5 Ways to Enhance Your Mobile App Testing Strategy

Struggling to get your mobile app launched without customers complaining of defects? A weak mobile app testing strategy may be to blame. By overlooking a key element in your mobile development process, you risk losing money, time, and possibly over half the market potential.

Statcounter reports that roughly 57.84% of all website views in February 2022 came from mobile devices, underscoring the fact that the devices we hold in our hands are quickly becoming the prominent way we access information. 

The way we’re spending our downtime is changing too. On average, US consumers spent more time on mobile apps than watching television. But with extended growth comes added responsibility for mobile app developers; dysfunctional mobile apps provide a negative user experience that stalls the buyer journey, interrupt sales flows, and discourage user loyalty. 

There are many risks of defects being introduced into the app development cycle, even for companies with a solid proof of concept. Inadequate mobile app testing allows products to be launched before the bugs have been discovered and remediated, creating a frustrating experience with high uninstallment rates and lost profits. 

Mobile app QA testing works to reduce the risk of costly misfires, providing mobile solutions that offer a more positive user experience from first download. To build a mobile app testing strategy that supports your idea and moves you toward launch, read on. 

Put the User First

Why do users abandon apps? It varies, but users often cite poor experience, high crash rates, a clunky checkout process, or sketchy security. Fortunately, these problems can often be solved with good mobile app testing performed by experts who understand the intricacies of testing for mobile.  

Approaching mobile app development with quality assurance in mind will ensure a smoother process that limits the number of overall iterations. Communication between development engineers and mobile app QA teams limits roadblocks and gets your product to market faster. 

Align Your Goals 

So how can development engineers work with QA teams? Although QA engineers and developers share the same goal of launching a successful app, their approaches can vary based on the difference between their initial focus. While developers are committed to individual functions, QA testers are able to provide a holistic mindset that considers the user at each step. Effective collaboration begins when both parties understand the other’s process, and then work toward including core principles from each. 

For companies that choose to partner with an outside testing company for QA, goal alignment is especially important. Ultimately, development engineers and mobile app testers want to produce a quality product. Both should be able to define exactly what this means, including who their primary users are and how they navigate the experience. No team should act as the gatekeeper, instead sharing responsibility for outcomes. 

Think Small

Who are you designing for? Designing and QA testing for mobile users is a unique experience that requires an approach different from the desktop approach. For mobile, a poor user experience means app abandonment, but you can solve for that by adapting an early focus on the mobile experience–and then testing it. 

When you take into consideration vital user experience components like form filling, ease of navigation, and interrupt conditions, your mobile development strategy requires a different approach compared to designing and launching for desktop. You’re also beholden to a greater variety of devices, which can be an obstacle for the wrong testers. 

Device fragmentation matters less when you choose a partner with access to the latest devices from major manufacturers–for example, QualityLogic has over 1,100 devices to test on.

Get the Right Tools 

Does it matter what tools you use? There are a wide variety of mobile app test tools available for every stage of the development and QA test process, but they’re not created equal. Make sure you’re working within an Agile framework to maintain visibility between teams and partners, streamline work, and prioritize your goals. As you move into QA, this communication becomes especially valuable. 

When you’re automating your testing process, consider tools like Appium, which allow you to automate repetitive manual actions on new devices. There are other tools, some of which are free and some which require a subscription, that can assist in this process, depending on your ability to code and perform other related tasks. Shop around, or partner with someone who can guide the tool selection process for you by offering an expert recommendation of equipment and strategy for manual and automated testing functions. 

Form Better Partnerships 

How do you choose the right mobile app testing company to work with? Strong partnerships are those that bring something to the table, so if you’re looking to outsource, find a company that compliments the areas in which you’re less equipped. For many, this is mobile QA testing, which requires a high degree of specialization. By sharing responsibility, your partner can help you bring an app to market that exceeds your minimum viable product and increases the rate of success and overall job satisfaction of your development engineers by letting them focus on the areas they excel in. 

To help the testing process, select a reliable and thorough partner who provides services like end-to-end verification, load testing, and test suites designed to provide QA across a variety of platforms and devices, while maintaining a scope of work that meets or exceeds your timeline. Choose them for their proven ability to provide support, training, and future project work.

QualityLogic works to create a seamless environment in which QA teams work with your engineers to meet your mobile app that meet your quality standards and timeline. 

Want to Know More?

Get in touch today to talk about next steps, strategy, and how we can help you achieve your next great mobile app release.