Without quality assurance, software development lifecycle would remain incomplete. But that alone is not enough. Efficient quality assurance is the result of sound test management strategies. Experts in the software testing Dubai sector recommend many strategies to get valuable feedback about the product’s functionalities while ensuring effective resource utilization. 

Here are 3 of the most practiced strategies for managing mobile app testing projects. 

Taking testing challenges into account

Software development and mobile app development are fundamentally different. Similarly mobile app testing is quite different from software testing as well, especially when it comes to the challenges that testers face. This is because a mobile app may have to run across various platforms and mobile devices of varying screen resolutions unlike a software. 

To make sure the end product is of great quality and exhibits excellent performance, the testers have to take a few things into account. 

• Device fragmentation: Mobile operating systems come in many versions, and the apps are generally designed to run across various platforms and devices. This fragmentation of devices are one of the biggest challenges that mobile app developers and testers face. With each OS versions having different capabilities, the QA team would have to overcome the challenge of ensuring that the app functions properly across these platforms. 
  
• Mobile testing resources: The resources available to the tester should also be taken into account. Many developers often outsource certain testing areas due to lack of sufficient resources. They would need advanced testing tools and good test methods so as to test for multi-device compliance. Generally, in-house test teams may not have it all. This is why many organizations approach reputed software testing companies in Dubai. 
  
• Testing budget: When deadlines get steeper while the budget doesn’t increase, developers may need to assess their resource availability to determine whether to outsource the testing of the product or not.  Outsourcing can be cheaper than most developers think. However, it is not easy to find a reliable partner to outsource to.
  

Choosing between physical devices and emulators

This is a decision test managers will have to make while developing a testing strategy, especially if they follow Agile testing practices. Generally in the initial stages of development, devs rely on device emulators to quickly test the various components of an app. The emulators can function well in an Agile ecosystem, and is also cost-effective. 

But as the development progresses, the app will have to be tested on physical devices. Without testing it on a physical device, they cannot publish a successful application. Testing on a physical device helps the devs understand how the app behaves in real-time and various real-life scenarios. They will also get insights on how the app performs in different networks, network configurations, and density and how the app takes power from the battery for its operations.

Considering all these factors, the optimal strategy is to make use of both emulators and physical devices in testing. But it won’t be easy to find the right balance. However, with input from the testers and from experience, this can be done. 

Beta testing

It’s always a wise idea to secure beta testers to test the product. The devs would have to find testers from among users who are loyal to the company’s product or its services. Finding them is relatively easy if you know where to look. The devs would be able to find potential beta testers from online forums or the company’s social media page. The key is to shortlist people who are actively engaged with one of the company’s apps. Most of them would be willing to beta test the company’s next release. 

One of the latest beta testing trends is crowd testing, where the app is provided as an ‘early-access release’ to a community of users. The users will be posting their feedback in forums along with the bugs they find. The company can then fix them through frequent updates. 

Another strategy is to leverage crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter. The app in alpha stage is published on such platforms to drive awareness and for marketing. This can help them secure potential testers and more funding as well. To get the best results, the devs have to include monitoring and analytics tools in the app so as to track user behavior and how they interact with the app.