Term 3 Week 7 - Week 4

Test, Validate and Improve

Use normal, boundary and invalid testing, then validate the product with a user and iterate.

Learning Goals

  • Create a test plan that covers key features.
  • Record expected and actual results.
  • Debug failures and document fixes.
  • Collect user validation feedback.
  • Make at least one evidence-based improvement.

Five-Lesson Sequence

1

Create normal, boundary and invalid tests.

2

Run tests and record expected versus actual results.

3

Debug failures and capture fix evidence.

4

Complete user validation and identify improvement priorities.

5

Implement one or more iterations and update evidence.

Current Stage: Test and Validate

Test

Check whether the product works and whether it meets the user need.

Checkpoint: Testing shows what passed, what failed and what was changed.

Normal tests
Boundary tests
Invalid tests
Debug notes
User validation notes
Screenshots

Detailed Lesson Build Pathway

Lesson 1

Build the Test Plan

Plan tests that prove the product works beyond one happy path.

  1. List each important feature.
  2. Write at least one normal test for each feature.
  3. Add boundary or edge-case tests.
  4. Add invalid tests for validated inputs.

Evidence: Completed test plan draft.

Lesson 2

Run and Record Tests

Collect reliable evidence of expected and actual results.

  1. Run each test without changing the expected result after seeing the outcome.
  2. Record pass or fail.
  3. Take screenshots for important tests.
  4. Mark failed tests for debugging.

Evidence: Testing log with screenshots.

Lesson 3

Debug and Fix

Use failed tests to improve the product.

  1. Choose the most important failed test.
  2. Identify the likely cause.
  3. Make a small fix and test again.
  4. Record before, fix and after evidence.

Evidence: Debug notes and retest evidence.

Lesson 4

User Validation

Check whether the product meets the user need, not just whether the code runs.

  1. Ask a peer to complete the main user task.
  2. Record what they understood, missed or found confusing.
  3. Ask whether the product solves the original problem.
  4. Choose one improvement from the feedback.

Evidence: User validation notes.

Lesson 5

Iteration Evidence

Show how evidence changed the final product.

  1. Make at least one improvement from testing or validation.
  2. Record the reason for the change.
  3. Capture before and after evidence.
  4. Update the evaluation notes with the impact of the improvement.

Evidence: Iteration log with before and after evidence.

Key Build Steps

Test the product

  1. Use normal data
  2. Use boundary data
  3. Use invalid data

Validate and improve

  1. Collect feedback
  2. Prioritise changes
  3. Document iteration

Student Checklist

  • My testing log has expected and actual results
  • I tested invalid data
  • I collected validation feedback
  • I improved the product based on evidence

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Every test says pass without detail

Record input, expected result, actual result and evidence.

Validation is treated as the same as testing

Use validation to judge whether the user need is met.

Iteration is cosmetic only

Improve something linked to a requirement, test result or user feedback.

Useful Guides This Week

Define a Product Worth Building

Define a useful, realistic and assessable Study Session Helper Program.

Prototype and Wireframes

Plan the product experience before writing the final code.

Algorithm Design

Plan the logic so the product has clear processing, decisions and repetition.

Build the Minimum Viable Product

Build the smallest working version first, then extend it safely.

Test, Validate and Iterate

Use evidence to prove the product works and improve it before final submission.

Weekly Checkpoint

Testing, debugging, validation and iteration evidence is complete enough to support final marking.