Rob, the Chief Technology Officer at Applause, is dedicated to helping leading brands release high-quality digital experiences efficiently. In a time where new technologies are constantly emerging and becoming part of our everyday lives, the competition is fierce, and customers have a short attention span. Companies that fail to provide a flawless user experience risk losing customers to competitors. Some companies, like Western Union and Apple, have mastered the art of continuous testing and iteration to keep up with customer demands and deliver products that customers love.
Western Union, an Applause client, uses various types of testing to ensure customers across 87 different countries have a positive experience. Apple, known for its successful product launches, incorporates testing into its design process from the beginning, avoiding delays and dissatisfied customers. As products become more complex with various dynamic elements, organizations must find a balance between pushing products out quickly and ensuring thorough testing.
While automation is a valuable tool in testing, it lacks the human capability for contextual understanding and nuanced decision-making. Organizations cannot solely rely on automation to release great products. Comprehensive testing that incorporates various methods, device, OS, and browser combinations, as well as a large group of specialized testers, is crucial in creating authentic, real-world digital experiences that meet today’s customer demands. Testing must also consider factors like inclusive design, localization, and payments to address potential points of friction.
Companies need to focus on their core use cases and ensure they work flawlessly across every scenario, device, and environment before launching products. The ultimate goal is to ensure the software functions according to specifications and meets user expectations. Testing may seem simple, but it is a complex process that even the largest companies in the world continue to prioritize to meet customer expectations. Getting back to testing basics and focusing on delivering exceptional user experiences will set organizations apart in today’s competitive digital landscape.
