Portfolio
Complex testing and QA of social online games mobile and web applications
The UK-based customer contacted a1qa to provide the quality of the social online mobile product.
Overview
The customer is a famous developer of online casino games adapted for social networks. These ‘social games’ represent a variety of multi-user online games that do not need to be installed on a PC. Due to their availability, simplicity, and colorful animation, they have become popular among end-users.
Services offered
Functional testing
Mobile app testing
Compatibility testing
Localization and internationalization testing
Test automation
QA consulting
Integration testing
Project scope
In 2013, the customer began developing the first mobile product. The goal was to deliver a high-quality and easy-to-use game application to the market.
To ensure the app’s quality at the software development stage, QA engineers joined the project.
The product was successfully released and began gaining prominence. The number of downloads was actively growing, new target groups from different countries were forming, and end-users began recommending the product to their friends.
After a successful market entry, the customer decided to develop cooperation. a1qa was entrusted to provide the quality of the subsequent applications for iOS and Android, as well as ensure the back-end testing high quality.
To perform all activities, a1qa formed four dedicated teams to test mobile apps, web products and conduct test automation.
At an early stage of the project, the team consisted of three mobile testing engineers, who performed software testing on eight popular real devices.
As the number of products increased, and the new functionality developed, a1qa assigned new engineers on the project. For now, there are 46 experts using more than 110 devices from the company’s lab.
The a1qa engineers:
- Optimize laborious and time-consuming regression tests performed in different environments.
- Constantly maintain the high quality of the mobile and web products, assist new software versions successful releases.
Completed work
The tasks of the teams vary depending on the project cycle. 5 years ago, the engineers began conducting front-end testing. With logical product scaling, testers moved to the back-end one. To optimize part of the work, test automation was carried out.
Functional testing of the products includes both the development of test models and their testing, as well as regularly performed regression testing.
Gained to achieve the project objectives, the a1qa team developed a testing methodology and carried out:
- Research testing
- Smoke testing
- Integration testing between games and control panels
- Testing auxiliary third-party applications necessary for the main apps’ work.
For the products proper functioning on all platforms and devices, the a1qa experts performed the following tasks:
- Testing the new apps’ features
- Destructive testing
- Creation of the test documentation
- Analysis and improvement of current test approaches
- Passing test cases in TestRail
- Emulation of user workflow with third-party applications.
During the 5 years of cooperation, over 70,000 tests were completed.
Due to the well-configured communication between dedicated teams and streamlined processes of interaction with the client’s development team, strict compliance with all deadlines was ensured. All detected defects were fixed before 127 software updates went live.
The project continues up to now. The customer has appreciated the responsible approach provided by the a1qa team and proposed to develop the cooperation.
Challenges and solutions
Need to expeditiously scale the testing team:
- To quickly receive the results from new team members, a1qa developed key performance indicators (KPIs).
- The team assigns the experts able to solve basic tasks from the first day of their work.
Strict customer’s requirements regarding the qualification of project applicants:
- The average experience of engineers is 2+ years.
- A 10-day training course was developed. It covers all relevant topics of the project.
- Every team member possesses the set of skills in the customer’s industry.
Gaps’ elimination in the work of assigned QA engineers:
- Filling the knowledge base. The experience of specialists on the project is accumulated. While testing is performed, the resource needed for the information search is used seamlessly.
Additional aspects of increasing the transparency of the a1qa service:
- The client participates in the interviews conducted with new team members and personally tests their skills.
- With the project’s development, the number of used devices has increased. For the customer only, a1qa prepared more than 60 dedicated devices, which are always available for the tests.
- Engineers have worked out a convenient schedule adapted to the customer’s working hours.
- Every noted problem is stored in the ‘project error log’. At least once a month, the experts view the data, discuss potential errors and the results of getting rid of the previous ones.
Technologies & tools
- JDK
- Appium
- Allure Framework
- Android Studio
- MS Internet Explorer
- Atlassian JIRA
- EDGE
- Charles
- Gradle
- TestNG
- CI: Bamboo
- Xcode
- Google Chrome
- TestRail
- Postman
Results
In numbers
9+
years of project duration
4
platforms tested
110+
mobile devices used for testing
80+
mobile testing engineers
100%
deadline and budget compliance