefox, Safari (for Mac) and so on where as for client server, we don’t need to test in the browsers.
 65. Give me five common problems that occur during software development.
Answer: Poorly written requirements, unrealistic schedules, inadequate testing, adding new features after development is underway and poor communication. Requirements are poorly written when requirements are unclear, incomplete, too general, or not testable; therefore there will be problems. The schedule is unrealistic if too much work is crammed in too little time.
Software testing is inadequate if none knows whether or not the software is any good until customers complain or the system crashes. It’s extremely common that new features are added after development is underway.
Miscommunication either means the developers don’t know what is needed, or customers have unrealistic expectations and therefore problems are guaranteed
66. What is the role of documentation in QA?
Answer: Documentation plays a critical role in QA. QA practices should be documented, so that they are repeatable. Specifications, designs, business rules, inspection reports, configurations, code changes, test plans, test cases, bug reports, user manuals should all be documented. Ideally, there should be a system for easily finding and obtaining of documents and determining what document will have a particular piece of information. Use documentation change management, if possible.
 
67. What if the software is so buggy it can’t be tested at all?
Answer: In this situation the best bet is to have test engineers go through the process of reporting whatever bugs or problems initially show up, with the focus being on critical bugs. Since this type of problem can severely affect schedules and indicates deeper problems in the software development process, such as insufficient unit testing, insufficient integration testing, poor design, improper build or release procedures, managers should be notified and provided with some documentation as evidence of the problem.
68. How do you know when to stop testing?
Answer: This can be difficult to determine. Many modern software applications are so complex and run in such an interdependent environment, that complete testing can never be done. Common factors in deciding when to stop are…
Deadlines, e.g. release deadlines, testing deadlines;
Test cases completed with certain percentage passed;
Test budget has been depleted;
Coverage of code, functionality, or requirements reaches a specified point;
Bug rate falls below a certain level; or
Beta or alpha testing period ends.


 
69. What if there isn’t enough time for thorough testing?
Answer: Since it’s rarely possible to test every possible aspect of an application, every possible combination of events, every dependency, or everything that could go wrong, risk analysis is appropriate to most software development projects. Use risk analysis to determine where testing should be focused. This requires judgment skills, common sense and experience. The checklist should include answers to the following questions:
· Which functionality is most important to the project’s intended purpose?
· Which functionality is most visible to the user?
· Which functionality has the largest safety impact?
· Which functionality has the largest financial impact on users?
· Which aspects of the application are most important to the customer?
· Which aspects of the application can be tested early in the development cycle?
· Which parts of the code are most complex and thus most subject to errors?
· Which parts of the application were developed in rush or panic mode?
· Which aspects of similar/related previous projects caused problems?
· Which aspects of similar/related previous projects had large maintenance expenses?
· Which parts of the requirements and design are unclear or poorly thought out?
· What do the developers think are the highest-risk aspects of the application?
· What kinds of problems would cause the worst publicity?
· What kinds of problems would cause the most customer service complaints?
· What kinds of tests could easily cover multiple functionalities?
· Which tests will have the best high-risk-coverage to time-required ratio?
 
70. What can be done if requirements are changing continuously?
Answer: Work with management early on to understand how requirements might change, so that alternate test plans and strategies can be worked out in advance. It is helpful if the application’s initial design allows for some adaptability, so that later changes do not require redoing the application from scratch. Additionally, try to… · Ensure the code is well commented and well documented; this makes changes easier
for the developers.
· Use rapid prototyping whenever possible; this will help customers feel sure of their
requirements and minimize changes.
· In the project’s initial schedule, allow for some extra time to commensurate with
probable changes.
· Move new requirements to a ‘Phase 2′ version of an application and use the original
requirements for the ‘Phase 1′ version.
· Negotiate to allow only easily implemented new requirements into the project; move
more difficult, new requirements into future versions of the application.
· Ensure customers and management understand scheduling impacts, inherent risks and
costs of significant requirements changes. Then let management or the customers
decide if the changes are warranted; after all, that’s their job.
· Balance the effort put into setting up automated testing with the expected effort
required to redo them to deal with changes.
· Design some flexibility into automated test scripts;
· Focus initial automated testing on application aspects that are most likely to remain
unchanged;
· Devote appropriate effort to risk analysis of changes, in order to minimize regression-
testing needs;
· Design some flexibility into test cases; this is not easily done; the best bet is to minimize the detail in the test cases, or set up only higher-level generic-type test plans;
· Focus less on detailed test plans and test cases and more on ad-hoc testing with an understanding of the added risk this entails.
 
71. What if the application has functionality that wasn’t in the requirements?
Answer: It may take serious effort to determine if an application has significant unexpected or hidden functionality, which it would indicate deeper problems in the software development process. If the functionality isn’t necessary to the purpose of the application, it should be removed, as it may have unknown impacts or dependencies that were not taken into account by the designer or the customer.
If not removed, design information will be needed to determine added testing needs or regression testing needs. Management should be made aware of any significant added risks as a result of the unexpected functionality. If the functionality only affects areas, such as minor improvements in the user interface, it may not be a significant risk.
 
72. How can software QA processes be implemented without stifling productivity?
Answer: Implement QA processes slowly over time. Use consensus to reach agreement on processes and adjust and experiment as an organization grows and matures. Productivity will be improved instead of stifled. Problem prevention will lessen the need for problem detection. Panics and burnout will decrease and there will be improved focus and less wasted effort. At the same time, attempts should be made to keep processes simple and efficient, minimize paperwork, promote computer-based processes and automated tracking and reporting, minimize time required in meetings and promote training as part of the QA process. However, no one, especially talented technical types, like bureaucracy and in the short run things may slow down a bit. A typical scenario would be that more days of planning and development will be needed, but less time will be required for late-night bug fixing and calming of irate customers.
 
73. What is parallel/audit testing?
Answer: Parallel/audit testing is testing where the user reconciles the output of the new system to the output of the current system to verify the new system performs the operations correctly. Let us say, for example, the currently software is in the mainframe system which calculates the interest rate. The company wants to change this mainframe system to web-based application. While testing the new web based application, we need to verify that the web-based application calculates the same interest rate. This is parallel testing.
 
74. What is system testing?
Answer: System testing is black box testing, performed by the Test Team, and at the start of the system testing the complete system is configured in a controlled environment. The purpose of system testing is to validate an application’s accuracy and completeness in performing the functions as designed. System testing simulates real life scenarios that occur in a “simulated real life” test environment and test all functions of the system that are required in real life. System testing is deemed complete when actual results and expected results are either in line or differences are explainable or acceptable, based on client input.
Upon completion of integration testing, system testing is started. Before system testing, all unit and integration test results are reviewed by Software QA to ensure all problems have been resolved. For a higher level of testing it is important to understand unresolved problems that originate at unit and integration test levels. You CAN learn system testing, with little or no outside help. Get CAN get free information. Click on a link!
 
75. What is end-to-end testing?
Answer: Similar to system testing, the *macro* end of the test scale is testing a complete application in a situation that mimics real world use, such as interacting with a database, using network communication, or interacting with other hardware, application, or system.
 
76. What is security/penetration testing?
Answer: Security/penetration testing is testing how well the system is protected against unauthorized internal or external access, or willful damage. This type of testing usually requires sophisticated testing techniques.
 
77. What is recovery/error testing?
Answer: Recovery/error testing is testing how well a system recovers from crashes, hardware failures, or other catastrophic problems.
 
78. What is compatibility testing?
Answer: Compatibility testing is testing how well software performs in a particular hardware, software, operating system, or network environment.
 
79. What is comparison testing?
Answer: Comparison testing is testing that compares software weaknesses and strengths to those of competitors’ products.
 
80. What is acceptance testing?
Answer: Acceptance testing is black box testing that gives the client/customer/project manager the opportunity to verify the system functionality and usability prior to the system being released to production. The acceptance test is the responsibility of the client/customer or project manager, however, it is conducted with the full support of the project team. The test team also works with the client/customer/project manager to develop the acceptance criteria.
 
81. What is a Test/QA Team Lead?
Answer: The Test/QA Team Lead coordinates the testing activity, communicates testing status to management and manages the test team.
 
82. What is software testing methodology?
Answer: One software testing methodology is used for three step process of…
1. Creating a test strategy;
2. Creating a test plan/design; and
3. Executing tests. This methodology can be used and molded to your organization’s needs. Rob Davis believes that using this methodology is important in the development and in ongoing maintenance of his customers’ applications.
 
83. What is the general testing process?
Answer: The general testing process is the creation of a test strategy (which sometimes includes the creation of test cases), creation of a test plan/design (which usually includes test cases and test procedures) and the execution of tests.
 
84. How do you create a test strategy?
Answer: The test strategy is a formal description of how a software product will be tested. A test strategy is developed for all levels of testing, as required. The test team analyzes the requirements, writes the test strategy and reviews the plan with the project team. The test plan may include test cases, conditions, the test environment, a list of related tasks, pass/fail criteria and risk assessment. Inputs for this process:
· A description of the required hardware and software components, including test tools. This information comes from the test environment, including test tool data.
· A description of roles and responsibilities of the resources required for the test and schedule constraints. This information comes from man-hours and schedules.
· Testing methodology. This is based on known standards.
· Functional and technical requirements of the application. This information comes from requirements, change request, technical and functional design documents.
· Requirements that the system can not provide, e.g. system limitations. Outputs for this process:
· An approved and signed off test strategy document, test plan, including test cases.
· Testing issues requiring resolution. Usually this requires additional negotiation at the project management level.
 
85. How do you create a test plan/design?
Answer: Test scenarios and/or cases are prepared by reviewing functional requirements of the release and preparing logical groups of functions that can be further broken into test procedures. Test procedures define test conditions, data to be used for testing and expected results, including database updates, file outputs, report results. Generally speaking…
Test cases and scenarios are designed to represent both typical and unusual situations that may occur in the application.
Test engineers define unit test requirements and unit test cases. Test engineers also execute unit test cases.
It is the test team that, with assistance of developers and clients, develops test cases and scenarios for integration and system testing.
Test scenarios are executed through the use of test procedures or scripts.
Test procedures or scripts define a series of steps necessary to perform one or more test scenarios.
Test procedures or scripts include the specific data that will be used for testing the process or transaction.
Test procedures or scripts may cover multiple test scenarios.
Test scripts are mapped back to the requirements and traceability matrices are used to ensure each test is within scope.
Test data is captured and base lined, prior to testing. This data serves as the foundation for unit and system testing and used to exercise system functionality in a controlled environment.
Some output data is also base-lined for future comparison. Base-lined data is used to support future application maintenance via regression testing.
A pretest meeting is held to assess the readiness of the application and the environment and data to be tested. A test readiness document is created to indicate the status of the entrance criteria of the release.
Inputs for this process:
Approved Test Strategy Document.
Test tools, or automated test tools, if applicable.
Previously developed scripts, if applicable.
Test documentation problems uncovered as a result of testing.
A good understanding of software complexity and module path coverage, derived from general and detailed design documents, e.g. software design document, source code and software complexity data.
Outputs for this process:
Approved documents of test scenarios, test cases, test conditions and test data.
Reports of software design issues, given to software developers for correction.
 
86. How do you execute tests?
Answer: Execution of tests is completed by following the test documents in a methodical manner. As each test procedure is performed, an entry is recorded in a test execution log to note the execution of the procedure and whether or not the test procedure uncovered any defects. Checkpoint meetings are held throughout the execution phase. Checkpoint meetings are held daily, if required, to address and discuss testing issues, status and activities.The output from the execution of test procedures is known as test results. Test results are evaluated by test engineers to determine whether the expected results have been obtained. All discrepancies/anomalies are logged and discussed with the software team lead, hardware test lead, programmers, software engineers and documented for further investigation and resolution. Every company has a different process for logging and reporting bugs/defects uncovered during testing.A pass/fail criteria is used to determine the severity of a problem, and results are recorded in a test summary report. The severity of a problem, found during system testing, is defined in accordance to the customer’s risk assessment and recorded in their selected tracking tool.Proposed fixes are delivered to the testing environment, based on the severity of the problem. Fixes are regression tested and flawless fixes are migrated to a new baseline. Following completion of the test, members of the test team prepare a summary report. The summary report is reviewed by the Project Manager, Software QA Manager and/or Test Team Lead.
After a particular level of testing has been certified, it is the responsibility of the Configuration Manager to coordinate the migration of the release software components to the next test level, as documented in the Configuration Management Plan. The software is only migrated to the production environment after the Project Manager’s formal acceptance.                                                                                                                                                                          87. What testing approaches can you tell me about? 
Answer: Each of the followings represents a different testing approach:
Black box testing,
White box testing,
Unit testing,
Incremental testing,
Integration testing,
Functional testing,
System testing,
End-to-end testing,
Sanity testing,
Regression testing,
Acceptance testing,
Load testing,
Performance testing,
Usability testing,
Install/uninstall testing,
Recovery testing,
Security testing,
Compatibility testing,
Exploratory testing, ad-hoc testing,
User acceptance testing,
Comparison testing,
Alpha testing,
Beta testing, and
Mutation testing.
 
88. How do you divide the application into different sections to create scripts?
Answer:  First of all, the application is divided in different parts when a business analyst writes the requirement document (or Use Cases or Design Document), he/she writes EACH requirement document for EACH module.  Let us say, if there are 12 different modules in an application that a business analyst has written the requirements for, then a tester would write the test cases for each module, which means in 12 different sections.  This is the standard practice.  There might be scenarios where you might have to break down scripts into sub-categories.  For example, if a tester is writing a script for Login Page, he/she might write one for positive and negative testing and another sub-set of test cases would be for error message when the wrong information is entered.  In short, the test cases are divided according to the modules.
(The following questions were asked to Padma in one of her interviews very recently)

89.  What is your goal?
 (This question is asked to check how ambitious you are as far as your career is concerned, whether you like the job you are doing and so on.  Therefore, no matter what, you should stick to your QA job at this point and say that you love this so much and your goal is some thing similar to the one below)
Answer:  My goal is to be QA Lead (or QA Manager) in near future.

90.  What are you expecting from our company?
Answer:  My expectation from your company would be I will have more challenges and new things to learn and whatever the skills I have to contribute, hopefully, I will be able to contribute if they are in any way helpful to enhance productivity of the company.

91.  What did you learn from your previous companies?
Answer:  I learned a lot from the previous companies wherever I have worked.  I found out the there is always something to learn.  Different companies have different ways of working.  The environment and technology always differ from one company to another company.  I have never found one company’s environment matching with another company.  For example, if one company is using documents called requirement documents, then the other company might be using Use Cases and some companies might be using Design Document and so on.  Therefore, in my experience, there are always new things to learn in every company and we can always contribute these thing in the next company if they help to be more productive.

92.  What do you want to be in next 2 years?
Answer:  I want to be QA Lead in another two years.

Why QA Lead? Why not something else?
Answer:  QA is the only thing I love doing it.  I love this job and want to progress in this sector.  I want to know how to manage QA process, how to handle different jobs and so on.  Since the next step is the QA Lead, that would preferably be one I will targeting for.

93.  Why do you want to work for this company? 
Answer: (This is a tricky question.  They want to know what really interests you and you have to be careful when you answer this question.  You must admire the line of that company.  For example, if you are being interviewed by a pharmaceutical company, then tell them that you are always interested in the medical applications and the better part of your company is that it has exciting products that I am really curious to learn.  That’s why I would feel really great if I am given the opportunity to work in your company)

94.  Did you get any compliments from your previous employers?  What were those situations? 
Answer:  Answer:  Yes. I did.  There were many occasions where I had compliments.  For example, I was testing an application going a little bit off my test cases. After I finished executing my test cases, I always think in a way what a real user would possibly click in various parts of the application.  So I was just clicking back and forth and at one specific scenario, the application simply broke and displayed an error message.  That scenario was not in the test cases. The manager really appreciated me and thanked for finding this kind of critical defect.  
 
What are your strengths?
Answer: I am a very detailed oriented person. I have the sense of urgency. I can prioritize my job according to the deadline. I am very much dedicated towards my job. I am honest. I have the skills and expertise in QA process. These are some of my strengths.
 
What is your weakness?
Answer: I think my weakness is that whenever I am given some responsibilities and there is a deadline for it, I work day and night, 7 days a week. This is probably bad for my family life, but I can’t sleep unless I am done with my assignments.
(Note: You should think of your weakness where because of your weakness (like the one above), still the employer benefits. DON’T SAY anything negative thing, like “I cannot work long hours, it is hard for me pick up things, it is difficult for me to understand requirement documents etc)
 
Please provide information (an example) of your experience testing Linux and UNIX environments (including type of system tested, how tested, actual commands and steps used for test) Testing applications using Linux and UNIX.
Answer: I have tested applications using UNIX. For every backend testing I have done in the past, I have used UNIX platform while performing backend testing. For example, when the data is fed into the system in the front end, that data goes to the database after the batch processing. From the database, the data is now sent to the ETL system (in XML format) for data manipulation as per our need (ETL is a software tool of Ab Initio company which is used to manipulate data in the data warehouse). In the ETL system, we manipulate those data according to our need), for example, it could be income statement of the company, balance sheet, monthly reports, and so on. In order to produce income statement, we need to run a job in ETL. To run this job, we use UNIX. In the same way, different types of jobs are created for each need (creating balance sheet is another job, creating reports is next job etc) then I had to run different jobs in the ETL system. Once we run the job, the running job finally creates an output file which is now validated by us tester. This output file can be in text format or GUI format. Thus, this is the scenario where I had to use UNIX. (I have used Linux much, however, since UNIX and Linux are the same thing, I should have no problem in using Linux)
Some of the commands I used while testing using UNIX are;
Ls –l ———>to check the file list
Pwd———-> to see which directory I am in
Cd ———–>change the directory
Cd .. ———>change the directory one level up
Mkdir ———>make a directory
Rmdir ———>Delete the directory
setenv name v ——>Set environment
kill% ——–>Kill the running job
vi ———>editor Used to write scripts
more——-> to see the contents page by page
cat —–>list contents of the file
chmod ——–>change permission
cp ——–>copy
rm —–>delete a file
How do you do risk assessment? (This question was asked to Mona in her interview)
 Answer:  (This is what Mona answered):  The risks by understanding the infrastructure of the application, hard drive and system capabilities etc. Also added “Risk and Mitigation Strategy” column within the test plan. The major risk for the company was system getting crashed upon receiving several hits by the users . Company did not set any metrics at the development phase as to what it can handle. I told him that i noted mitigation stretegy to deal with each known risk within the test plan.

 
The following are the some of the things that a tester has to know (but may not be asked in the interview)    What is a cookie?  (You must know how to clean cookies)                                                                                            A small text file of information that certain Web sites attach to a user’s hard drive while the user is browsing the Web site. A Cookie can contain information such as user ID, user preferences, archive shopping cart information, etc. Cookies can contain Personally Identifiable Information. 

Does a tester have to know about cookie?

Yes.  A tester has to know HOW TO CLEAN cookies (Does not have to know the difinition).

Why do we need to clean cookies?

A tester can clean cookies by opening Internet Explorer browser and Firefox browser (whatever you are using).  We need to clean cookies BECAUSE:
When we get a new build (what is a build?  See qaquestions.com), we must clean cookies.  (Remember, once the developers fix the defects, the configuration team makes a build and this process continues until the product (application) is ready to handover to the customer).  If we don’t clean cookies, then there is a possibility that we may get the same error which was already fixed by the developer.  Why?  Because the error is sitting in your computer hard drive and the computer feels easy to get the same information from the hard drive rather than going to the server and pulling new thing for the same thing.  For example, let us say, when you were testing a page, there was a button called “OK”.  The client decided that “OK” is NOT the right button here, therefore, that button name was changed from “OK” to “Continue”.  Accordingly, you wrote a defect saying that “OK” button should be changed to “Continue” button.  Now, this defect is fixed (the developer changed the “OK” button to “Continue”). Now, you started testing, there is a possibility that you might see “OK” button again.  Why?  Because you DID NOT clean your cookies.                     Therefore, you must clean your cookies before you starting testing a new build.

How to clean cookies?
Cookies are cleaned in the browsers like IE (Internet Explorer), Firefox, Safari (for MAC and windows both), Netscape and so on.  However, the mostly used (90%) browser is IE (Internet Explorer)

Here is how you clean cookies in IE (Internet Explorer):

1.  Open IE (Internet Explorer)                                                                                                                                                2.  On the menu, click Tools–>Internet Options–>Click Delete button (It is in General Tab) (You will see different buttons now, for example, Delete Files, Delete Cookies, Delete History, Delete Forms, Delete Passwords,Delete All). 3.  Click Delete All button.  Now the cookies are cleaned in IE.                                                                                   Here is how you can clean cookies in Fire Fox:
 1.  Open Firefox Brower.2.  Click Tools.3.  Click Error Console.4.  Click Clear.                                                              Now the cookies are cleaned in Firefox.
What are different types of protocols?
Generally, a Tester does NOT necessarily have to know different types of protocols.  This is Network Engineers job.  However, if you want to know more for your knowledge, you can visit:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_network_protocols.
 What is Web Architecture?
A tester does not necessarily have to know this unless you are a very Senior Tester testing networks and doing some kind of development.
Does a Tester need SQL?
Answer:  Yes.  For a Tester, SQL is needed.  I had the same question in mind becore I came to the actual implication-what is SQL used for?  And now, I know that when we do the backend testing (see qaquestions.com for details), we need to write SQL queries to retrieve the data from the database and compare this data to the one with reports or output.  Another scenario is, if something goes wrong in the application, for example, if there is an error, then we might have to write SQL queries to retrieve the data from the database and check what went wrong.  Let’s say, we need to check in the Error Log table what went wrong.  To check this, we open the database, go to Error Log table and find out that happened.  In the Error Log table, there are many records, so which one is your error then?  To find out which one is yours, we need to write SQL queries. Example, you logged in to the application with User ID=devin99 and password=sn992jj.  Now, to retrieve your record, you can write a query some thing like this:  select * from Error_Log where userID=devin99;  This query will retriev your record only so that you can see what happened.
 

What is descriptive programming?                                                                                                                                              QTP cannot take action(Run) on an object until unless its object
description is in the Object Repository. But descriptive programming
provides a way to perform action on objects which are not in Object
repository.
Descriptive Programming can be considered useful in following case:
1.The objects in the application are dynamic in nature
2.When you don't want to use object repository at all.
3.when object repository is taking more space                                                                                                          Introduction:
Bug can be defined as the abnormal behavior of the software. No
software exists without a bug. The elimination of bugs from the
software depends upon the efficiency of testing done on the
software. A bug is a specific concern about the quality of the
Application under Test (AUT).

Bug Life Cycle:
In software development process, the bug has a life cycle. The bug
should go through the life cycle to be closed. A specific life cycle
ensures that the process is standardized. The bug attains different
states in the life cycle. The life cycle of the bug can be shown
diagrammatically as follows:
sorry i couldnt get diagram

The different states of a bug can be summarized as follows:

1. New
2. Open
3. Assign
4. Test
5. Verified
6. Deferred
7. Reopened
8. Duplicate
9. Rejected and
10. Closed

Description of Various Stages:
1. New: When the bug is posted for the first time, its state will
be "NEW". This means that the bug is not yet approved.
2. Open: After a tester has posted a bug, the lead of the tester
approves that the bug is genuine and he changes the state as "OPEN".
3. Assign: Once the lead changes the state as "OPEN", he assigns the
bug to corresponding developer or developer team. The state of the
bug now is changed to "ASSIGN".
4. Test: Once the developer fixes the bug, he has to assign the bug
to the testing team for next round of testing. Before he releases
the software with bug fixed, he changes the state of bug to "TEST".
It specifies that the bug has been fixed and is released to testing
team.
5. Deferred: The bug, changed to deferred state means the bug is
expected to be fixed in next releases. The reasons for changing the
bug to this state have many factors. Some of them are priority of
the bug may be low, lack of time for the release or the bug may not
have major effect on the software.
6. Rejected: If the developer feels that the bug is not genuine, he
rejects the bug. Then the state of the bug is changed to "REJECTED".
7. Duplicate: If the bug is repeated twice or the two bugs mention
the same concept of the bug, then one bug status is changed
to "DUPLICATE".
8. Verified: Once the bug is fixed and the status is changed
to "TEST", the tester tests the bug. If the bug is not present in
the software, he approves that the bug is fixed and changes the
status to "VERIFIED".
9. Reopened: If the bug still exists even after the bug is fixed by
the developer, the tester changes the status to "REOPENED". The bug
traverses the life cycle once again.

10. Closed: Once the bug is fixed, it is tested by the tester. If
the tester feels that the bug no longer exists in the software, he
changes the status of the bug to "CLOSED". This state means that the
bug is fixed, tested and approved.

What is the difference between a Test and Business components.

On the basic idea a test is the combination of steps grouped by test cases.
Whether you can run the test (steps) manualy/automated by adding in test lab.
In Business process testing the combination of components will become a test (business process test) Components are easily-maintained, reusable units that perform a specific task. They are the building blocks of business process tests. Each component is comprised of several application steps that are logically performed together in a specific order. For example, in a Web application, a login component might be comprised of four steps. Its first step could be to open the application. Its second step could be to enter a user name. Its third step could be to enter a password, and its last step could be to click the Submit button on the Web page. By creating and calling functions stored in
function libraries, you can enhance the component with additional logic to
test important details of the login task. By design, each component tests a specific part of an application. When combined, components are incorporated into a business process test in a serial flow representing the main tasks performed within a particular business process. The task of creating and running components and business process tests is generally performed by Subject Matter Experts working in Quality Center.
While defect prevention is much more effective and efficient in
reducing the number of defects, most organization conducts defect
discovery and removal. Discovering and removing defects is an
expensive and inefficient process. It is much more efficient for an
organization to conduct activities that prevent defects.