test techniques

Mobile usability goes a long way in enhancing end-user app acceptance. But usability starts with the user, and users differ in terms of knowledge, interests, goals, and so on. This article discusses some core usability characteristics that matter to customers, and how test engineers can understand and achieve them.

When a networked device is physically attached to us and works with us and through us, the more personal, even emotional, the interaction is. With wearables, the user becomes a part of the Internet of Things. Gerie Owen realized that consequently, a human user must be an integral part of testing wearables. Here, she details this human experience testing.

When testing, it's easy to call problems with how you'd use the software out of scope, dismissing them as "-ities," like usability, scalability, or security. Some test teams explicitly carve off all these concerns and say they are only dealing with functional testing. Yet the questions raised by this sort of thinking can lead directly to high value for customers.

Testers commonly face challenges around one-dimensional thinking, limited ideas, and communication issues. Sometimes, all you need to break out of a comfort zone or come up with better approaches is a fresh perspective. Putting on a different “thinking cap” can help you innovate solutions in a whole new way.