147 pages pdf - ICT Digital Literacy

Testing Here, External Testing There, Quality Assurance Everywhere
#438: Be Prepared: Think Contingency
Ask "What if?" (the constructive pessimism technique). For example, locate a backup system --
just in case your computer goes down -- as breakdowns will occur. It's more a question of
"when" rather than "if." Also, be familiar with multiple Operating Systems as well as with various
web browsers (Netscape, Microsoft Internet Explorer, etc.), email programs and word
processors (e.g., MS Word, Word Perfect). The key is flexibility-- know (and test) more than
ONE way to accomplish a task.
Ross Hodgkinson
Tack Training America
#439: Testing, Simply Put
Be sure to create evaluation questions that are linked to the course content. And use beta
testers before rolling out full scale.
Eduardo Ramos
Instituto Infnet
#440: One Last Edit: The Comma Challenge
After applying a "final" edit, always click through the WBT again to make sure it works even if the edit was
small. One of our development tools causes the WBT program to stop cold if a comma is used in the
answer choices to a question. Definitely a limitation to the program but one we know about and work
around. One time we added an additional question at the last minute before launching and even though
we went through months of testing and editing, one comma stopped the whole launch.
Kevin Harrington
Prudential Financial
#441: Steering The Client Through The Process For Results
e-Learning courseware development is not the same as any other software development. It is
much more iterative inherently as a process. And many a times the client him/herself may not
be very clear of the requirements. So have a process which incorporates ongoing reviews and
validations at the client end. This will assure you a higher level of quality.
Amit Garg
#442: How Should We Test? Let Me Count The Ways
Be sure to build enough time in your schedule to pilot the prototype of the training with the intended
audience. Just observing where they get stuck or caught in a loop will help to expose problematic areas
that the instructional designers/developers may overlook because they're not Subject Matter Experts.
Jennifer Adkins
Quest Diagnostics
#443: Hard To Use = No Use
Run usability tests on your course deliverables.
Dr. Erwin Bratengeyer
Donau-Universitaet Krems
#444: Test And Listen
Test your course in all its stages of development. Make sure that different people, from different
segments of the target audience, are represented in the sample on whom you test your course.
Hear the feedback and really take it seriously. Be willing to revise and then revise again until
you are confident that you have addressed all key feedback. This doesn't mean that you have to
incorporate everyone's changes, but it does mean that you should be able to doument why you
included specific changes and why you chose not to include others.
Mary Bollash
United Technologies
701 e-Learning Tips by The MASIE Center www.masie.com 88