The essence of interface testing is that the software is tested from the user’s point of view so that the final product is user-friendly, attractive and understandable for your audience. To do this, a team of people not involved in the development of a particular product is involved in testing: they get acquainted with the application, study it and interact with it in the same way as an ordinary user would do. In this case, the task of the development team is to track the strengths and weaknesses, and after testing, improve the product based on the test results.
UI testing is carried out in parallel with software product UX testing, thus achieving a greater degree of verification and even better results.
Is UI testing always necessary?
User interface testing is necessary primarily on large and complex projects, but it is nevertheless useful on projects that are not too large.
To begin with, you need to understand that UI testing is carried out at three levels: unit tests, functional testing and End-to-End testing. Unit tests are needed to check each individual element and all its characteristics separately, that is, independently of other elements of the system. Functional testing checks the operation of all elements and their interaction with each other, while this type of testing is carried out at the development stage. And End-to-End testing is carried out on an already finished product, where its operation as a complete software is already checked.
On small projects, the second stage is often skipped, leaving only unit tests and final verification. Some people do this on any project, regardless of their scale. Saving time? On the one hand, yes, because functional testing is a rather voluminous and time-consuming process. But on the other hand, without checking everything at the beginning, during the final End-to-End testing, you run the risk of finding errors that can be fatal for the product or at least bring significant financial losses.
The feasibility of conducting each of the testing stages, as well as the depth of detail for each of them, must be determined based on the project itself, its scale, features, and requirements. Nevertheless, there are certain principles of testing, and one of them says: you need to start testing as early as possible. And this is true because in this way you reduce risks and immediately receive a high-quality product that meets the requirements, protecting yourself from further alterations.
Let’s take a closer look at what checks are made as part of User Interface testing, and what you need to pay attention to in each of them:
The general appearance of the page
This checks the integrity of the appearance (a rather subjective but important criterion), how harmonious and pleasant the software product looks, and it is also important to make sure that nothing is broken when scaling. Users can open pages from different devices with different resolutions, it is important that on any of them the text is readable, all elements are displayed correctly, do not run into each other and do not disappear, and so on.
Text
There is always text on any page, and it should be given due attention when testing. Firstly, it should not contain errors, typos and other possible errors. Secondly, the text must be aligned according to the same parameters so that the overall picture looks holistic and harmonious. It is also important to make sure that the text will be readable when the page is scaled.
Element Selection
There are always elements on the page that the user can interact with. These elements must be distinguished in a certain way. For example: on a computer, when you hover over an interactive object, it is highlighted, or when you hover over a link, a window appears with additional information. There may be many options, but each of them requires verification. It is also important to make sure that after clicking on a certain element, it is highlighted. This is important so that the user knows which option has been selected or which element is involved.
Forms
When working with forms, there are many elements to pay attention to. Firstly, this is the form window itself, its location, appearance, and so on. Secondly, the elements on the form: radio buttons, checkboxes, drop-down lists, text fields, and so on. All elements must comply with the requirements and specifications.
Other requirements
Not always your requirements and wishes are the only limits for the user interface. So, for example, when developing applications, it is also important to take into account the requirements and standards of the app store or marketplace where the future product will be placed. After all, if there is a discrepancy, your application may simply not pass the test and you will be rejected for placement.
