Who should attend:

• Test Managers and Executives responsible for overall software quality
• Performance Test Engineers and Managers
• Developers, Architects and Test Engineers

Abstract

Testing and tuning the performance of today’s applications is a complex task, undertaken by a team of individuals that may include performance engineers, QA testers, architects, developers, database administrators, line-of-business executives and related project team members. Performance testing has been around for a long time, yet poorly-performing applications remain the rule rather than the exception.

In this tutorial the participants explore how to create a high-performing performance test organization. The tutorial talks about the goals, methodology, personnel, communication, process, science and art of performance testing. The participants review examples of performance test best practices – and equally important, performance test worst practices, which unfortunately penetrate the industry today.

Specifically, the tutorial reviews the following:

What’s the point of performance testing at all?
Too often we get excited about the act of performance testing and forget why we are doing it in the first place (hint, it’s not to break the application!). The session talks about the goals of performance testing and how they can serve as guidance for building a high-performing team.

Not everybody is a good performance tester
You team matters. The people on your team matter. For the sake of your career, their career and the fate of the project, you should choose wisely. The session will also talk about the attributes of a good performance tester.

Requirements for a good performance testing process and how to get there
One of the key success factors for effective testing efforts is designing a good test planning process. It is also the most often ignored. The result is often in low QA team and personnel effectiveness, morale problems and (of course), poor software. The session explores a series of simple process improvements one can take home that can have meaningful effect on the efforts.

How to incorporate a team-based methodology for performance testing
Fostering communication among the many individuals referenced above can be challenging and can often lead to testing delays. The process is especially difficult when testers and developers are distributed around the building, around the country or even around the globe. The participants discuss a new methodology for collaborative load testing—an antidote to the iterative, multi-week process based on e-mail and conference calls that most organizations are forced to use today

Results even in crunch time — Rapid Bottleneck Identification
The personnel who staff Managed Load Test services are the “cream of the crop” in terms of performance testing skill and methodology — allowing customers to focus on application tuning and environmental considerations. Empirix’s Rapid Bottleneck Identification (R.B.I.) methodology is the standard practice for Empirix’s e-LoadExpert managed load test service. In this session, the facilitator walks you through the methodology through case studies and “war stories.”

Demonstrate value by providing information rather than mountains of data
Test managers constantly lament that few outside their group understand or care much about the value they provide and consistently deliver. Unfortunately, they are often correct. The lack of visibility and understanding of the test team’s contribution can lead to restricted budgets, fewer resources, tighter timelines, and ultimately, lower group productivity. The session will explore ways to effectively and concisely communicate with key stakeholders in an organization to ensure that they understand the value and role of the testing group.