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The keys to developing, testing and launching mobile applications that your users love
Mobile Testing Types, Tools and Methods.........16 Functional Testing........17 Usability Testing....18 Performance Testing.......19 In-House Testing .....20 Outsourced Testing ........21 Emulators & Simulators......22 Beta Testing................23
Key Testing Challenges..............24 Crowdsourced Testing.........27 How It Works.....29 Challenges .......30 Benefits......33 Appendix: Key Players in the Mobile Space...35
Table of Contents
Whats At Stake?
Still think that mobile apps are for games, music and entertainment purposes only? Do you really think that mobile applications wont be relevant to your company, your team and your job a year from now? Think again. As the adoption rate increases, mobile applications will become ever more critical to the success of your business (and your career). Those who insist on waiting for further confirmation will have already been left behind. Companies that recognize this trend for what it is a technological revolution and take preemptive action to improve the quality and usability of their mobile applications, will find themselves with a tremendous advantage. Most companies will simply build a watered-down version of their website. But those who understand the implications of the mobile boom and who understand all of the feats this technology is capable of will build applications with enduring popularity. Which side will YOU be on?
This mindset is essential. In order to take the steps required for developing and launching a quality mobile app, you will need to believe in what youre doing. If you think mobile apps are simply a passing fad, it will be reflected in your businesses and products.
Your users are counting on you. Dont let them down.
Mobile Web
Native Apps
vs.
Pros:
Single platform (the web) One app to build, launch and maintain All thats needed for some companies Cons: Less controlled user experience Slower user experience No app store distribution Lack of standards across mobile browsers
Mobile Web
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Pros:
Rich media functionality Controlled user experience Faster experience for users App store distribution Cons: Multi-platform Must build, test & maintain multiple apps Not necessary for some companies
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vs.
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Theres a long way to go, and the concepts the WAC are working towards are ambitious to say the least, but the steps theyve taken so far seem to be the right ones.
- MobileMarketing.com
Mobile Alternatives
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Other Considerations
Mobile devices are evolving into increasingly sophisticated general purpose computers. This has led to the development of a variety of platforms and operating systems. Today, the operating system inside your mobile device is as equally important as the device manufacturer (OEM). The various features, GUI, processing speed, and most importantly, the applications available for your device will depend greatly on the underlying OS, as well as the carrier and OEM.
Device Manufacturers
Operating Systems
Carriers
Mobile Decisions
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Mobile Constants
No matter which route you choose native apps or the mobile web certain tasks and backend functionality will remain a constant, including: API / web services Architecture Database The key lesson here is that app quality begins before coding or testing. You should start by reviewing the makeup of your users. What features and functionality do they want? What types of information are they trying to access? And most importantly, how can you reach them on their terms? Other key decisions that every mobile company will have to make include:
Mobile Fact
Consumer conversion (from surf to purchase) on iPhone or Android native apps is 3X - 10X times that of mobile web sites Why? Because users are more comfortable with the device. In most cases, the usability of the native app, including page load speed, is much greater than the mobile web.
Mobile Constants
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Mobile Stats
51% of iPhone owners have five or more games installed on their devices
37% of iPhone owners play games at least once per day puzzle games are the most popular 46% of Blackberry owners have NO games on their device at all
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User Loyalty
While most will tolerate a minor glitch, studies show that many wont hang around if they are disappointed with the performance of a mobile app or website. And the damage doesnt stop there. Word-of-mouth will ensure any bad experiences are soon broadcast. - Helen Leggatt, BizReport.com
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The mobile app testing matrix is infinitely complex and getting worse
Features
Handset Maker/Model
Operating System Browser Wireless Carrier Location
Language
No matter what type of mobile applications you develop whether theyre chat tools, social networking, games, business apps or others you face the same fundamental problems encountered by all mobile app developers.
Lets now take a quick look at how mobile app developers have attempted to deal with these problems
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What is Crowdsourcing?
"Crowdsourcing is the act of taking a job traditionally performed by a designated agent (usually an employee) and outsourcing it to a large group of people in the form of an open call. - Jeff Howe Author of Crowdsourcing
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Customer approves
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Mobile Challenges
Mobile applications come with their own unique set of challenges. Between Wi-Fi, 3G, Edge and all their different behaviors, there are so many angles you have to cover. Until recently, testing for this criteria would have been impossible, but crowdsourcing has changed all that.
-Travis McElfresh, -VP of Technology, 1Cast
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Why It Works
Because crowdsourcing is built from the open source template, any company looking to leverage computer professionals has the advantage of an audience already familiar with the basic idea of community production. -Jeff Howe Journalist, Wired.com
Dealing with Increased Complexity: Significant quality improvement is achieved when development and testing is done across a wider set of handsets, carriers, locations and languages. Crowdsourced mobile app testers can be easily recruited based on a wide variety of criteria.
Faster Time-to-Market: Crowdsourcing enables you to ramp up or down to meet your needs at any given time - eliminating the delays and staffing constraints that often stifle mobile app companies around peak release times. Higher Quality: Customers expect their mobile apps to be fully functional and bug-free from day one. Companies that believe good enough is good enough when it comes to quality and usability will learn a valuable lesson (the hard way). Retaining Users: If your product has problems, or doesnt meet expectations, its easier than ever for your customers (and prospective customers) to find your competition.
Benefits of Crowdsourcing
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Second, theres the act of touching various screen elements like buttons and controls. This is much easier to do with a mouse pointer than a pudgy finger.
Based on the prior experience of many mobile testers, this difference is a critical one, and the biggest, for testing application design and function. Using a mouse with the simulator, you do not get the full effect of having to scroll through a large list view of items or having to play whack-a-mole on the screen with your thumb because button placement for navigating multiple screens is inconsistent. Mobile developers are strongly encouraged to ensure that application testing begins early, and happens often, on the mobile device itself rather than on a simulator. The same holds true for tablet devices.
In-the-Wild-Testing
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Todays mobile devices are pushing the boundaries of traditional application design and testing methodologies. While fundamentally still the same, those methodologies need to be applied in new ways, especially with regard to testing application usability.
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Conclusion
Testing no longer has to be a neglected phase of mobile application development. There was a time when the testing matrix was indeed too complex, too burdensome to be completed using standard means. But thanks to the rapid evolution of crowdsourced testing, all that has now changed.
The companies that are now leveraging crowdsourced testing - particularly in the mobile space - are gaining more of a competitive advantage than they perhaps even realize. As the mobile market doubles and triples in size over the next decade, those that have made testing coverage a priority will enjoy their ROI in terms of increased market share, profitability and above all, user loyalty. Those who continue to neglect the testing phase will struggle at best, and at worst, cease to exist. Its that simple. Either way, the future of mobile applications remains bright. Once reserved for a tech-savvy niche in the business world, the use of mobile applications is now firmly entrenched in the mainstream. Theres no turning back when it comes to mobile applications, and that includes methods for testing them. For more on how crowdsourcing can complete your mobile testing efforts, chat with one of our QA gurus by clicking here or by calling 800.445.3914.
Crowdsourced Capacity
Small development firms have limited means today to beta test and peer review their applications with a cross section of representative users. Given the hundreds of thousands of mobile apps, we believe that efficient (crowd-sourced) testing of apps in a global market of users is considerably under-utilized. - VisionMobile
Summary
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Appendix
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Appendix
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Appendix
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Appendix
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Appendix
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Appendix
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About uTest
uTest provides in-the-wild testing services that span the entire software development lifecycle including functional, security, load, localization and usability testing. The companys community of 45,000+ professional testers from 180 countries put web, mobile and desktop applications through their paces by testing on real devices under real-world conditions. Thousands of companies -- from startups to industry-leading brands rely on uTest as a critical component of their testing processes for fast, reliable, and costeffective testing results. More info is available at www.utest.com or blog.utest.com, or you can watch a brief online demo at www.utest.com/demo. uTest, Inc. 153 Cordaville Road Southborough, MA 01772 p: 1.800.445.3914 e: info@utest.com w: www.utest.com
About uTest
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