Beta Testing: 6 Steps for a Successful Beta Testing Phase

Beta testing is a type of user acceptance testing (UAT) that allows real users to provide valuable feedback on a “beta version” of a new product or new features for an older product. Developers ask users to point out bugs and pain points, highlight possible functionality improvements, and evaluate their personal user experiences as a whole.

The specific definition of any given beta test changes based on what the test specifically addresses. Although the term originated in the software industry—such as with mobile apps and operating systems—it now applies to many different goods and industries.

Testers perform beta tests on beta versions of products, and these versions are as close to final development as possible before users receive them. Named for the second letter of the Greek alphabet, beta versions are complete in the eyes of their developers aside from one all-important missing piece: user feedback. Once they receive feedback, development teams can implement any necessary changes and move on to shipping out the final product itself.

Beta testing comes in several different iterations. Here are three types to consider:

1. 1. Closed beta testing: This type of testing process focuses on a small number of uses, meaning it’s closed off to everyone else. This user base serves as a core testing team to identify flaws or highlight the strengths of specific products. A closed beta test can be useful for fielding feedback and implementing changes before wider testing.
2. 2. Open beta testing: This form of unit testing is open to any early adopters interested in the new product. Public beta testing relies on actual users to spot issues with any new features or new products.
3. 3. Technical beta testing: Developers can single out certain beta testers for their technological prowess to provide more technical feedback. Technical beta testing hinges on users being aware of the nooks and crannies of a program, as well as potential fixes for debugging purposes.

Beta testing is just one phase in a very long testing cycle for products and services. These are four of the other most common iterations:

1. 1. Alpha testing: Internal employees testing their own products is alpha testing. Throughout the alpha phase, the development team does everything in their power to ensure the test environment is as bug-free and user-friendly as possible for the beta phase.
2. 2. Black box testing: A form of testing in which users are unaware of how a developer has designed or implemented a product or feature is black box testing. In a sense, all beta testing is black box testing for users who lack a great deal of specific technical knowledge.
3. 3. Final release testing: After beta testing, there’s an additional final release test before product launch. End users and stakeholders alike survey the new features or products one last time before the company ships them out for public consumption.
4. 4. White box testing: The antithesis of black box testing, white box testing involves users who learn about the code and design process that goes into making the product. In other words, they get a glimpse under the hood. You can also consider plenty of alpha testing to be white box testing.

A successful beta testing phase hinges on sending out a product as close to the finish line as possible while simultaneously being ready to go back to square one depending on user feedback. Here are six steps you can follow to beta testing success:

1. 1. Complete alpha testing. Alpha testing should resolve any and all known issues or bugs prior to the beta phase. The beta version of a product should be as close to perfect as the internal team can make it. Sufficient alpha testing prevents products from moving into the beta testing phase prematurely.
2. 2. Decide on a test strategy. Deciding on a specific test strategy can help solidify the beta testing process. Think about whether you would like a beta test to focus on specific features or the entire product as a whole. Consider whether you want to ask for limited and targeted feedback or issue an open call to anyone who wants to try out the product.
3. 3. Define a target market. Every beta test focuses on real people in general, but you should target more specifically those you select to provide use cases. For instance, if you’ve developed a mobile app to appeal to millennials’ aesthetic sensibilities, then you should ask millennials to beta test it.
4. 4. Focus on user experience. Unless you’re doing technical beta testing, users will be more suited to talk to you about the functionality, usability, and quality of the product development overall than help you find technical solutions. Rather than hoping for fixes through this phase, focus on gathering insight into issues and positive feedback in a UX heavy sense.
5. 5. Gather honest feedback. Encourage your test cases to provide honest feedback so your team can do its best to achieve an ideal final product. Both customer satisfaction and customer validation should be authentic. Be ready to go back to the drawing board completely if enough users provide constructive criticism to that effect.
6. 6. Set exit criteria. The beta testing period eventually needs to conclude, regardless of the fact that no product will ever be completely perfect. Set exit criteria to decide when to stop fielding feedback and implementing changes so you can move on to the final testing phase. The good news is that beta testing for new features can happen continuously even after you release the so-called final version of a product. This is just one reason why software updates and other product updates are so common.

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