Beta program: How to run it.What kind of benefits it will provide for teams.

Author: Andrey Matvienko

About Me

Matvienko Andrey

• More than 10 years of IT experience• About 5 years experience in QA• About 2 years QA Team Lead

matvienko86@gmail.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrijmatvienko

amatvijenko

Agenda

• What is Beta Program• Beta Program process• DO's and DON'Ts• My experience• Benefits• Q&A

What is Beta ProgramBeta is a sub phase of the Software Development

Life Cycle’s Implementation phase

Who think that Beta is• … not your problem • … just opportunity to travel • … just resource of additional detected defects • … time for fun

What is Beta ProgramTypes of Beta Program• Traditional Beta• Public Beta Tests • Focused Beta • Post-Release• Internal Beta

Sub-Types• Onsite • Remote

Beta Program process

DefinitionCommunica

tion with Customers

Execution Finalization and success

Beta Program processDefinition• Define beta testing process• Define participants and objectives• Develop criteria for beta test

customers• Identify and Recruit beta customers

and set expectations• Create beta program documentation

Process; Possible Customers; Possible Participants are defined

Beta Program processCommunication with Customers• Sign the NDA document• Production & Testing

environments Details + usage details

• Kickoff Meeting/Beta participation approval

• Additional artefact getting• Schedule Program Process

Environment readiness approval; Program Process Scheduled for whole period

Beta Program processExecution• Fixed issue review• New feature presentation• New feature testing• Install/Upgrade new Beta version on testing

environment• Upgrade relevant customer’s projects• Post upgrade testing • Feedback• Reporting

Have customer feedback and find critical defects

Beta Program processFinalization and success• Review and priorities

Defects/Feedbacks• Push what you can• Follow-up sessions: Review the

customer feedback and track the issues that found

• Customers program Summary (Achievements + Inputs)

• Internal program Summary (Achievements + Inputs)

Results are shared, a lot of experience achieved

DO's and DON'Ts

What to say - DO's and DON'TsWe are going to release next version at <date>.

We don’t have a final date for the next release/patch, It is around… (Q#)

I will make sure this feature will be in the next version.

This is a good ER, I will forward it to the relevant FA and will try to push it as much as I can, but I can’t promise..

This feature is going to look / act like that (during our dev’ phase)

We planned to implement the feature in the way….. Of course things can be changed

This license cost… contains… pricing… Licensing… prices… etc: I am an R&D person, I am not familiar with this area but I will forward the question to the relevant people.

I will make sure this defect will be fixed in the next version.

Of course I can’t promise anything yet, because it is in development phase but I will give high priority to this defect.

My experience

• 2 Banks

Benefits

Benefits

Q&A

Thank you!