Summary: This week we talk with Andy Aczel the CTO of the SpecialistGuild.org about how they use quality assurance (QA) testing to change the lives of people on the Autism Spectrum. The Specialist Guild is able to train, place, and employ people on the spectrum while also doing great work to improve how websites and applications work for organizations. [alert_blue] Web QA testing involves checking a site against the defined project scope with the goal of identifying and documenting bugs. The tests span across major devices, browsers, and operating systems to make sure functionality is consistent. This bug hunting process is a critical step in software development and helps produce polished websites that provide users with a better experience. [/alert_blue] [alert_blue] Usability testing is a methodology where users are asked to perform certain tasks based on the original product design to test ease-of-use, task time, and the user experience. Testing can be done in a lab with cameras/screen recorders or informally with someone watching a user use the product. [/alert_blue] Additional Resources Specialistguild.org Great usability testing firm Screenfly - screen grabs and usability across browsers (free) Browser Stack - test your site across devices (free tests) Selenium - automatic browser testing scripts Jira - mentioned in the cast used for bug tracking and project management FogBugz - simple web bug tracking tool. Virtual Box by Oracle - Local virtual machine software that lets you render full OS versions locally. Dont Make Me Think - great book and resource for understanding usability testing.
