Beta tests are an opportunity for you, the developer or company owner–to understand your product better before releasing it. By thoroughly investigating any issues such as experience flow, usability and other aspects, you can ensure a successful product launch. The goal of a beta test is to catch any bugs or errors that might slip through the cracks in your software before it becomes general availability (GA). Read on to know the ins and outs of beta testing.
What is beta testing?
Beta testing is the customer validation approach that is used to evaluate the level of customer satisfaction. It is one of the final steps of testing in the Software Development Life Cycle (SDCL) before the product is launched. It ensures that end users are satisfied with the software, application, or the software. Beta testing software offered by the beta testing company helps in assessing the quality of the product by asking the end-users for the feedback on functionality, design, and usability of the product.
Beta testing follows 3 R’s namely Real Product, Real Environment, and Real People with the primary goal of consumer satisfaction.
Role of beta testing
Beta testing plays an important role in the software development process and help in giving insights such as:
- The synopsis of the true experience gained by the users while utilizing the product in the testing phases.
- True feedback along with the real-world compatibility of a product by using a combination of real platforms to test a wide range of devices, browsers, SaaS platforms and much more.
- Details on the hidden bugs and other glitches on different platforms as all variations which might not be available to the internal testing team.
- The best way to refine the positioning, marketing, and communication of the product.
What are the types of beta testing?
Typically, there are five different types of top beta testing that ensure quality and consumer satisfaction. They are follows:
- Closed Beta Testing: This service is provided by company beta testing services and it involves releasing the software to a select group of real users who will test its features and functionalities. It is useful to test specific features of a new product.
- Open Beta Testing: It is also called public beta testing or crowdsourced testing as the number of testers is not restricted.
- Technical Beta Testing: This involves technically skilled testers searching the complex bugs. It can also be considered as a subtype of closed beta testing.
- Focused Beta Testing: When developers need to get feedback on a specific feature they use focused beta testing. This is usually done when new features are introduced to existing products.
- Marketing Beta Testing: This testing helps to evaluate both the product and the extent to which the marketing channels of the product can get significant recognition.Steps involved in beta testing
Oprimes provides the best company beta testing services which are efficient and reliable. The process of top beta testing includes 5 stages. They are as follows:
- Planning: Defining the goals is the primary step. This is useful to plan the duration of the beta test and the number of testers required to participate in the test.
- Participants Recruitment: A minimum and a maximum number of participants required for the test has to be fixed according to the project needs.
- Launching the Project: At this stage, the product is launched for the participant test users to download and install. User manuals, guides, and known issues are also shared with the participants.
- Evaluate Feedback- Valuable feedback and suggestions are collected by the participants based on their experience during the testing. These suggestions are analyzed and considered for improvement.
- Conclusion: After fixing the bugs and glitches, the testing procedure is closed.
When is beta testing done and what are the checklists?
Beta testing is done before the product is launched in the market. At this stage, the product is usually expected to be 90 to 95% complete and stable for any platform. A product undergoing beta testing is reviewed for certain checklists that are mentioned below:
-All the components of the product undergoing this testing are complete and ready to use
-End users’ documentation such as setup, usage, installation, and uninstallation are ready and can be reviewed for their correctness for both devices and mobile app beta testing.
-Functionality and the working condition is checked by the product management team.
-There should be a clear identification for the procedure to collect information on bugs, receive feedback, and so on.
What is the key to successful beta testing? 5 tips to keep in mind
- Define Goals: The objectives of beta testing should be clear to everyone involved.
- Product Readiness: Don’t launch a beta test if the product isn’t ready for prime time.
- User Selection: Choose users who are representative of your target market and use real customers if possible. This will give your existing customer a sense of involvement and ownership in the development process.
- Cover all variables: Ensure you cover all variables such devices, operating systems or browsers and test with a group that is large enough to ensure you are well prepared for any challenges
- Select the best: Opt for a top beta testing company like Oprimes to ensure you receive accurate and reliable results.
Conducting a beta test is an important step in the software development process. By following these tips, you can ensure that your beta test is successful and that your end users are satisfied with the final product. As the largest quality testing and SAAS platform, we at Oprimes have successfully helped many products hit the ground running.
