EuroSTAR Software Testing Conference 2013 presentation on Proving the Benefits of Beta Testing, To B or Not To B by Seth Okai. See more at: http://conference.eurostarsoftwaretesting.com/past-presentations/

1. Proving The Benefits of Beta Testing
To B or Not To B
Seth Okai - RIBA Enterprises
www.eurostarconferences.com
@esconfs
#esconfs
@NBSbeta

2. Proving The Benefits of
Beta Testing
To
or
Not to

3. Who am I?

4. Cards on the table time
Arm yourself
Support & Encouragement

6. Grace Hopper
“Feed him, what’s
the worst that
could happen?”
“It's easier to ask
for forgiveness
than it is to get
permission”

7. Barriers to
Beta testing
Some of the challenges
you’ve faced.

8. Barriers to
Beta testing
Sensitive developments
Stakeholders won’t listen to
feedback
Developers won’t listen to feedback
Product not ready for customer use
Not enough time to include
feedback in development

9. Barriers to
Beta testing
I’m not influential
The developers and QA team do the
testing
Competitors
End users will find the bugs for us
Not enough time to Beta test before
release

10. Sometimes you have to
investigate to get
results

15. “Think about that – for every 1 time we
mess up, we have to be awesome 3
“That’s a lot of awesome!”
times” Emma Humphrey NBS Interface
Design Team

16. Awesome

19. Barriers to
Beta testing
Sensitive developments
Stakeholders won’t listen to
feedback
Developers won’t listen to feedback
Product not ready for customer use
Not enough time to include
feedback in development

20. Barriers to
Beta testing
Benefits of
Beta testing
Sensitive developments
Stakeholders won’t listen to
feedback
Developers won’t listen to feedback
Product not ready for customer use
Not enough time to include
feedback in development
NDA/Mutual Confidentiality
Reduce project risk
Fit for purpose
Preparation for market release
Identify potential issues,
development ideas for future
versions.

21. Barriers to
Beta testing
Benefits of
Beta testing
I’m not influential
The developers and QA team do the
testing
Competitors
End users will find the bugs for us
Not enough time to Beta test before
release
Report the cold hard facts
Real-world testing, Reduce
product failure rate
Competitor research
Invite users to help you improve
Beta testing is part of the cake,
not the cherry on the top.

22. Share Ideas
and
Support
Make it fit
your test
environment

23. Don’t ignore feedback channels!

24. Time to
Talk
Time to have that
chat with your
employer.
Let’s discuss
what you have
seen and what
you can do next.

25. Get ready to show your hand
Hopefully you’ve just improved
your chances of progressing your
implementation plans.

26. Credits:
Command & Conquer series and Battle for Middle-Earth images belong to
Westwood Studios and EA Games.
Low hand cards -
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_w8GB5Vlku_A/TE7p1VoG6ZI/AAAAAAAAAug/HTgcD5VdYbA/s400/texa
s+hold+'em.jpg
Arm yourself - http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-
Rzb00nrwqnM/Tqz4bcO9_LI/AAAAAAAAADA/jRhZxCkIf8Q/s320/Black+knight.jpg
Support & flying the Beta flag (Help is at hand) -
http://img.thesun.co.uk/aidemitlum/archive/00393/beatles1_393514a.jpg
Warning - http://image.spreadshirt.net/image-server/
v1/compositions/8274989/views/1,width=280,height=280,appearanceId=2.png/warning-abrasive-
persona-unacceptable-opinions_design.png
2B or not 2B (original image) - http://m.friendfeed-media.
com/b686ee5d5b6cd49abb2955e58d984f51f9a1c98d
Hamlet - http://www.moxiesoft.com/wp-content/uploads/Hamlet.jpg
Storm Trooper & Gizmo (Original image) - http://cdn.sobadsogood.net/wp-content/
uploads/funny-stormtrooper-photos-10.jpg
Grace Hopper Image -
http://www.oregonquarterly.com/autumn2010/images/photo_oldor_hopper.jpg
Grace Hopper quote - http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Grace_Hopper
Wall barrier - http://38north.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/iStock_000010796709Small-
300x199.jpg
Schrodinger’s Cat - http://www.philosophy.christopher-roberts.co.uk/wp-content/
uploads/2010/10/Schrodingers-cat.jpg
No perfect people (Original image) - http://cbglades.com/wp-content/
uploads/2012/05/PerfectPeople3.jpg
Overcome the barriers - Over the barriers -
http://battleofconcepts.com.br/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Desafio.jpg
Square peg - http://transubstantiation.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/round-hole-square-peg.png?w=300
Mars orbiter (Original image) - http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/83/Mars_Climate_Orbiter_-_mishap_diagram.png
Angry mob - http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lgpfc1DfU01qeweuno1_500.jpg
High hand cards - http://dkander.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/poker-hand.jpg
Thank you multi lingual - http://www.warwickinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/iStock_000014390625XSmall.jpg