Jay Ruuska, GUI Testing

May 7, 2009

Location: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

Twin-SPIN
For the Minneapolis/St. Paul Regional Area

Sorry, but we will NOT have reserved parking for this event .

Meeting  Announcement:
Thursday 
May 7th, 2009
5:30-8:00 p.m. at The University of Minnesota
5:30 start for networking, 6:15 start of meeting.

EE/CS Building
Room EE/CS 3-230 (Look for signs)
Minneapolis, MN

Directions:  

A map is available at
http://onestop.umn.edu/Maps/EE/CSci/>
Check out the detailed map under the "close up" button.

This Month's Meeting:

Program Manager:  Dan Bocko - Emerson Electronics

Topic:  "Graphical User Interface (GUI) Testing"

Speaker: Jay Ruuska - Software Test Automation Consultant

Abstract:

Graphical user interface (GUI) testing is one of the most important tests in any QA process. Think about it. Software that people use can interface with lots of things -- databases, communications systems, hardware -- but the most important interface is with a human being. Without a reliable interface the connection loses trust, the single most important link between humans and computers. 

Testing the graphical user interface of a software application or web site is more complex than just testing the underlying functionality. It is necessary to validate what the user sees on their display to confirm that the application is accurate and complete. 

This presentation addresses the importance of GUI testing from this perspective and outlines the central concepts and options that must be considered to do it well. It also covers mainstream testing methods (including automation), and avoiding common mistakes.

Speaker Bio:

Jay Ruuska is a consultant specializing in software test automation. He helps teams develop and implement test-automation strategies. Recent clients include Cisco Systems, Google, and the State of Washington. Previously he held positions at EDS and IBM in the United States and abroad.

Jay has been involved in the disciplines of user-interface testing (usability, functional validation, visual defect detection, and user-acceptance testing) across various media since 1987. He is an honors graduate of the University of North Texas and has been a featured speaker in North America, Europe, and Asia.

Twin-SPIN Mission Statement:

The Twin-SPIN software process improvement network  (SPIN) is a regional organization established in January of 1996 as a   forum for the free and open exchange of software process improvement   experiences and ideas. Representatives from industry, government, academia, other professional organizations, and consultants are welcome to participate. Our mission is to help sustain commitment and enhance skills in the area of software process improvement through an active program of networking and mutual support. The organization strives to serve as a source of educational and experiential information for its members, other SPIN organizations, and the general community of software professionals. 

Meetings are normally held on the 1st Thursday of each month from 5:45-8:00 p.m. Twin-SPIN is a non-profit organization and is sponsored by the University of Minnesota Center for Software Engineering (UMSEC).  See:
http://twin-spin.cs.umn.edu

2009 Sponsors:

Facility Sponsor

University of Minnesota, Department of Computer Science and Engineering

$2,000 Sponsors

University of Minnesota Software Engineering Center (UMSEC)

$600 Sponsors

General Dynamics - Advanced Information Systems (GD-AIS)

$500 Sponsors

PACT/Parametric Technology Corporation

$200 Sponsors

BenchmarkQA 

$100 Sponsors