Voice-First Testing — The Big Picture
We face different challenges when testing voice apps than when we test GUI apps. For instance, GUI apps limit the number of possible interactions a user might do. Voice, on the other hand, allows a much richer and complex set of spoken interactions, increasing the difficulty of testing. Additionally, the backend behind voice apps includes several components not owned by developers. These AI-powered elements are constantly learning and evolving by gathering insights from the myriad of interactions they receive. This is why they get constant updates and improvements, which requires us to keep up on our side by doing continuous verification to be sure nothing has broken, and that our app continues to deliver great voice experiences to our users.
We are witnessing a notable increase in the complexity of voice applications as a result of the effort companies do to provide enriched experiences that allow users to solve real and day-to-day problems. In this scenario, testing voice apps is a must.