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The devil is in the details.
Part 2
Part 2
In today's post, we will continue our research and tell you about some other necessary stages of testing.
Developing is fun, testing is easy, but the devil is always hiding among the details. Remember, we've been speaking about that in the last post? We've discussed some issues related to preliminary testing of mobile applications, as well as testing functionality. In today's post, we will continue our research and tell you about some other necessary stages of testing.
Ready? Steady… testing time!
Ready? Steady… testing time!
Imagine that you've already done the functional testing. Your app's performance is simple and elegant, and it works like a Swiss watch. "Here it is", you may think, "the moment of my glory". No, not yet.
People are different, they think in many different ways. What seems clear and simple to you might not seem to be like that to everybody else. Just let some of your friends use your app for a couple of minutes.
Be prepared to hear something like:
Be prepared to hear something like:
Imagine that you've already done the functional testing. Your app's performance is simple and elegant, and it works like a Swiss watch. "Here it is", you may think, "the moment of my glory". No, not yet.
People are different, they think in many different ways. What seems clear and simple to you might not seem to be like that to everybody else. Just let some of your friends use your app for a couple of minutes.
Be prepared to hear something like:
Be prepared to hear something like:
- 1– Hey, where is the start button? The black one? Have you ever seen any other colors?
- 2– … And this part of the table should contain a percentage value… I thought it was obvious.
- 3– It's the top picture; can I change it for my boyfriend's photo?
- 4– Huh, you should have tested it better for my bezel-less, your buttons are hiding from me.
- 5– No zooming? Really?
Sure, you cannot avoid this kind of questions. But you can reduce the amount of them by simply doing the next steps.
Sure, you cannot avoid this kind of questions. But you can reduce the amount of them by simply doing the next steps.
1. Usability Testing
(aka "test it before it tests you")
(aka "test it before it tests you")
Usability testing exists to check how comfortable your application is to use. It also aims to test an intuitive interface that complies with accepted standards and create fast and easy-to-use applications.
Here are 3 main basic criteria for evaluating applications usability:
Here are 3 main basic criteria for evaluating applications usability:
- Convenience
- Efficiency
- Effectivene
1. Usability Testing
(aka "test it before it tests you")
(aka "test it before it tests you")
Usability testing exists to check how comfortable your application is to use. It also aims to test an intuitive interface that complies with accepted standards and create fast and easy-to-use applications.
Here are 3 main basic criteria for evaluating applications usability:
Here are 3 main basic criteria for evaluating applications usability:
- Convenience
- Efficiency
- Effectivene
– Make sure that the buttons are of normal size and placed in one specific area of the screen.
– Ensure that the application can be multitasking when necessary.
– Check the navigation of important application modules.
– Check that the context menu is not overloaded with options.
– Ensure that the application can be interrupted by any event and can resume its performance in the same state.
– Ensure that application components are synchronized with user actions.
– Make sure that the user can return or cancel the action if he pressed the wrong button.
– Ensure that the response rate of the element is high enough.
– Ensure that the application can be multitasking when necessary.
– Check the navigation of important application modules.
– Check that the context menu is not overloaded with options.
– Ensure that the application can be interrupted by any event and can resume its performance in the same state.
– Ensure that application components are synchronized with user actions.
– Make sure that the user can return or cancel the action if he pressed the wrong button.
– Ensure that the response rate of the element is high enough.
Our tip:
Do not forget to check the zoom function. You never know how far your carefully designed tables can go if you try to zoom them in.
Our tip:
Do not forget to check the zoom function. You never know how far your carefully designed tables can go if you try to zoom them in.
2. User Interface (UI) Testing
(aka "they see it running, they …")
(aka "they see it running, they …")
The ideal version of the user interface, described in the old joke, looks as follows: in the middle of the white screen there is a big red button "make it awesome". Click on it – and everything is awesome. It is difficult to make the interface more understandable, but you have to try.
A user interface needs to be friendly, kind-hearted, open-minded and polite to all kinds of users, and in terms of awesomeness, it should surpass even Barney Stinson, if it's possible at all.
User interface testing is performed to ensure that your application's graphical user interface meets all its specifications and requirements. Here is what you need to do:
– Ensure compliance with user interface standards and standard screen resolutions: 640 × 480, 800 × 600, 1024 × 768, 1280 × 800, 1366 × 768, 1400 × 900, 1680 × 1050.
– Check out the basic design elements: buttons, icons, colors, links, fonts, font sizes, layout, text fields, text formatting, shortcuts, titles, lists, etc.
– Check the display of all elements with a portrait and landscape page orientation.
– The text should be simple, clear and visible to the user. Sentences and paragraphs are best made short.
– Determine the optimal font size. You can do even better by letting your users choose it.
– Make sure icons and images look natural in the application environment.
– Make sure that the color of the buttons that perform similar functions is the same.
A user interface needs to be friendly, kind-hearted, open-minded and polite to all kinds of users, and in terms of awesomeness, it should surpass even Barney Stinson, if it's possible at all.
User interface testing is performed to ensure that your application's graphical user interface meets all its specifications and requirements. Here is what you need to do:
– Ensure compliance with user interface standards and standard screen resolutions: 640 × 480, 800 × 600, 1024 × 768, 1280 × 800, 1366 × 768, 1400 × 900, 1680 × 1050.
– Check out the basic design elements: buttons, icons, colors, links, fonts, font sizes, layout, text fields, text formatting, shortcuts, titles, lists, etc.
– Check the display of all elements with a portrait and landscape page orientation.
– The text should be simple, clear and visible to the user. Sentences and paragraphs are best made short.
– Determine the optimal font size. You can do even better by letting your users choose it.
– Make sure icons and images look natural in the application environment.
– Make sure that the color of the buttons that perform similar functions is the same.
Our tip:
Think about the design of the ad unit. Advertising should not override the application management buttons. Also, take care of the ad's shut down button. Otherwise, you will get a bunch of users pissed off with annoying ads.
3. Compatibility Testing
(aka "I was made for loving you, baby")
(aka "I was made for loving you, baby")
They say that compatibility testing is the Fifth Circle of Hell. Well, we assume they're not right, because there is also a lower circle (regression testing, for example), but let's stick to the point.
Compatibility testing is conducted to ensure the optimal performance of applications on different devices, taking into account their size, screen resolution, version, equipment, etc.
Compatibility testing is conducted to ensure the optimal performance of applications on different devices, taking into account their size, screen resolution, version, equipment, etc.
3. Compatibility Testing
(aka "I was made for loving you, baby")
(aka "I was made for loving you, baby")
They say that compatibility testing is the Fifth Circle of Hell. Well, we assume they're not right, because there is also a lower circle (regression testing, for example), but let's stick to the point.
Compatibility testing is conducted to ensure the optimal performance of applications on different devices, taking into account their size, screen resolution, version, equipment, etc.
Compatibility testing is conducted to ensure the optimal performance of applications on different devices, taking into account their size, screen resolution, version, equipment, etc.
– OS configuration
– Browser configuration
– Database configuration
– Device configuration
– Network configuration
– Browser configuration
– Database configuration
– Device configuration
– Network configuration
Cross-platform testing helps test a mobile application on different operating systems: iOS, Android and BlackBerry, etc.
Cross-platform testing helps test a mobile application on different operating systems: iOS, Android and BlackBerry, etc.
– Device Type: Smartphone, Tablet, etc.
– Device configuration: RAM, processor type, screen resolution, battery capacity, etc.
– Network configuration testing is performed to ensure proper operation in various network configurations (GSM, TDMA) and standards (2G, 3G, 4G).
– Device configuration: RAM, processor type, screen resolution, battery capacity, etc.
– Network configuration testing is performed to ensure proper operation in various network configurations (GSM, TDMA) and standards (2G, 3G, 4G).
Our tip:
Create a requirements traceability matrix (a table into which all possible configurations are entered). Then set each configuration priority in accordance with your development tasks and check each configuration step by step. This will help you to avoid informational chaos and make a high-quality testing.
Our tip:
Create a requirements traceability matrix (a table into which all possible configurations are entered). Then set each configuration priority in accordance with your development tasks and check each configuration step by step. This will help you to avoid informational chaos and make a high-quality testing.
There is still a bunch of testing stages you'll need to perform if you want your mobile app to be perfect. Stay tuned for our next post, and we will be happy to share interesting information and useful tips. We'll also finally explain what is there below the Fifth Dante's Circle.
We love what we do and do it with pleasure.
Stay tuned!
Stay tuned!
QA Camp team
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