Implementing an exclusively automated testing strategy for your connected TV application might seem enticing, but it’s a decision that quite simply will miss bugs. The reality is, even the most sophisticated automated test suites are not infallible; they will miss issues that only a discerning human eye can catch. The expertise and insight of a skilled manual QA tester are unparalleled when it comes to identifying some kinds of defects.
Nevertheless, this perspective should not undermine the significant value and efficacy of automated testing. Automated tools excel at identifying a wide array of issues, effectively optimising the testing process. By strategically combining these tools with manual testing efforts, automation can be leveraged to tackle the mundane and repetitive aspects of testing. This approach frees manual testers to focus on uncovering those elusive edge cases. It also removes the need for a QA to sit through many hours of mundane and repetitive test cases. The result? An exceptionally refined application boasting a superior user experience.
This synergy between manual and automated testing raises a pivotal question: In the realm of connected TV applications, what specific aspects should we prioritise for manual testing to ensure a seamless and high-quality user experience?
What should be manually tested in Connected TV
The cornerstone of any connected TV application is its media playback capability, whether it’s audio or video. Flawless performance in this area is non-negotiable; any shortcomings here will significantly deter customers from using your application. Therefore, it’s imperative that we consistently conduct manual testing on media playback be that audio or video to ensure its optimal functioning. QAs will manually and meticulously scrutinise all aspects of media playback, including but not limited to, the quality and consistency of the stream, the responsiveness and user-friendliness of playback controls, and the overall stability of the playback system.
However, this does not imply that automation has no role to play in media playback testing. At FX Digital, we integrate cutting-edge machine learning and AI technologies to assess the quality of video streams. This approach is particularly valuable because quantifying the nuances of stream quality can be challenging. The subjective nature of video quality makes it difficult to establish consistent benchmarks for daily comparisons. Unlike more concrete metrics, you can’t simply jot down a standard measurement for stream quality. Our use of advanced technologies helps bridge this gap, allowing us to maintain and enhance the viewing experience in a way that’s both efficient and effective.
Our team has developed an AI model with the capability to intelligently detect various states of video playback, including when it’s actively playing, paused, or encountering a loading spinner. Let’s face it – many of us have indulged in marathon streaming sessions, devouring episode after episode, or even whole seasons in one sitting. This behaviour isn’t just common; it’s practically a digital-era pastime. Recognising this reality, the traditional approach of employing Quality Assurance personnel to monitor hours of video content is not only impractical but also cost-prohibitive. This is precisely where our advanced AI technology steps in, offering a more efficient and cost-effective solution. Our system is specially designed to handle extensive, even exceedingly lengthy, video player testing scenarios with ease and precision, significantly streamlining the QA process.
Another area where manual checks are crucial is the 10-foot user experience, primarily due to its focus on legibility and usability from a distance. Unlike automated tests, a human tester can accurately gauge the clarity and readability of on-screen elements from a 10-foot distance, mimicking the real-world scenario of a user interacting with a large display, such as a television, from across the room. This hands-on approach allows for a nuanced assessment of font sizes, colour contrasts, and the overall layout. It ensures that the user interface is not only visually appealing but also functionally accessible from afar. Such manual testing is essential in creating an inclusive and user-friendly experience, particularly for media-centric applications where distance viewing is a common use case.
Manual testing also plays a pivotal role in evaluating animations like scrolling and loading, as it allows for a realistic simulation of user interactions that automated tests often fail to capture. This hands-on approach is crucial for assessing the responsiveness and smoothness of these animations. Moreover, manual testing is essential for examining the visual appeal and consistency of animations, vital for maintaining the application’s aesthetic integrity. It also provides insights into how animations perform under varied conditions – across different devices, screen sizes, and user settings, an aspect critical for understanding real-world performance, especially in scenarios like varied network conditions affecting loading times.
In addition to structured testing methodologies, exploratory testing plays a vital role in the QA process. This approach relies on the tester’s skill, experience, creativity, and intuition. Exploratory testing is particularly beneficial once the QA has spent a bit of time exploring the application and can start to understand where its weaknesses might lay, or in cases where there is a need to go beyond the predictable test scenarios. It allows testers to simulate real-user behaviour and uncover issues that structured testing might miss. This approach is highly adaptable and can often lead to the discovery of bugs that would not have been identified through traditional testing methods.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the intricate dance between automated and manual testing forms the backbone of a robust quality assurance strategy for connected TV applications. Automated testing, with its speed and efficiency, excels in covering a broad spectrum of predictable scenarios and in handling repetitive tasks. However, it is the discerning human element brought in by manual testing that truly elevates the quality of these applications. Manual testers’ abilities to identify subtle nuances, from the intricacies of media playback and the user-friendliness of the 10-foot experience to the fluidity of animations and the exploratory discovery of unforeseen issues, is irreplaceable.
The integration of advanced AI and machine learning technologies in automation further strengthens this synergy, offering nuanced insights into areas like stream quality that are challenging to quantify. However, it’s the human testers’ expertise, with their intuitive understanding of user experience and keen eye for detail, that ensures these technological tools are leveraged to their fullest potential.
Ultimately, it is this strategic combination of both automated and manual testing approaches that ensures the delivery of connected TV applications that are not only functionally sound but also aesthetically pleasing and user-centric. In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, this balanced approach doesn’t just aim to identify and fix bugs; it strives to create an engaging, seamless, and immersive viewing experience that resonates with users and stands the test of time. By embracing the strengths of both automated and manual testing, we can ensure applications that not only meet but exceed the ever-growing expectations of today’s sophisticated audiences.
Navigating the complexities of QA automation can be a daunting task. Connect with us today and let our experts guide you through automation challenges to a solution tailored to your needs.