Know the basics

- [Instructor] I've approached this course with the idea that you are new to some of the concepts surrounding the processes and management of software development. However, you should have some understanding of how software is created, the value of taking the proper steps to deliver a quality product, and maybe even a few of the processes associated with software development. This course is focused on the testing portion of the process. I will not be spending a lot of time teaching the complexities and details surrounding each of these. Instead, I'll focus exclusively on what role testing plays in each phase, and the role a test engineer, test manager, or someone looking to incorporate testing into their project operates in this framework. One of the frustrating and often confusing things about learning many of these procedures and processes is there are a lot of small differences in each concept. You may find slight variations in execution, terminology, and even steps. This means what you may see in this course could differ from your previous experiences or with what you find online. I'm going to do my best to adhere to the most recognizable form and best practices as the industry defines. If you see some of these variations in a different course, don't consider one right or wrong. The other ideas probably have some merit, and could improve your overall result. For this course, I'm sticking to the core ideas to ensure it's compatible with most systems. As part of my effort to clarify these systems, we will be using a fictional application to illustrate how the process works. We're going to be referencing a tourism application called Explore California to explore the complicated steps to testing an application, and see how our development partners will interface during its development. The most important thing to remember is no matter the procedure or process model, your role in software testing is critical to the success of the product. This course explores the complicated framework positioned around software development and approaches to executing it. You may think the way you've been doing your testing is the best way to deliver a quality product. However, what my experience has taught me over all the years I've worked in quality is that being flexible and open-minded to new ideas delivers the best results. Above all these concepts, procedures, and processes exist a desire to deliver a good product. And there are many approaches that work.