Testing & community-driven quality

Ben Riley starts the conversation on the “early access” model which many game developers have started to increasingly use, and how it can help improve the quality of software. Early access allows developers to gather feedback, identify issues early and reduce costly post-release fixes, by getting the end user in front of the product as early as possible. Mantas Dvareckas highlights how getting in front of your end user, gathering feedback, and providing software that they actually want, is key to success.

As someone new to the software testing and quality space, Mantas shares some of his insights on how skills from other fields, like marketing, can be transferable. These transferable skills can bring fresh perspectives and innovative approaches to testing, enhancing the overall quality. The recommendation to new testers is to look for existing best practices and resources. This continuous learning helps testers stay updated with the latest techniques, improving their effectiveness.

The conversation rounds out to discuss various methods of testing software, comparing the structured approaches in traditional industries with the more community-driven methods in gaming. Community-driven feedback ensures the software meets user expectations and improves satisfaction. Mantas mentions Tekken 8, and how he participated in their alpha and beta testing, which asked players worldwide to provide feedback by playing the game and filling in surveys on their experience, which helped refine the product and improve quality.

The team concludes with encouragement for listeners to be curious and proactive in their testing approaches, while not forgetting to apply continuous development principles to our own learning. Oh, and is a muffin a cake?

Watch the full episode to learn more!