Approach to CSQA-Some tips
I am getting so many queries on how to approach CSQA. Well, I just describe it as any exam which we used to write while we are in our grad schools. Only difference I could see is lack of awareness and sufficient material.
- The approach to CSQA is simple-make sure you understand all the topics given in the CBOK very clearly. First decide when you are going to write the exam.
- Then set goals for urself depending on the time available, like completing each Sklil category in 10 days.
- Get a copy of the CBOK as soon as possible, if you are not having it.
- Prepare questions for yourself; make sure you are well versed with the quality vocabulary.
- Also try to correlate the quality principles/concepts which you are studying to what you are doing/have to do in your current and future roles as a QA Professional.
If these steps are followed, it should not be a problem in getting CSQA certified.
I Wish you all the best.
posted by Prasanna Kumar at 10:00 PM
7 Comments:
Hi,
If you have any information on any of the following, can you pls forward me?
1. Tool acquisition process
2. Process map construction with example
3. Walk The talk - Ask 4 questions to your Manager whether is his ready for Implementation of QM and give necessities required for those questions.
4. 2-3 points to topics that you will take up in a Quality program
5. Metrics for ease of use, reliability, correctness, portability, customer satisfaction, usability, maintainability etc – for all those in 1st chapter
6. Examples of 3 control charts and their uses
Regards,
Sirisha
Answers:
1. Tool Acquisition
• Start by looking at your current situation using the "Analyse Needs" form
o Identify your problems
o Explore alternative solutions
o Realistic expectations from tool solutions
o Are you ready for tools?
• Make a business case for the tool using the "Business Case" form
o What are your current and future manual testing costs?
o What are initial and future automated testing costs?
o What return will you get on investment and when?
• Identify candidate tools using the "Identify Tools" form
o Identify constraints (economic, environmental, commercial, quality, political)
o Classify tool features into mandatory & desirable
o Evaluate features using the 20 questions to ask tool vendors
o Investigate tool experience using the 20 questions to ask other tool users
for more depth, consult "Ovum Evaluates Software Testing Tools"
o Plan and schedule in-house demonstration (see tips on pp274 - 278 of the book)
o Make the decision
• Implement the selected tool using the "Plan Implementation" form
Note: this should be planned before the decision is made, so in parallel with Identify tools!
o Who are the candidate tool users?
o What do they want from the tool?
o Who will take what responsibilities (champion, custodian, management support)
o How to manage the introduction of the tool into the organisation
o Pilot project: importance and what to learn from it
o Planned phased roll-out
o Continuous evaluation
3.Walk the Talk
Refer to Fig.4.1 - Key Questions to Management in CBOK guide (KD-4)
5. Metrics
Reliability - MTBF, MTTF
Software Productivity - LOC/Effort, FP/Effort
Test Completion Criteria - No of Test completed/ No of Test planned, No of Defects Open/ No of Defects identified
Customer Satisfaction - MTTR, No of Help desk calls / day, Customer Survey Results
Defects - No of (In Process + Post Submission defects) /KLOC, In process defects/ Post Submission defects + In process
Management commitment - Time spent on meetings related to Quality initiatives, What resources the management has committed/ What resources have been provided
Portability - Actual effort for porting/ Planned effort, Total no of Changes due to porting / Total effort,No of defects because of porting, Effort to resolve the complex issues related to porting
Testability - Actual Hour for Testing / estimated Hours for testing, Effort required to Fix the testing defects / Total effort for Testing
Maintainability - Mean Time to Respond, Effort to fix the bug/Total no of MR received, No of MR fixed within SLA/No of MR received, Actual effort to fix the problem/ authourised effort to work on maintenance, Mean time between Repair, Efforts spent on fixing the defect / Total effort spent on developing the products, Time taken for rectification, Cyclomatic complexity V(g) = e-n+2
Ease of Use/Usability - No of Helpdesk call/ Day, No of key strokes, No of defects/LOC, Training effort (Hrs)
Security - No of unauthorised access
Software Development Method - Effort Effectiveness, SSAD (System Study and Design), OOAD Tool to comparethe various methods
Customer Behaviour - Volatility Index, No of change request visa-a vis project plan
Questions
2. Process map construction with example
4. 2-3 points to topics that you will take up in a Quality program
6. Examples of 3 control charts and their uses
Answers (contd..)
2. Refer to section - Process Mapping in KD-7
4. Points to be taken up in a Quality program depends on the current maturity of the organization. You can select any of: Introducing Formal Inspections, Training Programs, Using automated tool for metrics collection, Use of an automated Time sheet Management tool, initiative for effective meetings etc.
6. Ex1: To decide whether the process is within the specification limits of customer
Ex2: To monitor the process variation within the organization's Control limits
You can explain these examples with the help of visual graphs/charts/figures. Refer to KD-5 & KD-8 for further info on Control charts.
Thanks a lot for the help
Hi Prasanna,
Thanks a lot for your help and posting it on the site. Your site was having good information.
Can you help me with some more info if possible?
1. Examples of various QC tools and in which scenarios of software can they be used?
2. Chapter 1 of CBOK has some 12 key words like interoperability, testability, maintainability etc, can you pls tell me where I can get metrics for all of them
3. Can you also help in giving examples of what kind of control charts(x bar, r, c, u, n,p etc) can be used in various scenarios? I have looked on net for these but I am not getting software examples for these.
4. I thought we have to mention on vision, mission, goals, values for walk the talk, is it not that way? If say our company is in level 5, then how do we answer this question 3.
5. I got what he mentions by Process map, how do we give example to it?
6. Do we not say about S/W config mgmt, risk mgmt etc for question 4? Pls let me know.
Regards,
Sirisha
Is Process Map same as Process workbench?
1. Examples of QC tools can be Checklists used for Revies & Audits, automated test tools, temlates for test planing, test case, test reporting etc. are all Q tools.
2 . I'll shortly publish the metrics for the remaining attributes also very soon.
3. This article may be of help to you - "Which control do I use" www.asq.org/articles/aqc-proceedings/r>public_proceedings/57_2003/19375.pdf
4. For your given question above, it is asking the "Questions you need to put to management". That's why I've referred the section said above. Walk the talk includes how the management leading by example in executing their mission/Vision/goals.
5. Ex. to Process mapping can be your initial analysis when a CMMi initiative is kicked off in the organization.
In mapping, see how all Process Areas of cMMi are in alignment with organization's mission. vision & goals; map them to the roles & responsibilities etc. If the organization is already ISO certified, you need to map with the existing processes too to avoid redefining the processes ........
Note that Process WorkBench & Process Mapping are not the same. Process Mapping comes into picture before you finalize your WorkBench.
6. Yes, you can mention them also - CM,Risk Mgt etc.
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