In this guide
A fixed routine makes your testing faster and your findings more comparable from one app to the next. This one fits into 30 minutes. The split is a suggestion; adjust it to the app.
The routine
Before you start (2 min). Write down your phone model and system version. Open a notes file. Decide: you write while you test.
1. First run (5 min). - Install and open the app. What does the first screen tell you? - Is it clear what the app is for, without reading anything else? - Note every moment you hesitate.
2. Main task (10 min). - Do the one thing the app exists for, start to finish. - Note what you expected at each step and what happened. - Do it once the way the app intends, once the way you would naturally do it.
3. Edge cases (8 min). - Empty fields, very long text, special characters. - Going back mid-task, tapping twice quickly. - Rotate the screen if the app allows it.
4. Interruptions (3 min). - Switch to another app and back. - Turn off the connection and try the main task. - Lock the screen and return.
5. Wrap-up (2 min). Sort your notes: one problem per entry, the most serious first.
Routine sheet
Copy this into your notes.
App / version:
Phone / system:
First run - clear? hesitations:
Main task - steps, expected, actual:
Edge cases - what broke:
Interruptions - what broke:
Top 3 findings:
Tips
- Stop the clock when you find something and write it down. Notes beat memory.
- One problem per entry. See how to write a bug report as a tester.
- Not enough time for everything? Do the first run and the main task first.
- Do not turn the routine into a checklist you tick without looking. It is a guide to where to pay attention.
Be fair
Thirty minutes finds the obvious problems. It does not replace long-term testing, and you should not claim more than you tested. Say what you covered.
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Next steps
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