The digital world today has enabled everyone to access any products/services they want almost immediately. It goes the same for software products as well. Yes, you have thousands of similar mobile or web applications all over the internet. Customers can compare those options and pick the optimal software application.
Of course, customers find it beneficial to have numerous options and pick the most appropriate product. But, what about businesses? They often go unnoticed in the internet crowd if they don’t push themselves towards excellence.
Undoubtedly, no companies want to produce mediocre products, and every business owner wants to launch the best software products. That is why entrepreneurs and their entire team of developers, designers, testers, and marketers strive towards launching the best application.
Though, as an app owner, you know the best about your product, and your technical team did in-house testing (alpha testing), that is not enough. You want validation from your potential customers even before your product launch.
Above all, they are the ones who are going to use your application at the end of the day. So, asking their opinions, reviews, and feedback for your application is crucial to create an optimal application.
There comes the need for beta testing. Beta testing is nothing but involving a set of target audiences or end-users to test your app. Ultimately, you will gain valuable insights from customers who will use your app in the future.
So, now, we are here with a complete beta testing guide covering all aspects of beta testing. Read on to know more about beta testing, its objectives, beta test strategies, beta test plan, entry and exit criteria, how to perform beta testing, and its role in SDLC.
What is Beta Testing?
Beta testing is the final phase of testing your web or mobile application before launching them in the market. It is more like customer validation as the end-user validates your application for functionality, compatibility, usability, and reliability.
Since the end-users themselves perform the testing, it opens up new ways of testing. Companies can take inputs from the end-users and improve the user experience of their products before the actual launch. Thus, beta testing is one final opportunity for business owners to improvise their apps before handing them over to potential customers.
Ultimately, beta testing allows you to get valuable insights from your actual customers. Thus, you can always come up with better products matching your customer’s expectations.
Objectives of Beta Testing
Any company aims to launch an optimal software product with a heightened user experience. Beta testing helps you enhance your products and offer better user interaction.
If you are not convinced, we have listed the objectives of Beta testing. The below points emphasize what you can get out of beta testing explicitly.
- ● The Beta test enables companies to gain their end user's inputs as they use the product in real-time.
- ● Since the end-users are from varied backgrounds, everyone will focus on various functionalities. That will give valuable insights to improve the overall user experience or even catch bugs at the last minute before launch.
- ● You can check your product compatibility, as with beta testing, users will use your application on various real platforms, devices, OS, and more.
- ● Since end-users use a wide range of platforms which is not the case with the in-house team during the QA, beta testing helps you unwrap the hidden bugs and bridge gaps in the end product.
- ● Sometimes, a known issue that your product management team accepts as a meager problem may take a big turn when the end-user faces the same issue. Thus, you can address the problem and work towards improving the user experience of your app.
When is Beta Testing Done?
Companies perform beta testing once their in-house QA team finishes their alpha testing. Only after beta testing, they release the final product to the market. Here the companies should use 90 to 95 percent completed products with all features for beta testing. Hence the application will be stable on any of the platforms.
Experts recommend beta testing to all business owners as you can identify whether your software product is compatible with various platforms and processes. It is because the end-users tend to use your application on several platforms and do multiple actions. The beta testing is not restricted, and the end-users may come with some unpredicted bugs.
We are here with a checklist you can follow to conduct your beta testing before your product’s final launch.
- ● Your application should be ready with all its features and components.
- ● You need to keep all documents like setup, installation, usage, and uninstallation. Always review those document details before handing them over to the end-users.
- ● Your product management team should do a final review to ensure that all prime functionalities are intact.
- ● Be ready with procedures to collect bugs or reviews from the end-users.
Beta testing takes one or two test cycles in general and takes about 4 to 6 weeks per cycle. It may get extended in case of incorporating a new feature or if you modify the core component.
Beta Test Strategy
Before executing the beta testing, it is vital to have a robust beta test strategy. Product Management, Quality Management, and User Experience teams come with the beta test strategy. Then, they closely monitor each stage of the testing phase. They give everything on the plate to end-users, and users will only use the application and experience it.
Here is a list of things you should include in your beta test strategy:
- ● Business objectives of your software product.
- ● Work on the schedule of the beta testing. List the phase, cycles, and duration of each cycle.
- ● Test plans for your beta testing.
- ● Testing approach for the participants. Come up with tools to log bugs, measure productivity, and collect reviews through surveys or
- ● ratings.
- ● Appreciate users with rewards or incentives.
- ● Plan when and how to end the testing phase.
Beta Test Plan
It is crucial to have a rigid beta test plan to run beta testing successfully. You can come up with many ways depending upon your software products and end-users.
Here is a general list that is nice to have on your beta test plan:
- ● Goal: State the prime motive of your software project and list out the needs for beta testing. For instance, you may want to double-check the specific features and functionalities of your product. You can specify them and ensure you don’t miss them to test.
- ● Scope: Define the areas that need testing and other fields that don’t need testing. You can also specify the fields that demand specific items to test. For instance, you may need a test credit card to validate payments.
- ● Test Method: At times, you may want end-users to explore your application. Sometimes, you want them to check specific functionalities, UI, and more. Whatever the case, mention them precisely. You can also instruct the procedure to log bugs and attach screenshots/videos of encountered bugs.
- ● Timeframe: Mention the start and end dates with time, number of cycles required, and duration per cycle.
- ● Tools: Specify the tools to log bugs and their usage.
- ● Budget: Rewards and incentives for users for identifying bugs. The amount will vary as per the severity of the bugs.
- ● Feedback: Be clear about how to gather feedback from users and evaluate them.
- ● Entry and Exit criteria: Always define the entry and exit criteria.
Entry Criteria for Beta Testing
- ● Alpha Testing is over.
- ● The Beta version product is ready.
- ● User manuals and other essential documents are available to publish.
- ● Tools to identify bugs and receive feedback are present.
Exit Criteria for Beta Testing
- ● No showstopper bugs in the application.
- ● You fixed all primary bugs identified in beta testing.
- ● Beta summary report.
- ● Beta testing sign-off.
Defining test strategies, test plans, entry, and exit criteria well in advance will allow you to carry out beta testing successfully.
How to Perform Beta Testing?
One can perform beta testing in many ways. Here, let’s discuss the five stages involved in beta testing in general:
Planning
Identify your business goals and plan the number of end-users you will need to participate in the testing. Also, decide the duration to complete the testing and attain the goals.
Identify Participants to Indulge in Testing
You can involve any number of users to do beta testing. But, in general, due to various reasons, companies choose from anywhere around 50 to 250 users to do beta testing.
Product Launch
- ● You can distribute installation packages to all participants. Like, you can share the link, and users can download and install it.
- ● Share user manuals, guides, previously known issues, and the scope of testing to the participants.
- ● Share the bug logging procedures with all participants.
Gather and Examine Feedback
- ● Your bug management team will address the bugs raised by the participants.
- ● You can collect feedback from the users and examine them. You can implement them on your product to improve the user experience.
- ● You can take their suggestions to enhance your product in its next versions.
Closure
- ● You can conclude the beta testing phase once you see that all features function flawlessly, with no bugs arising.
- ● You can reward your participants with incentives or offers as per plan. Thank them and maintain a healthy relationship with them to beta test your future products and gain valuable insights.
Role of Beta Testing in Software Development Life Cycle
Beta testing is an inevitable phase in the software development life cycle. Though beta testing can provide numerous benefits, it mainly improves the customer experience precisely.
Modern customers today are much smarter than ever, and they know the various options available in the industry. If your software application fails to deliver optimal user experience, they will switch over to other readily available apps in the market.
Beta testing can help you achieve a high-quality, stable and reliable software application for sure. Let’s learn more about the importance of beta testing and how it can improve the overall user experience of your application.
Quality
Beta testing enables app owners and technical teams to evaluate their apps from the user’s point of view. Thus, you can come with a high-quality app that has optimal functionality and offer an improved user experience.
Usability
Beta testing allows you to know the usability and user experience of your application directly from the end-users. Thus, you can improve your app usability, depending on their feedback.
Bug-free Application
End-users may identify some unpredicted bugs as they test in an entirely new way. Thus, you can fix those bugs before launching your final product. That way, your application is bug-free when it reaches its potential customers.
Performance
In in-house testing, developers and testers often test the app in a restricted environment. But with beta testing, end-users tend to use various platforms to test your app. No devices are the same, and your app’s performance will vary according to the device. So, you can quickly address them and come with an improved app with better performance.
Free Advertising and Marketing
You share your app with a specific set of audiences for beta testing. Those audiences often feel privileged and tend to share your app with their friends and family. The words spread about your app even before its launch. Thus, it is often free marketing or advertising for your application. However, make sure your beta version is presentable and does not have significant bugs.
Wrapping Up
A product is never successful if the customers don't like it. Even if you have advanced features or used high-end technologies, your application will thrive only if your customers prefer it. An age-old formula says businesses exist because of their customers.
That says enough about the importance of beta testing that involves the end-users to test the software application. Indulging end-users/potential customers in checking your application will get you meaningful insights about your application.
Your developers and testers tend to test the app in a specific way, but an end-user may use the app in an entirely different way. Thus, they will come up with some valuable inputs that your team might have missed during the alpha testing.
You can incorporate their inputs and come with an enhanced app with the best features and better functionalities matching your customer’s expectations.
Now, are you looking to develop the best software products or develop optimal web or mobile applications? You have arrived at the right place. Cypherox Technologies is a leading software development company; that provides software development, web, and mobile app development services. Our experienced technical team can help you with the perfect software products. Reach us for any software development and mobile app development services right away.
