Whether startups or established enterprises, developing an app always means delving into an unknown territory. Irrespective of how much research you do before and after the development process, rectification is always possible.
Beta testing for mobile apps sounds technical and complex to almost everyone, yet it is a process you must recognize while creating a mobile application. With multiple people in the role and a dedicated procedure, objective and more beta testing is one of the significant steps of application development.
Beta testing is a limited launch to select users to their feedback and implement them before live launch. Want to know more about this? Keep reading the blog to learn more about beta testing and its details.
What Is Beta Testing For Mobile Apps?
Beta testing is one of the significant steps in development wherein the almost ready yet unfinished product, also known as beta, is shared with a dedicated set of users to try and test it and identify any errors.
Beta testing mainly aims to collect raw user reviews, excluding development team members. The idea behind collecting this feedback is to edit and omit the development of the application accordingly based on the report and enhance the software’s functionality.
What Type Of Testers Do You Need In Beta Testing For Mobile Apps?
The selection of the beta tester one would need or go with for app development depends on the type of beta testing one needs. Adding to that, other factors influence the decision to select a beta tester for the job.
To identify which beta tester would fit best into the role, one needs to know how many types of beta testers are there, and they are as follows:
Technical Beta Testers
The testers perform the same role as manual testers, or, one can say, the professional beta testers with technical knowledge.
Early Adopters
These fall into the curious people in Beta testing for mobile apps keen to try every new application.
Power Users
The kind of people who are true application users, and these apps are a part of their everyday lives; hence, their day-to-day lives depend on these mobile-based apps.
Average Users
This clan falls under the majority, and their review is a must and is the most considered one.
How Many Testers Do You Need In Beta Testing For Mobile Apps?
First, the average number of people, including beta testers for the project, begins at 100 to 200; however, the number can exceed the one stated depending on various factors. Sometimes, the count can be 50 or 100, and sometimes it can cross the count of 500.
A few of the pointers to consider while hiring or reaching out to beta testers for the purpose include:
- User base diversity
- Resources
- Feasibility of the application
- Objectives of the testing
- Application engagement level
- Kind of software
- Target audience
Where To Find Beta Testing For Mobile Apps Testers?
Because the Beta tester sphere includes a wide variety of testers, the answer to the question ‘where to find beta testers?’ varies greatly depending on the kind of beta testers you wish to hire.
You can find them in a social setting or professionally hire them. However, the situations where one can try looking for a beta tester include:
- Existing user base
- Social media outreach
- Website users or visitors
- Newsletter subscribers
- Educational centers
- Professional network
- Advertisement
- Collaboration with influencers
How Long Should Beta Testing For Mobile Apps Take?
The width band of beta testing can last from weeks to months; the duration it would take depends on the complexity of the software, the time you’d want to keep your software testing, and many other things.
However, the beta testing time should match the project’s deadline so that all the edits and modifications required in the application happen on time.
What Are The Major Beta Testing Distribution Methods
Beta testing is making a pre-released version of software/app accessible to users who would try to share feedback. Those betas further need to be shared with the tester. The process of handing them over is known as beta distribution.
Based on the testers you are picking, their demographics, patterns, and more, the process of beta distribution can vary; however, one should keep in mind that beta distribution is not for every eligible user but only for a dedicated set that fits the criteria.
When Is Beta Testing For Mobile Apps Is Used?
Beta testing is a must in the different stages of mobile application development. ; beta testing is done at several stages of the development, as the coding process is complex and requires trial and error at almost every step.
Milestones of software development where beta testing is required are as follows:
- Closed beta testing
- Open beta testing
- Platform and device compatibility testing
- Updating of new features
- Security installation
- Stress testing
Perks Of Using Beta Testing For Mobile Apps
Software testing is an intricate process; beta testing becomes mandatory, and it has many perks as, in the end, it delivers a finished product.
To list some of the advantages of beta testing are as follows.
- Review
- Enhanced automation
- Better functioning
- Bug and issue prioritization
- Upscaled user engagement
- Cost savings
Critical Steps In Beta Testing For Mobile Apps
Just like application development, beta testing is also an extended procedure and an essential one that needs proper execution to ensure the end product is perfect to be launched on the market. So the users can use it effectively.
The beta testing process can be divided into several steps, as explained below.
Identifying Objectives For Beta Testers
The first step to getting started with the journey is to spot the purpose of the beta testing and what beta testers would be looking for or using the application for.
Choosing A Beta Testing Strategy
Another thing aligned in the journey is to finalize a strategy for beta testing, which would act as a manual for the whole process.
Preparing The App For Beta Testing
Once the compulsory pre-procedure action steps are over, the next thing would go to the technical team. The technical team later seals the things and the product to make it accessible and usable to beta testers.
Recruiting Beta Testers
After the application is all ready to be handed over to beta users, another thing to do is to hire beta testers.
Creating A Beta Testing For Mobile Apps Process
The authority must also draw in a standard testing application process while searching for desired beta testers. That procedure ensures the filtration of testers as required.
Tracking And Analyzing Data From Beta Testers
Later, when all is done, and the beta testers are on their job, technicians extract, track, and analyze the data received from beta users.
Addressing Feedback And Bugs From Beta Testers
Following the end stage of the process, the technical team needs to address the reviews so far and look after the bugs encountered by the beta testers.
Maintaining Communication With Beta Testers
One of the most essential things for the project manager is maintaining a proper communication medium. The manager must keep beta testers in the loop for current and future updates and application usage.
Bottom Line
Narrowing it down to one conclusion, beta testing for mobile apps is essential in app development. Development companies should do beta testing whenever required during the whole procedure.
Also, the principle of beta testing has a significant impact on the end product, and it needs to be done correctly with the correct set of beta testers in play, depending on the motive and audience of the application you are building.
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