Bug Blog

Exceptional Digital Quality Requires An Exceptional Testing Toolbox

Building and maintaining software is hard. Ever-evolving device types, OS and browsers mean that the initial release is only half of the battle. Bugwolf clients are invited to pick and choose from our suite of testing challenge types to help you navigate the complexities of delivering digital quality. 

Click a link below to jump to that test type or continue scrolling to browse all:

• Exploratory Testing
• Functional Testing
• WCAG Testing
• iOS Update Testing
• Android Update Testing
• Cross-Browser Update Testing
• Test Case Design
• Bug Re-Testing
• Competitor Testing
• User Guide Testing
• Employee Beta Testing
• Customer Beta Testing
• Maintenance Testing

Exploratory Testing

Occasionally in-house testers become too close to a project to identify new bugs. Our professional exploratory testers provide a fresh set of eyes to help you quickly identify functional and user experience bugs.

Exploratory tests can be executed in staging or production environments. We recommend keeping the scope of these tests intentionally broad so testers can mimic the behaviour of end users. This allows you to uncover and resolve critical testing blind spots. 

Functional Testing

The digital landscape is complex. Device types have proliferated, OS are more diverse and browser updates are more frequent. Functional testing gives you confidence that your software works as it should on all required devices. 

Unlike exploratory testing, the scope of functional tests should be more narrow. Our testers will focus their attention on specific features and user-flows to ensure they work as intended. Testing will be conducted across a range of devices, browsers and operating systems to ensure your end users enjoy an optimal and undisrupted experience. 

WCAG Testing

WCAG is an international framework for digital accessibility best practices. Adhering to WCAG is not only good for the user experience, it’s also an important pillar of your digital strategy. The benefits of WCAG compliance include: reaching a larger and more diverse user base, meeting the accessibility requirements of government contracts and reduced legal exposure. 

Bugwolf’s professional testers will provide specific WCAG recommendations to help you become compliant and ensure new feature releases remain compatible with the guidelines.

iOS Update Testing

It’s estimated that 2.87 billion people will own a smartphone by 2020. iOS testing should be conducted after every major iOS update to ensure digital properties continue to perform as they should. Major releases are pushed to the market with very short notice, and occur every quarter, sometimes more frequently.

During these test challenges testers navigate your software using specific devices to proactively identify new issues that are directly related to known or unknown issues associated with new iOS releases. They are also aware of the impact of iOS updates and can keep an eye on particular nuances that can impact users.

Android Update Testing

In 2016 Google’s Android operating system accounted for 88% of the smartphone market. Android update testing, like iOS update testing, gives you confidence that your software is performing correctly immediate after major operating system changes. 

Whilst typically exploratory in nature, Android testing teams will provide additional attention to features and functionality that are likely to be affected by changes. They are also aware of the impact of Android updates and can provide insights around nuances that otherwise undermine the user experience.

Cross-Browser Update Testing

One of the greatest challenges for web-based apps and websites, is that the web is constantly evolving. Browser update testing is a type of exploratory testing that focuses on how existing digital properties are affected by major browser updates. 

Conducting proactive browser testing after major updates helps to avoid embarrassing and costly errors that range from simple display errors through to full-blown functional catastrophes. 

Our professional testers help you quickly get on the front foot and respond to new updates on almost any browser imaginable to ensure that your commitment to digital quality is not undermined by an external change.

Test Case Design

Occasionally testing requirements are particularly large, complex or challenging. In these situations, the most appropriate course of action is to step back and devise a clear, step-by-step strategy for achieving the coverage you need before you begin testing ...that’s precisely what test case design achieves. 

We’ll work with your team to get a deeper understanding of the software and your goals and outline a specific plan of attack for providing the insights you need ahead of deadline. 

Bug Re-Testing

Even after a bug is identified, it’s crucial to ensure it does not occur again in the production environment. However, asking developers or in-house testers to check their own work, is far from foolproof. 

Bug re-testing is a robust way to ensure that previously identified bugs do not continue to undermine the user experience. We do this by first liaising with your team to understand which bug reports have been prioritised and resolved, then asking our professional testers to once again try to replicate the original bug on a variety of devices. 

Competitor Testing

The most effective digital teams have a deep understanding of their competitive landscape. Bugwolf’s competitor comparison helps you understand the tactics, processes and technology behind user flows that are similar to your own. 

During this challenge, our professional testers will work through the key features of two or three of your competitors and provide commentary on what they’re doing well and what areas could be improved. The output is an insightful stream of reports which can play an important role in the execution of new projects.

User Guide Testing

Documenting systems and processes is critical to the adoption of complex technology. Many user guides though, quickly become out of date as applications evolve or were never particularly useful in the first place. 

During user guide testing, professional Bugwolf testers follow your documented process to navigate step-by-step through your applications. This allows us to identify vague or incomplete documentation that otherwise leads to more errors, higher support requirements and lower performance.

Employee Beta Testing

In-house teams are a source of valuable knowledge and insight. Employee beta testing allows you to engage your teams at various stages of the software development lifecycle. The benefits of this include: greater employee engagement, more rapid adoption, enhanced innovation and more robust software. 

During the setup, your testing director will help you: devise a suitable test challenge, invite relevant teams and manage bug reports as they occur. It’s also a great way of making employees part of the digital transformation journey.

Customer Beta Testing

There are numerous benefits of black box testing with professional testers, but occasionally, there is no substitute for genuine customer feedback. Bugwolf allows you to quickly and easily convert your customers into teams of beta testers who can provide direct feedback and insights on new releases. 

This is the perfect way to get a nuanced understanding about your customers, their UX preferences, functionality requirements and tech setup. You can even set up prizes and rewards to incentivise customers to provide deep, insightful feedback just as we do for our professional teams.   

Maintenance Testing

The web is an ever-evolving ecosystem. User devices, operating systems, browsers and third-party tools present complexity that digital teams couldn’t even fathom a decade ago. Nonetheless, robust, fast software is now considered a ‘must have’ and users have zero tolerance for shortfalls. 

Maintenance testing is the process of periodically reviewing existing digital properties to ensure they perform as they should across all required browsers, devices and OS. It’s similar in nature to exploratory testing - the key difference being that if focuses on existing functionality (not new releases). 

The goal of this test type is to highlight critical testing blind spots. Without maintenance testing, issues can arise and remain undetected for months or even years, at the expense of countless customers. 

What To Do Next

If you're an existing Bugwolf client, we'd be delighted to help get a selection of the above challenge types up and running for you. If you're new to Bugwolf, simply contact us to find out more about customising a testing plan to suit your needs.