Centercode is the leading platform to manage impactful in-the-wild user tests.
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Delta is the next generation of beta testing, leveraging Centercode technology to automate time consuming tasks while increasing user engagement and test results.
What is delta testing and how are tech leaders using it to deliver customer insights throughout agile development? This guide has all the answers.
Advice on running effective, scalable delta testing programs from the Centercode team.
Explore the four types of customer feedback and using them to enhance your product and build brand loyalty.
Find out about the key differences between field testing and beta testing, and learn about the unique benefits of each.
Centercode introduces new editions for companies building a product regardless of structure and scale.
Centercode co-founder and Sr. Test Manager Mike Fine joins us to discuss his years in beta testing and expert tips for success.
Explore why beta testing is essential for product validation and how it's evolving to fit agile development cycles.
Dive into fishfooding to learn the ins and outs of a narrower approach to traditional "dogfooding".
Defect density offers a view into product quality, however, it lacks context and details. Delta testing can help.
Discover the importance of Cost of Quality and how calculating the four quality costs influences customer satisfaction.
Who performs beta testing? End users test the product, providing valuable feedback to enhance the product experience.
280 Group's Ghali & Cantwell join the podcast to share insights on integrating beta testing into product management.
Beta testers not only improve products but also act as advocates, making them valuable even after launch.
Dive into employee-driven testing methods, fishfooding and dogfooding, and their impact on product success.
Journey beyond beta testing: explore public beta testing and the limited-release phase in software development.
Beta testing drives product success and customer satisfaction. Discover the advantages and benefits of beta.
Unearth the key to stabilizing software and streamlining beta releases - find out what comes before beta testing.
Beta testing and User Acceptance Testing (UAT) share some similarities, but diverge when it comes to method.
Discover the distinctions between UAT and beta and choose the right type for your user test.
Tune in to hear Pete D'Alessandro emphasize user-focused and agile product management and the importance of beta.
Explore the nuances of private and public beta testing to optimize software development and achieve success.
Centercode's Slack integration delivers real-time beta feedback to one of the most popular messaging apps for business.
We're exploring Google's progressively expanding beta test for Duet AI and their approach to beta testing.
In this episode, Mattel's Paul Chen dives into his past experience at Microsoft with the Surface product launch and demonstrates his passion for developing and designing products to help the next generation explore the wonders of childhood.
On May the Fourth, discover the do's and don'ts of effective beta test management by embracing the wisdom of the Jedi philosophy while avoiding the pitfalls of the Sith mentality in this specially themed post for Star Wars Day.
In this episode, Jonathan Pardo (Owlchemy Labs, formerly at Sonos) shares insights from his career in music, audio, and technology. He also discusses his time overseeing a community of over 150,000 testers, and highlighted the potential for personal and career growth in QA testing.
Achieving product market fit is crucial for business success. Discover a 4-step process to find and determine product market fit and explore 8 simple ways to test and validate it throughout the development life cycle. By understanding your target customers and validating your product or service, you can drive business growth and stay ahead of the competition.
Discover the pivotal role beta versions play in software development and their impact on the final product. Learn about the importance of beta testing, its place in the software release life cycle, and uncover the differences between alpha and beta versions.
We defined what a product launch blog is, and why it's important. We also provided a step-by-step guide on how to write a product launch blog post, including defining your goals, identifying your target audience, determining your key message, and including social proof.
We outlined the key stages of a successful product launch, emphasizing the importance of planning, execution, and continuous engagement. We shared essential tools, best practices, and strategic insights to guide you through the launch process.
Discover 11 effective ways to gather customer feedback and improve your products and services with this comprehensive guide.
Check out these top 5 tips from Centercode on how to grow your beta program and prove its value to stakeholders. Plus, hear from product testing expert Alex Larsen on the Delta Huddle Podcast.
Have a question about beta testers? This guide will answer the most frequently asked questions about beta testers and about being a tester, while also providing tips and best practices from decades of beta testing experience along the way.
This definitive guide to user acceptance testing (UAT) is a comprehensive resource that covers everything you need to know about planning, conducting, and managing a successful UAT.
Assembling the right management team for a beta is a fundamental step to a successful test. The stakeholder team is responsible for managing and coordinating the beta test, gathering and analyzing feedback from beta testers, and working with the development team to address any issues that are identified.
Discover how world-renowned companies like Nike, Coca-Cola, and Apple use beta testing to refine their products and better understand their target audience. Explore four real-world beta testing examples showcasing the power of beta testing to drive innovation and improve the user experience.
Understanding Google Play Store Testing Tracks: Learn about the difference between Internal, Closed, and Open testing.
Learn the essentials of Google Play Store app publishing & maximize your app's success with our expert tips on descriptions, screenshots, & more
With the Diablo IV beta weekends top of mind, we explore the debate surrounding the changing definition of "beta testing" in the gaming industry and the importance of transparency between developers, publishers, and players to rebuild trust and maintain the value of beta testing.
Discover how to create a successful proof of concept for your product idea, including types of POCs, testing methods, and common challenges.
With Alex Larsen as our guest, this episode is all about taking it to the next level. Once you’ve established a program and built momentum, how do you get other teams to see the value in user testing?
Explore the top 8 product management apps of 2023 to optimize collaboration, streamline processes, and make data-driven decisions, all within one comprehensive guide for your product development success.
Discover the six essential components of an effective beta test workspace that fosters tester engagement, streamlines feedback management, and ultimately enhances your product's market readiness.
With reduced resources, increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of QA processes is more important than ever. To help you out, here are six best practices for quality assurance that you can use to continue meeting the high standards of your team and your customers even as a team of one.
Learn the key differences and similarities between Quality Assurance (QA) vs Quality Control (QC), and how to implement effective processes to manage quality.
In this episode, Chris Rader, VP of Marketing at Centercode along with Technical Trainer, Stefan Stenroos is joined by Richard Ball, formerly Director of Field Testing at Peloton to discuss the best strategies for starting a successful beta program.
Learn how to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of your QA environments with this blog.
Learn how to prioritize beta test feedback using this data-driven method to categorize feedback into four categories: Must Have, Should Have, Could Have, Would Have. Improve communication, save time and resources, and make better decisions with the MoSCoW Framework.
Unlock the magic of beta testing automation and optimize your process as a product manager. Beta test automation can help you streamline your workflows and free up more time for product strategy and innovation.
In this episode, Chris Rader, VP of Marketing at Centercode, is joined by Sharon Rylander, Senior Director of UX Research and Strategy at Square Panda and Mario Sancho, Chief Delivery Officer at Centercode, to discuss the past, present, and future of User Testing.
As a product manager or product management executive, you're always looking for ways to drive better results and improve your products. In your continuous search to improve, have you considered whether you’re leveraging the full potential of beta testing? According to Centercode's 2022 industry report, 7 out of 10 companies say beta testing is the most effective way to improve products.
When reporting on a beta test, it can be challenging to make sense of the data and difficult to know what information to report on or take action on. By following best practices for beta test reporting and using standardized templates, you can ensure that you're gathering the information you need to make informed decisions and improve your product.
It's no secret that customer loyalty is crucial for any business. Not only is it more cost-effective to retain existing customers, but loyal customers also tend to spend more and recommend your company to others.
One way to measure and improve the quality of your products is by tracking relevant product quality metrics during development.
If you want to retain more customers and keep them away from choosing your competitors, it’s essential to keep customer satisfaction high.
By taking the time to properly screen applicants and build a strong recruitment strategy around your test goals, you can not only ensure the success of your beta test, but also maximize the overall value and usefulness of your product.
Effective communication is crucial for the success of any beta test. If you’re stuck or just want some best practices, dive into these tips and examples to help you write the best weekly announcement emails your beta testers have ever read.
By recruiting more applicants than needed, you can increase the response rate, ensure better representation, provide flexibility, and gather extra feedback.
Incentivizing beta testers can not only increase the number of participants, but also the quality and depth of their feedback.
By including brand evangelists in your beta tests, you’re boosting the impact of your projects while strengthening the bonds with your community. But what is a brand evangelist? And how can you recruit them into your tests?
Great beta testers have a combination of personal characteristics and skills that make them effective at testing and providing valuable feedback on a product.
Most companies recognize the value that beta testers bring to an organization before product launch, but that's just the tip of the iceberg. The value that lies beneath the water line expands far beyond what you see on the surface.
In this episode of the Delta Huddle podcast, we discuss the importance of building brand evangelism within your user testing programs.
Great beta testers share many of the same commonalities, making them a very valuable part of the product development process. Here is an infographic explaining some of the desirable traits to look for in your beta testers.
Tracking the right metrics while running your beta program is essential for measuring the effectiveness of your beta testing efforts. But what are beta test metrics exactly and why are they important?
By gathering valuable feedback and identifying and fixing issues early on, beta testing can help you improve the user experience and increase the chances of success for your product. Keep reading to learn more about the benefits of beta testing and how to conduct a successful beta test.
We'll explore the different types of beta testers, and how each type can provide valuable insights and feedback to help you make improvements and iterate on your products over time.
Not only can beta testing help improve the quality of your product, but it can also provide valuable insights and feedback during the busiest time of the year. In this blog we share tips for planning and executing a successful beta test over the holidays.
Most companies recognize the value that beta testers bring to an organization before product launch, but that's just the tip of the iceberg. The mass that lies beneath the water line expands far beyond what you see on the surface.
Your next product launch may be keeping you up at night. With fewer resources, budget cuts, and lack of personnel, it’s going to be much more challenging to release quality products and avoid costly delays.
Being resourceful with what you have by taking something sour and turning it into something sweet will help you overcome difficulties that you may be faced with when it comes to your next product launch.
For our very first episode, we discuss tech optimism, maintaining user delight, and doing more with less when it comes to user testing with David Perry, CEO of Carro and Luke Freiler, CEO of Centercode.
Delta testing is the modern user testing solution that answers the unique demands of today's customers, products, and development styles. More specifically, delta testing is automated, saving tons of time.
With businesses experiencing setbacks, building a product that stands out amongst your competition is critical. While layoffs or budget freezes can leave you with fewer resources, customers expect that their money gets them a quality product, especially in a downturn.
As many teams are now working remotely, it’s challenging to maintain the same level of engagement and productivity that once existed. Remote teams can achieve a thriving remote culture, but it’s going to take some effort to ensure everyone feels aligned and included.
Executive teams invest their hearts and souls into building an environment, a vibe, and a workplace culture that not only attracts new talent, it also keeps employees from looking elsewhere. But, when I say “culture” did you immediately think ping pong tables, sushi chefs, baristas and nap pods?
Looking for ways to recession proof your products? Check out these three tips on how to create products that support your business, even during down times.
I’m willing to bet that you’ve experienced “writer’s block” before. I’d be lying to say that I have not, because I just did. As I sat down to write about Centercode’s new Project Kickoff Dashboard, I was struggling to come up with where to begin.
One of the most important facets of product testing is identifying and finding an audience that will help you make your products better. When planning a product test, perhaps the most vital question to ask when determining who will test your product is, whose feedback will be the most important to your product’s development?
Centercode is trusted with your prized possessions–your products and your customers. As such, we take data security seriously.
In Spring of 2021, Centercode's biggest release yet was imminent and it was finally time to gather customer feedback. Coincidentally, the release included an entirely new framework, Delta testing, built to capture actionable feedback from testers with minimal effort.
We live in a world where the tools and services we use every day are in a constant state of improvement. Not only do our favorite devices improve massively with each new release, so does the software that powers them.
This week we round out our series on the Centercode Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) by discussing testing Delta Impact Score.
There are a couple of big differences between traditional beta testing and delta testing. Perhaps one of the most significant is delta testing’s focus on working within Agile environments (vs. waterfall). Many parts of the delta testing methodology are pulled directly from common forms of Agile development.
That meeting could have been an email… Unfortunately this is a sentiment we’ve all had after a meeting that didn't feel particularly effective.
In my last post, we discussed measuring tester engagement as a part of test health. Today, we are going to discuss measuring product success.
One of the primary concerns of any project manager throughout the testing period is whether there’s enough tester engagement. Good tester engagement is instrumental to a successful delta test.
There are countless benefits to having a successful user testing program. Being able to confidently bring new products to market and mature existing products is where the key business value lies.
If you read Part 1, you already know that the Centercode Delta release is a totally new way to plan and run user tests using automation, intuitive dashboards, and rich user feedback. So let’s dive into some of these features a little deeper.
Have you ever wanted to be able to automate your user tests and just jump to the good part where you get awesome feedback that’s easy to apply to product development? Us too.
The benefits of an awesome, highly effective invite are obvious: it allows you to attract and recruit qualified candidates (like customers or potential customers) for your beta, field, UAT, and user testing projects.
Whether you’ve returned to the office, work in a hybrid model, or your entire company took the leap to being fully remote, our work spaces have changed dramatically in the last two years.
“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” This quote from Atomic Habits, by best-selling author and habit expert James Clear, is as true for using customer insight to drive product decision-making as it is for training to run a marathon, not biting your nails, or remembering to unload the dishwasher every night.
What is continuous user research, exactly? We like this definition from Tomer Sharon, head of user research at Goldman Sachs:
So you want to run a beta program — and we're stoked for you! Whether you got here after running a handful of beta tests on your own, or your boss handed the task over to you, the insights you get from beta testing open the door to an incredibly enriching world of customer knowledge and product insight.
Relationships require care. And not just in the form of those once-in-a-while grand gestures — though an extra special thank you every now and again never hurts.
Imagine you're running a marathon. At first, you're bursting with energy — you've been waiting for this! You feel like you could run forever!
Calculating user testing metrics? Avoid this common mistake and learn how to find the 3 metrics that matter most to showing your impact.
No one knows what your customers need better than your customers; that's why their feedback has never been more critical to the success of your product.
It's the time of year for resolutions: where we dream big about the things we want to do and improvements we want to make in the hopes this year will be better than the last. But as everyone who's two weeks into a diet or exercise routine knows, resolutions are easy to set but difficult to keep — especially when you don't have a system in place for making it happen.
After 2020 and a year defined by upheaval, 2021 has been all about recovery and progress: shedding what doesn't work, strengthening what does, and reimagining possibilities in a world with a new outlook and new demands for the future.
The end of the year can mean a lot of things. While at home it's about decorating, cooking mountains of food, or reuniting with loved ones, the end of the work year is about looking back at everything you've accomplished — and looking forward to what's around the corner.
Should you plan to launch a user testing project over the holidays? In this installment of Ask the Expert, Centercode's Sr. Test Manager Mike Fine talks about the oft-debated holiday test launch: when it works, when it doesn't, and what you should expect from your testers.
Just like there are many ways to collect attitudinal data, there are different moments when data about your customers' thoughts, opinions, and attitudes comes into play during product development. But how do you get this data?
When you think of "incentives" in user testing, the first thing that comes to mind might be a free product or a gift card. And yes, those are both common and viable ways to reward testers for their participation.