Jul 14
0
QA Engineering

How to Start Testing the iOS 14 Beta

Three iPhone devices supported by iOS 14
How to Start Testing the iOS 14 Beta

Although iOS 14 isn’t coming out until September 2020, the iOS 14 beta is officially here! For anyone who works in QA or has an iOS app, it’s a good idea to get a head start on testing. After all, new versions of iOS can introduce bugs into previously working apps.

iOS 14 beta apps on an iPhoneIdeally, Apple will be fixing any problems by the iOS 14 release date. But there’s no guarantee that your app will work perfectly when the time comes. Find out how to download and start testing the iOS 14 beta below.

iOS 14 Beta Release Date

The iOS 14 beta was released to the public on Thursday, July 9th, 2020.

The finished version of iOS 14 is expected to go live around mid-September.

How to Install the iOS 14 Beta

You can download and install the iOS 14 beta by following these steps: Continue reading →

Jun 22
0
About Mindful QA

Mindful QA Joins the “Stop Hate for Profit” Campaign

Stop Hate for Profit
Mindful QA Joins the “Stop Hate for Profit” Campaign

We’re proud to announce that Mindful QA has joined the “Stop Hate for Profit” campaign.

Stop Hate for ProfitWhat is the Stop Hate for Profit Campaign?

Stop Hate for Profit was started by the Anti-Defamation League in June 2020. It’s mission is to encourage businesses to cease advertising on Facebook. Doing so will impact Facebook’s advertising revenue until they take meaningful action to address the spread of bigotry and misinformation on their platform.

Along with the ADL, the Stop Hate for Profit campaign is also led by Color of Change, Common Sense Media, Free Press, NAACP, and Sleeping Giants.

What is the Goal?

Continue reading →

May 30
0
Company Culture

Tips and Tools for Working Remotely

Tips and Tools for Working Remotely
Tips and Tools for Working Remotely

Now more than ever, tech companies are moving towards remote work. Most who make the switch find that working remotely boosts productivity, improves worker morale, and lowers costs. One of the other major benefits? Reducing the spread of illnesses. But how do you make sure that you’re set up for success when implementing a remote workforce? Read on for our tips and tools for working remotely.

Tips and Tools for Working Remotely

Remote Communication Tips

To make remote work successful, above all you need good communication. It may sound obvious, but there are specific tips and tools you can use to make sure you’re set for success.

1. Use the right conferencing tool for your organization.

Just because a conferencing tool is trendy doesn’t mean it’s the best fit for your particular needs. These are some of the most common tools for audio and/or video meetings: Continue reading →

Apr 28
0
Manual Testing / QA Process

The Different Phases of QA Testing

Software Testing Phases
The Different Phases of QA Testing

QA testing can be confusing to anyone who doesn’t work in tech – and even many who do. For those who are unaware of what QA testing entails, the vague concept might be “looking for problems in a website or app.” But there are many different phases of QA testing. Some of them happen before a product is even ready to test!

Read on to find out more about the different phases of manual QA testing.

The Design PhaseQA Testing Design Phase

One of the first steps that QA can help with is the design phase. This might seem surprising, as QA testers aren’t exactly known for being graphic designers. But testers can provide valuable insight into user experience issues with design.

If QA can anticipate design and user interface issues before development begins, the team will save money, time, and effort. Continue reading →

Mar 31
0
Automated Testing

Top 5 Test Cases to Automate

Automating Registration Test Cases (three people standing next to a mobile device with registration fields open)
Top 5 Test Cases to Automate

Automated testing has a big reputation. In fact, it’s not uncommon for teams to think their entire QA process can or should be automated. But no matter whether you have an app, website, or both, it’s unlikely that this is possible — or even a good idea. So how do you decide which test cases to automate?

Different types of software have different features and flows. In some cases, the exact same feature might even have different priorities at different companies! But there are certain core features that are common across many websites and apps. Whenever possible, these are good candidates for automation.

Automating Registration Test Cases (three people standing next to a mobile device with registration fields open)

Even if you have the budget, staff, and resources to automate as many flows as possible, the test cases below are usually the most important to start with.

1. Registration/Signup Test Cases

Most websites and apps have the ability for users to sign up. And if your users can’t create an account, it’s unlikely that they can fully use your product. Continue reading →

Feb 28
0
QA Engineering

What’s the Deal with QA Certifications?

QA Certification (certificate icon with award)
What’s the Deal with QA Certifications?

There are several major QA certifications online. What are the most popular software testing certifications, how do you achieve them, how much do they cost, and how important is it to get Agile QA certifications?

QA Certification (certificate icon with award)

Types of QA Certifications

The two biggest sources of QA certifications are the ISTQB and the QAI. Each offers multiple types of software testing certifications.

If you’re looking to specialize in a particular type of QA (such as security testing or management), it’s worth getting the certificate specific to that position.

However, any of the more general QA certifications should be suitable for most testers. Further, if you decide to focus on a different area of QA, having a certification that only applies to your old specialty may not be useful. Continue reading →

Jan 26
0
Company Culture / QA Process

How to Deal With Negative Perceptions of QA

Developer Respect for QA (person sitting at desk with computer open showing bugs and errors)
How to Deal With Negative Perceptions of QA

When you work in the field of QA testing, you’re inevitably going to encounter folks with negative perceptions of QA. While this can happen frequently, there are ways to work around it. If you can determine when to persist through the noise and when to push back, you’ll be able to accommodate whatever is thrown your way.

DevelopersAvoiding Negative Perceptions of QA (person sitting at desk with computer open showing bugs and errors)

The overall QA and developer relationship should be collaborative. Working with a developer that respects QA can be amazing! However, the most common role that has negative perceptions of QA tends to be engineers. It’s helpful to keep in mind that this isn’t always the engineer’s fault.

Some QA testers can be condescending in their manner of reporting bugs. They might treat it as if it’s a personal critique on the developer’s self-worth. Naturally, if a developer feels that they are being personally criticized, they may react defensively. (Learn more about how to collaborate with developers in our guide to the QA and developer relationship.) Continue reading →

Dec 16
0
Company Culture

How to Set Boundaries at Work (And Respect Others)

Office Lunch at Desk (person sitting at a desk looking at a laptop)
How to Set Boundaries at Work (And Respect Others)

When you spend the majority of your hours working, setting boundaries at work is vital. Equally important is respecting boundaries set by others. This can cover a lot: communication, workload, availability, and countless areas in between.

It won’t always be possible to lay down the law in every scenario that you’d like. But by knowing what your ideal boundaries are, and implementing them from the beginning, you’ll have a fighting chance at reducing work stress.

Slack

In modern QA, Slack can play a big role in communication. Boundaries are even more relevant with all expectations that come with live messaging. These can include:

Slack Workplace Boundaries (two hands holding a mobile phone with the Slack app open)

  • Keeping the Slack app off of your phone
  • Turning notifications off at certain hours
  • Not checking Slack before or after work
  • Keeping Slack closed when in the middle of urgent work

Timing is also important. If you don’t set Slack boundaries early on, people will think that they can reach you at any time of day – and it can be difficult to re-set expectations at that point. Continue reading →

Nov 20
0
QA Engineering / QA Process

The Role of QA in the Software Development Life Cycle

QA Testing SDLC (webpage/mobile app wireframes with magnifying glass icon)
The Role of QA in the Software Development Life Cycle

The role of QA in the Software Development Life Cycle isn’t always clear. Sure, there’s a QA testing phase. But what about all of the other stages? What role do software testers play in those, if any? First let’s go over what the Software Development Life Cycle is, and then take a look at the roles and responsibilities for QA at each step.

What is the Software Development Life Cycle?

QA and the Agile Software Development Life Cycle (icon shows agile process symbol - arrow wrapped around checkmark)

The Software Development Life Cycle (often abbreviated to “SDLC”) is a framework for, well, developing software. The SDLC methodology is a structured process that splits each aspect of software development into different phases.

In an Agile Software Development Life Cycle, the team can jump back and forth between SDLC phases. (Learn more about the Agile QA Process, which we’ll be focusing on below.) Continue reading →

Nov 2
0
Mobile Apps

5 Ways to Improve Your App Ratings — Without Buying Fake Reviews

Improve App Reviews (cartoon showing five gold stars above a man with a green t-shirt, blue jeans, and green converse typing on a laptop)
5 Ways to Improve Your App Ratings — Without Buying Fake Reviews

When trying to figure out how to improve app ratings, some companies consider buying fake reviews. Buying App Store (or Play Store) reviews for your iOS or Android mobile app is a risky decision. You may feel hesitant, or worry about being caught. But seeing a flood of negative reviews on your app’s listing can feel devastating — and even worse, tank your business!

Find out about the risks of buying app reviews, and what you can do to organically manage your app store ratings and reviews long-term.

Risks of Buying App Reviews

Aside from potential ethical concerns, buying App Store reviews entails some pretty big risks:

Suspicious reviews get removed regularly. If you shell out big bucks for App Store reviews, it might be for nothing when the reviews get purged from your mobile app listing. Apple has been ramping up their review detection for at least 5 years now. And if we know anything about Apple, they don’t give up.

Improve App Store Ratings (picture of an iPad with a screen saying "New to the App Store?" showing app icons underneath)Your app listing can get deleted. Apple and Google take fraudulent reviews very seriously. In 2017 alone, Google removed over 700,000 Play Store listings. It’s unknown what percentage of these were for suspicious reviews, but it’s clear that they’re vigilant in removing what they consider to be inappropriate content (which definitely includes illegitimate reviews).

Revoking your developer account. Without a developer account, you can’t list apps in the App or Play Store, period. If Apple or Google suspect that you’ve been buying app reviews, they can suspend your developer account completely. This can affect your career far beyond your current mobile app(s). Continue reading →

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