Getting the most out of interactive app testing with MQA

Do you regularly test your mobile applications as soon as a new build is released?

Today’s mobile users have very low tolerance for apps that don’t work. Only 16 percent will try an app more than twice, which means that one or two app failures is all it takes to mean doom in the app store reviews. This no-forgiveness policy makes mobile app testing more important than ever.

Once you’ve designed and developed an app, testing is an essential next step to guarantee app quality and generate more favorable reviews in the app store.

How can you ensure that your mobile app gets good reviews?

To keep your mobile users engaged and make sure they have exceptional mobile moments, you need to run a battery of tests on each build of a mobile application. There are several vital types of mobile testing, and an ideal mobile strategy will use a series of them in cooperation to ensure the best performance.

In a model app-quality sequence, each mobile build is followed by automated testing and then interactive testing. Automated tests check the functionality and performance of the app, while interactive tests provide developers with feedback from live users. Interactive testing requires a means to distribute each build to a group of evaluators as well as tools for reporting feedback.

This is where IBM MobileFirst Quality Assurance comes in. MobileFirst Quality Assurance (MQA) takes mobile testing out of the lab and into the hands of human interactive testers. It empowers app testers to provide feedback to developers easily, leading to faster reporting and, ultimately, better quality apps.

The easy way to get new app builds to testers

When each new version of an app is released, developers need a way to quickly get it out to interactive testers, wherever they are. IBM MQA offers over-the-air distribution, an instant service provided through IBM Bluemix that does exactly that. Testers receive a notification and with just a few taps on their mobile device can install the update and have confidence they are working with the latest version.

For a how-to guide on over-the-air distribution using IBM MQA through Bluemix, check out this blog post from software engineer Ian He. Ian’s tutorial provides step-by-step instructions for:

  • Creating an instrumented application binary
  • Uploading the application binary to the MQA server
  • Distributing the application to testers’ devices
  • Installing and testing the application on the tester’s device

Over-the-air distribution using MQA empowers testers to provide rapid feedback and gives developers confidence that they will be aware of bugs as soon as possible—all of which enables continuous delivery of high-quality mobile apps.

Simplifying the reporting process with one shake

Many mobile users who experience app failures won’t take the time to write a bad review—they’ll just delete the app. And the time crunch is no different for interactive testers. No one has the time for complicated reporting mechanisms. To ensure good feedback, you need to make bug reporting as simple and straightforward as it can be.

With in-app bug reporting, MQA enables interactive testers to simply shake their mobile device to put it in bug-reporting mode. In this mode, the testers can take screen captures, annotate them and leave notes for the development team. They can capture context-rich bug reports that include details such as:

  • Device type
  • OS and release level
  • Network
  • Memory available and in use
  • Logging output prior to the defect report
  • Battery level

All of this information helps mobile developers understand app errors and resolve the issues quickly. The simplicity of one-shake reporting means more productive testing.

You can’t afford app failure

Interactive app testing is a crucial component of any mobile strategy. If your app fails—crashes, freezes, shows an error message or even takes too long to launch—47 percent of users will switch to the competition, 65 percent won’t buy your other products, and 63 percent will spread the bad news. You can’t afford to skimp on testing—or even waste time with overly complicated distribution and reporting processes.

MQA is part of a comprehensive app quality assurance strategy; it simplifies the process of testing and validating the functionality, performance and quality of mobile apps. The result? Faster, better insight into app problems, quicker resolution when a crash happens, and a better prospect for good user reviews in the app store.

Register for a trial of IBM Mobile Quality Assurance on Bluemix today, because integrating MQA into your mobile development lifecycle can help you get the most out of interactive testing and, in due course, guarantee exceptional mobile moments for your users.

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