 Legal
|
 Do I need to sign an NDA before starting work on the project and getting the software?
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Contract?
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What am I allowed to say about this project? Can I say I'm working for your company, or mention the product, for example, to my Mac user group? Unless otherwise specified, I will assume all is to remain under wraps.
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Exchange contact info
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Company address
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Email
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IM
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Phone
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Fax
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Who will be my main points of contact? An introduction to project team members with whom I'll likely interface - name, email, project responsibilities - would probably be helpful.
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Billing
|
Who gets invoice?
|
Email OK, or do you need paper invoice?
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Does anyone else need a copy, e.g. for approval?
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Getting paid: U.S. company check? International wire transfer? Other?
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Communication
|
time zone issues?
|
regular emails?
|
iChat?
|
participate in (some) meetings via phone, iChat, iChat AV?
|
work feedback
|
direction , feedback helpful
|
culture
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management style
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expectations (both parties)
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Testing
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environment: unless otherwise suggested, app will be tested on systems with user system - no Developer Tools
|
Scope/components - how much app do you have to test?
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App proper
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Helper app(s)?
|
Disk image/installer
|
Readme
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Automator action(s)? How many?
|
Dashboard widget(s)?
|
AppleScript dictionary
|
Localisation(s)?
|
Help file
|
Known weak spots?
|
For developer(s) - what is the most fragile part of the code - where do you fear users will go?
|
New code, features, functionality?
|
Rewritten code?
|
Other untested code?
|
Problem areas, as identified by user reports?
|
Compatibility with some other third-party apps, e.g. WindowShade, DefaultFolder, FruitMenu?
|
Priorities: what needs to be tested first?
|
Documentation that's going to the printers in two days?
|
Disk image/installer that's going to be mastered in three days?
|
Program itself?
|
Help system?
|
Other?
|
Time
|
How soon do you need the testing done?
|
How much testing time do you think you need/expect?
|
Any restrictions on testing?
|
Trial period, e.g. 4 hours?
|
Dollar amount?
|
When appropriate, please specify how much time should be spent on a particular bug, e.g. "this is really important, so spend up to 3 hours on this"
|
Testing materials
|
Smoke/shakedown test(s)?
|
Specific test cases/scripts?
|
Test files? simple? complex?
|
Is another platform version (Windows, Linux) to be used for reference? If so, what are system requirements? Do you have loaner hardware?
|
Apple XRay: are you using it?
|
AppleScript dictionary
|
class, property tests?
|
Automated testing
|
AppleScripts
|
AppleScript GUI scripting
|
Is app AppleScriptable recordable? (extremely useful for submitting bug reports, regression testing)
|
Eggplant scripts
|
Competition
|
what do you like or dislike about other products?
|
Documentation
|
What resources do you have to help new tester get up to speed?
|
Do you have any formal or even informal test plan documentation to start with?
|
Feature list?
|
Specification? Limits?
|
Is a current user manual available? If the manual is in progress, will a current copy (preferably PDF) be available from the tech writer, and will s/he be available for documentation questions?
|
Style sheet/guide
|
Do you have a style sheet with product names, trademarks, and company-specific use of terms? If not, I'll probably start one.
|
Help system
|
What help is there? Help Viewer? Third-party help system, e.g. RoboHelp, QuickHelp?
|
Tutorial(s)?
|
Quick-reference material?
|
Sample/example files?
|
Bug database/reporting bugs:
|
Do you have a bug database I can access over the net (FileMaker-based, TestTrack, Bugzilla, other)?
|
Bug database set-up
|
special files to install? installer?
|
application?
|
basic configuration info?
|
documentation?
|
If not, would a basic FileMaker 7 bug database be useful, and do you have a server that could host it?
|
If using email, how often would you like to receive bug reports? tab-delimited text OK? (paste in spreadsheet for viewing), HTML?
|
Debugging info
|
are there debug builds?
|
special/secret debug menu(s)?
|
set via defaults command?
|
special key combination to enable/disable?
|
assertion logging?
|
logging stack traces?
|
when to submit sample files (output of command line "sample" command or Activity Monitor app)
|
secret preferences for testing use?
|
Submitting files
|
crash logs
|
submit to Apple via Crash Reporter/Problem Reporter?
|
developer builds or for release builds only?
|
special instructions?
|
test documents
|
stacktraces
|
AppleScripts
|
bug screen shots
|
bug movies
|
Test system info
|
Are you interested in Apple System Profiler logs from any/all test systems?
|
Abbreviated (command line) output?
|
Builds
|
Do all builds have unique build number? (they should!)
|
What is expected frequency of new builds? Daily? Weekly? As needed?
|
provision to run expired builds in the future (for demonstrating/closing old bugs)?
|
prefs file entry, set via defaults command?
|
presence of a secret file?
|
special key combination at launch?
|
Delivery
|
Website
|
ftp
|
hostname
|
login
|
password
|
path
|
http
|
URL
|
if not public
|
login
|
password
|
Network infrastructure
|
VPN access?
|
Poke a hole in firewall for server access?
|
Email (least desirable)
|
Supported OS/hardware
|
What operating systems are supported?
|
What hardware (monitor size/resolution, CPU, RAM, keyboard, printers, etc.) is supported?
|
What is the main platform?
|
How much emphasis should be placed on each?
|
Do you have any hardware available for testing purposes (on- or off-site)? (primarily for local clients with special needs)
|
Do you require any special hardware? Will you provide?
|
Any plans to test at Apple's Compatibility Labs (Room With a View, Field of Dreams, Project X) in Cupertino? During Macworld week? Before/during/after WWDC week?
|
Evangelism
|
User group program?
|
license for UG raffle?
|
UG demo?
|
UG discount?
|