Have you properly completed alpha-testing? Photo by betsyweber
Why alpha-test before you go live?
Alpha-testing is one of the most important aspects of software development – essential for all businesses.
Businesses complete alpha-testing through an in-house tester or outsource it to a freelancer and go through the whole program, piece of software, or system, step-by-step to ensure that it works completely.
Poorly-developed software can have a large impact on a company’s success and reputation, so alpha-testing is critical.
Businesses Appreciate Adequate Testing
When a business hires a developer to create software, executives expect to gain everything that they requested in their order. If the developer does not properly complete pre-release-testing, the customer will end up doing the alpha-testing in real-time. This often results in the customer using a poorly-programmed piece of software, possibly with missing features, which may take months to fix.
What is Alpha-Testing?
Alpha-testing is the first round of independent testing – it ensures that software, systems, and projects run as planned. In essence, alpha testing ensures that links lead to where they should, graphics load as intended, and systems do not freeze part-way through the user experience.
Alpha-testing helps to find the biggest bugs and fix them quickly, especially when testing is completed in-house. First, the systems tester will go through the test plan and make sure everything runs as expected. He or she will then report any bugs back to the developer, who will make necessary changes. The tester will continue working through the testing plan until he or she has reached the end, or until the issues are severe enough to mean that testing must stop.
If a developer does not conduct testing, or conducts inadequate testing, the user of the software or system will find the bugs as they try to do their work, which happens more often than you’d think.
Software Needs Alpha Testing
Does your software work like you expected? Photo by Mike Rowehl
Suite101.com is one business that is changing and revamping in 2012, putting radically different systems in place. The company is 15 years old and has been through numerous changes over the years. The website opened to writers on November 2, 2012, but users discovered problems with their very first click – the login process was buggy. Could Suite101 have improved their user’s experience with more extensive alpha-testing?
Spend Time Alpha-Testing Thoroughly
All businesses need to carry out alpha-testing, whether they develop software development or create new websites. Projects simply need to work the way that the customer has ordered, and must run smoothly, without bugs blocking features or causing data loss or corruption. Alpha testing can consume time and resources, but is likely to save much more time in the long-run, as users are not often happy to be in the position of alpha-testing instead of working.
Resources:
Planit Test Management Solutions. Why Is Software Testing Important? Accessed November 2, 2012.
I-Tech Zone. Why Testing Is Important in Software. (2012). Accessed November 2, 2012.
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