All these years I was in an impression that no Testing events/local meet-ups happen in Gujarat. But after coming back from StetpinSummit16, I actively started to look out for webinars and local meet-ups, and to my surprise they are happening all around though not in that frequency. I already started to attend them whenever possible, and so far managed to attend 3-4 Testing webinars, DjangoGirls workshop, meet up on User Stories, and a product launch.
Weekends are now more busy with my running and these meet-ups, but I really look forward to them.
This Saturday we had a local meet-up by kiwiQA, but when I reached the venue on time, there was nobody to host the meet-up, and today I hear that this is always the case with this particular meet-up. They announce it, but nobody hosts it.
Anyways I had a Sunday BugATAhon to look forward to by AgileTA(Agile Testing Alliance,) which was happening at Rishabh software in Baroda. So I left the disappointments there and packed my bag with excitements. We have been told to bring a laptop and mobile device preferably with 3G/4G. I have a Macbook pro and a Windows mobile phone, so I had nothing to worry about, after all I was well equipped.
The very thing I like about testing is it connects so well with the notion of UNKNOWN, that it expects it all the time. I have registered as an individual, and I took my seat, arranged everything and was ready to hunt for the bugs just after I successfully connected to WiFi. But then the Url I have been given to take App download from, was not opening, and when I finally got it copied from the pen drive, I found an APK file. In short it was a mobile application supposed to be be tested on Android device.
My Macbook was not equipped with anything which would let me install this android application, I have brought with me a windows mobile, so again I had no Mobile device to install app on. I have not used android device much and mobile testing is a way new thing for me as of yet, I do not know a quick fix to this hardware issues which would allow me to begin testing. I already had lost so much time out of provided time limit of 2 hours.
Organisers were very helpful from solving up my wifi connection issue to downloading issue. I informed one of them that I have no device to test on, and they told me if I am okay to join any other individual to which I nodded happily. I went up to a girl but she seemed to be enjoying alone and did’t sound interested in having this tester being along.
Again organiser helped me here and found me a group and I landed up with two happy beings Shraddha and Rakesh, and I really thank them for letting me in. I still had no device, but at least I could interact and watch what was happening within the app. I quickly go through the website to read the requirements and understand what is the app all about.
The app was a link between class tutors, students and parents, and would allow them to collaborate within and be informed about the class activities.
Shraddha and Rakesh was doing hands-on, and adding bugs to the excel sheet. I was looking at website, their hands-on and what issues they are getting on. Meanwhile I also started preparing a final test-report so that we have everything ready in the end. The given app was already so buggy that it did not take much digging and initial layers revealed so many bugs. Product also lacked in terms of testability and so we were not able to dig deeper for a few core functions as it would either crash or would not do anything at all. Finally when time was up we gathered all documents into a zipped file and sent it over to the mentioned emails.
I left the venue soon after having a lunch, but as one learns much from the mistakes she makes, I learned not to assume that it can’t be an android application. There are many things which are not known before hand when it comes to testing, but at least I can make sure now that I don’t get stooped because of hardware limitations. Blaming on others neither works in softwares nor I enjoy it. It was the first kind of event I have participated in, but with all these surprises, it was fun, realistic and a good place to be in. I would like to thank Agile testing alliance and Rishab software for organising this event. Also to Shraddha and Rakesh for welcoming me in the middle of everything.