University Web Services
Best Practices
Testing Checklist
Here is a handy file with a blank checklist that you can modify as you like (or just make photocopies as needed):
- Testing Checklist Form (PDF)
- Testing Checklist Form (MS Word)
Below is some discussion of the testing points.
General
It is not necessary to check every page. For example, if all individual faculty member pages are essentially the same, there's no need to check every one of them in every browser. It is necessary, however, to check a page if unique formatting has been applied there. Same goes for forms.
Browser Testing
The browser should be the most current available that is at least six months old.
PC Platform
Test Internet Explorer and Firefox (or Mozilla). You may optionally test in Opera.
Mac Platform
Highly-visible sites must be tested from a Macintosh as well, with a current release of Safari.
Unix Platform
Highly-visible sites must be tested from a Unix platform as well, with a current release of Firefox and Konqueror.
Text-Only
There may be times when it's in your interest to check a site or a given page with a text-only browser. The browser to use in this case is Lynx.
Functionality check
Javascript on/off (site must be usable both ways)
CSS on/off (site must be usable both ways)
Forms Check
Does the form work? You need to fill out the form, click Submit, and verify that it does. You should also make sure you can navigate the form using only the keyboard. You should also note what happens if you fill invalid information into fields, or leave required fields blank.
Writing check
All copy must be run through spelling checker.
Multiple Resolutions
Check at the lowest available resolution of the development or test monitor (e.g., 800x600)
Check at the highest available resolution
In addition, every site must be looked at with the browser non-maximized, with the window narrowed to the point where problems appear. The width of that window should then be noted and the nature of the problem recorded.
Link Check
The link checker of choice at UWS is Xenu, but most any utility will do.
Validation
HTML at validator.w3.org.
CSS at jigsaw.w3.org.
Accessibility to Level 2 of the WCAG. There are lots of tools for checking this. Among them are Cynthia Says, FAE from the University of Illinois, and the Web Accessibility Checker, from the University of Toronto.