Continuous Testing

What are "continuous testing" test cycles? They are very similar to a normal test cycle except they usually run a lot longer. While you may still only test one product, you will likely test multiple builds/versions of the product throughout test cycle.

Here are some important points to remember if you have accepted a continuous testing cycle:

  • Continuous test cycles do not have a traditional test cycle's "start, middle, and end."
  • A continuous testing cycle may last for weeks, months, or indefinitely.
  • Once you are invited and accept into a continuous test cycle, you can navigate to it through your active test cycles list on the uTest platform, where it should stay for the duration of the project.
  • Each time a new build/version of the product is released for testing, you will receive an email notification. These notifications may look like test cycle invites, but they are essentially to let you know it's time to begin testing again.

An easy way to understand the layout of a continuous test cycle is that each ones potentially encompasses several traditional test cycles (one for each new build of the product in question).

Remember, continuous test cycles provide a steady stream of opportunities to participate. Quality of participation is key since you are automatically selected to test each and every new build of a product. While you only need to accept the cycle once, when a notification is sent out about the availability of a new build to test, please be sure to log in and participate.

A note on declining a continuous testing cycle: if a tester declines to participate at any time he will not be able to rejoin that cycle. Please keep this in mind. Due to the nature of continuous testing, if you decline for any reason, you cannot re-join that same cycle at a later date. Declining one continuous testing cycle however will not prevent you from getting invited to other continuous testing cycles in the future. If you are already enrolled in a continuous testing cycle but cannot manage the time to test a particular build, please let your PM know, before you decide to decline.

For more information on accepting and declining test cycle invites, please click here.