What is Beta Testing? – A Brief Guide

What is Beta Testing?

Beta testing is also known as User Acceptance Testing. Which testing we performed before the release of the software was Beta testing. It also performs end-to-end software testing and it is one type of silent testing. It is generally performed by real users. This testing was performed after the alpha testing. Beta testing is released to a restricted number of users to check the functionality, usability accessibility, and more.

What are the features of Beta Testing?

Beta testing is done by the real user in the real environment. The Beta version is released for a limited number of users to test the product quality. It reduces the risk of failure and provides the quality of the product and it is final testing before shipping the product to the users.

Features of beta testing are:

• It performs in a real environment at the user’s site. It helps in providing the best quality of software.
• It is mostly done by the end-user, stakeholder, and client.
• It is always performed after the alpha testing, and before releasing software into the market.
• It is also known as black-box testing.
• It performs in the absence of a software tester and in the presence of real-time users
• It generally is done for testing software products like utilities, operating systems, applications, etc.

What is a beta version of the software?

The beta version of the software is delivered to a restricted number of users to receive their feedback and guidance on quality gain. Here different two types of beta versions are available.

• Closed beta version: Closed beta version is known as a private beta, it is released to a group of fixed and invited people. Only Invited people will test the software and assess its features and specifications. The Beta version represents the capability of the software for release, but it is for limited users not for all users.
• Open beta version: Open beta version is also known as a public beta. This beta version is open to the public. Anyone can assess the beta version as a tester to provide appropriate feedback and reviews. The open beta version increases the quality of the final release. This version is useful for finding other hidden errors and bugs.

What is the Life Cycle of Beta Testing?

Beta testing is performed by the end-users and this process cannot execute without any plan.

Follow the below steps for the process of beta testing:

1. Planning: Beta Testing supports proper planning. In the planning stage, the team prepares a testing strategy and goal testing. In this case, the team demonstrates the demand of users for testing, time, and required details related to the process.
2. Participant Recruitment: This is the second stage of the beta process in this stage the team recruits a group of specified end-users for testing. This group can modify as per the requirements of the organization and the product.
3. Product Launch: When a team of testers is recruited. The beta version of the product is founded or established on the client or user side, and users will test the product for quality security.
4. Collect and Evaluate Feedback: In this stage when the testing is finished, developers will contain the feedback provided by the testers and estimate it. In the end, based on the feedback, issues, and bugs are fixed and resolved by the developers.
5. Closure: When all the problems are resolved and the organization meets the exit criteria, beta testing is completed, and the rewards are offered to the testing team.

What is a Beta Test plan?

Below is the description of the Beta test plan.

• Objective: In the objective, we should have noted the aim of the project and why there is a demand for beta testing even after executing the internal testing.
• Scope: In this plan, we should mention the areas of functionality to be tested or not.
• Test Approach: We should explain the tested function areas and which type of testing we have performed like UI, Functionality, etc.
• Schedule: We have to mention, some data like start time and end time of testing, how many number of cycles, and time duration per cycle.
• Tools: Bug logging tools which tool we are using during testing and the use of the devices should be determined.
• Budget: Incentive of the bugs based on the bug severity.
• Feedback: Collecting feedback and considering techniques.

What are the advantages of Beta Testing?

Beta testing is done at the time of ending the software testing lifecycle. It suggests multiple advantages to testers, software developers, as well as users. In service of this type of testing, it allows developers and testers to test the product before its release in the market.

Beta testing performed at the

1. It focuses on the client’s fulfillment.
2. It permits to decrease in the risk of product defeat via user verifications.
3. It allows getting immediate feedback from users.
4. It is used to find bug and issues in the application, which is not found by the software tester team.
5. It supports the user to install, test, and send feedback about the developed software.

What are the disadvantages of Beta Testing?

Disadvantages of beta testing are:

1. In this testing, a software engineer has no power over the procedure of the testing, as the users in the real-world environment execute it.
2. This type of testing can be a time-consuming process and can slow the final release of the product.
3. It does not test the functionality of the software in deep as the software is still in development.
4. It is a scrap of time and money to work on the feedback of the users who do not use the software themselves appropriately.

Conclusion:

Beta Testing is one of the processes that permits the users to experience the product before its release into the market. Complete testing on various platforms and useful feedback from real users finally result in successful Beta Testing of the Product and guarantees that the Customer is happy with its usage.

This approach is the best way to study the success of any product before its Production Launch.

Read Also:

1) What is Alpha Testing? – A Brief Guide

2) Alpha Testing vs. Beta Testing