Programme testing begins ahead of planned new data feeds | Latest News - Shared Care Record

Royal Papworth, Primary Care and Councils begin testing programme ahead of planned new data feeds

This next round of testing is critical to ensure additional data can be shared safely and correctly with service users across the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough area. The new data feeds will be available following the next release, scheduled for the end of June.

Michelle Yam is the Test and Assurance Manager and is part of the central Shared Care Record project team responsible for delivering this digital healthcare record system.

As we enter what will be a month of testing, we un-cover what it means to be the lead Test and Assurance Manager responsible for making sure everything works as it should before data feeds go live into the Shared Care Record.

Fuelled with my usual brew – hot, strong tea - my working day starts the same every day with a virtual team meeting, aka a ‘stand up’ in digital speak. We discuss technical progress across our eight partners, cover any issues, prioritise tasks and share individual updates for each workstream.

After this I respond to any urgent emails and check my to-do list before getting my head into pure testing mode and ready to take on the day’s testing challenges.

Collaboration is central to my role. With eight partners to juggle and all at different stages of testing and delivery, I’m often pulled in different directions. I could be creating or updating test plans one minute, whilst ensuring they align with the overall testing goals, and then supporting partners with their specific testing preparation, or defect management, the next. No two-days are ever the same!

For my part I’m responsible for co-ordinating and managing the process of testing for each partner prior to data feeds going live and users being able to access information. To ensure consistency and adherence to information governance and clinical safety standards, all testing is conducted in line with an agreed and approved test strategy. This sets out the aims and objectives of testing; as well as how it will be delivered, when and by who.

It's then up to me to make sure it happens on time and runs smoothly so the technical aspects of delivery aren’t compromised, milestones are met, and users get safe and reliable access to a record system that delivers the correct data into the right place and at the right time.

Managing the testing process and collaborating with partners includes:

• Reviewing test scripts developed by our partner teams for clarity and effectiveness.
• Checking for updates on previously raised defects (bugs).
• Consulting with the partners testers to offer support if needed.Verifying that partners have completed pre-testing tasks like data preparation, test script sign-off, and resource allocation.
• Organising and holding defect calls with partners - all defects found as part of the testing process are logged and recorded. Holding timely defect calls allows me to keep everyone informed of issues and facilitates troubleshooting.
• Requesting updated scripts - test scripts need to include any new defects found that day.
• Gathering evidence – collate screenshots to visually document any defects found on the day.
• Assigning ownership - new defects are assigned to the relevant developers to address and will include clear descriptions and screenshots.
• Stakeholder updates - send a testing update and the defect log to stakeholders, ensuring everyone is informed of identified issues and resolutions.

And a question I often get asked – what is a defect?

It’s defined as ‘An imperfection or deficiency in a work product where it does not meet its requirements or specifications.’ Ref: ISTQB (International Software Testing Qualifications Board)

In layman’s terms - when an actual outcome does not meet the expected outcome, where the expected outcome has been set out in the business requirements/specifications document before any system build begins. Hence developers build systems/applications based on the business requirements document and defects occur when the expected outcome isn’t met.

If you would like to learn more about the work of the Shared Care Record project team, please drop us an email to cpm-tr.cpstpdigital@nhs.net