How to Make a Cross-Platform Testing Strategy

Test coverage is extremely important. And your test coverage strategy today must be focused on cross-platform testing. Here we cover what this is and how to achieve it.

What Is Cross-Platform Testing?

Cross-platform testing is a type of testing where you verify that your application works across multiple different web and mobile platforms

Cross-platform testing is an important part of the quality assurance process. That’s because your app isn’t going to be used on just one platform. It’s going to be used across multiple platforms.

To be successful, you need to develop the right cross-platform testing strategy. And to do that, you need to consider test coverage.

What Is Test Coverage in Software Testing?

Test coverage is a metric used in software testing. Test coverage determines how much code is covered by the test cases. It also determines whether the requirements have been covered by testing.

But there’s more to test coverage than that. Test coverage must also account for cross-platform testing. It’s not enough to ensure coverage of test case and requirements. You must also ensure this coverage across platforms and real end user conditions.

How to Make a Cross-Platform Testing Strategy

Here’s how to make your cross-platform test coverage strategy.

1. Consult the Test Coverage Index

The best way to build your cross-platform test coverage strategy is to consult a test coverage index.

Perfecto publishes a comprehensive mobile and web test coverage index biannually. This is a great resource for developing your methodology for cross-platform testing coverage.

This index includes:

• The latest annual web and mobile release calendar.
• Our proven methodology.
• The phones and browsers most used by your audience.
• Insights from countries across North America, Asia, and Europe.

Get your copy of the latest test coverage index today to start building your cross-platform testing strategy.

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2. Select the Right Devices, Platforms, Browsers

One of the first questions testers ask is: “How do I choose and select the right devices, platforms, and web browsers to test for my digital apps?”

This is an important question. It helps you get as close as possible to your end users with your cross-platform testing efforts. You want to mimic your end user environment by testing the platforms they are using.

Using the test coverage index, you can make sure you select the right devices, platforms, and browsers to test.

3. Ensure Basic Coverage For Each Device

You can’t just test one device. For each essential device, you’ll need to cover device OS permutations. For instance, we typically see that the top devices have 10 OS permutations.

That means you’ll need to have at least 10 smartphones and tablets running across platforms just to have the basic — bare minimum — test coverage.

You can use the insights from the test coverage index to determine the level of cross-platform testing coverage needed. The index will help you distinguish between:

• Essential — the 10 must-test devices based on usage.
• Enhanced — the top 25 devices, including legacy and trending devices, as well as screen size.
• Extended — the top 32 devices, include niche, legacy, and brand new devices.

4. Determine Which Platforms to Use For Which Test Cases

You only have a certain amount of time in each cycle throughout the entire pipeline to execute your test.

That’s why it’s important to understand the high value test cases and test scenarios that you have. And you’ll need to consider them across different apps to understand how to divide them across platforms.

Using the test coverage index, you’ll get the insights you need to determine which platforms to use for which test cases.

5. Test the Right Browsers

Mobile devices aren’t the only platforms changing. The web browser landscape is changing too.

Google Chrome is the most popular browser — in most cases. But there are other browsers growing in popularity in certain geographies. For instance, Samsung, UC, Firefox, and Safari are all popular, too. So, your test coverage will need to cover multiple browsers — and the browsers important in the geographies your users are in.

The test coverage index can help you understand which browsers are most popular in your critical geographies.

6. Consider Environment Conditions

Environment conditions are another important consideration for your cross-platform testing coverage strategy.

These included:

• Greater network conditions that impact performance and usability.
• Competing apps.
• Different screen size orientations.
• Different locations that have different network and different pop-ups.

All of these environment conditions impact your web and mobile applications. And it’s important to account for all of them.

The test coverage index will give you insight into the varying environment conditions — and how to incorporate them in your test coverage strategy.

7. Size Your Lab and Determine the ROI

Test coverage does cost money. That’s why it’s important to size your lab and determine the ROI of test coverage.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Acknowledge your pipeline testing requirements.
2. Gather tester productivity metrics.
3. Size your digital lab.

Jump to 29:42 of the recorded webinar below to learn more about calculating the ROI of test coverage.

3 Golden Rules For Combining Platform & Test Automation Scenarios

To combine your platform and test automation scenarios, you must follow the golden rules.

1. Leverage market data and keep your lab up-to-date and aligned with your own customer usage data.

To do this, you will need to:

• Use mobile and web calendars.
• Follow market events.
• Use web traffic analysis.
• Match coverage to historical defects.

2. Continuously maintain, validate, and modify your test automation suites.

To do this, you will need to:

• Keep your suite lean and valuable.
• Never repeat failing tests without debugging.
• Ensure your CI build acceptance testing (BAT) and regression suites are constantly updated.

3. Spread your test automation executions throughout the pipeline.

This should be based on:

• Software iteration scope.
• Regression needs.
• Target features and platform.
• Phase in the CI/CD pipeline (use the test pyramid).
• Persona, skillset, and tools.

Build Your Cross-Platform Testing Coverage Strategy With Perfecto

Building your cross-platform testing coverage strategy doesn’t need to be daunting. Make it easy with Perfecto.

With Perfecto, you don’t have to spend hours putting together a cross-platform testing coverage strategy. You’ll get the test coverage index and the platform you need to automate cross-platform testing.

Perfecto’s cloud-testing platform gives you access to all of the devices, platforms, and browsers that you need to test your app on. You’ll be able to use this cloud-based lab to ensure proper test coverage across platforms. You’ll even be able to factor in environment conditions by using real user simulation.

Plus, with Perfecto, you’ll be able to execute on your cross-platform test coverage strategy at scale — and deliver true ROI to your organization.

See for yourself how Perfecto can improve coverage across platforms. Get started with a free 14-day trial.

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Related Content

• Summer 2020 Mobile and Web Testing Coverage Index
• 5 Things to Consider When We Talk About Test Coverage
• How to Create an Automated Test Strategy + Plan