Why are tests essential to every web project?

Before we talk technicalities, let's ask ourselves a simple question:

What kind of risks does a digital project that has not been properly tested before launch run? 

• A user can't validate his shopping basket because of a bug → loss of sales.
• A site displays its content incorrectly on mobile → poor user experience and visitors leave.
• After an update, an application has a blocking bug → avalanche of bad reviews on your store (PlayStore / AppStore) and uninstallations of the latter.
• An e-commerce site where the ‘Add to basket’ button doesn't respond? That's lost sales.
• A mobile application that crashes as soon as you open it? The user uninstalls it immediately.
• A site that's too slow or poorly optimised for mobile? Google will penalise it (SEO), and your visitors will go to the competition.

These problems can be costly and damage a company's image. That's where testing comes in.

At our digital agency, we integrate testing at different stages of a project, whether it's a creation, a redesign, a bug fix or continuous improvement.

There are a multitude of tests. Some are essential for all types of project, while others need to be adapted according to the nature of the project, its progress and its history. However, a QA Tester needs to know how to choose the right tests depending on the context and the criticality of the functionalities to be tested!

We're going to take a closer look at the most common tests, both automated and manual, which play a key role in the quality assurance of websites, platforms and mobile applications.

It's simple: we make sure that all the functionalities of a site or application meet expectations. These functional tests are made up of : 

• Unit tests: checking the smallest units of code (often carried out by developers).
• Integration tests: Checking the interaction between different modules, sections, pages or third-party services.
• System tests: Verification of the overall operation of the system according to requirements.
• User Acceptance Tests (UAT): Checking whether the element meets the needs of the end-users according to the requirements imposed upstream.
• User testing: Carrying out tests with real users to observe their reactions and detect potential bottlenecks in the experience.

To sum up, here are a few concrete examples:

• Checking that the contact form actually sends a message.
• Testing a payment process to avoid transaction errors.
• Ensuring that the connection to a customer area works.

They are used to assess essential aspects such as the performance, security, accessibility and user experience of the element under test.
They measure how a feature behaves in different contexts.

They include

Performance testing :

• Load testing: to check whether the system supports a large number of users.
• Stress testing: Simulate an extreme load to see how stable it is.
• Scalability testing: to check how the system evolves as resources increase.
• Response time testing: Check the speed of actions.
• Technical SEO tests: Analysing the site's structure and mark-up for indexing and visibility on search engines.
• Accessibility tests: Checking compliance with WCAG standards for people with disabilities.
• Usability tests (UX/UI): Testing the ergonomics, responsiveness, ease of use and intuitiveness of the interface.
• Compatibility tests: to check that it works properly on different browsers, operating systems and devices.

Security testing:

• Pen testing: to identify security flaws.
• Vulnerability testing: Checking exposure to attacks.
• Authentication testing: Testing the security of connections (login/logout, sessions).

Other concrete examples of these non-functional tests:

• Check page load times on different devices.
• Simulating an influx of visitors to see if the site can handle the load.
• Detecting and correcting heavy scripts that slow down the user experience.

• Check that the site adapts perfectly to mobiles and tablets.
• Test the intuitiveness of user paths (e.g. registration in just a few clicks).
• Ensure that the colours and contrasts comply with accessibility standards (WCAG).

• Test the site's resistance to hacking attempts.
• Check compliance with data protection standards (nLPD).
• Secure transactions and user connections.

At Marvelous Digital, we integrate testing at the very start of the project to avoid late and costly corrections. Here's our approach:

1. Definition of test scenarios: Upstream, what are the critical paths to be validated?
2. Manual testing: Our experts test the functionalities and spot any errors, then report them to the developers using a ticket/open task.
3. Automated testing (depending on the project): Using technical tools, to ensure long-term stability, regression tests are defined and launched each time an element is implemented.
4. Corrections and improvements: Each problem detected is reported, corrected and monitored before going online.
5. Final tests before going live: A very important penultimate quality check before going live.
   Post-delivery testing: Once online in the production environment, we review to ensure that all functional and non-functional elements meet the defined requirements. 
6. Post-delivery testing: Once online in the production environment, we review to ensure that all functional and non-functional elements meet the defined requirements. 

Creation of a website, e-commerce, SaaS and application

• Functional testing (navigation, forms, payments, interactions)
• UX/UI testing (ergonomics and adaptability on mobile)
• Performance testing (loading times)
• Security tests (data protection)

Goal: To launch a reliable, fast and user-friendly product from day one.


As part of a website, e-commerce, SaaS or application redesign

• Compatibility tests (checking that everything works after migration)
• UX/UI testing (adapting the user experience to the new standards)
• Performance testing (optimising speed and fluidity)
• Security tests (readjusting protection measures)

Goal: to ensure a bug-free transition and improve the user experience.


Upgrades and updates

• Automated tests (automatically detect errors after an update)
• Regression testing (to ensure that an enhancement has not broken another feature)
• Load tests (to check that the site continues to perform despite having more users)

Goal: to maintain performance and stability over the long term.

Overall, testing allows you to anticipate and correct errors before they become a problem for your users or your company.

A high-performance, reliable digital project necessarily involves a rigorous testing phase. 
Whether you're launching, redesigning or upgrading, testing your website, e-commerce, SaaS or application means guaranteeing an optimal user experience and avoiding unpleasant surprises.