In the recently released 2023 Market Guide for Application Testing Services Worldwide, Gartner® analysts mention crowdtesting in the Recent Trends section of the report. The report states:
“Crowdtesting is becoming popular.” It further states that “the Great Resignation created a shortage of IT talent, and now the demand for resources exceeds the supply. We believe the supply will increase, but not as quickly as the demand. Thus, we advise alternative sourcing models, such as crowdtesting. The value of crowdtesting will increase as customers aim to diversify the services they receive. For a large number of clients seeking adaptability, speed and convenience, crowdtesting will continue to be a viable alternative.” ¹
Crowdtesting is a managed solution model that leverages the expertise of a community of testers from around the world. It offers insights and advantages that other forms of testing – in-house, lab-based or offshoring – can’t provide to the same extent.
- Flexibility and scale – Inherently, crowdtesting can deliver actionable results and testing data within hours. Testers across the globe can work with internal teams to provide results across all time zones, during hours when internal teams are not available. This allows work to be done more quickly and efficiently, and designates time for internal teams to work on crucial issues so they can meet tight release deadlines while still maintaining high quality standards. Meanwhile, crowdtesting provides the flexibility to augment internal teams as needed, in times like the great resignation, when it is difficult to hire and retain skilled talent.
- Cost optimization – During uncertain financial times, companies often struggle with managing to release top-notch digital experiences while maintaining a firmer grip on costs. Engaging a crowdtesting partner provides access to testers at a much lower cost and fewer time constraints than hiring internal teams. This helps companies to access the resources they need cost-effectively and at the right time.
- Coverage across a greater number of devices/OS/network combinations – As the number of device/OS/network combinations grows exponentially worldwide, so does the complexity of testing. While testing labs are intended to replicate the customer experience, they typically fall short of providing insights into how real customers interact with an app or digital experience. Not only are device labs and internal QA teams limited in the variations of devices they can provide due to costs, but they also typically test with devices used only for lab purposes. Additionally, testers are limited to the happy path, or a set of designated steps spelled out in a test case. And while this approach may uncover some flaws, it doesn’t account for the unanticipated ways a real person in a real-world situation would interact with the product.
- Discovering bugs sooner in the software development life cycle (SDLC) – As bugs progress through the SDLC, they become increasingly more expensive to fix. Utilizing crowdtesting to conduct exploratory testing potentially results in 30 – 50% reduction in critical fixes needed. When fewer bugs reach the post-production stage, developers can spend more time on innovation and valuable updates rather than fixing critical bugs and working on patch releases. Additionally, finding bugs sooner means avoiding poor customer experiences, which can lead to negative online reviews and lost revenue.
- Greater diversity of testers and locations – Because of the globally dispersed nature of crowdsourced testing, the demographics and locations of testers are nearly limitless. This provides unique advantages over other testing options, including insights into cultural, accessibility and language nuances, and access to feedback from teams of testers who represent virtually any target audience in nearly any location around the world.
As a pioneer and market leader in crowdtesting since 2007, with a community of nearly 1.5 million testers in more than 200 countries and territories, Applause partners with many of the world’s most notable brands to help ensure the quality of their apps, software and digital experiences.
Learn more about the value of crowdtesting in our “What is Crowdtesting” video, or our ebook, “Essential Guide to Crowdtesting.”
[1] Gartner, “Market Guide for Application Testing Services,” Shubham Rathore, Gunjan Gupta, Jaideep Thyagarajan, August 28, 2023.
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