New Mobile App QA Service

For a considerable length of time, Testing4Success has been at the forefront of mobile app QA. Providing professional mobile app QA services from single mobile app developers to international corporations. Over time, the Mobile App QA Team at Testing4Success has gained experience in testing a huge range of mobile apps. From their state-of-the-art mobile app QA lab in Victoria, Canada, they have been providing a world-class mobile app QA service around the globe.

Rather than simply providing an mobile app QA service that offers clients the opportunity to pay for testers with an hourly rate. The Mobile App QA Team at Testing4Success has recently launched an entire new range of mobile QA services. Now mobile app developers can have a choice of three fixed-cost mobile app QA solutions, and one flexi-cost solution. The first of the fixed-cost solutions is the ‘Light Test’. This QA solution is (as the name implies), a light test of an apps key functionality. This solution is ideal for a quick ‘sanity’ test. Next, we have the ‘Standard Test’. This solution includes a full functionality, usability, design test. In addition, a light compatibility test is included that tests the app on key phones, tablets and phablets. Finally we have the most popular solution, which is the ‘Pro Test’. This mobile app QA solution includes a full functionality, usability, design and content test. In addition, a full compatibility test is performed on a range of phones, tablets and phablets. The ‘Pro Test’ also includes a defect fix verification service and a full regression test.

For those looking for a more flexible solution, Testing4Success also provides the ‘Flexi Test’ mobile app QA solution. This solution is based on hiring the Mobile App QA Team from anywhere between 1 hour to 1 year, to perform any QA tasks that the client requires; such as test case creation to defect investigation etc.

For more information on the new range of Mobile App QA Services offered by Testing4Success, contact their QA Team today.

New Mobile App QA Service

Vietnam ISTQB VTB Training

The ISTQB has proved its popularity around the globe as the no.1 training QA certification provider. Fortunately, for any Software Tester it has never been easier to study and achieve ISTQB certification. Via the internet, Testing4Success.com can now provide you with a professional, effective and fun method of learning all the knowledge to pass the ISTQB exams first time.

If you are studying for the ISTQB Foundation, ISTQB Advanced, or even the new ISTQB Agile Tester certification, Testing4Success has got you covered. Their distance learning solutions contain everything from tutor support, practice questions, interactive workshops, and so much more.

One of the main advantages of studying via distance learning is that you can study whenever and wherever you wish. You could study while traveling, or perhaps at work during you lunch break, or in the evening at home. With full mobile support included, the Testing4Success training courses can now be taken anywhere in your own pocket via your smartphone!

As a thank you for reading this post, here is a coupon code to get 33% of any Testing4Success training product:

Coupon Code: ‘thirdoff’

If you are interested in achieving the ISTQB VTB Foundation or ISTQB VTB Advanced, then you should definitely take a look at the distance-learning training courses offered by Testing4Success, see their Training Catalog today and see their extensive range.

 

Vietnam ISTQB VTB Training

Web Testing Service

At any point in the life-cycle of a web development, organizing and scheduling QA can be a complex and often stressful process. This is why more and more web development companies are opting to use an outsourced web testing service instead. There are several key benefits of using a web testing service outlined below:

Before making the actual decision to outsource any web testing, its worth thinking about the reasons why before-hand. Having the right level of expertise already in the web development company is not straight-forward. For a small to medium-sized web development company, a dedicated web testing QA team may not even exist. The associated cost of employing full-time web testers may simply not be viable, especially as there may not be an ongoing demand for web testing. Many small to medium sized companies will only require QA at certain times, and so using full-time or even contract web testers simply does not make any financial sense. This is where using an outsourced web testing company really shines.

An outsourced web testing company will have expert web testers on-hand to meet any testing requirement you may have. Their expertise would have been gained over several years of testing a huge range of web developments. Their level of expertise will allow their web testers to easily ‘ramp-up’ to learn your web develop inside and out.

The cost of using an outsourced web testing company is significantly less than paying for full-time or contract staff. The main reason for this is; you are only paying for web testing when you actually need it. There are no hidden costs, and therefore this makes project planning so much easier from a financial aspect. Most reputable QA companies will offer a Web Testing Service that can be paid for on an hourly rate or even a fixed cost for the entire project.

If using an outsourced web testing service is something you are considering, then talk to the Web Testing Team at Testing4Success. They are one of the world’s leading Web Testing Service providers. Talk to them today at www.testing4success.com.

Web Testing Service

Mobile App QA Company

Trying to organize QA at any point in the development of a mobile app can be tricky to say the least. That’s why choosing to use an outsourced mobile app QA service is becoming a very popular option indeed. So, what are the benefits of choosing to outsource rather than simply using resources within the originating company?

There are a few key factors to consider when selecting an outsourced mobile app QA company. Having the right expertise within a company is not as straight-forward as it first appears. The cost of of hiring a mobile app tester on a full-time or even on a contract basis can be extremely costly for any mobile app development company. Many companies only need mobile app testers at certain points in the app’s development life-cycle, such as shortly before release; for example. Therefore, it is unfeasible to retain full-time testers for this kind of sporadic work. That’s where an outsourced mobile app testing company comes in. You simply hire them as and when you need them, no long term contracts or other overheads (healthcare, vacation time etc). A good outsourced mobile app QA company will be able to provide you with testers at very short notice.

Mobile app testing expertise is very hard to come by. The whole mobile app arena is still relatively new, and therefore there are very few actual professional mobile app testers. The chances of having such testers available is very slim. But, a mobile app testing company will have a whole team of them. In addition this team would have had exposure to a whole range of different apps. This makes it easy for them to ‘ramp up’ on any new app very quickly. They will quickly be able to detect defects through exploratory testing or other techniques at their disposal.

Being able to test a mobile on real devices is key to ensure an app appears as expected. But, how many mobile app developers have access to a good range of real devices? not many, that’s for sure. The cost of purchasing a range of iOS and Android devices will run into several thousands, and with the constant release of new devices coming onto the market, the cost will be ongoing. A good outsourced mobile app QA company will have an up to date range of Android and iOS devices. Their range of mobile devices will allow your app to be tested for compatibility. This  provides the mobile app developers with total confidence that their app will look and behave as expected to their target audience.

If you are considering using an Outsourced Mobile App QA Company, then consider using Testing4Success. They are one of the world’s leading Mobile App Testing Companies. Talk to their Mobile App Testing Team today.

 

Mobile App QA Company

ISTQB Agile Tester Certification Training Course

Any self-respecting tester that calls themselves a professional should have Agile testing experience. If they don’t have experience, then there is something that they can do about it. They can now get certified by the ISTQB in the ISTQB Agile Tester Extension certification. This relatively new software testing certification aims to provide a tester with the knowledge they need to test software with an Agile environment.

The ISTQB Agile Tester certification is not actually a stand-alone certification, which means that not anyone can simply take the test, as there is a prerequisite. All testers wishing to take the exam must already hold the ISTQB Foundation certificate in Software Testing (CTFL). As this is the most popular software testing certification in the world, chances are; most testers will already have it.

This new certification from the ISTQB is already hugely popular among software testers in the QA world. This is in part due to the lack of ‘real’ certifications in the QA world. So, many testers are keen to find a way to obtain the knowledge required to enable them to pass the exam and get this new sought-after certification.

Some testers may be fortunate enough to get their employers to pay for them to attend a classroom-led ISTQB Agile training course. But, most testers do not have this privilege available to them. In addition, those testers who are currently looking for a way into the field of software testing may not have the personal budget to enable them to spend thousands on such training. Fortunately, there is another training option open to them and all testers who need to get certified, and this option is ‘distance-learning’.

There are some myths about distance learning, which are for the most part untrue. Such as there is no support for students, or there are no practice exams etc. Taking a look at the leading distance learning provide ‘Testing4Success.com’, their ISTQB Agile Tester Extension Training Course provides full Tutor Support, and 120 Practice Questions.

So what are the benefits of choosing a distance learning or online training course? flexibility is a huge advantage for any software tester who wishes to study for this certification. A distance learning course means you can study at any time of day you wish. In addition, you can effectively study from anywhere you wish too. For example, you could study while traveling or in a lunch break etc.

Cost is always a factor in any training. A good distance learning course will provide you with everything you need to pass the exam for just a few hundred dollars, which is a huge saving on the thousand dollars plus you would be looking at for a classroom-led course

If you are a tester look to obtain the ISTQB Agile Tester certification. Then perhaps you should consider the distance-learning or online method of training. Testing4Success provides single-user and multi-user licenses for this training course. View the details for the ISTQB Agile Tester Extension Training Course now!

ISTQB Agile Tester Certification Training Course

New Changes for ISTQB Certification in 2016

In recent years, updates to the core range of ISTQB certifications, such as ISTQB Foundation, ISTQB Advanced and ISTQB Agile Tester have been few and far between. In fact, for the ISTQB Foundation syllabus, it has been four years. So what changes are we to expect next year?

There are rumors in the QA community that the ISTQB is working on updates to its ISTQB Foundation syllabus and ISTQB Advanced syllabus, which we are t o expect in the new examination next year (2016). Whether or not these rumors turn out to be true remains to be seen. There certainly is no word on the official ISTQB website. So what changes are we likely to see in any future ISTQB syllabus?

There is a lot of ‘buzz’ at the moment for a world-wide official certification for Mobile App Testing (Mobile QA). While this would be relatively welcomed by the QA community, do we actually need it. What the ISTQB promotes is the key fact that good software testing principles can be applied to any software product or platform. Fortunately for Software Testers is that the key fundamentals of software testing do not change very often, nor will they. Will a tester who has completed a mobile app training course find more defects in a mobile app than a tester who holds an ISTQB certification? The answer will probably be know. Obviously there are several other contributory factors to consider, but essentially a good tester should be able to plan and execute a good test strategy to uncover defects regardless of the software platform.

There are many calls for and expectations that the ISTQB will(and must) add mobile testing information to its future ISTQB range of QA certifications. I very much doubt this will actually be the case. Just take a look through the current ISTQB syllabi, and see for yourself how much of it is still relavant and can be applied to a mobile app.

Mobile app development (and subsequent QA) is a huge proportion of the worlds current software market, and its here to stay. As Testers, do we need to update our skill-sets? or simply change our attitude?

Simon K. Jones

Head of Training – www.testing4success.com

New Changes for ISTQB Certification in 2016

ISTQB & Mobile Testing e-Learning Sale

Right now you can save 33% off any of our QA e-learning courses. This includes ISTQB Foundation, ISTQB Advanced and the new ISTQB Agile Tester training course. Not only that, you can also save 33% off the industry leading Mobile App Testing Associate (MATA) and the Mobile App Testing Professional (MATP) training courses. All courses are accessible 24 hours a day and include tutor support.

What are you waiting for?……save 33% and start studying today!

http://www.testing4success.com/training.html

ISTQB & Mobile Testing e-Learning Sale

Exam Questions for the 2015 ISTQB Agile Tester Certification

In order to pass the exam for the ISTQB Agile Tester certification, the student must either know the material to a reasonable standard, or know which questions will be in the actual exam. As anyone who has taken an ISTQB exam before, there is absolutely no way of knowing which questions will be asked. This is because each student who sits for an ISTQB exam will in fact have a unique exam. This is achieved by providing the student with a fixed amount of questions from a much larger pool of questions, thus ensuring that each exam is different. While this is an excellent method to ensure that a student really does know the material, it make it hard to prepare for the exam.

While you cannot predict what will be asked of you in the exam. You can actually purchase sets of practice questions based on the latest 2015 syllabus for the ISTQB Agile Tester certification. A good set of ISTQB Agile Tester Exam Questions will provide you with a thorough way to test yourself before the big exam day.

By attempting to answer the practice exam questions, you will quickly find out which areas you need to work on before the exam. This is a great way to study for the exam, and is also quite fun too!

Exam Questions for the 2015 ISTQB Agile Tester Certification

ISTQB Agile Tester Training Course

If you are looking for a way to study for the ISTQB Agile Tester certification, then you need look no further than the Testing4Success ISTQB Agile Tester Training Course. Many of the world’s software testers are choosing this course, and here we explain why.

The ISTQB Agile Tester Extension Training Course was designed by a team of top software testing professionals in association with one of the world’s leading software testing training instructors. This training course is rapidly becoming the No.1 training method in the world!

Here is what the course includes:

Agile Tester Extension Syllabus Walk-through

120 Practice Exam Questions

Interactive Study Sessions

Video Training Set

Personal Training Tutor

Agile Testing Slide Set

Testing Terms Challenge

Exam Preparation Guide

Software Tester’s Career Pack

Agile Testing e-book Collection

Agile Testing Certificate

If you are interested in this ISTQB Agile Tester training course. Then you can start studying today, in your own time and virtually anywhere you wish. Testing4Success provides both a single-user license and a multi-user license for this training course. View the complete ISTQB Agile Tester Extension Training Course details today!

ISTQB Agile Tester Training Course

Canada"s No.1 QA Company and QA Service Provider

Choosing an outsourced QA company in Canada can often be a difficult and risky process if you don’t know what to look out for. The key to choosing a QA service provider is to know exactly what you want before even speaking to a QA company. Hold a meeting with the stakeholder and create a list of questions to ask the QA company. That way, you reduce the risk of not having everything you expected further down the line which can obviously cause delay in a project and even worst case; resulting in switching QA providers.

If your company is based in Canada, you are fortunate to have one of the world’s leading Outsourced QA companies right on your doorstep. Testing4Success has been a major force in the world of outsourced QA for quite some time now, providing outsourced QA services to some of the worlds largest and high profile companies.

Testing4Success can provide your company with Web Testing, Mobile App Testing, Desktop Application Testing and even QA Training. By building their QA team from some of Canada’s most highly respected testers; the QA service provided is highly efficient, effective and very professional. Above all, all QA is performed here in Canada!

Canada"s No.1 QA Company and QA Service Provider

Low Cost ISTQB Advanced Training Course

Training for the ISTQB Advanced certifications can often be a costly process. Choosing the traditional classroom-led training courses is rapidly becoming the less appealing way to study. This is because firstly; it is very expensive, especially when you consider the amount of money paid for a small amount of actual training. Fortunately, there now exists a method of training that provides the best of both worlds.

The ISTQB Advanced training course from Testing4Success provides a complete training approach for the ISTQB Advanced Test Analyst, Test Manager and Technical Test Analyst certifications. While providing not only the expected course material and hundreds of practice exam questions,  it also provides a whole range of extra studying tools including a brand new suite of ISTQB Advanced training videos.

Being able to study online gives the student the ability to study when they want to. This flexibility is further enhanced with full support for smartphones and tablets, so studying can take place virtually anywhere. If you want a low cost method of training and passing the ISTQB Advanced exams, then look no further than the ISTQB Advanced Training Course.

Low Cost ISTQB Advanced Training Course

Mobile App Testing Certification and Training

With the recent boom in all things mobile related, it comes as no surprise that there is a huge demand for mobile app software testers. The market is flooded with literally millions of mobile apps, and are they all high in quality? definitely not. That is why experts in the filed have come up with the definitive mobile app testing certification.

The Mobile App Testing Associate (MATA) is the starting point for any software tester who is intending to test mobile apps. This certification is not only going to provide you with knowledge about mobile app testing, but is also is going to provide you with real ‘hands-on’ testing of mobile apps. So where do I go for this training? I hear you ask. Well, the answer is nowhere!

The Mobile App Testing Associate (MATA) certification and training can be done via self-study. The revolutionary training method utilizes a variety of training techniques to ensure a thorugh and enjoyable training experience. Also included are hands-on workshops with real apps. In addition, a tutor is provided to provide you with ongoing support!

Full details of the Mobile App Testing Associate (MATA) training course are available at the Testing4Success Training Page.

Mobile App Testing Certification and Training

Self-Study Online ISTQB Agile Training Course

If you are considering studying for the ISTQB Agile Tester certification, then you will undoubtedly have looked for a training course. If you are undecided which training course will be right for you, consider this:

Testing4Success.com released its Self-Study Online ISTQB Agile Training Course earlier in 2014. The course was created by expert training tutors in association with the Testing4Success QA team. The result was the release of this highly effective and informative training course. The public response was phenomenal and now this course is gaining global recognition as the No.1 self-study training course for the ISTQB Agile Tester Certification.

For full details of this incredible course, visit the Training Page at Testing4Success.com today.

Self-Study Online ISTQB Agile Training Course

Free ISTQB Agile Tester Training & Exam Questions

Maybe you have studied for the ISTQB Agile Tester certification, or perhaps you are just going to attempt to take the exam? either way, how are you going to ensure you are ready to take and pass the exam?

The ISTQB Agile Tester exam consists of the now familiar multiple-choice question format. Unsurprisingly, you will have to get a certain amount of these questions right in order to pass the exam. If you have taken an ISTQB exam before, you will know the importance of answering practice exam questions. A quick search on Google will help you find a handful of Free Questions for the ISTQB Agile Tester exam. However, as with most free questions, the quality is very poor and almost always out-of-date. For a small fee it is possible to get hold of an up-to-date set of Questions for the ISTQB Agile Tester certification. The small fee is totally worth it, as you know they are from a trusted source and a professional training provider.

You need to ask yourself, will you be confident on the day of the exam knowing that you just used free ISTQB Agile Tester exam questions to study with? If the answer is no, and you don’t want to have to pay to re-take the exam, then do yourself a favor and training and study the right way.

Testing4Success is one of the worlds leading providers of self-study training courses for Software Testers. The full training catalog can be found at http://testing4success.com/training.html

Free ISTQB Agile Tester Training & Exam Questions

Agile Testing e-Learning Course

Many testers are now finding themselves testing within an Agile environment. Some testers are finding that they are required to test without actually having any real knowledge or experience of what Agile testing essentially means. This can be concerning for the tester and the whole development team. Testers need to know about Agile, because if they haven’t worked with Agile before, it surely won’t be long before they do.

There are several ways a tester can can study the concepts of Agile testing. Firstly, they can attend a classroom-led training course. The major drawback with this type of training is the cost and time constraints. Secondly, there are many books out there that cover Agile testing. However, it can be very hard work learning from just reading text, and many testers fail attempting to learn Agile testing with this method.

Lastly, and by no means least we have e-learning. Thanks to Testing4Success, there is now a way to learn that provides the flexibility of self-study with the advantages of having tutor support (just like learning in a classroom). The newest addition to their range of software testing training courses is the ISTQB Agile Tester Training Course.

This course is available in single-user and multi-user licenses and includes the following components:

Agile Tester Extension Syllabus Walk-through

120 Practice Exam Questions

Video Training Set

Personal Training Tutor

Interactive Workshops

Testing Terms Challenge

Agile Visual Slide Set

Exam Preparation Guide

Software Tester’s Career Pack

Agile Testing Certificate

View the complete range of training products for Software Testers including; ISTQB Foundation, ISTQB Agile Tester, ISTQB Advanced, Mobile App Testing Associate, Mobile App Testing Professional and the Software Tester’s Career Boost only at
Testing4Success.com/Training.

Agile Testing e-Learning Course

ISTQB Agile Tester Extension Training

So, the ISTQB Agile Testing Training syllabus is out, and testers across the globe are scrambling to get their hands on this new certification from ISTQB. While this certification is a worthy addition to the ISTQB range, some testers are left wondering is it really worth me studying for this one?

Any experienced tester would have undoubtedly spent time working in an Agile environment at some point or another. Agile development is commonplace in today’s world of software development. Those testers who have some experience of Agile testing, should certainly consider this certification, as it will at least act as a refresher in the important concepts of testing in an Agile environment. It should also give them a few additional items of information that they may not have even considered.

Those testers who have not performed any agile testing should definitely consider training for this certification, it really is a ‘no-brainer’. Many organizations today will switch to an Agile software development with little budget or time to train the testing team. So, if a tester can get trained by themselves, perhaps in their own time, then this could be a real asset to the tester’s current company. It will also stand-out to any prospective employer by having the ISTQB Agile Tester Extension certification on their resume/CV.

In order to obtain this certification, obviously some kind of training is required. If flexible, cost-effective training is required, then look no further than the ISTQB Agile Tester Extension Training Course, it’s an e-learning course that also includes tutor support, so you get the flexibility of e-learning, whilst still having the tutor support you would get from studying in a classroom.

ISTQB Agile Tester Extension Training

Training for ISTQB Advanced Test Analyst in 2014?

Are you thing about training for the ISTQB Advanced Test Analyst certification this year? If yes, then you may want to consider which training method will be right for you. We discuss here, the three best ISTQB training options:

The hardest option a student can choose is to study for the ISTQB Advanced Test Analyst by themselves. This can be achieved by buying a book and then taking the exam at an examination center. While this is probably the most cheapest training method, it is definitely not the most effective. As everyone learns in a different way, simply reading text may not be the best method for the individual. Reading text should only be one part of the training, a student needs a variety of training methods to ensure the material is absorbed correctly. Also, the student with this method is totally isolated and does not have any support.

Firstly, you can go down the traditional route of classroom-led training. This is rapidly becoming outdated due to the cost of attending the training, the time missed from work, and also not being able to ask questions after the training has finished. Also, everybody learns in a different way, and so cramming information into a classroom-led course will certainly not suit everyone.

The last training method for the ISTQB Advanced Test Analyst we are going to talk about is distance-learning. This is now regarding as the No.1 training method. Firstly, it allows the student to study at their own pace, and also wherever they choose, at work, at home, traveling etc. Secondly, the cost of distance-learning (or e-learning) is very low, especially when compared to a classroom-led course, some training providers will provide material for all three ISTQB Advanced courses for the price of one. With this training method, you can also be assured that the training content is always up-to-date with the latest examination syllabus, as any good ISTQB Advanced Training Provider will keep the course bang up to date to keep it in-line with any ISTQB Advanced syllabus changes. Also, a good e-learning course will provide a variety of training methods, such as text, video, workshops, exercises and lots of practice exam questions. Lastly, A good ISTQB Advanced Test Analyst e-learning Course will provide you with tutor support, so you can get the answers you need throughout your training and ensure you pass the exam first time!

 

Training for ISTQB Advanced Test Analyst in 2014?

No.1 Training for ISTQB Advanced Test Manager 2014

If you are considering training for the ISTQB Advanced Test Manager certification, fortunately there are several options open to you, although one training method stands-out way more than the others.

Firstly, you can go down the traditional route of classroom-led training. This is rapidly becoming outdated due to the cost of attending the training, the time missed from work, and also not being able to ask questions after the training has finished. Also, everybody learns in a different way, and so cramming information into a classroom-led course will certainly not suit everyone.

Secondly, a student can study for the ISTQB Advanced Test Manager themselves on their own. This can be achieved by buying a book and then taking the exam at an examination center. While this is probably the most cheapest training method, it is definitely not the most effective. As everyone learns in a different way, simply reading text may not be the best method for the individual. Reading text should only be one part of the training, a student needs a variety of training methods to ensure the material is absorbed correctly. Also, the student with this method is totally isolated and does not have any support.

The last training method for the ISTQB Advanced Test Manager we are going to talk about is distance-learning. This is now regarding as the No.1 training method. Firstly, it allows the student to study at their own pace, and also wherever they choose, at work, at home, traveling etc. Secondly, the cost of distance-learning (or e-learning) is very low, especially when compared to a classroom-led course, some training providers will provide material for all three ISTQB Advanced courses for the price of one. With this training method, you can also be assured that the training content is always up-to-date with the latest examination syllabus, as any good ISTQB Advanced Training Provider will keep the course bang up to date to keep it in-line with any ISTQB Advanced syllabus changes. Also, a good e-learning course will provide a variety of training methods, such as text, video, workshops, exercises and lots of practice exam questions. Lastly, A good ISTQB Advanced Test Manager e-learning Course will provide you with tutor support, so you can get the answers you need throughout your training and ensure you pass the exam first time!

 

No.1 Training for ISTQB Advanced Test Manager 2014

What is Functional Testing?

Functional Testing is probably the most widely used form of software testing in the Information Technology world today. The vast majority of software producing companies have tight budgets, tight deadlines and lots of competition. The main aim of this type of software testing is to answer the following question:

Does the software do what it was designed to do?

Software developments are nearly always driven by business requirements, as they form the reason why the software is being developed in the first place. Business requirements can be documented in several ways, either grouped under the one single banner of business requirements or separated into sections such as user requirements, functional requirements and system requirements etc. Functional Testing is typically planned to satisfy business requirements as a group or individually. Some requirements are not testable, which does not necessarily mean that there was a mistake, but simply means another form of testing will have to be used to satisfy the requirement. Functional requirements should always be testable however. It is common for company departments and project stakeholders alike to request a list of requirements and their associated test case results. This is why the importance of this type of software testing is ranked highly in the development life-cycle.

Requirements are created at the beginning of the software development life-cycle, so Functional Testing can be a consideration very early on. Questions like “How am I going to test this?” are valid at any stage, and so the earlier on it can be answered the better. Requirement reviews can be said to include Functional Testing as both an input and an output, such is the importance of this type of testing.

Functional Testing is based on the external behavior of the software under test, otherwise known as ‘black-box testing’, which means that no knowledge of the inner design of the code or logic is required. An example of a form of this type of software testing is ‘Security Testing’, which tests the functions relating to threats from malicious persons and viruses etc. Interoperability testing can also be considered to be a form of Functional Testing as the capability of the software product to interact with other specified components or systems is being tested.

What is Functional Testing?

The Difference Between Alpha and Beta Testing

Before any software product can be released it must be tested. Typically a formal test strategy is planned and executed on the software before it can be considered for release. Often after the formal phases of testing have been completed, additional testing is performed called Alpha and Beta testing.

Alpha testing is done before the software is made available to the general public. Typically, the developers will perform the Alpha testing using white box testing techniques. Subsequent black box and grey box techniques will be carried out afterwards. The focus is on simulating real users by using these techniques and carrying out tasks and operations that a typical user might perform. Normally, the actual Alpha testing itself will be carried out in a lab type environment and not in the usual workplaces. Once these techniques have been satisfactorily completed, the Alpha testing is considered to be complete.

The next phase of testing is known as Beta testing. Unlike Alpha testing, people outside of the company are included to perform the testing. As the aim is to perform a sanity check before the products release, there may be defects found during this stage, so the distribution of the software is limited to a selection of users outside of the company. Typically, outsourced testing companies are used as their feedback is independent and from a different perspective than that of the software development company employees. The feedback can be used to fix defects that were missed, assist in preparing support teams for expected issues or in some cases even enforce last minute changes to functionality.

In some cases, the Beta version of software will be made available to the general public. This can give vital ‘real-world’ information for software/systems that rely on acceptable performance and load to function correctly.

The types of techniques used during a public Beta test are typically restricted to Black box techniques. This is due to the fact that the general public does not have inside knowledge of the software code under test, and secondly the aim of the Beta test is often to gain a sanity check, and also to retrieve future customer feedback from how the product will be used in the real world.

Various sectors of the public are often eager to take part in Beta testing, as it can give them the opportunity to see and use products before their public release. Many Software Testing Companies use this phase of testing to assist with marketing their product. For example, Beta versions of a software application get people using the product and talking about it which (if the application is any good) builds hype and pre-orders before its public release.

The Difference Between Alpha and Beta Testing