THE PHASES TO AN AWESOME PERFORMANCE TEST 2

Today I will finish talking about this important topic. The phases you need to follow to assure an awesome performance load test project.

If you did not read the previous post, you can find it here.

Doing a quick recap, there is a huge problem when a project does not go through those phases. I used the example of a construction. This starts right away putting bricks together. Just for the sake of building. Causing a horribly long process. This never creates a good construction.

Back at home I saw these types of constructions often. I even used to live in a house that had one appended during my childhood.

Now that I am an hombre. I am still finding these horrific situations. I do not see them in constructions anymore. Those situations appear on performance testing projects. Everything goes wrong on these.

Lets see the phases we already talked about.

PHASES 1, 2 and 3

The initial phase, when you are discovering the situation. Answering the most important questions. Important answers that the tester requires to define the project. We will act like detectives. Investigating every detail needed to start thinking about the project.

Second, we will design and plan everything. Producing two of the most important tools for the project. The test cases for the selected business processes. As well as the performance test plan. Both of these are cornerstones of our project. Not the scripts who are fragile and will be unusable in a month or two.

Third, the preparation process. The team will use the Test Plan together with the Test Cases. They will create tools with them. The automated business processes. Better known as test scripts. as well as the orchestrations of those scripts executions. Better known as test scenarios.

Each phase creates a bunch of outputs. The next phase will use the output. We have been diligent with every step. Now we can move on to the next level.

PHASE 4: ACTION!

This phase has several names as well. This phase has many names elsewhere. Such as ACTION, EXECUTE, RUN, TEST, etc. This is the moment when everything actually happens.

We will use everything that we have prepared so far. The scripts are ready completely flawless. Done with the best steps described on the test cases. On the other hand, we have the scenarios ready. All created according with the specifications described on the Test plan. Last, we have the monitors ready. Someone else may manage them. That is cool, too.

Now we will proceed to prepare for the fireworks. Make sure to call everybody to the show. At the minimum, you must invite everyone interested in the project. It could be someone interesting for the project as well. Everybody must be there. Or at least the important people must be aware of that we are doing.

We will start everything to generate the metrics on our test. Here is where all what we have worked for starts to produce something. Be aware if something breaks and show it to the audience. Gather the information produced and store it for the next level.

Following the example of the construction has an easy analogy. Here is where you bring everybody. Use what you have prepared so far, and put it together to construct. Put the bricks you brought. Plaster them with the cement you mixed. Dig the holes with the tools you have. The process will be fast. Completing the project in an efficient way. You follow the plan and the blueprints. Everything is awesome!

PHASE 5: SHOWOFF

The test is now complete. You are almost ready to call it a day. The final phase receives different names on different companies. ANALYSIS, REPORT, DELIVER, VALIDATION, etc.

On this final step we can count the task as done. We will proceed to pack it up. Checking all what we found during the execution. We will put it together on a nice way because we got a boat load of data. This will be an easy way to understand as it will be pretty. It must be at least a bit prettier than a bunch of piled numbers in a CSV.

I recommend to put it with shiny and pretty graphs. Make things easy for anyone. Start things with the main findings. Avoid any boring stuff at the beginning. BAM! We found this!

The main findings go on top to make it interesting. My abuela must understand the language. The rest… well, few people will read the rest. Just be a good boy and place the details of the findings afterwards. You must throw a party. Present the main findings to the most important fellows. There you can deliver the document.

On the construction example we can think of this as the inauguration. Make sure to do a big public show. Cut the red tape. Show everything you built.

CONCLUSION

I want to make sure you understand this. Please be careful. Follow a due diligence when you are conducting projects. Not only performance testing. Any project requires to follow the steps described. Even the famous PMI suggests some phases that ring a bell incredibly. Actually I got these from their steps.

You can see it. They apply to almost any type of endeavor. You wan to do something. First you investigate about that something. Then you plan on how to do that something. Next, you prepare yourself for that something. Finally, you do that something. And  last you finish and call it a day.

Think of it. Most of what you have done has these steps. And think of the times you didn’t do them. I bet hi that it did not go very well. It must have been a lucky day when you did not follow the steps and things went well.

I beg you all. Be diligent. Don’t jump in just wanting to do a something something dark side. Don’t build without planning. Not without thinking first. Like my old señor… My old man.

That extra room looks better nowadays. But still, it need work done here and there. The only way would be to demolish and build again. Planned and thought.

You may have felt my trauma with the bathroom. You can relax now. It has a door now. Only thing is that it is completely transparent.

Besos <3

-Señor Performo
Follow @srperf