Document Review

Doc review!!! It may sound very simple yet ignored the most.  The document may be a functional spec, test strategy document, test checklist/test plan, product documentation, etc.,

To a QA engineer, reviewing a document is also a form of testing. Document review at each stage plays a vital role, detects defects and delivers a quality product.

Let me put it in a simple way rather than describing the review process or standards to follow. We will quickly go through the advantages, points to remember and few catch up things.

Advantages of reviewing the documents: 

1.      Functional spec review:

•   Helps in understanding the business requirements
•   Assists in raising flag when implementation deviates from the specification
•   Aids you to derive test cases from it
•  Benefits in knowing the open issues/ bottlenecks of the requirements

2.      Test strategy/test plan review:

•   Will get to know the missing cases/corner cases
•    Rectifying the Verification points
•    Helps to know the misinterpretations of the test scenario/test case

3.      Product documentation review:  Even after delivering a product, if the documentation is incorrect or does not convey the usage of feature properly then the quality of product goes down or may result in customer dissatisfaction. So, product document should be accurate and easy to understand, after all customer satisfaction is what we need.

•    Aids to find the feature usage are conveyed or not
•    Easy to understand or not
•    For better understanding, whether the screenshots required or not.

Above all, if we know that someone will review the document which we deliver, we will be extra cautions in writing the document and putting the necessary things in the document. Bingo :)

http://goo.gl/WfTBoS

Points to remember when providing feedback/comments: 

1.     Ask to check for correctness – When you are not sure about the exact output/expectation ask the writer to recheck

2.      Don’t be a rival -  Don’t give comments as a revenge, because as he/she gave so many comments to you previously

3.      Say reasons for your comments if necessary

Reviewer has to look in all possible aspects and should provide feedback.  Writer job finishes after sending the document for review, and now it’s your turn to check for correctness. If something is wrong or anything is missed out, then you will be caught and not the writer. 

http://goo.gl/ZQVsIo 

 As we talked a lot about reviewing, now I shall list the quick things that one should register in mind while documenting.

Catch up things to follow to write document:

1. Typos/spelling mistakes - Sounds silly, but very important as it may change the meaning of the sentence
2. Alignment & Spacing - It would be difficult to read if not aligned properly
3. Font style & Size – If font style and size is not proper then it may distract the reader and would be hard to differentiate headings, sub headings and content
4. Table of content/index – Maintaining index, helps in easy navigation from section to section and gives an overview of the document
5. Revision History - A brief history of what changes went in all, is good to maintain
6.  Easy of understanding
7. Correctness & completeness – This is the space where the actual contents goes in and should be complete and accurate.

http://goo.gl/Hrfr5S

First 5 things when followed will create a good impression to reviewer and he/she will be 60% comfortable and feel inspiring to review the document, believe me it works. If not, they will simply close the document saying someone will do the job.

Happy Reviewing Friends, you are also welcome to review this topic as well and provide comments below :)