Ukrainian software testing company QAwerk has started an internal project that checks random apps for bugs. The firm calls it the Bug Crawl. Every week it tests apps picked at random and then writes detailed reports on every error it finds.
QAwerk is an outsourcing company that tests software for leading clients around the world. According to the firm, its focus on testing and its steady work on new methods led to the project.
Hundreds of serious bugs
So far, the results have been revealing. QAwerk has already tested more than one hundred apps for Android and iOS. It found over 250 serious errors in popular titles, among them ChatAll, which translates conversations side by side, the social dining platform VizEat and 360 Weather.
Some problems came up again and again. Apps crashed suddenly, text contained grammar mistakes, and forms let users leave important fields empty. Each issue may look small. Still, it can frustrate users and make them think badly of an app, even when the app is genuinely useful.
Many companies rely on just one or two testing methods. They also tend to leave testing for the final stage of development, although testing earlier and more thoroughly gives better results. A team that is great at building products does not always have strong testing skills, which is why big companies and startups alike have begun to outsource QA. When specialists handle the testing, the product reaches the market with far fewer flaws.
If a company skips serious testing early on, its users will find the bugs instead. That leads to a poor experience, a damaged reputation for the app and lost trust in its maker.
QAwerk argues that the best way to build an app is to test it in depth, either in-house or through an outsourcing partner with a full QA process. That approach saves both time and money. It also helps development, since outside testers see the product from a different angle. As a result, the app is truly ready to use when it launches.
