Project Delivery Process D393

D393 - Manage, Control, Refresh Core Data for Prototyping

DEFINITION

The test data bed should be proactively managed to ensure consistency during the iterative prototyping stages, to explore new areas and to correct earlier errors.

SUMMARY

This process involves refreshing core data and making back-ups during the prototyping process.  The suitability of the data should be reviewed throughout the prototyping to ensure that it fully supports the project team’s needs and the business needs of the client organisation.

PATH PLANNING GUIDANCE

This process is normal practice in prototyping.

DEPENDENCIES

Prerequisites (Finish-Finish):

• Build core testing data for prototyping (D383)

Dependent procedures (Start-Start):

• Iterative prototyping (D400)

RECEIVABLES

• Core data design (D383)

DELIVERABLES

• Well managed, efficient prototyping environment

TOOLS

• Guidelines - backups and disaster protection

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF TASKS

Managing the test data

Once core testing data has been developed, regular backups should be made of it in order to be able to refresh the system.

Often, different test scenarios will require different set-ups of the data, for example - new month, month end, next day, year end, new year, etc.  This will mean that the data may need to be restorable and recoverable at a number of different points.  Any testing run might need to be repeated to try out changes that have been made against exactly the same data.

It may take some effort to provide the degree of flexibility which is required during the prototyping.  In many cases, the testing team will only want some parts of the data re-set and other parts they will want changed.  For example, they might want to use the same transactions against different settings in the standing data.

Reviewing and changing the test data

The original testing scenarios will need to be monitored and updated to ensure they meet the needs of the testing team.  Clearly, it is important to do this in a controlled way and ensure that any changes meet the needs of all participants and do not damage other areas of the testing.

Other backups

There are other areas where protection from potential disaster needs to be guarded against during the implementation process, such as the operating system environment, database-related data, package programs and other files (non-data related) and cold backups on the entire structure.