Software can never be entirely free of bugs – ask any QA analyst, and they'll tell you the same. Nevertheless, software analysts possess a wide range of testing skills and techniques to capture as many bugs and issues as possible.
This is perhaps the most common response QA analysts receive from developers when they report that the application is buggy or flawed. It is unrealistic to expect designers to create completely bug-free software on the first try. It's simply impossible. QA analysts must invest their time and efforts in utilizing their testing skills and techniques to identify trouble spots and pinpoint as many bugs or issues as possible. Especially in mobile application testing, QA analysts require various methods to detect problems in different conditions and scenarios before users discover them and tarnish your reputation.
If you don't have an in-house team, you can outsource your testing activities to mobile application testing companies for a more accurate and detailed examination of your product.
With this scenario in mind, we are bringing you some important techniques featured in QA Blogs 2023.
Interrupt Testing
Interruptions are rarely welcomed by anyone in their daily lives, but even more so in the mobile world. However, they can be crucial when they divert our attention to something more important.
For instance, message pop-ups on a mobile device inform users about updated content, but most of them provide actions like replies or delays. Thus, users can stay on top of their mobile activities and respond promptly to anything that pops up.
Contrary to the norm, mobile notifications might potentially cause a disruption if they interrupt listening to music, disrupt tasks in another app, or even slow down the device's performance altogether. With as many as Fifty to Eighty interruptions per day from notifications, it can become overwhelming for users. This so-called interrupt testing approach considers the disruptions caused by interruptions and proposes practical solutions to keep the mobile experience running smoothly.
When implementing interrupt testing, a mobile tester should trigger each different notification type from the app on a real device to confirm that the actions and deep links are functioning. However, a mobile tester should also test how the app can handle interruptions from outside the app context. The phone's hardware could be a source of interruptions as well. For example, pressing the volume buttons is again an interruption that is likely to affect the app.
While performing interrupt testing, a tester should watch out for UI issues, app crashes, or potential performance issues. Monitoring these aspects can help avoid these interruptions and find ways to keep the user experience a seamless one.
Input Testing
When testing a mobile application, a mobile tester needs to perform various actions. These actions typically range from entering data into input fields to examining files and tapping on buttons. However, mobile devices present a multitude of additional input types to consider and execute during the testing phase.
Multi-Finger Inputs
In addition to the default one-finger input, modern touchscreens can process multi-finger inputs. There are two-, three-, and even four-finger gestures you can perform for actions like zooming in, zooming out, or rotating the content on the screen.
While testing these gesture inputs, it's beneficial to vary the speed of the inputs using the fingers. For example, try double-tapping the screen with one or more fingers, or even two hands, to see how the app responds. It's possible that the app may not handle this and could crash.
Voice Inputs
Any app that can effectively handle audio and voice should undergo QA testing using real-world scenarios. These scenarios could be in the office, on a bustling street, perhaps on a subway or train, or even in very quiet conditions. The ultimate goal is to determine if the app can accurately handle inputs amidst any ambient noise.
Depending on the target user base, the voice volume may also be interesting to check. For example, if the mobile app is strictly for children, mobile testers need to ensure they test the voice input using a real child's voice, as it will be different from an adult's voice.
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