Usability testing
Usability testing is pretty self-explanatory ― it examines how easy and comfortable it is to use a mobile or web application for different people. Usually, the process of usability testing consists of executing typical test scenarios the app was created for and documenting the issues representative users or manual testers stumble across during the execution, especially ones that are related to UI/UX design. The test cases should be realistic, like booking a flight for a customer-facing airport CRM or tracking an order for an online shop. Test case for banking application in this context could vary as follows:
- Log in with correct or incorrect credentials;
- Check card balance;
- Initiate a transaction to another account with valid or invalid data;
- Check the status of the transaction.
Mobile UI/UX testing for banking
Due to its sensory and technical peculiarities, mobile application testing differs a lot from desktop and web programs. Mobile banking testing is mostly centered on UI/UX because the basic functionality of such applications are not the easiest to reflect on a small screen. Furthermore, these days users want to be able to do anything on the go without compromising the safety of their personal information, which is another challenge to mitigate for UI/UX designers and testers. Test case scenarios for mobile UI/UX usually include:
- Testing the visual elements in terms of position, resolution, and size;
- Testing of the pop-up windows and messages;
- Testing the readability of app’s content;
- Testing the alignment of the buttons, icons, and other elements;
- Testing the clickable elements for the comfort of use;
- Testing the different screen resolutions and sizes to see if the app looks appropriately on all devices that are planned to cover.
Accessibility testing
To achieve accessibility with your application, you need to incorporate and thoroughly test such features as font size customization, one-hand operation mode, screen reader, colorblind screen filter, etc. Testing of such features can be tricky since it’s only people living with a certain limitation who can tell if the app is doing a good job. If possible, we’d recommend considering a focus group for accessibility testing or at least launching a beta to gather the feedback and implement the necessary changes. Specifically for the finance and banking apps, we suggest the following addings to make your product more accessible:
- Solid first-launch tutorial to introduce new users to your application;
- Incorporate speech recognition technology;
- Closed captioning and subtitling for low-hearing users;
- Touch screen and/or gesture alternative for people with sensory limitations;
- Contrast and color options for users with compromised vision.
Bank software functional testing
A typical banking application has a wide range of features, and the job of the testing team is to make sure they are all present and operate properly in the release version of the product. Functionality testing means a QA engineer defines the core functions of an application and then tests them one by one in different scenarios. Composing a testing scenario is an integral part of a QA’s job. The output received after the test cases execution gets compared to what was expected and fixed if needed. Bank software functional testing helps engineers focus on the following:
- The time needed for the application to launch;
- Registration of a new user;
- Login of an existing user;
- Transactions and cash withdrawal;
- Cancellation of a transaction;
- Communication with technical support in the app;
- Session finalization with a corresponding warning message;
- Notifications and pop-ups.
Localization testing
The purpose of localization is to ensure that the content displayed in the application fits the region it is intended to launch in. Due to the cultural differences across countries, the look of the app at times requires drastic changes. Localization testing also ensures that the application complies with local laws and regulations, so it usually goes deeper than just language and timezone settings. Online-banking tests for localization include:
- Different default currency for each region;
- Time and date change according to the location;
- Marketing campaigns adjustment (like congratulatory messages regarding the local holidays);
- Translation and switchable multi-language interfaces;
- Adherence to the local regulations regarding the finance and tax monitoring.
Compatibility testing
Compatibility testing stands for the analysis of how your application works with different operating systems, network environments, and hardware models. Nowadays, this is a very important type of testing due to the fact that the IT industry develops at a very fast pace. Versions of operating systems change one another every year, let alone the minor updates we all receive on our gadgets regularly without even noticing this anymore. However, even the slightest technical change like another Android security patch can interfere with the functioning of your app. To test the compatibility of a banking application, software testers usually focus on these specifications:
- Networks: Wi-Fi, 5G, etc.
- Operating systems, web and mobile: Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android with defined versions and updates.
- Hardware generations: for example, iPhone 6 to 12.
- Web browsers: Safari, Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Firefox, Opera.
Automated testing
Automated testing is a method of software quality assurance that implies test cases execution with the use of automated testing tools, as opposed to manual testing. To enable testing automation, the team has to come up with the expected outcome for each test case that a program will then compare to the real result received after the execution. This method of quality assurance perfectly suits routine and continuous types of testing that have strictly defined outcomes (for example, pass/fail criteria or similar). Some types of testing — for example, user acceptance testing — can hardly be automated. However, for many other types, including database testing and integration testing, automation works wonders.