Data-centric Testing

Enterprise Information Management SIG: Data-centric Testing - Why is it different? 16/10/2012 Presenters: Richard Ng This event topic was about Data-centric Testing. Data-centric Testing is based on data warehouse or business intelligence system. Unlike transaction system, its test scenario is totally different. To begin with, Richard stated the testing myths and realities. It can not be ensured that all the faulty of the system are corrected by the testing. Testing is divided into functional test, usability test, performance test, stress test, recovery test, security test, regress test. Different test scenarios should be used in specific purpose. Take functional system for example, it is clear that testing is to ensure the transaction goes fluently in a designed user case. Then he moved to the key challenges in the data centric testing. Compared with transaction, data centric testing involved a large amount of entities and relationships. Besides, it was not sequential and was difficult to define a use case for it. This is partly due to the fact that data centric testing involves numerous data in present layer. Also, it is subject oriented. This means the tester should have enough about the enterprise data and understand about the content in the report or decision support system. Finally, he gave us a solution in regard to this problem. Specific skills are necessary in carry out success testing, which includes data model aware, DW-BI architecture knowledge and enterprise data or at least data subject area understanding. In addition, a data scenario should be a good approach in testing. In terms of testing the front-end, functional testing must necessarily involve the end users since they can more easily detect abnormality in data. Overall, I think this presentation is very inspiring in data centric testing. I will use this knowledge in my recent business intelligence project.

Question 2:

My neighbour was an old lady whose son already migrated to foreign country. She had not seen her sons and family for a long time. Her son set up the internet access for her, but she had difficult in operating computers. As her neighbour, I did her a favour to help her set up the online video chatting account and fast lunch icon for her and taught her for a long time. Fortunately, she could managed her won way to deal with the online chatting system. The computer had totally change her life in communicating with her relative who live far away from her. She was so happy to had such advanced technology to keep in touch with her sons. Therefore, I think ICT technology has changed the way we communicate and reduce the cost for communicating. Another example that can enable me to work as a professional is my community working experience. I used to work as a community visitor for a nursing home. One day when I went there for my visit, they had to set up a new computer for the aged people entertainment purpose. However, they stuck in setting up the computer due to network problem. They knew I was major in information technology. Therefore, they ask me for help, although I finally set up the computer for them, but I found that I was lack of skills to help other people. I could even say I am major in ICT. Based on these experience, I think I have to strive to attain my professional in ICT industry. To be a professional, I have to get expertise skills as well as business skills.

the difference between your profession and your career

In my opinion, I agree with the view that profession is as Macquarie Dictionary defined:"following an occupation as a means of livelihood or for gain". To be a professional, individuals should acquire knowledge and strive to attain expertise in their ICT field. This is partly ICT have so many skills, which I think it is difficult to manage many fields. Therefore, focusing on a subject area is needed for a ICT professional. In addition, ICT have to take our responsibility to the society and the environment. For instance, the green IT is a good example to illustrate this point. Also, I think Bill Gates is a good example for us to follow. He lead the company to success and benefited numerous people using the window interface. After his professional ICT development for the Microsoft, he is rewarding to society or the whole world by founding a fund for the charity. Therefore, I consider him as a good example for professional. He not only works as a professional and apply his knowledge, but also he take his responsibility to reward the whole community. In contrast, career path is a way you want to achieve for higher salary or more sophisticated skills. You may treat it as a living tool rather than profession. This means a career path may not exert profound influence on the society or apply knowledge. I think the career path is focus on our own but profession is to influence others and benefit the society.

SFIA

This week we focus on adjusting my CV using the SFIA framework. I find the framework is very clear for use to develop skills in the ICT. Firstly, I can identify my skills in the category and subcategory. Matching the category description with my current experience is useful to figure out my current career path and my level under such framework. Then, I can compare my current skills with the level description in those specific skills. The difference demonstrates the gap between my current skill set level and the professional level. To move to next high level, I have to minimize the gaps or foster the skills required in the next high level. This means I know my skill weakness and know the goal in achieving higher level professional in ICT. Finally, I have to cultivate my soft skills (the generic skills, my personal skills or my work skills) as well. Soft skills are also considered an important part in a ICT professional, as a fresh graduate, I think I have to keep in mind that I have to develop all these skills to the same level until I move to the next high level. In terms of applying a job, using the SFIA framework is also very practical. I can utilize all the technical terms that used in the SFIA framework to make my CV looks more professional. In addition, when I look at the job advertisement, I can identify the skills required in the job description and match it with the SFIA framework. Overall, I think the SFIA not only facilitates in job applications, but also it can help me to figure out my career path in ICT.

11

This week, we are focus on risk management and the response to the risks. According to the project plan I currently involved, there are variety risks in the project, such as the allocation fund for the project. In terms of ICT risk, if we can not define the metadata correctly, it will lead to project fail from the beginning. I think the fundamental parts for a Business Intelligence system are the metadata and how to capture the business metadata or the business requirement before we actually implement the system. In current stage, risks also be introduce instantly, for instance, in the definition of metadata phase, we have to ensure that we capture the business requirement and develop the correct metadata entity in the metadata dictionary. This is the only way that adds business value to the company. To minimize the risks, we have to develop a risk strategy to avoid this change or reduce the risk impact ot

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data dictionary

I also see quite a dichotomy between starting a data dictionary as an aid to building a (greenfields) data source, and documenting an already-existing system A data dictionary is, at its most simple, a mapping of data elements your organization stores, where it stores them, and what each element means. While it’s simple to describe, it’s a bit more complicated and time-consuming to implement. Another reason for a data dictionary is that you need to determine authoritative sources for your data elements when you need systems to interact. Defining Data Elements for the Data Dictionary