In the past, test teams were often divided. Some teams would be focused on functionality, web and app server performance, UI/UX, and test automation; other teams would hone in on data, data security and performance. All of these components compose SMAC Stack (Social, Mobile, Analytics, and Cloud).
In the future of software development, the SMAC Stack is critical. SMAC is forecasted to have a major effect on business. Though many predictions say implementing these systems have already begun and are expanding, most say the biggest period of SMAC development lies ahead.
SMAC is one of the new traditions in software development and testing. It’s the natural evolution of mobile testing. Enterprises, products, brands, B2C and B2B companies—any organization wanting to interact and engage with its user and customers will be using the SMAC paradigm. According to Pew Research Center, “77% of Americans own a smart phone.” Enterprises in media, games, retail, banking, finance, insurance and other industries have already initiated the transformation, “especially as one third of consumers are now making payments using their mobile.” (Deloitte)
This makes testing the SMAC stack business critical for B2C companies. Each layer of SMAC has its own considerations:
Social: Moreover, the number of APIs available is incorporated into products continues to grow exponentially. Many organizations and test teams saw this on the horizon and prepared for this inclusion in their product lines.
Mobile: Since mobile has evolved into a platform, products are being introduced rapidly and that means Test Teams have to keep up. Mobile no longer means mobile phone; it really means mobile control device. Enterprise apps, games, banks, brokerages and financial services, and many more are using Internet of Things (IoT) devices–all are on mobile phones.
Analytics: The great unknown in the SMAC stack is analytics—at a minimum for test teams, is the impact of analytics on how testers design tests. Introducing various technologies like A/B testing and dynamic product design will make test case design more fluid and just in time (JiT).
Cloud: For test teams, the biggest challenge is how quickly the majority of all work has moved to the cloud. Many tools are not yet suitable for cloud use, and many teams don’t yet understand the differences with testing in the cloud: testing cloud services nor cloud stored data. It may take some teams awhile to see the ramifications of shifting the testing environments and production environments away from the organization’s control and into the cloud. Using the cloud testing has a positive aspect: the ease of getting access to superb testing environments. The biggest selling points for cloud adoption are the full, quick, and easy access to any kind of environment you want on demand—staging environments, production environments—all of these are now on-demand.
If you are not familiar with testing the SMAC stack, then the article “What does SMAC mean for Software Testing” written by our own Michael Hackett is a good place to start. It discusses the considerations and implications for automation on how to test the SMAC stack. If you’re looking for assistance with end-to-end mobile testing, then LogiGear can help. We have an end-to-end mobile testing solution that covers functional, compatibility, automation testing, API testing services, as well as mobile performance testing. We also take care of device fragmentation by granting you access to our in-house mobile labs’ selection of devices, as well as leveraging our mobile cloud partners for any devices that you may need for testing for legacy purposes.
