Explain how you test a change management control when the application doesn't store the updates log.

Question

Accepted Answer

Testing change management control without update log

Create a test environment to simulate the change
Document the change and expected outcome
Perform the change and observe the system behavior
Compare the system behavior with the expected outcome
Repeat the process with different scenarios
Use version control to track changes

Accepted Answer

Testing change management controls when an application doesn't store update logs can be challenging, but it's still possible to implement effective testing strategies to ensure that changes are properly managed and controlled. Here's a step-by-step approach:

Requirement Clarification: Begin by thoroughly understanding the change management process and the specific control you're testing. Define the scope of the change, the expected outcomes, and the risks associated with the change.
Documentation Review: Check if there are any documentation sources that might indirectly provide insights into changes made. This could include design documents, requirements documents, user stories, or any other related materials.
Version Control Systems: If the application's code is stored in a version control system (such as Git), you might not have direct access to update logs, but you can still look at commit messages and compare versions to understand what changes were introduced.
Comparative Testing: Set up a testing environment that mirrors the production environment as closely as possible. Before and after implementing a change, conduct thorough testing to identify any differences in functionality, performance, or behavior.
Boundary Testing: Test the application's boundaries and edge cases before and after the change. If any unexpected behavior is observed, it could indicate that the change has affected the system.
User Acceptance Testing (UAT): Involve end-users or stakeholders to test the application after the change has been implemented. Their feedback can provide insights into whether the change has affected the user experience.
Regression Testing: Perform regression testing to ensure that existing functionalities are not negatively impacted by the change. This helps uncover unintended consequences.
Performance Testing: If applicable, conduct performance testing before and after the change to check for any performance degradation.
Security Testing: Verify that the change hasn't introduced any security vulnerabilities. Test for common security risks such as injection attacks, data leaks, and unauthorized access.
Monitoring and Feedback Loop: After the change is deployed, closely monitor the application's behavior in the production environment. Collect feedback from users and stakeholders to detect any issues that might not have been identified during testing.
Risk Assessment: Continuously assess the risks associated with the change, especially when you lack direct update logs. If any unexpected issues arise post-deployment, investigate thoroughly to identify the root cause.
Documentation and Reporting: Maintain thorough documentation of the testing process, results, and any issues discovered. This documentation will be valuable for future reference and audits.

While not having access to update logs can complicate change management testing, a combination of thorough testing techniques, user involvement, and monitoring can help ensure that changes are effectively managed and controlled within the application.

Explain how you test a change management control when the application doesn't store the updates log.

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