Beta Testing for Better Software

Implement, operate, and use beta testing immediately with this hands-on guide to the best practices

Beta testing is a complex process that, when properly run, provides a wealth of diverse information. But when poorly executed, it delivers little or no data while wasting time and money. Written by a leading expert in the field, this book will help you reach the full potential that beta testing has to offer.

Michael Fine compiles the best practices to date so you can effectively bring beta testing into your company’s process to improve product quality. Using real-world case studies, this book begins by clearly explaining what a beta is and why you need one. Fine then explores the beta test procedure and walks through the best processes to use when implementing a test. He concludes by detailing the steps you should take after completing a test in order to take full advantage of the results.

With this book, you’ll gain a better understanding of what beta testing is, why every company needs a beta test program, and how to get the most from a test. Fine will help you:

• Understand all the steps involved in beta testing using real-world case studies
• Implement a beta test using best- known practices
• Produce better products based on the results of well-run beta tests
• Apply beta testing across many platforms and many technologies
• Improve on existing processes and identify critical issues

Table of Contents

About the Author.

Introduction.

PART 1: UNDERSTANDING BETA.

Chapter 1- Listening to the Customer.

Chapter 2- What Is a Beta Test?

Chapter 3- The Value of Beta Test.

Chapter 4- The Cost of Beta Test to Your Organization.

Chapter 5- Reducing Costs through Beta Test.

Chapter 6- Putting Beta Test into Your Organization.

Chapter 7- Common Failures in Beta Test Implementation.

PART 2: BUILDING A BETA TEST PROGRAM.

Chapter 8- Building a Test Team.

Chapter 9- The Process.

Chapter 10- Improve Your Program.

Chapter 11- When to Start Testing.

Chapter 12- Effective Site Selection.

Chapter 13- The Test Product.

Chapter 14- Getting Results.

Chapter 15- The "Bug".

PART 3: MAKING THE RESULTS WORK.

Chapter 16- Responding to the Customer.

Chapter 17- Making Results Pay.

Chapter 18- Product Quality = Success.

Chapter 19- The End Is Only the Beginning.

Glossary.

Index.