Beta Testing Google Chrome's New Features

In the current browser war, Google Chrome is the leader of all. It is no surprise that Chrome takes the throne. The browser team updates its software regularly, every two months, compared to other competitive browsers such as Safari, Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Opera.

Not only Chrome has a simple and clean user interface that proves to be successful in the market, but Chrome also offers faster speed than the rest. It is because Chrome has its own Javascript engine to render dynamic websites quickly. It is called V8 engine. Before V8, Chrome depends on Webkit framework to render web pages. And Webkit is developed by Apple and used in Safari.

V8 offers faster speed because the algorithms for speed get results straight from the machine. In simple words, V8 gives us machine code instead of operating system code. This engine skips the middle man smartly and gives us extraordinary speed that we love.

However, V8 is not totally finished. The Chrome team is still working on it and updating it regularly. The reason for that is the web is always in development and keeps changing every month. And the V8 engine needs to satisfy the demand of new web technologies.

If you are interested in speed, new features of Chrome, I will show you how to enjoy these with the Chrome nightly build. You will become a beta tester. In fact, every software is tested in many phases before a major release. Google Chrome is not different in this aspect. It has to be tested by a number of users so that the developers can know which bugs it gets in the real world and then start to fix it before it gets to many users. This beta testing phase, in turn, benefits us.

Chrome nightly build is the latest version of the software, called Chrome Canary. Typically, Chrome Canary is updated every single day because developers who want to code a new feature for the browser would infuse their code into the browser and upload it to the internet overnight.  This gives everyone a sense of where Chrome is heading and what the new features are. Let's remind ourselves that Chrome is an open-source software so the benefit of giving out the latest build is to give the community a chance to sample some new features and inform the developing team of any bugs they can find.

So here are the steps to download and use Chrome

1. Chrome Nightly Build can be downloaded at: https://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/browser/canary.html

2. Download it to your computer and install it just like any other software.

3. Open it and use side by side with your existing Chrome. You should notice the logo of Chrome Canary is different from the stable Chrome. The color is yellowish. 

4. Chrome Canary will always run faster and smoothly on any OS platforms. Don't take my words for it, just give it a try and you will see. However, you should remember that this version is still unchecked in terms of bugs  so sometimes it will not work on some websites. However, I have never experienced that limitation with Chrome Canary.

5. If you want to report a bug, just click on the button with 3 horizontal lines and choose Tools. Then you go to Report An Issue.

6. Make sure you check the Chrome team' blog regularly to know what is going on with the product.

That's all. Doing this will help the developers in their beta testing phase and also give you a head up on new Chrome's features in the future.

References

Google Developers. (n.d.). Introduction - Chrome V8. Retrieved 05 15, 2014, from Google Developers: https://developers.google.com/v8/intro

Shankland, S. (2011, 03 16). Google refurbishes Chrome logo. Retrieved 05 15, 2014, from CNET: http://www.cnet.com/news/google-refurbishes-chrome-logo/

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How To Improve Usability Testing

Usability testing is not easy as it looks. Sometimes you and the test participants can have quite a frustrating experience. I have learned some tips when I developed a website for client in education field. These tips could help you avoid some drawbacks in the future.

1. Give your test users specific questions

You should not assume that users will give great feedback on specific areas of the website. If you pick out areas of the website and ask for opinions, that would not help you much. Instead, you should ask specific questions that is related to the test participants so that they can give you a more detail feedback. Moreover, you should always ask for more clarifications and reasons behind why a certain feedback is given.

2. Observe the test participants' behaviors

You often have to conduct a test in person with the test participant. This becomes a good context to observe their reactions such as eye movements, face gestures, and body movements. This way could give a more realistic view of how they interact with the website. You should start off with some general questions to relax the test user, then move to a certain topic, and watch their reaction either closely or remotely.

3. Let the test participants be relaxed and free

Space gives test participants quite a huge boost in relaxation. They tend to give more accurate response to each part of the website if you give them time and space to do so. People simply need their freedom to have their own way. Each person reacts differently with each aspect of a website. Some might find privacy issue more important than convenience. Some may think the opposite. They may refrain from expressing their view if we do not give them the freedom. So in any case, you should give your test users a relaxed environment so that they can run off the track and explore things from your website that may interest them.

4. Match the tasks with the current test user

Test users often give up easily if they find your questions boring and too general. You should set your questions to each user's specific context. There is a huge advantage to learn about each test user before the test. For example, it could be what they like about certain services and how long they have been using the product. By doing that, it gives you a sense of each person and let you tailor your test scenario accordingly. Consequently, test users will give more accurate reactions and feedback to us. 

References

Gross, J. (2013, 11 19). How Usability Testing Drastically Improved My Client’s App. Retrieved from Smashing Magazine: http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2013/11/19/how-usability-testing-drastically-improved-my-clients-app/

Weber, H. (n.d.). Basics of Website Usability Testing. Retrieved from MonsterPost: http://blog.templatemonster.com/2011/09/14/usability-testing-basics/

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