Saturday, May 6, 2017

2017 OSHG: IMA Proposed Working Group: Test Management

IMA Proposed Working Group: Test Management
Updated 5/26/2017
A proposal is given for a work group to design and implement a test capability to support the development and selection of open sim and related code.  An example of probable output is given, along with a generalized road map for operating a WG with IMA support.  

WG: Test management

  • Objective: support development of open source software for user-built virtual worlds.
  • Need: testing needed to characterize bugs, evaluate alternatives, and validate betas.
  • Who: The OpenSim community can do this.  (We, the users.)
  • Rationale: We need not and should not put the burden on the developers.
  • Support: IMA will undertake to organize and support an OpenSim Working Group for test management. 
  • Lead: Selby Evans will undertake initial organization of this WG.
  • Selby hopes to turn the lead over so someone more capable in the future.
Objective: To design and implement a test capability to support the development and selection of open sim and related code.

Expected output (deliverables) 
  • A document giving the categories of tests required for the cited development 
  • Road-maps showing how to execute tests in each category
  • Approval of these items by developers and other users of the test results
  • Formation of a self-maintaining tester team intended to continue indefinitely.
  • Output may change by decisions of the WG

Comment

The initial impetus for this WG came from a discussion in the Dev Q&A meeting about the task of testing fixes for the problems we have we have with permissions.  Some fixes have already been done, but testing them is a big problem with many parameters forming a large combinatorial set.  The discussion disclosed a method for distributing the test burden over a large group of volunteers.  The function of the Test WG is to develop and implement a detailed plan for doing that.
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Since this test plan can be generalized to other testing needs, the WG can and should present a generalized test procedure that can be used with any scriptable testing. 


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Example of resources for Test Management WG

Example of WG output (draft, WG revisions TBD)

  • Database for test requests: Fields
  • Name of test 
  • Estimated length of time required for individual execution.  
  • Priority (assigned by requestor)
  • Desired data report (maybe the filed output of the tests)
  • Needed operating system (WIN, MAC, UNIX). 
  • Separate tests for each operating system.
  • Link to test script.
  • Testor actions required (in sequence)
  • Testor reports required (beyond filed output),
  • Commit notes (Open or Name/ID of persons committing, commit date)

Suggested road map: Working Groups

  • Here is a suggested road map for this WG, generalized to be adaptable to any WG.
  • Note that a road map is not a time line.  

Resources (TBD)

  • Detailed specification of objectives
  • Detailed identification of software resources
  • Detailed identification of hardware resources
  • Identification of willing members

WG organization

  • A WG is a self-managed team.  It will initially be formed by an organizer.
  • The only task of the organizer is to find members and to arrange for initial meeting(s).
  • In the initial meeting(s), the WG will determine leadership arrangements. 
  • Essential actions:  Time of next meeting and who will do notifications.

WG objectives

  • The WG will have objectives, possibly implied, when it is formed.
  • It may want to specify its objectives in writing:
  • to coordinate with other working groups,
  • to publicize its activities and encourage support.

WG planning/roadmap

  • The WG will be developing plans for reaching its objective.
  • IMA should be able to provide software to support remote collaboration on planning.

WG execution of plans

  • The WG will seek support beyond its membership to carry out its plans.
  • Support may come as contributed effort or contributions of money.
  • IMA will develop a database of possible volunteers, with offered skills.
  • Note that needed skills and capabilities are not limited to coding.
  • Needed skills may include promotion, public relations, grant-writing, etc.
  • Capabilities will include operating systems and hardware.
  • IMA will develop a database of potential funding sources, nonprofit and for-profit.
  • IMA will be able to act as the company managing contracts/grants, if needed.

WG visibility

  • WGs can post in a G+ community created and promoted by IMA
  • WGs may post goals, plans, roadmaps, milestones, agendas, calls for help, etc.
  • IMA will work to broaden the reach of WG posts and announcements.
  • Selby will present reports of WG progress in Virtual Outworlding

WG members

  • Selby Evans 
  • shawnkmaloney Craftgrid
  • Jamie Jordan
  • Arielle Popstar?

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