Sometimes software testing company receives the project, which needs the engagement of not only the team of professional testers but also ordinary users, which can be absolutely uninvolved to the software testing industry.
Sometimes clients insist on such an approach because if the system under development is assigned to the larger number of users, then it is necessary to check its work in the context of the end users. Such a behavior detects the errors which may not be discovered by the testers.
In this case the “Volunteers” – people, ready to work or rarely help in the software testing process, not expecting the financial or another kind of reward from the company. Here the question arose: what testing types can the third-party audience be involved in?
The Volunteers Can Take Part in the Following Types of Testing:
- usability testing;
- load testing;
- ad-hoc testing;
- multi-platform testing.
Certainly, the ordinary users’ engagement in the test process has its own disadvantages. For example, they can be not well-grounded in the professional terminology, so sometimes it is difficult to understand what phenomenon is meant in the error’s description. Besides, some difficulties appear because of the inability to manage the bug tracking systems or the screenshots and video capture tools.
But despite the imperfection of this method, volunteers’ involvement has its advantages. Suppose that usability testing has to be performed. Who but the direct user will faster detect the inconveniences in the functional or the interface of the system?
Professional testers check the program with the help of prewritten test cases, but the users can act differently. Exactly their opinion and suggestions as to the usability questions are of great importance for the software under test.
Software testing is the area which the quality control is the main task for. Thus, one should not ignore the opinion of ordinary people who want to help the product to become better and easier in using.