Episode 21: Everything you always wanted to know about Testing

Ask QueBIT About Analytics

Episode 21: Everything you always wanted to know about Testing

Guest: Jim Brinnen

When implementing a new analytics system, testing is sometimes treated as a “nice-to-have” rather than a core requirement. While no one says up-front that testing is a low priority, it is not unusual for there to be inadequate dollars, time and planning set aside for testing. While this is true for any software application implementation, it may be particularly true in analytics because analytics projects are often initiated and owned by the Line of Business, rather than IT. This is a good thing because the Business recognizes business value when it sees it (and can thus be a very engaged partner), but issues may arise because the Business typically has limited experience in implementing software systems. At the beginning of the project, the challenges of acquiring data and defining requirements can be overwhelming. It is normal to go through a process of learning that leads to changed expectations and modified scope. Since analytics tools are pitched as business friendly and easy to use, this often leads to pressure to shift consulting costs away from testing towards expanded scope under the assumption that the customer will, by then, have learned enough about the system to take care of testing it themselves.

In this episode, QueBIT’s Customer Success and Solution Delivery leader Jim Brinnen explains all the different kinds of testing needed along with what must be taken into account in each case to be successful. If you are new to testing, you will be surprised at how much there is to consider!