Making eProducts "Market-Ready"

“eBooks, enhanced eBooks, Apps.” eProducts are becoming an integral part of the portfolio today. Many publishers have either hired in-house resources or outsourced development of these products. Customer acceptance and adoption primarily depends on their “first-experience” with these new products. An eProduct that is well developed and extensively tested has better chances of success. Beta testing is an important but often less-emphasized stage in the product development process.eProduct testing consists of two distinct activities: Content Testing and Functionality Testing.

• Content Testing is similar to the final QA of a print book. This involves checking layout, style, and proofreading of the content. Sometimes the work can include comparing the text in the printed book to the eProduct and identifying any major differences.
• Functionality Testing involves checking user experience and ensuring that all options, links, and interfaces are working properly. This also involves checking compatibility with different devices, browsers, and OS versions.

The work usually begins with a testing plan provided by the client or jointly developed with the client based on assessment of samples. This plan is periodically reviewed and modified as needed. In addition to the test reports, recommendations are also made on potential product improvements.

SPi Global has been performing eProduct testing services for over 5 years. Our team handles a wide variety of electronic media including CD-ROMS, online products, eBooks, and other applications. For further information, please visit www.spi-global.com/content-solutions or contact [email protected]

This article written by SPi Global appeared in the June issue of E-Link, the official newsletter of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA). For more information on ECPA, please visit www.ecpa.org