Define Beta Testing. Inputs provided by the end-users helps in enhancing the quality of the product further and leads to its success. Product’s Beta version should be ready and launched. This is good as a part time option but couldn’t be a job replacement. The first phase includes unit testing, component testing, and system testing. Given below are few pointers which explain how to perform this testing successfully. An improper number of participants – too few or too many. #3) Real world compatibility for a product can be ensured to a greater extent through this testing, as a great combination of real platforms is used here for testing on a wide range of devices, OS, Browsers, etc. #5) Few specific platforms will cause the product to fail with showstopper bug which was not covered during QA. Beta testing is performed by Clients or End Users who are not employees of the organization. #2) It is performed by a wide range of users and the reasons for which the product is being used varies highly. Since Beta Testing happens at the end user’s side, it cannot be the controlled activity. You can also find real Beta Tester jobs  on some career sites like Careers.org and Simplyhired. Beta Testing is one of the Customer Validation methodologies to evaluate the level of customer satisfaction with the product by letting it to be validated by the end users, who actually use it, for over a period of time. Some companies even pay you money to test their beta applications. This article gives you a complete overview of Beta Testing, thereby explaining its meaning, purpose, need for it, challenges involved etc in a clear easy to understand format. Tools used to log bugs, measure productivity, collect feedback – either through surveys or ratings. means pre-launch testing conducted by Owner in respect of which no payment from customers is made to the Owner for the Services provided in connection therewith. Marketing managers focus on target market’s opinion on each and every feature, while a usability engineer / common real users focus on product usage and easiness, technical users focus on installation and uninstallation experience, etc.. Provide clear test instructions (user manual). Translate beta test into Spanish. Beta testers are “real” users and conduct their testing in a production environment running on the same hardware, networks, etc., as the final release. Beta testing, which is a type of User Acceptance Testing is among the most crucial software testing, performed before the release of the software. This practice is the better way to analyze the success of any product before its Production Launch. You want your product to meet your customer’s’ needs and their expectations, and to do that with as few hiccups as possible. This is a huge opportunity for you. Beta testing comes after alpha testing and can be considered a form of external user acceptance testing. Beta Testing is one such methodology which allows the users to experience the product before it reaches the market. Hence, to gather more knowledge about this type of testing, let us have a detailed discussion on beta testing. Even if you have done the market research the right way, it is still a theoretical assumption that hasn’t been tested in the real world. Installation packages should be distributed to the participants – Ideally, share the link from where they can download and Install. Beta software refers to computer software that is undergoing testing and has not yet been officially released. The objective is to uncover as many bugs or usability issues as possible in this controlled setting. Some beta software is only made available to a select number of users, while other beta programs are released to the general public. Beta Testing is one of the Acceptance Testing types, which adds value to the product as the end-user (intended real user) validates the product for functionality, usability, reliability, and compatibility. Identify the ideal user groups to perform this test – Either limited group of users or in public. Ideally, all the technical Products should undergo the Beta Testing phase as they are mainly dependent on platforms and process. Enterprise document management (EDM) is a strategy for overseeing an organization's paper and electronic documents so they can be... Risk assessment is the identification of hazards that could negatively impact an organization's ability to conduct business. It is also known as beta site testing or field testing. Another challenge is to collect the feedback. Considered to be a type of field test, beta testing is performed by a group of end users. This term is mainly used in computer technologies. I mentioned the second option just as one of the opportunities for you but my main purpose is to educate you on beta test opportunities that you can use to improve your testing skill on real-life projects and the experience to mention in your resume to reach your dream job. But be careful before making any investment as there are many scam sites asking for money to join as a game tester. Tight deadlines due to delays in previous phases. Do Not Sell My Personal Info, Artificial intelligence - machine learning, Circuit switched services equipment and providers, Business intelligence - business analytics, See our glossary of software development terminology, Don't mistake user acceptance testing for acceptance testing, User acceptance testing vs system integration testing, cloud SLA (cloud service-level agreement), PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard), protected health information (PHI) or personal health information, HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). Is to provide a preview and possibly create some buzz for the product. Not covered during QA test is where some software or an application is released to the relevant teams are. Better way to analyze the success of any product before your official launch is a type of trial for..., beta testing is performed by a group of users required to complete and reach goals... 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