Multi-Channel Testing: Automate with Testsigma

Have you ever wondered how your favorite app works flawlessly whether you are using it on your smartphone, tablet, or laptop? Well, that is where the magic of multi-channel testing comes into play! Ensuring that applications function seamlessly across diverse platforms, browsers, and devices is important in software development. This makes multi-channel testing an indispensable part of quality assurance and software testing. In this era of technological diversity, embracing automated testing becomes indispensable to enhance efficiency and maintain product quality. 

In this article, we will delve into the significance of multi-channel testing and explore how Testsigma empowers teams to automate and optimize their testing workflows for superior cross-channel performance.

What is Multi-Channel Testing?

Multi-channel testing refers to the comprehensive process of evaluating software applications or websites across various channels, including different devices (smartphones, tablets, and laptops), browsers (Chrome, Edge, Safari), and operating systems (Windows, macOS, Linux). As technology continues to evolve, users access applications through an array of mediums, hence a consistent and reliable user experience across these multiple channels is essential for the success of any software product.

Multi-channel testing involves validating functionalities, responsiveness, and compatibility to identify and rectify potential issues, ultimately ensuring a seamless user experience regardless of the platform or device employed.

Why is Multi-Channel Testing Important?

Multi-channel testing is necessary for a smooth customer experience. If your website looks great on a desktop but is clunky on mobile, you’ll lose customers who primarily shop on their phones.

When should Multi-Channel Testing be Done?

Multi-channel testing should be conducted at various stages of the software development lifecycle to ensure a robust and consistent user experience across different platforms, devices, browsers, and operating systems. Here are key points in the development process when multi-channel testing is very important:

1. Design and Development

Multi-channel testing should be done during the design and development phases. During the design phase, the testing involves verifying that the prototype functions seamlessly on various devices and browsers, while during the development phase, testing involves checking for basic cross-platform compatibility as features are implemented. 

2. Integration Testing

Integration testing evaluates the interactions between different components or modules. At this stage, it is crucial to test the compatibility of integrated components across various channels to identify potential issues arising from their interactions.

3. System Testing

System testing involves testing the complete and integrated system. Multi-channel testing at this stage ensures that the entire application functions seamlessly across different platforms, devices, and browsers. It helps identify any issues that may arise due to the integration of various system components.

4. User Acceptance Testing

Before the release of any application, end-users should be involved in multi-channel testing. Multi-channel testing in user acceptance testing confirms that the software behaves consistently and meets user expectations across diverse channels, providing a positive user experience.

5. Regression Testing

Regression testing is performed after code changes to ensure that new modifications do not adversely impact existing functionalities. Multi-channel regression testing is essential to verify that updates do not introduce compatibility issues with different platforms, devices, or browsers.

6. Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD)

In modern software development practices, CI/CD involves frequent integration and deployment of code changes. Multi-channel testing as part of CI/CD pipelines helps catch issues early, ensuring that each code change is compatible with various channels and does not disrupt the overall system functionality.

7. Post-Release Monitoring

Even after the software is deployed, ongoing monitoring is crucial. Post-release monitoring includes tracking the application’s performance in real-world scenarios. Multi-channel testing at this stage helps identify and address any unforeseen issues that may arise due to different usage patterns on diverse channels.

By integrating multi-channel testing throughout these stages, development teams can identify and resolve potential issues early in the process, leading to a more robust and user-friendly software application across different platforms.

Why is Multi-Channel Testing Helpful?

1. Promotes diverse user environments: Multi-channel testing ensures that the application functions seamlessly in the diverse environments users may utilize.

2. Enhances user experience: Testing on multiple channels helps identify and address issues related to responsiveness, layout, and usability, ensuring a consistent and positive user experience.

3. Allows for broader market reach: Multi-channel testing allows for broad market reach by ensuring compatibility across a wide range of devices and platforms, catering to the preferences of diverse user groups.

4. Early Issue Detection: Conducting multi-channel tests early in the development lifecycle allows for the timely identification and resolution of platform-specific issues, thereby reducing the risk of problems at a later stage.

5. Saves cost: Detecting and resolving cross-channel issues early in the testing process can help minimize the cost of fixing problems after the product has been deployed.

6. Competitive Advantage: Offering a product with reliable multi-channel performance can be a competitive advantage, attracting and retaining users who value a consistent experience.

7. Promotes consistency across devices: Multi-channel testing ensures a uniform user experience, and minimizes disparities in how the application behaves on various devices.

Benefits of Multi-Channel Testing

• Improves application reliability and stability.
• Helps in the efficient identification of multi-channel compatibility challenges.
• Increases user satisfaction through a seamless experience.
• Facilitates parallel testing for faster test execution.
• Gives better insights into overall system behavior across channels.
• Mitigates risks associated with platform-specific failures.
• Ensures compliance with regulatory standards for software compatibility.
• Minimizes customer complaints related to platform issues.
• Encourages adaptability to technological changes and advancements.

Multichannel Testing Example

Example: Multichannel Testing for an E-commerce Platform

Assume you manage a well-known online garments company. Whether customers purchase on PCs, tablets, or smartphones, you want to make sure they have a flawless experience every time. This might be accomplished by running a multichannel test:

Testing Channels: Your test cases will be executed on PCs, iPads, and smartphones.

Testing Scenario: Participants would be required to carry out standard shopping tasks, such as looking at products, putting items in their carts, paying for their purchases, and placing orders.

Test Groups: You wouldn’t need every user to test on every device, just like in the cable TV example. Rather, you would divide up your test subjects into distinct groups:

Group 1: Dedicated to testing the user experience on desktop websites.

Group 2: Assesses the tablet version’s user experience.

Group 3: Evaluate the functioning of the mobile app

How to Perform Multi-channel Testing

Performing multi-channel testing involves a systematic approach to ensure comprehensive coverage across various platforms, devices, browsers, and operating systems. Here’s a general guide on how to conduct multi-channel testing:

1. Define Target Platforms

Start by identifying the operating systems (Windows, macOS, Linux), browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge), devices (desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones), and any specific configurations relevant to your application’s user base.

2. Create a Test matrix

Develop a comprehensive matrix detailing the various combinations of platforms, browsers, and devices. This matrix will serve as a roadmap for testing, ensuring exhaustive coverage and enabling efficient tracking of test progress.

3. Define Test cases and scenarios

Define test cases and scenarios that encompass a spectrum of functionalities, user interactions, and potential problem areas. You also need to prioritize test cases based on the criticality of features and the likelihood of platform-specific issues impacting end users.

4. Execute Cross-browser Testing

Conduct cross-browser testing for web applications to ensure compatibility with popular browsers (e.g., Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge). You also need to verify that the application displays and functions consistently across different browsers.

5. Perform Device Compatibility Testing

Test the software on various mobile devices to validate compatibility. Also devices with different screen sizes, resolutions, and operating system versions.

6. Conduct Operating System Testing

Assess the application’s compatibility with different operating systems, verifying that it functions correctly and consistently across Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android environments. Pay attention to system-specific features and behaviors.

7. Conduct Performance Testing

Evaluate the application’s performance on diverse platforms under different load conditions. Identify potential bottlenecks and optimize the application to ensure smooth performance, regardless of the platform or device in use.

8. Conduct Usability Testing

Evaluate the user interface, navigation, and overall usability on each platform. Ensure that there is a consistent and intuitive user experience by addressing any design or interaction issues that may vary across different devices.

9. Documentation and Reporting

Document the test results comprehensively, detailing identified issues, their severity, and the steps taken for resolution. Generate detailed reports to provide stakeholders with insights into cross-channel compatibility and the overall health of the application.

10. Perform Regression Testing

Perform ongoing regression testing as new features are added or changes are made. Ensure that updates do not introduce issues across different channels.

11. Feedback and Iteration

Collect feedback from testing teams and stakeholders to continually improve the multi-channel testing process. Iterate on testing strategies, tools, and methodologies based on lessons learned and identified gaps in the testing coverage.

Automated vs Manual Multi-channel testing

The choice between automated and manual multi-channel testing depends on factors such as project requirements, budget constraints, and the need for rapid and frequent testing across diverse platforms. Automated testing is often preferred for its efficiency, repeatability, and scalability, while manual testing can be beneficial for exploratory testing and scenarios where human judgment and intuition are crucial.

Here are the key differences between manual and automated multi-channel testing:

Aspect	Manual Multi-channel testing	Automated Multi-channel testing
Execution Speed	Slower execution, as tests need to be performed individually on each platform.	Faster execution of test cases across multiple platforms simultaneously.
Repeatability	Relies on manual effort, making it more prone to human errors and variations.	Highly repeatable, ensuring consistency in test execution.
Scalability	May face challenges in scalability, especially when dealing with a high volume of test cases or repetitive testing.	Easily scalable for a large number of test cases and frequent test runs.
Coverage	Coverage may be limited due to time constraints and manual execution.	Capable of covering a wide range of platforms, browsers, and devices.
Parallel Execution	Limited ability for parallel execution, as each test needs to be conducted sequentially.	Supports parallel execution, enabling testing on multiple platforms simultaneously.
Maintenance Effort	Involves less maintenance for test cases but may require more effort in test execution.	Requires maintenance for test scripts and automation frameworks.
Initial Setup	Minimal setup time, as manual testing can begin without the need for extensive script development.	Requires initial setup time to develop and configure automation scripts.
Cost Efficiency	May incur higher costs in terms of manual effort, especially for repeated testing across multiple channels.	Initial investment in automation tools and scripts, but cost-effective in the long term.
Complex Test Scenarios	May struggle with the complexity of certain test scenarios, especially those involving multiple channels.	Well-suited for handling complex test scenarios and large datasets.

Automated Multi-Channel Testing with Testsigma

Automation testing tools expedite and enhance the software testing process by allowing automated execution of test cases, ensuring efficiency, repeatability, and accuracy in identifying issues across diverse platforms and scenarios. Testsigma is a test automation platform that streamlines and simplifies the process of multi-channel testing. 

With a user-friendly interface and a scriptless test automation approach, Testsigma empowers both technical and non-technical users to create and execute automated tests seamlessly across various platforms, browsers, and devices. By offering features like intelligent test maintenance, parallel execution, and comprehensive reporting, Testsigma enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of multi-channel testing, ensuring reliable software performance across diverse environments.

Let us try to conduct multi-channel testing on the popular Facebook website by using Testsigma to automate the process. Here are the steps you need to follow:

Step 1 – Set up your Testsigma account

Create an account on Testsigma and set up your test project. Provide the project description and other required information. In this scenario, we are testing a web application so you need to select web application as the application type.

Step 2 – Create the test cases

The next step is to create the test cases. You can do this by either entering manually or using Testsigms’s import feature to import the test cases if they are already documented in a compatible format. In this case, we are testing if the user login functionality works well across multiple browsers.

Step 3 – Add Test Steps to the Test Case

You need to map test steps to each case. These test steps represent actions that will be performed during the testing process. In this example, we are going to add the test steps involved in user login. You can add test steps manually or by using Testsigma’s recorder to record the steps. You need to add the TestSigma Recorder extension to your Chrome browser.

Step 4 – Configure the testing environment

Configure Testsigma’s testing environment. This includes selecting the browsers, devices, and operating systems where you want to run your tests. In this case, we want to test if the login functionality works well on the Windows 10 operating system and the latest Chrome browser. After setting the configuration, click on Save Configuration.

Step 5 – Execute or run the test case

Run your test cases in Testsigma by clicking on the Run Now button. The platform will execute the mapped test steps in the configured environment.

Step 6 – Monitor Test Execution

While the tests are running, you can monitor their progress in real time. Testsigma provides a dashboard where you can see the status of each test case.

Step 7 – Analyze Test Results

Review the detailed test reports generated by Testsigma.

Step 8 – Identify and fix any issues

Identify any failures or issues in the sorting functionality and troubleshoot as needed.

Step 9 – Retest and validate

Once you’ve made any necessary changes, re-run the test cases to validate that the issues have been resolved.

Step 10 – Document your findings

Record your testing procedure, results, and any flaws or problems you identify. For reference purposes in the future and to enhance the testing procedure, this documentation is essential.

Step 11 – Integrate with CI/CD

Integrate your Testsigma test suite into your Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment pipeline, allowing automated tests to be triggered with each code change.

Conclusion

In conclusion, multichannel testing is a crucial aspect of software development that ensures applications function seamlessly across diverse platforms. By rigorously testing across different channels such as web browsers, mobile devices, and desktop applications, developers can guarantee a consistent and reliable user experience, enhancing the overall quality and accessibility of their software. By utilizing automation tools like Testsigma, software testers can efficiently automate testing procedures, ensuring consistent and reliable performance of software applications on various platforms.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an example of a multi-channel?

A relatable example of a multi-channel approach in software development is the popular messaging app WhatsApp. WhatsApp has native mobile applications for iOS and Android, which are optimized for touchscreens and provide a mobile-friendly interface. WhatsApp Web allows users to access their messages and chat with contacts through a web browser on their desktop or laptop. WhatsApp also offers standalone desktop applications for Windows and macOS, providing users with a dedicated desktop experience that is tailored for larger screens and additional functionalities.

Omnichannel vs. multi-channel testing?

Omnichannel testing checks for usability of application across different channels (website, app, phone) in one process. Imagine buying shoes online, and then checking stock in-store via the app.
Multi-channel testing focuses on individual channels, ensuring a website works well on desktop, mobile, and tablet separately.