Alpha Testing

240:205 Instructional Computing Design

30 points

 

You have completed the work, now it is time to test the quality of your product.  Before you present it to the world, you must have your design and development team review the work using some of the tools you have already used and/or developed.

 

Style Manual Evaluation:  Your first activity is to use the style manual that you created (and had approved by the client) to check that the product has been created within the stated boundaries.  This involves each of the team members sitting down individually, with style manual in hand, and proceeding through the program as a member of the intended audience might do.  The purpose is to identify and eliminate as many problems as possible.

 

The best way to do this is to have a printed copy of the program in hand so you can make notes as you proceed through the program.  Create your own evaluation form based upon your Style Manual.  Use this to review your program.  Check the font.  Review the layout.  Test the robustness of the program.  Try to make the program crash.  Remember the tougher you are on your program now, the fewer bugs it will exhibit when it is used by the public.

 

Evaluation Form:  Once you have tested the format and robustness of the program, it's time to evaluate the program as you evaluated the programs at the beginning of class.  Use the same software evaluation form (download it here) to review the content, interface, navigation, pedagogy, and other characteristics.  

 

This is the formal evaluation.  Don't be easy on yourself.

 

Assignment:

·      Each of the group members must complete each of the forms independently.

·       As a group, review these evaluations and create a revision plan for improving your program.

·       Formalize this plan with activities to be completed, who is responsible, an estimated amount of time it will take to complete each activity, and the deadline for each of these activities to be completed.

Submit:

·       Copies of each of the evaluations.

·       Your formalized revision plan for activities completed.

  

CATEGORY

5

4

3

2

Pts.

Software Evaluations

 

All evaluation forms are completed.

90% of evaluations are completed.

80% of evaluations are completed.

 

Style Manual Evaluations

 

All evaluation forms are completed.

90% of evaluation forms are completed.

80% of evaluation forms are  completed.

 

Formalized Revision Plan

 

 

 

 

 

Problems listed

 

 

All problems listed.

90% of problems listed.

 

Activities

Reasonable activities listed to answer each problem.

Reasonable activities listed to answer 90% of the problems.

Reasonable activities listed to answer 80% of the problems.

Reasonable activities listed to answer 70% of the problems.

 

Responsibilities

Specific person listed for each activity.

Specific person listed for 90% of the activities.

Specific person listed for 80% of the activities.

Specific person listed for 70% of the activities.

 

Time estimates

Reasonable time estimates listed for each activity.

Reasonable time estimates listed for 90% of the activities.

Reasonable time estimates listed for 80% of the activities.

Reasonable time estimates listed for 70% of the activities.

 

Deadlines

Reasonable deadlines listed for each activity.

Reasonable deadlines listed for 90% of the activities.

Reasonable deadlines listed for 80% of the activities.

Reasonable deadlines listed for 70% of the activities.

 

**Spelling and/or grammar errors in your project (over 2) will cost 1 point each.

This page was last updated by Dr. Z on 1/12/03