Or why Testers are not just monkeys smashing buttons and tearing your app apart.

Honestly, we aren't! We take our role very seriously. App Quality Assurance (QA) is the difference between a successful user experience that sees your users happy and one that sees your app abandoned after first use.

This is the importance of App Quality Assurance.

So, let's take a look at App Quality Assurance in a little more detail

QA is a crucial part of the life cycle of any project. And it is particularly important in the launching of mobile apps.

When asked about, people don’t usually know what testers do or why their role is so important during the development process.

Contrary to popular belief, a tester does not only operate under the assumption of “let’s see if this works.” Our job consists of a series of activities carried out in order to validate the software.

Introducing the Software Testing Life Cycle

Here in Tapadoo, the QA team follows what's called the “Software Testing Life Cycle". It's our approach to app quality assurance and one that has seen us achieve great results overall with app quality assurance.

This software testing life cycle is a comprehensive list of phases that includes planning, preparing, conducting, and reporting on various tests throughout the QA process.

We'll take a brief look at each of these phases below.

Phase #1 - Requirement Analysis

Our work starts by reviewing the requirements and designs from a testing point of view in order to determine the scope of testing.

Phase #2 - Test Planning/Strategy

Once we’ve reviewed the requirements, we start planning the Test Plan.

The Plan contains the scope of tests to be run; it is the document that outlines what to test, when to test it, how to test it.

Phase #3 - Test Case Development

This phase involves the creation and verification of test cases.

A test case is a sequence of steps we follow to validate whether the application is working as required and bug-free.

Phase #4 - Test Execution

During this phase, we carry out the testing based on the test plans we prepared. If a test fails, we report it to the Development Team for fixing. We then perform a retest once the defect is fixed.

Phase #5 - Test Reporting

Once all test cases have been run, we hit the final phase. The QA Team checks for the completion of the tests, whether all test cases are executed and if there are any defects left open.

This is also an occasion for the team to discuss and analyse our testing strategies allowing us to learn and improve for future testing projects.

QA isn’t just testing

As you can see, our QA approach is not just confined to testing. It is a mindset, a culture, that continually views quality as our primary goal. We are sanctimonious advocates of app quality assurance. The success of your app means everything to us.

Throughout the entire project, the QA team works closely alongside project managers, designers, and developers in the belief that each and every part of the project lifecycle has the power to influence quality.

Why should you care about App Quality Assurance?

Mobile applications are all about user experience. An application that is hard to use and consistently buggy isn't one your users are going to keep on their phone.

Every detail of the application should be scrutinised. From the major crashes to the minor UI details, quality testing makes your app what it is.

The app is a reflection of your company brand and the better experience a user has, the better their opinion of your brand will be.

Quality is never an accident

In summary, QA's aren’t just expensive app breakers. They are the first, and the last line of defense when it comes to ensuring your application is ready and enjoyable for all of your users to use.

Your brand depends on positive interactions. You wouldn't make a television ad that froze and stuttered halfway through. You wouldn't launch a website that only half worked.

So why would you launch a mobile app that hasn't been tested again and again to make sure your users have the very best experience possible?

And that’s what we do in Tapadoo.

We don’t only develop great apps, we help you deliver a product of the highest quality.

If you have an app development idea or need a hand with the development of an app project get in touch.

Rita Aracri

Head of QA

Thanks for reading the Tapadoo blog. We've been building iOS and Android Apps since 2009. If your business needs an App, or you want advice on anything mobile, please get in touch