The mobile app development
industry is one of the most complex yet rewarding segments of the modern app
industry. While implementing mobile app testing, the app developers have to
consider various parameters like variations in device hardware, and software,
and also the inclusion of outdated devices and other parameters. By integrating
all of these variations, the developers can guarantee the app infrastructure's
functionality and ensure that they can constantly expand their audience in the
coming years. The integration of automation
testing with mobile app testing is yet
another massive leap toward boosting the productivity of the overall
development and testing infrastructure.
This article will explain how app
developers can benefit by integrating crowd-testing with modern mobile
applications. We will also take a look at some of the most important parameters
that the developers must consider while performing crowd testing.
Exploring
the Complexities of Mobile App Testing
Although mobile app development is
an incredibly rewarding process, it comes with its share of complexities. So,
before understanding about crowd test cases, let us understand some of the
common challenges that the developers will face while implementing mobile app
testing:
●
Device Fragmentation
The mobile device market consists
of a huge array of variations including different devices, resolutions,
operating systems, and screen sizes. So, while releasing an app, the developers
will face a lot of compatibility issues if they fail to incorporate all these
parameters within the testing infrastructure. The incorporation of these
parameters will also ensure consistent performance of the app irrespective of
the devices even on outdated ones.
●
Designing the UI
Due to the variations in the
mobile industry, the developers will also face huge challenges while designing
the user interface. This is because considering the changing screen size and
resolution, they not only have to ensure the proper placement of all the user
interface elements but also ensure that they are functional in all instances.
●
Optimizing the Performance
Various market studies show that
80% of the end users do not update their devices before three years, so
ensuring a consistent performance on all these devices will be a massive
challenge for mobile developers and testers. However, a company can't alienate
such a huge segment of the industry based on device or software
incompatibility.
●
Security Concerns
All modern mobile applications
handle a lot of sensitive user information including their personal details and
transaction credentials. So, the developers have to ensure robust encryption,
protection against malware, and secure the data storage to avoid any risk to
user data or privacy. However, implementing all these parameters on multiple
devices and software infrastructure can be a massive challenge for modern
developers.
Navigating these complexities
demands a multidisciplinary approach. This approach will include strong
collaboration amongst the developers, testers, and designers and also constant
participation in industry trends and user expectations. By overcoming these
challenges, the developers can create impactful, successful, and widely adopted
mobile apps.
What is
crowd-testing
We can define crowd-testing as a
dynamic approach to software testing. This process involves leveraging a
diverse and geographically dispersed group of individuals, often referred to as
a crowd, for testing the software websites or mobile applications. Using this
method, the developers can harness the collective intelligence and varied
experience of their target audience. This is because they belong to multiple
demographics, locations, and device segments. Let us now understand some of the
most important parameters and features of modern crowd testing:
●
Massive Testing Pool
While performing crowd-testing,
the developers can access users from multiple backgrounds, device types, and
regions. So, this process helps to complete the testing infrastructure on
multiple environments and use cases.
●
Real-World Testing Scenarios
While performing crowd-testing,
the developers will be using real users who can interact with the application
based on their daily usage. So, it provides valuable real-world testing
scenarios that can understand the behavior of the application and how it can
deal with various forms of traffic. This process also identifies issues that
might not be visible in a controlled testing environment.
●
Massive Scalability
While performing crowd testing the
developers can access the flexibility of scaling up and down the testing
efforts based on the requirements of the mobile app development project. So, it
means they can create a testing environment of quick and efficient test cases.
●
Objective Feedback
Since most of the testers are not
related to the app developing companies, they will provide unbiased feedback
about their experience using the application. This fresh perspective also helps
to uncover potential usability issues or critical bugs that might be overlooked
by the internal testing team.
So, we can say that crowd testing
helps to cover various testing aspects which include functionality, usability,
security, and performance of the application. It also stresses the importance of improved compatibility and app
localization. Cloud testing also helps to complement the traditional testing
methods as it offers a broader scope and depth of testing. This scenario is
especially visible where diverse testing environments and real-world use cases
are crucial.
Advantages
of Integrating Crowd Testing With Mobile App Development
By implementing crowd-testing with
mobile applications, the developers can access a range of advantages that can
significantly enhance the quality and user experience of the application. Let
us go through some of the most crucial benefits of integrating crowd-testing
with modern mobile app development:
1.
Large-Scale Coverage
Using a crowd of testers, the app
developing companies can achieve extensive test coverage. This process also
helps to detect a broader range of issues that might not be apparent while
performing the test cases using a controlled environment. So, the implementation
of crowd-testing for mobile applications maximizes the chances of identifying
critical bugs before forwarding the application to the production phase. It
also helps to understand how the app performs when it is exposed to unusual
traffic or various undetermined parameters like low battery, unstable
bandwidth, or user interaction errors.
2.
Real-World User Feedback
While implementing cloud testing,
the developers will be exposing the application to users who are not linked
with the app developing companies. So, they will provide their honest feedback
about their user experience with the application. By implementing these data,
the app developers will be able to refine various minor parameters that might
impact the user experience or user retention rates. Some of the most important
feedback will cover areas like usability, navigation, and overall user
experience for refining the app design and functionality.
It is also important to understand
that user feedback will also cover certain critical app infrastructure elements
like data security.
3.
Implementation of Cost-Effectiveness
If we compare crowd testing to
traditional in-house testing teams, we can easily understand that it is the
most effective way in terms of time and resources. It is because while
performing crowd testing, the developers only have to pay for the testing that
they require and for scaling up or down as per the requirements of the
application development project. By implementing this flexibility, they can
benefit a lot in the long run. Moreover, it is a huge gain for startup
companies, small businesses, or individual mobile app developers.
We also advise the app developing
companies to use these extra resources for developing other unique features
that they can roll out in future updates to the application.
4.
Improved Testing Cycles
By using a crowd for testing the
app functionality and design, the developers can implement quicker testing
cycles. This is because in this process multiple testers will be working on
different aspects of the application at the same time. This process is almost
similar to parallel testing that is available with modern automated test cases.
Various developers and market experts believe that the proper utilization of
crowd-testing can help to wrap the entire testing infrastructure within just a
few days. This process also helps to expedite and accelerate the process of
identifying and resolving crucial errors that might be present in the app
infrastructure.
5.
Enhancing App Security
By using a diverse group, the
developers can identify security vulnerabilities more effectively that might
completely cripple the functioning of the application. It is because this crowd
of testers identifies potential loopholes or
vulnerabilities that may not be apparent to the in-house application testing
team. Developers and testers must remember the process of resolving bugs before
the app release is much simpler and cost-effective compared to removing them
after the app has been released to the end users.
6.
Global Accessibility
By implementing cloud testing on
mobile applications, the app developers can access a global pool of testers.
This process is especially beneficial for apps targeting international markets.
This is because it ensures regional and cultural inclusions in the testing
process. Moreover, crowd testing acts as a free marketing campaign promoting
the app and also the business practices of the company. So, it also acts as an
indirect benefit for small startup companies who do not have enough revenue to
invest in the app marketing process.
However, to properly utilize the
full potential of crowd testing, the developing companies must have efficient
measures of managing the test data. In this regard, we would suggest the
incorporation of cloud platforms. Using these platforms, the developing
companies can maintain life activity logs that contain all the data about the
failed, currently running, and successful test instances. Moreover, modern
cloud platforms like LambdaTest also allow app developers to generate
comprehensive test reports that use visual data like screenshots and videos to
highlight the critical errors in the app infrastructure. These platforms also
provide access to thousands of real devices including the outdated ones using
remote servers.
To further elevate the accuracy of
cloud testing data, it is important to maintain clear communication,
well-defined test cases, and proper management of the testing process. By
harnessing all these practices, the developers can utilize the full potential
of crowd-testing for modern mobile applications. Lastly, we would like to
advise the developers the exact strategies for crowd-testing will vary
depending on the requirements of the application and the target audience.
The Bottom
Line
Conclusively, we can say that
cloud testing is one of the most integral parameters that can help developers
verify the accuracy of the app infrastructure based on modern market standards
and user requirements. It is also important for developing companies to
incorporate modern automation testing practices like artificial intelligence
and machine learning to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the test cases.
Regarding this, the app developing companies can conduct frequent seminars and
awareness campaigns that can spread the knowledge about effective mobile app
testing. While choosing the framework for automated mobile app testing, the
developers must consider the app requirements along with their preferences.