How Does Crowdsourced Testing Work?

Businesses in all industries must ensure their product is entirely ready before launching it. This is especially the case with digital products where there’s much room for bugs, glitches, and security issues. In the past, many brands relied solely on their QA teams or external testing firms. However, more and more brands are now turning to crowdsourced testing to strengthen quality assurance and identify issues with their product. In this article, we look at how crowdsourced testing works and what benefits it brings.

Crowdsourced Testing Explained

Not so long ago, companies could only rely on their internal test team or external testing companies to check their products before launching. With the rise of the internet, it became possible for them to access global networks of testers from different backgrounds and locations. This led to the emergence of a new, more flexible type of testing – crowdsourced testing.

Groups of testers in this method are commonly referred to as the “crowd” and are invited to participate in the testing process. Some focus on functionality, while others test for performance, usability, compatibility, and localization. The biggest advantage of this approach is that the product gets tested by those who reflect the diversity of the product’s actual user base.

Crowdsourced testing is now used for almost every type of digital product. From mobile apps to console games and smart TV interfaces, it’s one of the most valuable new additions to the product development cycle in recent years.

In the world of gaming, crowdsourced funding involves testing all features of the game, from graphics to gameplay mechanics. Testers are responsible for ensuring that everything works as expected. They check for bugs in animation, controller compatibility, audio sync issues, and more. Crowdsourced testing also allows the company to check how the game performs across different regions and in different language settings.

This approach to testing also became an important part of casino game development, where precision and reliability are extremely important. Many of today’s leading slots now support dozens of paylines, varied volatility levels, and region-specific features that must function correctly on both desktop and mobile (source: 76paylinesslots.com). Involving crowd testers allows developers to evaluate their games under real-world conditions, identify bugs, and verify payment mechanics.

How the Crowdsourced Testing Process Works

The testing process is a crucial part of every major app or software release. When the product is nearing its final development stages, it’s time to put it to the test under real-world conditions. It’s a necessary step to ensure everything functions as intended.

The crowdsourced testing process begins when the company comes up with its testing goals and requirements. This, of course, includes deciding on what product is being tested, as well as which platforms it’ll run on, the target user demographics, and any specific areas of concern, such as load times or payment flows.

Once the company sets its scope, it’s time for it to reach out to a crowdsourced testing platform. These platforms manage a number of global testers who specialize in discovering bugs, reporting performance issues, and everything else that’s being done in this phase of the project.

The platform then recruits testers who fit the criteria, including region, language, device type, or network speed. It’s also up to the platform to provide detailed testing instructions to the testers.

Their part involves simulating user behavior and looking for any bugs, crashes, confusing interactions, and other common issues. In case they identify a problem, it’s their job to report it. They may be asked to also submit screenshots, screen recordings, or logs to support their findings.

Once the project is finished, all reports are collected, validated, and analyzed. This is done to remove duplicate reports and verify all issues found. They’re then forwarded to the development team, who will work on solving the issues and getting their product one step closer to release.

Development teams typically conduct multiple rounds of testing (usually after each key update) to ensure all problems are dealt with before launch.

Why Do Companies Choose Crowdsourced Testing?

Crowdsourced testing has emerged as one of the most efficient methods for testing for several reasons.

First of all, there’s speed. Working with a crowdsourced testing platform allows development teams to hire as many testers as they need for the project. With enough testers working on it, the entire process can be completed within hours. This is particularly useful when the project is on a tight schedule or when quick post-launch feedback is required.

Another advantage this type of testing brings is diversity. With testers from different regions working on a project, the company behind it can simulate real-world conditions for its product. This is necessary when the product is intended for a global audience and the company releasing it wants to ensure it performs consistently for all users, not just for the limited internal test team.

Crowdsourced testing is also cost-effective. Without having to only rely on their internal test team, companies can scale each of their testing efforts up and down for every specific project. Also, they only pay for testing when needed. This also makes this type of testing ideal for startups and smaller companies that are on tighter budgets.

Lastly, crowdsourced testing is more user-focused than traditional QA reports. Testers’ reports on the user experience feel more like customer feedback as they have less connection to the project than an internal test team would.

Common Use Cases for Crowdsourced Testing

Companies that turn to crowdsourced testing the most are those developing video games and mobile apps. However, in recent years, companies in other industries began exploring this approach.

Mobile apps and online stores now play a huge role in the e-commerce industry. Before launching or releasing an update, companies in this sector need to make sure everything is working as intended. Since they don’t do this often, it makes sense to turn to crowdsourced testing rather than have an internal test team.

Testers hired for the project can help them verify product listings, checkout flows, and customer support features. Since all these aspects can impact sales directly, it’s extremely important to get everything right with every release.

Similarly, companies in the Fintech sector need someone to check their login processes, banking integrations, and transaction reliability. Most importantly, they have to ensure the level of security is high enough to keep all user data secure at all times.

This can be achieved through crowdsourced testing before every release and update.

Given how media streaming platforms have evolved in recent years, it’s no surprise they’re performing extensive testing when releasing new updates. Not only this, but with their platforms getting more personalized and complex with each update, there’s a lot to test to ensure customers are receiving exactly what they’re paying for.

Conclusion

Crowdsourced testing was a natural evolution in the world of quality assurance. The global connectivity made it possible for companies across all industries to work with testers who feel more like real users and less like part of the team. With this came more valuable evaluations that match what the users will feel upon the release. As crowdsourced testing continues to grow, the level of service these companies receive is becoming faster, more refined, and better tailored for every specific project.