QUALITY ASSURANCE ANALYSIS FOR MAJOR CABLE TV NETWORK MOBILE APP

THE CHALLENGE

As a part of its expanded media offerings, the Argentina branch of an international broadcasting company launched an Android mobile application for one of its subsidiary companies. This app, featured a split-screen display that allowed users to watch episodes and play games directly from an Android phone or tablet. The games, which were displayed on half the screen, used Flash technology, while the video streaming feature, located on the other half of the screen, was a proprietary technology of the client. The unique interface allowed the user of the application to rotate through the games and videos simultaneously at the same time.

The application was developed by a company seeking a third party to provide quality assurance services for the app to check for errors and quality issues prior to deployment.

The client tasked AccelOne with the challenge of developing a complete testing solution for functional testing of their video player and games interface. This was to include a complete QA plan, test suite (test cases), and platform for bug tracking on their mobile app.

THE SOLUTION

AccelOne’s QA solutions team used information gathered from the client to define and build the tools needed for the full QA of the app’s player game components, which included issue tracking, testing cases, project management, and reporting.

​Keeping in mind that performing the QA activities in a collaborative environment, both with the developers and the client, was a top priority. The following software platforms were selected:

1. DropBox: To store and exchange files
2. RedMine: For bug tracking (Required by the app)
3. JIRA: For test case management
4. Skype and emails: For communication

The project was planned around the utilization of agile methodology, following scrum practices, and short two-week sprints.

THE EXECUTION

Based on the information provided by the client, meetings with the app development company, and our experience in QA of mobile applications, we formulated the following team:

1. Senior QA Analyst

   A. Analyzed the functional requirements
   B. Developed the test cases
   C. Executed the test cases
   D. Created reports with the test results
   E. Managed the JIRA platform
   F. Communicated with the customer
   

2. Semi-Senior Testers

   A. Performed testing cases
   B. Created reports
   

The project began after the kick-off meeting, and the initial sprints were uneventful. However, shortly after the project started, it was discovered that the player component that was built for video streaming was not functional. In order to assist the development team with the repair of the player, AccelOne provided complete diagnostics and detailed reporting of the player’s performance under different conditions.

While the repair of the player was in progress, AccelOne shifted its focus to QA of the gaming interface within the app, in order to prevent significant delays in the project from the QA end.

​As the new versions were deployed with the fixes identified by the QA process, AccelOne continued to support the customer with continued QA procedures after each deployment. Finally, when there were no more critical or blocker issues identified by our team and the majority of minor bugs resolved, the television network released the live version of the application to the general market.

All testing was performed on devices from AccelOne’s device library, covering the screen formats and hardware specifications defined by the customer. No emulators were used.

The project was completed and the application was deployed according to the written plan, baring delays due to unexpected bugs.

THE RESULTS

AccelOne’s direction and coordination with the client and the app developer to maintain the project within test-driven development practices resulted in the following:

1. The client’s expectations for the quality of the QA deployment were exceeded.
2. Critical issues with the client’s proprietary player were identified and corrected as a result of AccelOne’s detailed diagnostics and reporting.
3. AccelOne provided complete reports of the app one day after each new version was published, which allowed the developer to have timely responses in the corrections of the issues and accelerated the entire cycle of development.