GUI Testing Checklist- Page 2

Barry Dorgan

2. Screen Validation Checklist

Aesthetic Conditions:

1. Is the general screen background the correct colour?
2. Are the field prompts the correct color?
3. Are the field backgrounds the correct color?
4. In read-only mode, are the field prompts the correct color?
5. In read-only mode, are the field backgrounds the correct color?
6. Are all the screen prompts specified in the correct screen font?
7. Is the text in all fields specified in the correct screen font?
8. Are all the field prompts aligned perfectly on the screen?
9. Are all the field edit boxes aligned perfectly on the screen?
10. Are all groupboxes aligned correctly on the screen?
11. Should the screen be resizable?
12. Should the screen be minimisable?
13. Are all the field prompts spelt correctly?
14. Are all character or alpha-numeric fields left justified? This is the default unless otherwise specified.
15. Are all numeric fields right justified? This is the default unless otherwise specified.
16. Is all the microhelp text spelt correctly on this screen?
17. Is all the error message text spelt correctly on this screen?
18. Is all user input captured in UPPER case or lower case consistently?
19. Where the database requires a value (other than null) then this should be defaulted into fields. The user must either enter an alternative valid value or leave the default value intact.
1. Assure that all windows have a consistent look and feel.
2. Assure that all dialog boxes have a consistent look and feel.

Validation Conditions:

1. Does a failure of validation on every field cause a sensible user error message?
2. Is the user required to fix entries which have failed validation tests?
3. Have any fields got multiple validation rules and if so are all rules being applied?
4. If the user enters an invalid value and clicks on the OK button (i.e. does not TAB off the field) is the invalid entry identified and highlighted correctly with an error message?
5. Is validation consistently applied at screen level unless specifically required at field level?
6. For all numeric fields check whether negative numbers can and should be able to be entered.
7. For all numeric fields check the minimum and maximum values and also some mid-range values allowable?
8. For all character/alphanumeric fields check the field to ensure that there is a character limit specified and that this limit is exactly correct for the specified database size?
9. Do all mandatory fields require user input?
10. If any of the database columns don't allow null values then the corresponding screen fields must be mandatory. (If any field which initially was mandatory has become optional then check whether null values are allowed in this field.)

Navigation Conditions:

1. Can the screen be accessed correctly from the menu?
2. Can the screen be accessed correctly from the toolbar?
3. Can the screen be accessed correctly by double clicking on a list control on the previous screen?
4. Can all screens accessible via buttons on this screen be accessed correctly?
5. Can all screens accessible by double clicking on a list control be accessed correctly?
6. Is the screen modal, is the user prevented from accessing other functions when this screen is active and is this correct?
7. Can a number of instances of this screen be opened at the same time and is this correct?

Usability Conditions:

1. Are all the dropdowns on this screen sorted correctly? Alphabetic sorting is the default unless otherwise specified.
2. Is all date entry required in the correct format?
3. Have all pushbuttons on the screen been given appropriate shortcut keys?
4. Do the shortcut keys work correctly?
5. Have the menu options which apply to your screen got fast keys associated and should they have?
6. Does the TAB order specified on the screen go in sequence from top left to bottom right? This is the default unless otherwise specified.
7. Are all read-only fields avoided in the TAB sequence?
8. Are all disabled fields avoided in the TAB sequence?
9. Can the cursor be placed in the microhelp text box by clicking on the text box with the mouse?
10. Can the cursor be placed in read-only fields by clicking in the field with the mouse?
11. Is the cursor positioned in the first input field or control when the screen is opened?
12. Is there a default button specified on the screen?
13. Does the default button work correctly?
14. When an error message occurs does the focus return to the field in error when the user cancels it?
15. When the user Alt+Tab's to another application does this have any impact on the screen upon return to the application?
16. Do all the fields edit boxes indicate the number of characters they will hold by their length? e.g. a 30 character field should be a lot longer

Data Integrity Conditions:

1. Is the data saved when the window is closed by double clicking on the close box?
2. Check the maximum field lengths to ensure that there are no truncated characters?
3. Where the database requires a value (other than null) then this should be defaulted into fields. The user must either enter an alternative valid value or leave the default value intact.
4. Check maximum and minimum field values for numeric fields?
5. If numeric fields accept negative values can these be stored correctly on the database and does it make sense for the field to accept negative numbers?
6. If a set of radio buttons represent a fixed set of values such as A, B and C then what happens if a blank value is retrieved from the database? (In some situations rows can be created on the database by other functions which are not screen based and thus the required initial values can be incorrect.)
7. If a particular set of data is saved to the database check that each value gets saved fully to the database. Beware of truncation (of strings) and rounding of numeric values.

Modes (Editable Read-only) Conditions:

1. Are the screen and field colors adjusted correctly for read-only mode?
2. Should a read-only mode be provided for this screen?
3. Are all fields and controls disabled in read-only mode?
4. Can the screen be accessed from the previous screen/menu/toolbar in read-only mode?
5. Can all screens available from this screen be accessed in read-only mode?
6. Check that no validation is performed in read-only mode.

General Conditions:

1. Assure the existence of the "Help" menu.
2. Assure that the proper commands and options are in each menu.
3. Assure that all buttons on all tool bars have a corresponding key commands.
4. Assure that each menu command has an alternative (hot-key) key sequence which will invoke it where appropriate.
5. In drop down list boxes, ensure that the names are not abbreviations / cut short
6. In drop down list boxes, assure that the list and each entry in the list can be accessed via appropriate key / hot key combinations.
7. Ensure that duplicate hot keys do not exist on each screen
8. Ensure the proper usage of the escape key (which is to undo any changes that have been made) and generates a caution message "Changes will be lost - Continue yes/no"
9. Assure that the cancel button functions the same as the escape key.
10. Assure that the Cancel button operates as a Close button when changes have been made that cannot be undone.
11. Assure that only command buttons which are used by a particular window, or in a particular dialog box, are present. - I.e. make sure they don't work on the screen behind the current screen.
12. When a command button is used sometimes and not at other times, assure that it is grayed out when it should not be used.
13. Assure that OK and Cancel buttons are grouped separately from other command buttons.
14. Assure that command button names are not abbreviations.
15. Assure that all field labels/names are not technical labels, but rather are names meaningful to system users.
16. Assure that command buttons are all of similar size and shape, and same font and font size.
17. Assure that each command button can be accessed via a hot key combination.
18. Assure that command buttons in the same window/dialog box do not have duplicate hot keys.
19. Assure that each window/dialog box has a clearly marked default value (command button, or other object) which is invoked when the Enter key is pressed - and NOT the Cancel or Close button
20. Assure that focus is set to an object/button which makes sense according to the function of the window/dialog box.
21. Assure that all option buttons (and radio buttons) names are not abbreviations.
22. Assure that option button names are not technical labels, but rather are names meaningful to system users.
23. If hot keys are used to access option buttons, assure that duplicate hot keys do not exist in the same window/dialog box.
24. Assure that option box names are not abbreviations.
25. Assure that option boxes, option buttons, and command buttons are logically grouped together in clearly demarcated areas "Group Box".
26. Assure that the Tab key sequence which traverses the screens does so in a logical way.
27. Assure consistency of mouse actions across windows.
28. Assure that the color red is not used to highlight active objects (many individuals are red-green color blind).
29. Assure that the user will have control of the desktop with respect to general color and highlighting (the application should not dictate the desktop background characteristics).
30. Assure that the screen/window does not have a cluttered appearance.
31. Ctrl + F6 opens next tab within tabbed window.
32. Shift + Ctrl + F6 opens previous tab within tabbed window.
33. Tabbing will open next tab within tabbed window if on last field of current tab.
34. Tabbing will go onto the 'Continue' button if on last field of last tab within tabbed window.
35. Tabbing will go onto the next editable field in the window.
36. Banner style and size and display exact same as existing windows.
37. If 8 or less options in a list box, display all options on open of list box - should be no need to scroll.
38. Errors on continue will cause user to be returned to the tab and the focus should be on the field causing the error. (I.e. the tab is opened, highlighting the field with the error on it).
39. Pressing continue while on the first tab of a tabbed window (assuming all fields filled correctly) will not open all the tabs.
40. On open of tab focus will be on first editable field.
41. All fonts to be the same
42. Alt+F4 will close the tabbed window and return you to main screen or previous screen (as appropriate), generating "changes will be lost" message if necessary.
43. Microhelp text for every enabled field and button
44. Ensure all fields are disabled in read-only mode.
45. Progress messages on load of tabbed screens.
46. Return operates continue.
47. If retrieve on load of tabbed window fails window should not open.

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This article was originally published in the Spring 2000 issue of Methods & Tools