Turning over a new application for client testing can be an extremely exciting time. By exciting, of course, I mean terrifying.

The period of client trust where your team has truly understood their vision and has created a product that will fit their needs is now coming to a crescendo. When it becomes time for the users to test, how can someone in a client services role ensure successful delivery?

User-Focused Strategy

UDig’s design and development approaches are all grounded in user experience, why would testing be any different? Our team analyzes user stories and feature sets from cradle to grave, dividing the workflow by specific user groups. This enables the curation of a specific testing strategy for each user group, a focus that is crucial when testing resources have limited time to dedicate to this effort. A quick conversation with the Product Owner will allow you to identify key individual resources in those user roles who will be your testing partners.

This refinement is critical to improving the adoption rate, success of the test execution and quality of feedback across the testing period.

New & Old Testing Methods

After analyzing the product feature set and finalizing the testing user base, our team builds out a controlled climate for the client to test (which is again related to each user’s specific needs). Functional test cases with related acceptance criteria are broken down by the predefined user groups and everything is documented. Every single, little piece of functionality needs to be captured to ensure a positive customer experience. UDig’s Client Services team utilizes Gherkin User Stories to write Cucumber Acceptance Test Cases, ensuring that the exact functionality that was requested by the client is showcased and validated during the tests. Finally, we analyze all the dependencies between your current state and a successful test:

• Is the test environment prepped?
• Do your client testers need to download any application-dependent COTS products?
• Are kickoff meetings scheduled and training materials developed?
• Most importantly, do you know this application well enough to answer any questions? Which technical resources can help you fill in the gaps?

Onsite

As a true partner throughout the delivery lifecycle, UDig integrates seamlessly into the client team straight from the inception of the testing process. Applications are introduced in person with a focus on individual business needs. These introductions do not end until all questions are answered about both the application’s functionality and the testing effort. The client plays a vital role in this part of the Agile SDLC and our team comes prepared with all the materials to guide them through the process.

Even the most comprehensive introduction will leave gaps. Our team remains onsite and available throughout the testing period to clarify features, answer questions and usher the testing effort to ensure the best results.

Streamlined Bug Fixing

There are many tools available to facilitate test case execution. UDig utilizes a user-friendly bug tracker called DoneDone for client testing and development team integration. This solution enables the client to feel like a true participant in the bug fix effort and provides their leadership insight into testing progression across all user groups. Our Client Services team familiarizes the client with the level of detail necessary for incident management to occur successfully which eventually reduces the burden on client testers. DoneDone encourages real-time interaction without co-location and drastically increases the velocity of defect management.

Understanding & Insight

As a member of the Client Services team, we are involved at the inception of the project. The insight gained through solution architecting, requirements gathering, designing, refining features and development enables our team to have a deep understanding of our client’s needs and how this application performs. This combined experience and understanding allows our resources to conduct testing that is tailor-fit for the end users. Not only does this allow for more effective testing but enables our development team to focus solely on feature refinement while the Client Services team conducts onsite testing.