11-23-2010, 09:53 PM

Hi there,

I am new to the iPad testing world and have googled and googled trying to find some tips for testing apps on iOS, without much luck. If anyone has any information or example tests that they have run on iOS for their apps, I would definately appreciate some feedback. I guess the only way to explain the app is that it is a Productivity App, if that means anything to you. Main concern is Zoom and Swipe behaviour.

Thanks

11-23-2010, 11:38 PM

You'll need to sign up for and pay the $99 fee for Apple's iOS SDK kit.

11-24-2010, 06:47 PM

Hmmm...not too sure that is what I need as I am not developing the product, only testing it.

11-25-2010, 09:09 AM

Oh my, it can be a challenge trying to determine what it is people really are asking in their forum posts.

Have you found an app in the app store that you want to test out? I don't think so because you would only have to download it and give it a try.

Have you developed an app for the ipad? They you must have used Xcode and you would use the iphone/ipad simulator that is part of the IOS SDK. This is a FREE download. The IOS SDK includes Xcode, Interface Builder and Iphone/ipdad Simulator.

If you want to become an Apple Developer, that costs $99. As an Apple Developer you get to submit apps to the app store or transfer apps you have written to your own devices.

Mike

11-25-2010, 05:08 PM

I work for a software development company. I did not develop the app, I am only testing it to meet the requirements. I will only be doing functional UI and performance testing.

What i would like is some advice from people who have tested iOS apps, on an iPad, so i know what key iPad functions I should be looking to test. As I said I have not tested on the iPad before and have not had a lot of experience with one as the majority of my testing career has been on a PC, so i am not very familar with Apple products.

I will not be using any tools as part of my testing. The majority of the functionality is around PDF viewers.

11-25-2010, 06:12 PM

I think you'll want to look at the iOS Human Interface Guidelines available from Apples developer site. This will tell you what Apple and therefore users will expect from your app.

I just found this short list of suggestions. Haven't read it all. I'll leave that up to you.

Perhaps reading a book such as "Tapworthy: Designing Great iPhone Apps" or "App Savvy: Turning Ideas into iPad and iPhone Apps Customers Really Want" would be helpful too.

Of course there is the obvious; Test to the written specs of the application. There is a UI spec isn't there?

Always test on a real device. The simulator is good but certainly not perfect. Depending on the app, a device be required, for instance, doing location aware testing.

11-25-2010, 06:19 PM

Thank you for your feedback that is really helpful. I have been reading through the Human interface guidelines and they are helpful but it seems when i raise soemthing from this document they look at me like I'm stupid and why would you think that is a requirement. My reasoning of 'Because Apple said' does not seem to be good enough, that is why I have been looking for some real world examples from some experienced testers, so thank you again.

"Of course there is the obvious; Test to the written specs of the application. There is a UI spec isn't there?"

Unfortunately our spec is not detailed, merely screen shots and detail that would be more suited to marketing than anything else which makes things a lot harder for me. Be intuitive they say but that is very very ambiguos and not the path I want to take.

11-26-2010, 03:18 PM

Have your developers even read the UI Guideline? Don't answer that, please.

Part of "intuitive" is user expectation. If they are breaking Apples guidelines for no good reason then they are breaking user expectation too. That is bad news for any app. Users like consistency. So much so that they will look at the competition. Also, those who speak the loudest on reviews are often those that hate a product.

Sounds like you're in a tough spot.