Everything You Need to Know About Mobile App Quality Assurance
Before you launch your new app, no matter how many times you think you may have perfected it, it must undergo the QA (Quality Assurance) test. This helps you improve your mobile app creation to a professional level. It does not matter what mobile app you create. The important factor here is that the role of mobile application development is not to be neglected. Quality assurance acts as the final step and is a continuous process where you evaluate the desired level of quality in a mobile application. Professional developers and designers also run these tests, so this step is a must-have.
In this complete guide, you will learn all about the significance of quality assurance for mobile apps and the challenges you could face if it is not implemented correctly. Quality assurance for mobile applications is not just one phase; various phases are carried out, and we will thoroughly review each phase. So, let us get right into it.
What is Quality Assurance for Mobile Applications?
Mobile app quality assurance is a systematic and technical process that ensures the application adheres to quality specifications and standards. It involves a series of strong testing and inspection processes to detect and rectify inconsistencies, errors, and any aspects that could damage the app’s usability, performance, security, and overall user experience.
To understand this better, here is an example: Say that you just released a banking app, and users found the login process to be difficult. Some users would not wait for their login credentials to be autosaved into the app, so there is no option for saving credentials. Additionally, some users faced security issues that were too complicated to overcome.
Now, this is brought to the source’s attention, and they perform rigorous testing, gather user feedback, and further analyze the performance metrics.
Since they solved the issue, do you think that users will trust your app as much anymore? That can be a yes or a no. While some may appreciate the sudden response to feedback, they will still remember these threats and may become iffy about your future apps.
The team improved the user interface, simplified the login process, and enhanced security measures to prioritize both safety and user experience. As a result, the app’s user ratings significantly improved, and the number of downloads increased substantially.
Collaboration between developers, testers, and stakeholders is crucial to this process. An in-depth knowledge of the target audience, their devices, the networks they use, and the specific challenges and opportunities presented by mobile platforms is also essential.
Read more: What Is Mobile App Security? [8 Steps to Boost Your Apps Security]
Why is Quality Assurance Important for Mobile Apps?
From the banking app example given above, it should be understandable why QA is essential for mobile apps. However, we will delve deeper into the subject. Mobile app quality assurance plays a crucial and significant role before you launch an app for users. Here are the five vital key factors that highlight its importance.
1. Seamless and Strong Performance
Users want to use an application that is easy to navigate and does not stop, pause, or lay often. If your app tends to do this or crashes often, your users will be dissatisfied with the app and move to another app. Until and unless it is not their internet fault, then this is something only rigorous Quality Assurance can help you eradicate. For mobile applications, lags freezes, and unexpected terminations set a horrible first impression for users.
Know more about healthcare apps: Top 10 Advantages of Healthcare Mobile Apps.
2. Enhanced UX
In a world where user enhancement and engagement can break or make an app, QA in mobile testing ensures that every interaction is flawless, intuitive, and enjoyable. By simulating real-world user conditions and scenarios, Quality Assurance identifies potential blockages, disturbances, or fluctuations that can be handled before they ever reach the end user. A well-tested app offers a pleasant user journey that fosters credibility and positive word-of-mouth.
3. Cross-Platform Capabilities
Users access apps on a wide variety of devices, operating systems, and screen sizes. Quality assurance (QA) in mobile testing guarantees that the app provides a uniform experience across this diverse landscape. It guarantees that whether a user is using the latest smartphone, the experience remains unchanged, the design is mobile-friendly, and the functionalities are intact. In an inclusive digital world, nobody should be left behind.
Fun read: 23 Best Mobile Games to Download in 2024.
4. Eradicating Post Launch Risks
Establishing an app isn’t the end; it’s just the beginning. Post-launch issues can lead to unfavorable reviews, a reduced user base, and a spoiled brand image. Quality assurance in mobile testing reduces this risk by foretelling potential problems and addressing them in a preventive manner. It’s like having a reliable navigator on an unknown journey, guiding the app safely through the turbulent waters of real-world use.
5. Ensuring Security and Privacy
In today’s environment of increasing cyber threats and stricter regulations, it’s crucial to prioritize the security of mobile apps. The role of Mobile QA is to thoroughly examine the app for any vulnerabilities that could potentially compromise sensitive user data. This includes assessing the security of login processes, ensuring that transactions are encrypted, and confirming compliance with privacy laws. By prioritizing quality assurance, developers can build trust, which is invaluable in the digital age.
Overall, mobile quality assurance is more than a set of rigorous testing protocols; it’s a perspective that puts the user at the heart of the mobile app’s universe. A dedication to excellence resonates in every click, tap, or swipe. It’s an ongoing goal of perfection that doesn’t just find bugs but elevates an app from being merely functional to being truly exceptional. This is why navigation without any disturbances is crucial.
Know more: How to Make an Application like Airbnb [+8 Best Airbnb Alternatives]
Mobile App Quality Assurance Testing
Here are a few tests to look at before you start the QA process:
Usability Testing
Usability testing means testing done to ensure the user experience with an app. The app must be mobile-friendly and should have a good user experience to be the best. An emulator is also used for this test, whether the developed app is for the Android platform or iOS.
Functional Requirement Testing
The functional requirement refers to the platform on which the mobile app will work, whether browser-based or installation-type. It also focuses on whether the app’s content is stored in it or will have to interact with a website or the database.
Learn more: The Essential Guide to App Store Optimization.
Interrupt Testing
An app must handle all interrupts properly and meet the user’s requirements. An interrupt can be anything, such as a call, SMS, or notification, such as battery Low or cable removal or insertion. The developed app must pass all these interrupts.
Adhoc Testing
Adhoc testing is a kind of software testing that is performed informally and randomly after the formal testing is completed to find any loopholes in the system. For this reason, it is also known as Random or Monkey testing.
Performance Testing
It is done to see if the app performs properly and whether the system’s ability to do the entire task is met, as well as to check that all the features are performing well.
Learn more: How to Make a Music App: A Step-by-step Guide.
Documentation
Documentation is the app’s manual. It describes how the app works for beginners and elaborates on some of its hidden features. A simple app doesn’t need many details in the documentation stage, but for some high-level apps, which may be difficult for beginners, documentation is necessary.
Security Testing
Security testing is used to find security loopholes in an app and remove any vulnerabilities. It is done to secure the app and make it more reliable.
Feedback and Reviews
Feedback and reviews from users are the most important part, yet they come after the first version of the app is launched. They give a brief idea of how the app’s next version can be improved. Updating the app can solve the user’s problem. Also, end-user feedback is quite useful and should be given more importance.
Conclusive Acceptance
The last thing goes with the acceptance or rejection. It is done to match the required criteria for acceptance. By performing all the rigorous tests, the customer or the client will know whether the developed application is the best or whether changes are needed to accept the mobile app. Lastly, if it passes all the important tests, the final app is established in the market or handed over to the client.
Apps Leagues are experts in creating mobile apps and conducting rigorous and strong testing strategies for your mobile app. Our customers recommend us for mobile application testing and quality analysis services.
Here are some ideas to spark you for your next app project: Revive Your Inner Genius: Top 55 Apps for Creative Thinking [2024]
What Tools to Use for Mobile App Testing
Mobile app Quality Assurance testing is an essential task that needs technical tools to understand and assess a mobile application’s overall quality efficiently and effectively. A wide array of tools addressing different parts of testing is possible, and integrating them with contemporary QA methodologies ensures robust mobile applications.
Common tools for mobile app QA testing:
- Automated testing tools: Selenium is famous for automating functional testing, which allows for repeated, strong, and consistent testing across devices and platforms.
- Performance testing tools: Tools like LoadRunner help in understanding and assessing the app’s performance under various network conditions, user loads, and device types.
- Security testing tools: Fortify discovers vulnerabilities in the code that could be exposed and manipulated, ensuring that the app adheres to strong security practices.
- Cross-platform testing tools: Tools like Xamarin allow testing across many platforms using the same code base, saving effort and time.
More to know: 10 Best Apps for Couples to Build a Stronger Relationship in 2024.
How Appsleagues Can Help with Quality Assurance
With the increase of mobile applications launching almost daily, the rise and need for mobile app quality assurance is crucial. This is when you, as the owner, cannot take the time to give attention to these concerns, which is why you can hire professional mobile app designers like Appsleagues who can design a strong mobile application for you.
Here are a couple of ways we help our customers receive a strong and flawless mobile application:
1. User Experience
We ensure that your mobile app includes the best navigation without any disturbances, where swiping and selecting anything becomes a dream. Our professional mobile app designers do a comprehensive analysis to ensure the best user experience.
2. Ongoing Compatibility
Continuous integration workflows enable seamless, continuous testing as part of the development process, ensuring early detection and resolution of every issue.
3. Performance
With our team of developers and designers, we identify performance bottlenecks and provide you with reasonable and actionable results and insights to boost your mobile app’s overall performance.
4. Live Testing
Real device testing, or live testing, helps designers get a better understanding of what changes need to be made. Enabling testing on actual mobile devices under real settings. We also note how your app works on different devices, connections, and more.
5. Collaborative elements
With our process of quality assurance and development, the end product you receive is spotless and flawless.
Get in the Trend: A Guide On How To Build An Augmented Reality App In 2024.
Over to You
Quality assurance is crucial in mobile app testing as it promotes excellence, user-centricity, and meticulous attention to detail. The comprehensive strategies, which include automation, cross-platform compatibility, user experience, security, and continuous monitoring, create a strong framework that aligns with user expectations and the evolving market. Mobile app Quality Assurance testing is not only a best practice but a necessity. It represents an investment in the app’s credibility, usability, and sustainability and demonstrates a commitment to delivering products that not only meet standards but also set new ones.
FAQs
What is the purpose of mobile app quality assurance testing?
Quality Assurance in mobile testing ensures that the app gives a consistent experience across various devices, whether it’s the latest smartphone or a budget tablet.
How do I test an application for Quality Assurance?
Here are a couple of ways:
- Identifying and rectifying errors, bugs, and lagging.
- Confirming rational flow.
- Ensuring a seamless User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX)
- Addressing unforeseen software flaws
- Validating that developers stick to customer needs.
What is the difference between software testing and quality assurance?
Software testing is focused on catching and correcting errors after the code is written, while quality assurance aims to prevent mistakes and issues throughout the software development process. Quality assurance encompasses every step of the development process.