As mobile and Internet-connected devices become more ubiquitous, many organizations are seeking ways to leverage these platforms for their own benefit. The applications that run on this hardware will need to be functional and fit user expectations, but there are a number of new considerations that quality assurance teams must make. Here are a few ways in which the mobile application testing and Internet of Things testing are changing:
More tools, increased testing
Right now, the testing in these areas are considerably lower than expected. According to Zephyr's annual, How The World Tests Report, nearly 30 percent of respondents aren't doing mobile testing, and 42 percent have no IoT testing. This is critical, especially since more devices are emerging that users are seeking to leverage with their favorite programs. However, there could be a reason for this large lack of testing. As Zephyr pointed out, as new tools and testing techniques like defect management evolve, teams will be more likely to spend time on these platforms in the future and create quality projects.
Accommodating increasing devices
With manual testing, evaluating apps for mobile devices would be a considerable challenge when accounting for the different types of hardware in use. However, as TechTarget noted, the biggest problem with mobile testing lies with creating apps that will work with the operating system and handle the configurations of the various equipment. One easy way to determine your considerations is to look at your user base and identify what types of devices are in play. This way, teams can create tools specifically gauged for their needs without exceeding necessary resources.
Addressing complexity
QA have numerous considerations to make, and this can increase the testing complexity within a project. They must not only ensure that the app functions appropriately, but that it also integrates well with other systems.
"The hardware that software runs on and the surrounding systems can impact the way in which the software functions," Security Intelligence wrote. "It can be as simple as having hardware that's not robust enough to run the software, like back in the days when RAM (random access memory) was at a premium. Or as complex as software that's been optimized to run on certain hardware, continues to run on different hardware, but returns incorrect results."
One issue QA teams may run into is handling all of the tests and progress across each project to meet the requirements of all devices. With enterprise test management tools, QA can easily keep track of test cases and have clear oversight into each application. This information will make prioritizing tasks much easier and ensure that critical items are addressed appropriately.