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Writer's pictureAlex Zaltsman

How to Effectively Use Alpha and Beta Testing for Your Mobile Apps

by Jasmin Goyer on May 17, 2018

A lot goes into the development of your mobile app to make it perfect for your customers. Without customers, your business remains unknown, can’t generate money, and expand its products or services. Your mobile app is designed with their needs in mind, so two different versions of your mobile app should be created to ensure that it reaches its highest potential. Alpha and beta models will determine the right mobile app for your followers.

Why You Need an Alpha and Beta Model

Alpha testing is performed to detect all possible bugs in your mobile app. Internal employees put themselves in the place of their customers and test the mobile app in a laboratory. They use black box and open box testing techniques to eliminate the majority of bugs in the app. Beta testing has a certain number of external individuals who use your mobile app as they would if it had been launched. They provide user feedback to avoid product failures so the app can be modified for its public launch.

There are two ways to use alpha and beta testing so your mobile app is beneficial for your customers:

  1. When You Already Have a Working Product. This way compares the mobile app your customers are currently using—the alpha model—and a modified version of the same mobile app—the beta model.

  2. When You Are Developing a Product. This way uses alpha and beta testing on a mobile app you are in the process of developing and that your customers have not seen. The alpha test is conducted first, followed by the beta test before the app is launched.

How Alpha and Beta Testing is Conducted

When you have a working version of your mobile app, making a beta model will help you determine whether or not your theoretical improvements will live up to your expectations and those of your customers when it’s in their hands. If you want your testing to give useful output, it’s important to change only one aspect of the alpha model. By making multiples changes, you won’t be able to track which one was responsible for a better user experience. For instance, if you change the design as well as the writing content of your mobile app, you may not see a change is the test’s results. This would be a false impression because the result of one was negative while that of the other was positive, consequently canceling each other out.

During the development of your mobile app, internal technicians use open box testing to dig deep into coding, structure, design, and implementation, working out any kinks that have developed beyond the user interface. When they use black box testing, internal technicians examine the app’s performance, look for interface errors, as well as missing or incorrect functions. When all major bugs have been resolved, the beta version is given to real users who will go through the app’s functionality and respond to the design. They will raise critical questions about the absence of essential features and help developers realize ways to facilitate navigation for the average customer. The app will go into a release candidate (RC) phase where the app will be tested again with the beta testing solutions implemented to ensure they function properly before public launch.

If you’re looking for a proactive mobile app development company that delivers on their commitments, InnoviMobile provides the app expertise you need! Our team develops, hosts, and maintains mobile solutions for all your business needs. Check out our portfolio, or contact us today by phone or online.

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