Tips for Performance testing

Don'r get scared , that you need to perform a performance testing without knowing much about it ,
 how to go about it.

Identify functional flow
Identify wait time for each screen.
Use any load testing tool.
Record the scripts, identify number of users and play them back .
Analyze the results.

This is typical flow anywhere with slight modifications, in addition to H/W config, server tweaking etc...

Next time when you supposed to perform any Performance related Software Testing keep in mind....

Find out more details while navigating from one screen to another screen behind the scenes (at a code level)
Once you have all the details do a quick performance  testing using JMeter for each back end identified component.This gives you quick results with more confidence.

Can a product be ready to release if 100% Tests pass?

Well ....

In the context of Product Software Testing 100% testcases pass is always tricky.
If that is true there should not be any service packs / bundle patches.

A great manager apart from test results also check the pulse of few key engineers to
find out what they say about product readiness

This concludes Software Tester are more important than any Testing tool. 

Is there a simple way to find Software Testing risk in five minutes?

YES.

It might take less the 5mins , if you have some basic data with you.

Group number of tests by Software Testing Functional areas.
( total tests and tests completed at that point)
Find % of tests completed per Functional area

Group number bugs found per Functional area at that point.
Find % of bugs per Functional area.

If % of bugs per functional area is more than % of tests completed
in the same functional test area consider there is a Software Testing RISK.

Act accordingly.

Is Software Testing more of commonsense ?

At times we all try to complicate simple Software Testing problem

Trying show the problem in much bigger way
or
How can i solve it using Java, C++, .NET way

The truth is if we can connect the problem in a most generic way
(may be relating it in our day to activity ) lot of complex
Software Testing issues can be solved.

Next time some one come to you with a Software Testing problem ask them minimum
3 - 10 simple questions in and around the problem, an average brilliant guy mostly get an
 hint where could be the problem.Solving it is just simple next step.