The fine art of mobile testing

The Fine Art of Mobile Testing
Why most companies are behind the curve on mobile testing and
how they can move into the lead

A Point of View from the Capgemini Group

Business Critical Mobility were the norm. There was little or no IT-impact and few
companies had a structured approach to quality assurance
Mobile has become a game-changer across virtually all
and testing online resources.
industries. Organizations around the world now drive
significant value through providing continuous access to
• Support core business – The Web grew in importance
and began supporting companies’ and organizations’ core
services, anytime and anywhere - to millions of customers
business processes. The solutions at first supported only a
and thousands of employees over an astonishing array
limited dynamic user interaction on both internal intranet
of devices.
sites and external sites. Sales and marketing teams were
Companies, public bodies, and other organizations report that the primary business drivers, with IT support often
mobile entities, such as apps and responsive web sites, consisting of inefficient and siloed system integration
(those that optimize viewing and navigation across a wide solutions. Quality assurance happened occasionally, if at all,
range of devices) account for their fastest growth in terms of and without a clear structure. Lack of experience, methods
number of interactions and transactions. Many media and tools were issues that kept quality on a typical “it works
companies report that their services are now accessed more if we’re lucky” level.
frequently through mobile devices than through PCs. Similarly, • Drive new business – Today, web solutions are not only
travel companies report that ticket sales through apps and business critical but core enablers of new business
transactional-based websites are on an astonishingly rapid opportunities. Online experiences are engaging and
growth curve with sales through mobile apps accounting for transactional in nature. Community and social media
an increasing proportion of their revenues every month. elements are now included as integral, natural parts of
In many respects, mobile solutions are following in the solutions. Most successful companies in all sectors have
footsteps of the Web. It may be helpful for our current already integrated online into their core products and
understanding of mobile solutions to compare how the two services. Through the emerging Responsive Web Design
fields have developed. (RWD) trend, the Web is quickly becoming “mobile first”,
In the early days of the Web, companies were experimenting which means that new online services created now are
and discovering. Quickly, static home pages became highly designed primarily for mobile users first. The entire
dynamic platforms for rich media and engaging experiences. organization is engaged in the planning and design of web
The Web brought both core business processes and new solutions now, including Product Development, Service and
business models online. Mobile solutions are taking a similar HR. IT departments have learned to support new solutions
path: after a brief period of experimentation in a new business using highly scalable, cloud-enabled and service-oriented
development channel they are becoming increasingly architectures. Quality assurance measures have matured
business critical. and are supported by a wealth of expertise, methods,
experience and tooling. Common quality assurance
Let’s first take a look at how different aspects of the Web have
challenges still include addressing distributed solutions,
developed over time (Figure 1)
usability, different types of browsers and security.
As you can see, there are three phases through which web
solution aspects have passed: The same phases and aspects are as relevant for mobile
solutions as for web solutions (Figure 2):
• Discovery – This is when the market is experimenting in
and discovering the channel. Static home pages with • Discovery – For the past few years, the market has been
addresses to physical office locations, simple marketing discovering and experimenting in the mobile channel.
brochures and perhaps an e-mail address for contacts Simple and narrowly scoped apps for branding purposes
were initiated most often by marketing departments. The
Figure 1: Phase Progression of Web Solution Aspects
Phases
Discovery Support core business Drive new business
Functional Static home pages Limited dynamic support for Engaging online experiences, internal and
Scope user interaction external, highly transactional, community
building, social media integrated, mobile
supported through responsive web design
Organization Marketing Sales and Marketing Sales, Marketing, Product Development,
Solution Service, HR and IT
Aspects IT impact N/A Limited siloed system Service-oriented architecture, Cloud-
integration supported scalability, mature security
implementations
Quality N/A Occasional and unstructured, Integrated, structured and methodological,
Assurance no tools strong tooling
Quality N/A Lack of experience, methods Complexities of componentized and
Assurance and tools. Labor intensive distributed solutions, usability, browsers, and
Issues manual testing security

2 The Fine Art of Mobile Testing

Mobile Testing the way we see it

Figure 2: Phase Progression of Mobile Solution Aspects
Phases
Discovery Support core business Drive new business
Functional Disconnected apps Limited dynamic support for Engaging mobile experiences, internal and
Scope user interaction external, highly transactional, community
building, social media integrated, optimized for
reach and platform
Organization Marketing Sales and Marketing Sales, Marketing, Product Development,
Solution Service, HR and IT
Aspects IT impact N/A Limited dynamic support for Service-oriented architecture, cloud-
user interaction supported scalability, mature security
implementations
Quality N/A Occasional and unstructured, Integrated, structured and methodological,
Assurance no tools strong tooling
Quality N/A Lack of experience, methods Complexities of componentized and
Assurance and tools. Labor intensive distributed solutions, usability, platforms,
Issues manual testing screen sizes, and security

impact on IT was minor and few companies applied a require particular attention. They are:
structured approach to mobile testing. • Platform Fragmentation
• Support core business – Just as with web solutions, • The Mobile Device’s Physical Characteristics
mobile solutions has grown in importance and now • User Experience
supports companies’ and organizations’ core business • Performance
processes. The simple, disconnected early apps evolved • Security
into transactional apps, which enable the user to sign in, • System Integration
manage accounts, and buy (and even sell) products and • Managing App Distribution.
services. Internal apps for field service, sales support and
decision support through various business intelligence Platform Fragmentation
solutions were and are being built to accelerate internal The most pressing and obvious mobile testing challenge is
processes and reduce costs. While inefficient, siloed ensuring quality across the ever-increasing range of
system integration solutions are still common, more often device types.
mobile solutions are being designed to reuse existing Arguably, there are at least three relevant smartphone and
investments in service-oriented architectures that were first tablet operating system platforms which mobile solutions
built to support web solutions. The latest research need to support: Google’s Android (with the largest market
published in the World Quality Report, 2012-20131 indicates share), Apple’s iOS (second largest and with the user base
that quality assurance and mobile testing only happen which is the most active in downloading, buying and using
occasionally and without a clear structure. We find that the apps), and Microsoft’s Windows 8/Windows Phone.
primary reasons are lack of experience, lack of devices,
Each platform has its own set of characteristics, from user
and lack of tools.
experience and user interface to technology frameworks, app
• Drive new business – As mobile solutions mature they are distribution, and execution models:
increasingly core enablers of new business opportunities.
The most successful apps and responsive webs are • Google Android is a popular platform among many
engaging and highly transactional in nature. Just as with the smartphone makers, which makes it an especially
Web, community and social media integration are natural fragmented platform. Android has several major versions
solution elements. Some companies have developed a corresponding to even more Application Programming
business-driven mobile strategy that involves all parts of the Interface (API) sets. There can be hundreds of different
organization. Mobile testing is on its way to maturity as Android devices in an installed base at any given time
testing experts learn new methods and are enabled with and location.
more sophisticated devices and tools. • Apple iOS runs in iPhones, iPod Touchs, iPads and iPad
Minis. There is a strong platform consistency across iOS
Mobile Testing Challenges devices, but there are significant differences in device
Just as mobility in general has followed in the footsteps of the sizes, screen resolutions, camera resolutions, and so on.
Web, mobile testing is following along the same path as web The iOS user base is typically quick to adopt new versions
testing. The two share many drivers but there are some areas of the operating system, which means no more than three
of mobile testing that are distinctly more challenging and versions of the operating system, including the latest, will
likely need to be supported to address most target markets.
1 World Quality Report 2012-13 contains analysis and commentary based on
data collected from 1,553 in-depth interviews with organizations in 25
countries. The report can be downloaded in full at http://www.capgemini.
com/wqr2012

3

• Microsoft Windows 8 and Windows Phone are Figure 3: ROI of test automation is earned back
becoming increasingly popular and are standouts from the
over subsequent releases
user experience and user interface perspectives. The
platform looks and works differently than Apple’s iOS and
Google’s Android, which look and feel more similar to each
+

Return on Investment
other. The platform is licensed to smartphone and tablet
makers, such as Nokia just as Google licenses Android to
Samsung and HTC. The fragmentation challenge is Test automation
fortunately not as significant as with Android, due to
Microsoft’s stricter hardware design guidelines.
If you want to accommodate a majority of users in any given
market, you will need to support hundreds of different types of
Releases
+
smartphone and tablets, running on several different versions
of the operating systems. Since developers have no control
over when new operating system versions are made available
to users or whether users will upgrade, it is common for new
releases to supplant existing applications.
To perform mobile testing across a wide range of device types
and platforms means executing both automated and non-
automated tests on emulators and on physical devices, both -
those directly available and those running in the Cloud. There
are several firms that provide software tools for mobile device
testing in the market today, including Perfecto Mobile, Keynote Figure 4: In mobile test projects there is another
DeviceAnywhere, and Bitbar TestDroid, that enable mobile axis – devices on which the test set is used
testing for devices hosted in private and public clouds.
+
Test automation is seen by those in the mobile testing field as

either the panacea for everything or not even worth the effort.
Test automation is a very valuable tool in mobile testing and in
Test automation
solving the problem of platform fragmentation, but always as
an addition to manual testing. Test execution automation has
a more prominent role in mobile testing than in other fields of
testing because an automated regression test set for mobile
Releases
+
can be used much more frequently.
es
In a non-mobile testing project, testing automation starts with vic
de
an investment in tooling, in devices, in time spent setting up #
test script architecture and, of course, in automating of the +
test scripts themselves. This investment is returned in
subsequent releases through shorter test times and/or higher
product quality. With each release, more of the investment is
recouped until the full return on investment is reached (Figure 3). -
Figure 5: More frequent usage means quicker ROI
In mobile testing, however, the test set is used more frequently
since a number of different devices are involved. It’s mainly +
used to check if all things that used to work in the past on the

Mobile
different devices are still working in the present (Figure 4). Test automation
Because the test set has a greater use, the return on Test automation
investment of a mobile test set increases much faster
(Figure 5).
But even greater use does not make automated testing a
replacement for manual testing. Test automation is mostly Releases
+
used for regression testing – for instance, a test that runs es
overnight on all devices to make sure all the changes that vic
de 4
#
have been made in the software haven’t caused any
regression errors. Automating the regression test frees testers +
from these often repetitious and tedious tasks to work on
more complicated test cases, like those that have to do with
Mobile Device Physical Characteristics (see below). In most
cases, this leads to higher product quality because time is
-



spend more efficiently. Test automation applied in this way User Experience
leads to project flexibility as well – since regression testing can With the increasing popularity of mobile applications comes
be performed so regularly it becomes less risky to make an increased importance of usability. User experience and
changes in the software. This works especially well in agile user interface experts are key to any mobile development and
projects where it helps to increase the project velocity. testing effort. The most efficient way to handle usability testing
The Mobile Device’s Physical Characteristics is to start it early in the process, with application sketching
The number of device types running multiple operating and prototyping.
systems is growing at an incredible rate. With every new Key aspects of mobile usability testing include:
generation of smartphones we see an increasing number of • User interaction – How features are presented and used
physical sensors and abilities, each adding more complexity must have an intuitive and natural flow, allowing the user to
to mobile testing. complete tasks with as few taps and gestures as possible.
The following characteristics need to be addressed: • Navigation – Features need to be easy to find and
• Means of communication – Smartphones use a wide navigation should adhere to platform guidelines and be
range of communication channels. In addition to the GSM designed following best practices for each platform.
standard there are Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, USB, and others. • Signup and login –The first impression is the most
The capability to handle these different channels is important. Design of signup and login is critical. A failed
impacted by communication technology, context of use, design will lead to lost usage and lost users.
and device features. Since mobile solutions often require • Layout and user interface design –Validating look and
connectivity, deep verification of the mobile solution against feel is as important as precision in layout and user interface
each means of communication is strongly recommended. design. With tens of thousands of new apps introduced
• Different screen sizes – Smartphones come in many sizes every week, it’s no longer enough to address functional
and the line between them and tablets is blurring. The needs. Aesthetics must be addressed as well.
smallest tablets are now the same size as the largest • Exception handling – Errors do occur in solutions,
smartphones. Making sure that applications run on all especially when so many components need to work
relevant screen sizes and resolutions is an important aspect together and be integrated. It is important that the user be
of mobile testing. kept informed of issues in a timely, accurate, and
• Touch and gestures – Designing for touch is central to friendly manner.
most mobile applications. Testing for different types of Mobile solutions, both apps and responsive webs have to
touch and gestures, such as swiping and pinching, and deliver a high level of quality user experience. Most users have
even touching with two and more fingers at the same time a different, more intimate relationship with their mobile devices
are relevant test scenarios. than they do with their computer. The mobile device is always
• Orientation – Many mobile applications provide different with them, they show it and the apps they like to their friends.
types of user interfaces depending on whether the device is This can even be described as an “emotional” attachment.
held in portrait/vertical or in landscape/horizontal. Verifying
Usability testing has elements of both subjective and objective
application behavior as orientation changes is important.
analysis. This means there needs to be a flexible and dynamic
• Camera – The majority of mobile devices now have built-in approach to managing defect reports. Being up to date on
cameras. Photo-related features are common, even in what
platform rules and guidelines, market best practices and
are considered to be enterprise types of applications. Since
being open-minded about new ways to design are all
camera integration often works differently across devices,
important elements. It is important to know what leaders like
how the camera works with the mobile solution that is
Josh Clark, author of the book “Tapworthy” and Luke
being tested is an important consideration.
Wroblewski, author of several books, including “Mobile First”,
• Location – Most mobile devices have built-in GPS and are saying about usability, user experience, and user
many applications are designed to take advantage of
interface design.
location information. Some features may only be available
when the user is near a certain place or object, an Performance
especially difficult challenge for mobile testers who are not A natural consequence of being able to access mobile
able to physically be at that location. To ensure relevant solutions from everywhere at any time is that people are using
mobile results requires testing the GPS integration and them more often. For example, bank customers used to
being able to simulate locations and location changes. receive their statements monthly. Now, people are using
While many of these physical characteristics can be tested in mobile apps to check their bank accounts much more often,
automated frameworks (even location can be simulated), even several times a day. This translates into an increased
some features, like multi-touch and the synchronization of workload on the solution’s back end. Also, cellular networks
gestures and sounds, can be more challenging. It is important rarely perform as well as fixed networks. This is not just a
to identify the most relevant target platforms early in the matter of bandwidth, which varies significantly depending on
testing effort and plan for extensive manual testing where this network generation (2G, 3G, 3.5G, 4G), but also of latency
is the only option. and frequent data communication errors. These network

5

issues are putting additional loads on IT systems in ways for devices (Bring Your Own Devices policy) and corporate ones
which they were not designed and it often impacts their (fleet policy) into the workplace. Given this scenario, how do
overall performance. A very small change in server balance you ensure that enterprise mobile apps will not be impacted
can drastically degrade performance, not just for the mobile by apps installed by end-users? How do you deploy security
users, but for all users. policies with devices that belong to employees and not to the
Performance testing is an end-to-end proposition that can be enterprise? How can you be sure applications will not be
divided into three main areas: compromised by other installed applications? How can you be
sure that mobile solutions and devices are not opening a
• Network capabilities – Cellular networks are security breach in your IT managed environment?
nondeterministic and exhibit wide variations in bandwidth
and jitter. This means that users in different locations The following IT security aspects need to be taken into
accessing services through different operators can consideration in a mobile testing effort:
experience vastly different application performance. All • Mobile Device Management (MDM) – For internal
users of a solution, including non-mobile users, are at risk solutions, are you using market-leading MDM solutions?
of poor performance as the rate of mobile usage increases • Confidentiality – Does the app keep your user
because the average transaction life span is increased, data private?
which puts the back end under more pressure. Identifying • Integrity – Can the data coming to and from the app be
relevant test scenarios and being able to execute these trusted and verified?
tests are important in order to appropriately measure and • Authentication –Does the app verify the user’s identity to
optimize situations. an appropriate degree of certainty?
• System integration and back end layers – Regardless of • Authorization – Does the app properly limit user privileges?
the mobile component, it’s important to carry out • Availability – Can an attacker compromise the solution in
performance and scalability testing through all system any way?
integration and back end layers. Performance bottlenecks • Non-Repudiation – Does your app keep records
are often identified in these layers and any capabilities and of events?
resources a test organization already has acquired there This is a simple but thorough checklist. In test planning both
will be crucial in validating mobile solution end- problems and test measures need to be clearly defined. For
to-end performance. internal solutions SAP Afaria, MobileIron, and AirWatch all
• The app itself – App installation, first time launch, provide a set of tools and platforms relevant to mobile security.
subsequent launches, population of data, integration
performance between apps and sensors, including camera System Integration
and GPS, and overall responsiveness of the user interface Before mobility was commonplace, IT could more easily
are all relevant app performance indicators. protect its enterprise’s computing assets within a well-
protected environment. The IT department controlled who
Most performance, load, and stress test tools that work for
could access what information by using secured software
testing back end systems on web solutions are also relevant
executed on controlled and identified computers.
for mobile testing. However, for simulating a number of users
on any type of network, you’ll need to add more tools to your The era of this closed IT environment is over.
testing toolbox. Shunra and Neotys are two such highly To design a successful and integrated mobile solution,
relevant tools. organizations need to make information available that, up until
If your mobile solution is distributed through an app store, you now, has been locked inside their back end applications.
should keep in mind that one of the most common reasons Think, as examples, of travel booking companies sharing
why apps are rated poorly is because of performance issues. travel information through a mobile application or banks
If your app doesn’t meet the most basic criteria - the right enabling their clients to access their account information
function running at the right performance – you risk losing through an app. These are new kinds of challenges for many
usage and users. companies. Is the back end set up for this? Will the legacy
processes interfere with the mobile-related ones that need to
Security
be developed?
Mobility has opened up new security challenges for IT and
Risk Management/Compliance departments. Increased Today’s ERP solutions consist of complex end-to-end
access to systems and increased openness always need to processes supported by a wide range of technologies. Mobile
be balanced against the right levels of security. Also, since solutions are considered a must-have part of the overall
mobile devices are small, they are more easily forgotten, lost process, especially in terms of how enterprises communicate
or stolen, which makes it even more important to protect with employees and customers. Legacy systems should be
stored information and functionality. But instead of making tested along with the mobile solutions to ensure that they
security a show stopper for mobility, it is essential to assess have the capacity to deliver services as usual. In some cases,
the risks and available solutions rationally. an unintended consequence of mobile solutions integration
In some cases, your own employees can be a part of the could mean degradation of service response time and
challenge. Workers are incorporating both personal mobile service performance.



Planning and executing system integration testing as part of While TMap was around before mobile phones, its principles
mobile testing efforts often consume the largest share of directly apply to mobile testing. The four essentials of TMAP
resources. It’s important to plan accordingly. Next still offer the same or more value (Figure 6):
Managing App Distribution • TMap is an adaptive test method.
Most app distribution is managed through open and public • TMap is based on a business-driven test management
app stores. Each app store, including Apple’s App Store, (BDTM) approach.
Google’s Play and Microsoft’s Store, has its own set of • TMap describes a structured test process and life
guidelines that apps need to adhere to before they can be cycle model.
accepted into the store. • TMap contains a complete tool box.
Reasons for rejection may include the following: The adaptivity of TMap NEXT is the reason that we can still
apply its many methods and tools.
• If the app crashes
• If the app contains hidden functionality A mistake often made is that in today’s rapidly changing, agile
• If the app duplicates apps already in the app store development process, a structured testing approach is not
• If the app collects location information or uses push required. The contrary is true: these kinds of development
notifications without the user’s consent processes require even more structure. The misunderstanding
• If the app does not comply with terms and conditions is that people often confuse structure with extensive
explained in the interface guidelines provided by the documentation. Nowadays, structure is more often provided
platform maker. by Kanban boards, daily stand ups and regression sets.
App store guidelines are frequently updated and it’s important In a mobile testing project, a risk-based test strategy is key.
to stay current on any changes in terms and conditions so The aim is to find the issues with the most impact as early in
that relevant mobile testing can validate adherence to the project as possible. Therefore, the testing approach needs
the rules. to be focused on the biggest risks for the app. The TMap
NEXT BDTM process applies here – only the risks have
How we can help overcome changed, aligned as they are to the mobile testing key drivers.
the challenges Also, the phases of the life cycle model are completely
Capgemini and Sogeti offer mobile testing methodologies and relevant to mobile testing, only with shorter cycles to
solutions to ensure that the intended business value is accommodate a more iterative process.
delivered by the appropriate mobile solution. We offer five And of course the toolbox of TMap NEXT applies to mobile
fine-tuned mobile testing services supported by our proven testing. We still need tools and test design techniques that
and industry-recognized testing approach, TMap NEXT®, and can be used to execute our mobile testing services.
our adaptation for mobile testing, TMap NEXT for Mobile, as We offer the following mobile services based on TMAP NEXT:
well as special services for mobile testing.
• Mobile Functionality Testing
TMap NEXT for Mobile
• Mobile Compatibility Testing
• Mobile Usability Testing
Figure 6: TMap NEXT • Mobile Performance Testing
• Mobile Security Testing.

Adaptive We can deliver these mobile testing capabilities to your
organization through our Mobile Testing Center of Excellence,
through which we also partner with the world’s leading mobile
testing tools providers.
Business Structured
driven test test process Scan the QR code to access our TMap checklists or go to
management www.tmap.net

Complete
tool box

7

About Capgemini and Sogeti
With more than 120,000 people in 40 countries, Capgemini is one of the
world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing
services. The Group reported 2011 global revenues of EUR 9.7 billion.
Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business and
technology solutions that fit their needs and drive the results they want.
A deeply multicultural organization, Capgemini has developed its own
way of working, the Collaborative Business Experience™, and draws on
Rightshore®, its worldwide delivery model.

Sogeti, its wholly-owned subsidiary, is a leading provider of local
professional services, bringing together more than 20,000 professionals in
15 countries and is present in over 100 locations in Europe, the US and India.

Together, Capgemini and Sogeti have innovative, business-driven quality
assurance (QA) and testing services, combining best-in-breed testing
methodologies (TMap® and TPI®) and the global delivery model, Rightshore.
The Capgemini Group has created one of the largest dedicated testing
practices in the world, with over 11,000 test professionals and a further
14,500 application specialists.
For more information,
Capgemini and Sogeti also offer end-to-end Mobile Solutions for mobile please contact:
strategy and services as an Enterprise Mobility Orchestrator. Deploying a
framework of harmonized methods, accelerators and industrialized services,
the Enterprise Mobility Orchestrator services can help create, implement
Jean-Pascal Duniau
and support an organization’s mobile strategy. Mobile Testing Leader
jean-pascal.duniau@sogeti.com
Rightshore is a trademark belonging to Capgemini. TMap, TMap
NEXT, TPI and TPI NEXT are registered trademarks of Sogeti, part of the
Capgemini Group. Mark Buenen
Global Service Line Testing,
Vice President
mark.buenen@sogeti.com

Andreas Sjöström
The information contained in this document is proprietary. Copyright ©2013. Mobile Solutions Global Service Line
All rights reserved by Capgemini and Sogeti.
andreas.sjostrom@sogeti.com
Rightshore® is a trademark belonging to Capgemini.

The fine art of mobile testing

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