INTEGRATED TESTING PROCEDURES
By Ken Ryan, PMP
The process of performing integrated testing is crucial to any implementation process and can help ensure a
successful go-live event and end-user acceptance. However, time pressure near the end of an implementation can
squeeze the time needed to perform adequate integrated testing. This article identifies methods for project
management to ensure integrated testing is not sacrificed to other project pressures.
Identify an integrated testing coordinator (ITC) as part of the identification of roles and
responsibilities at the beginning of the project:
- Allows the ITC to gain an understanding of the applications being implemented throughout the project
- Permits integrated testing scenarios to be developed over time that truly test the weak points in
application interfaces (i.e. how admission, discharge, and transfer transactions are passed between
applications)
- Mitigates the pressure to perform integrated testing in a rush near the end of the project
Perform small rounds of integrated testing throughout the project:
- Permits the implementation team to identify problem areas within or between applications early
- Facilitates early communication with vendors regarding possible software/functional changes that may be
required; provides specific examples that demonstrate the nature of any issues discovered
- Allows time to identify possible alternative strategies
- Provides feedback to project management regarding end-user availability and involvement-level in
integrated testing
Begin with simple testing scenarios, and gradually increase the complexity level throughout the
project:
- Keeps the time commitment to testing minimal at the beginning of the project
- Increases the likelihood of end-user acceptance of the need and value of testing
- Facilitates keeping testing scenarios in synch with application building…as the applications
approach their ultimate production state, the complexity level of testing scenarios can increase
accordingly
- As the project moves closer to the expected live date, use the same test scenarios
repeatedly...don't reinvent the wheel for each round of testing
Document results:
- Use a grid showing test patient identification down the left side, and an application list at the top
from left to right. Identify that each application received/sent the expected information
- The following diagram illustrates possible points of failure between applications…key questions
to address include:
- Did all applications receive ADT data, and can each application end-user involved in testing
successfully identify the test patient?
- Can Orders and Order Status Updates pass successfully?
- Does the charge transaction passed back to Patient Accounting post to the correct account?
- Don't forget the importance of generating an insurance claim for each test patient!
Communicate testing results:
- In integrated testing results review meetings, ask departmental representatives to give their overall
impressions
- Provide high-level feedback to departmental chairs in the form of summary testing results
- Summarized results need to be reported to the Steering Committee…crucial for an informed go-live
decision! Have the ITC present testing results after each round of testing
Look for more articles in previous Newsletters in the Archive section of
www.getvitalized.com.
If you would like more information on integrated testing, or the VCS PMO, please contact us at 610-444-1233 or
email us at vcs@getvitalized.com.