Beta Test

What is a beta test?

A beta test is a type of software, application, or product test that gives real users a chance to try a product before it’s released to the general public.

Beta tests aim to find any bugs or issues before wide release by asking for feedback from people who are part of the product’s target audience. The consumers are aware that the product is in a testing phase and that they’re using it within a controlled production environment.

Most products and software go through several rounds of testing before general release. Internal teams typically use test management tools to manage and track any assessments, along with the data they collect for analysis.

Types of beta tests

Product teams must decide which of the many different types of beta testing to use based on their target outcome and goals for the test. 

• Traditional testing. In traditional testing, products are given to a group of the target audience to gain feedback on the usage and design. These insights are then given to the developers to implement ahead of launch.
• Public testing. Similar to traditional testing, but this is a broader beta phase, which means the product can be tested by a wider range of people. This can help gather feedback and spread information about the release.
• Focused testing. The product goes to the public for testing with the specific goal of gathering feedback on a certain feature or functionality. 
• Technical testing. It is also possible to beta test within the internal team; this is typically the case with technical testing. Employees within the company, who aren’t part of the development team, beta test the product, rather than it being sent to the target audience first.

Basic elements of best tests

Every team defines its beta tests by type and objective. But all beta tests include:

• A group of testers. The most important part of a beta test are the users who try out the product. This determines the kind of feedback teams receive, based on the parameters of the test and how the group uses the product. Selecting the wrong audience for a beta test wastes time and money if it generates unhelpful results.
• A time limit for the test. All tests must have a set time limit. Anywhere between two and 12 weeks is common for beta testing because this gives users a chance to work with the product for enough time to become familiar with it and discover any problems.
• A way to gather feedback. The feedback from a beta test gives developers areas to examine and new updates to implement before the product launches.

Benefits of beta tests

Beta testing is an important step in product and software development. Some of the benefits include:

• Catching overlooked issues. Finding problems before a product hits the shelves is crucial. Having a select group of these users experiment with the product and provide more perspectives gives organizations opportunities to correct any critical errors or add additional features that users want to see.
• Building relationships with users. Customers love to feel wanted and appreciated. Asking for their feedback makes them feel important and shows them that their opinions about the products they’re l using are actually valuable.
• Generating buzz around product releases. Because real users will be getting to know the product, it’s likely that this group will talk about it with their friends and family. This creates curiosity and additional promotion around the upcoming release of the product for little to no marketing expense.

Best practices for beta tests

Preparing ahead of time is critical for setting up a successful beta test for success. Some of the best practices to consider include:

• Defining clear goals and objectives. The development team has to know what they want to achieve from the beta test before it begins. This informs what type of feedback they want to hear from users, along with what changes are necessary after the test.
• Choosing the right testers. Users should be selected in order to represent the whole audience, with a range of abilities when it comes to using the product and the need they have for it. 
• Developing clear test scenarios. Testers should never be confused about what they need to do for the beta test. Make instructions clear and provide multiple feedback options that work for different learning styles.
• Communicate updates after the test. Especially if improvements are made following user feedback in the test, let the testers know what has changed ahead of the product’s release. This makes them feel that they’ve provided valuable contributions to the product development and builds positive relationships with the organization.

Beta test vs. alpha test

To better understand a beta test, it’s best to learn how they differ from alpha tests.

Beta tests are given to a select few from a target audience to gather information from real users. 

In contrast, alpha testing is the first level of testing that takes place for a product. It’s conducted within the internal team and typically happens in a staged lab environment before the product moves into l beta testing.

Using software testing tools, developers can become more efficient and meet team goals while building new products and applications.