There are many facets to your event, and Webex Events is only one piece of the puzzle. To ensure that everything goes smoothly, it's incredibly important to carefully examine and test all aspects of your Event App. This article provides the framework and steps needed to test your Event App, including test user creation and management, basic testing protocol and best practices, and instruction templates tailored for different kinds of testers. Let this be your guide to making sure that everything is in place and ready to go before showtime! 🌈
💡 Keep in mind, publish your Event App and configure everything as close to completion as possible before you begin testing.
Prepare to test
Testing can be as simple as clicking around in the Event App to make sure everything looks and functions like it should. However, some preparation may be necessary in the following scenarios:
You've already welcomed attendees into your Event App
You want to make test posts and comments
You want to test Game code entry
You add anything to the Event App that you'll delete after testing
No matter how you plan to test, more testers mean more chances to catch problems before your attendees do. Create test accounts for each of your testers so you can block them after they're done testing, which removes all the content they've posted. 👍
Keep reading to learn how to prepare your Event App for testing. 🧪
Create a hidden group
If attendees have already joined your Event App, you should create separate test features that are only visible to the people testing them. Create a hidden group and add all of your test attendees to it, then associate features with the hidden group to temporarily hide them. That way, only your testers can access features during testing. We'll cover creating test attendees and hiding features in more detail later in this article. For now, let's create a hidden group!
In your Event navigation bar, click Attendees, then click Groups. Click New Group. In the modal that appears, enter a name for the testing group, pick a color, then select Hidden from attendees. Click Save Changes to finish creating the group.
Add test attendees
In the left navigation bar, click Attendees, then click New attendee. In the modal that appears, add information to the required fields. Click the Exclusive group drop-down and select the hidden test group you created. Click Save changes when you're done.
We include detailed instructions for adding an attendee in our article about adding Attendees.
💡 Keep in mind, the email address should not be the same address the testers will use during the actual event. Ask your testers for an alternate email address.
If there are multiple groups restricting visibility in different ways, use the Groups drop-down to assign different groups one at a time, testing each time you assign a new group. For example, if you want to test features that are exclusive to virtual attendees and features exclusive to in-person attendees, assign the in-person group, test, then unassign it and assign the virtual group and test again.
Click Save Changes to finish creating the user. After creating test accounts for your testers, use the templates later in this article to invite them to test!
Hide features
If there are already people using the Event App, hiding features entirely will ensure your testing goes unnoticed. This is especially useful if you want to test Wall posting, sending chats, entering Game codes, or starting live streams. 🙈 However, if you're testing to make sure certain features are only visible to specific attendee groups, skip this part for now and do interaction-based testing at the very end so the activity will only be visible for a short time before cleanup.
💡 Keep in mind, it's always a good idea to add a Live Stream feature dedicated solely to testing live streaming with Webex Events.
To hide features before testing, first create a hidden group as described earlier. Next, click Features in your Event navigation bar under 'Event App'. On the Features page, hover over the feature you want to hide and click the Settings (⚙️) icon. In the modal that appears, click the Visible To drop-down and select your hidden group, then click Save Changes.
Make sure you've assigned all testers to the hidden test group as described earlier.
Time to test!
Now you're ready to test! Every event is different, so our best advice is to go wild! Work your way down the list of features on the Mobile App and Web App and click on everything. Pay attention to the smallest details of images. Make sure there's nothing strange, broken, or off-center. Act like an attendee in any way you can think of. If you leave a mess, don't worry — it's easy to clean up the Event App. 🧹
Access the Event App as an attendee
Whether you published your Event App to the Webex Events App or a Branded App, simply access the Event App promo page and download the Mobile App or open web version to start testing.
Testing tips
Beyond being aware of how the app and its features will appear and behave for attendees, there are some specific areas we always recommend testing. Follow the links for details on how each of these works:
Sending announcements - Send a few announcements to the hidden test group. Be sure to check how they display on the Web App and Mobile App.
Q&A moderation - Test Q&A moderation in Agenda sessions and Live Stream features, if you have both. Try approving and dismissing posts.
Activating and deactivating polls - Test polls in Agenda sessions and Live Stream features, if you have both.
Wall posting and moderation - Post text and images to the Wall feature and test out moderating these posts.
Run a Test with the Webex Events Production Studio - This article guides you through the whole process of testing with the Webex Events Production Studio. Use these steps to do a rehearsal with your speakers.
Video Room moderation - This article offers moderation, best practices, and instructions on how to remove people from Video Rooms.
Do you have Open link in external browser unchecked for any links? If any of the links don't display embedded content when you click on them in the web version, refer to our article about troubleshooting embedded websites and videos for advice.
Are you using the Pass data to URL function for anything? Check to ensure the data from Webex Events is flowing to the external website correctly.
Using Onsite? Have your resident Onsite expert and staff set up your Onsite hardware and test print badges the day before your event and first thing the day of. This is the best way to ensure a smooth check-in experience for you and your attendees.
Read our article about testing Lead Retrieval if you or your exhibitors are using it at your event.
Testing shouldn't be up to one person. Invite your sponsors, speakers, moderators, and other staff to test the Event App to ensure it's fully vetted. The more the merrier! Use the following testing instruction templates to get more people involved.
Testing instruction templates
Replace the text in {{braces}} with the correct information from your Event App before sending these templates. Consider adding screenshots or creating a short Vidcast to help guide people through the testing process.
⚠️ Caution! These templates are meant to be a starting point, and not everything in them will apply to you and your Event App. Read the templates carefully and remove anything that isn't relevant before sending.
Sponsor/Exhibitor template
Thank you for being a part of {{event name}}!
We want you to be comfortable with the Event App before show time, so I've set you up with a test user account. Simply follow the URL below and download the Mobile App to your device, or click Access on the web. Next, enter {{test email address}} on the login form and create a password.
{{promo page URL}}
{{access code (if applicable)}}
Once you log in, go to the {{sponsors/exhibitors}} feature and locate your {{sponsor/exhibitor}} profile. Make sure all the images, links, and buttons are accurate. The application displays differently depending on whether you're on the web version or the Mobile App, so please review both versions. Feel free to also explore the other features of the Event App.
If you find that anything is missing, incorrect, or not working, let me know!
When you're done reviewing the Event App, let me know so I can remove your test account. Your official user account will be under {{email address}}.
Speaker template
Thank you for being a part of {{event name}}!
We want you to be comfortable with the Event App before show time, so I've set you up with a test user account. You can use the test account to try out chat, make Wall posts, and try out anything else you might do during the actual event. Simply follow the URL below and download the Mobile App to your device, or click Access on the web. Enter {{test email address}} on the login form and create a password.
{{promo page URL}}
{{access code (if applicable)}}
Once you log in, go to the {{speakers}} feature and locate your profile. Make sure all the images, links, and buttons are accurate. The application displays differently depending on whether you're on the web version or the Mobile App, so please review both versions. Feel free to also explore the other features of the Event App — make posts, leave comments, and request follow-ups.
If you find that anything is missing, incorrect, or not working, let us know!
When you're done reviewing the Event App, let me know so I can remove your test account. Your official user account will be under {{email address}}.
Please also review the Speaker Instructions so you know what to expect during a live stream. We'll schedule a live stream test session to get you comfortable with the streaming studio and process.
Moderator
Thank you for being a part of {{event name}}!
We want you to be comfortable with the tools you'll use to moderate the Event App before show time. Please follow the instructions in this article to log in and get familiar with moderating the Event App: https://help.socio.events/en/articles/5445247
I've set up your admin account under {{admin email}}.
You can also use this email to log in to the Event App as an attendee. Simply follow the URL below and download the Mobile App to your device, or click Access on the web. Enter {{admin email}} on the login form and create a password.
{{promo page URL}}
{{access code (if applicable)}}
If you find that anything is missing, incorrect, or not working, or if you have questions about your duties, let me know!
Cleanup
Block test attendee
After everyone is done testing, it's time to block those test attendees. In your Event navigation bar, click Attendees.
If everyone is in a hidden testing group, click the filter drop-down and select the test group. Now, click the Settings (⋯) icon next to a tester and select Block. If you didn't use a hidden test group, simply use the search function to quickly find a test attendee.
💡 Keep in mind, the Event App Metrics will still include blocked user interactions, minus Wall posts.
Unhide features
If you chose to hide any of your features during testing, simply remove the hidden group from the feature using the steps described earlier.
That's it! Blocking test attendees has removed their posts, chats, and game interactions from the Event App, and your features are no longer hidden.
Now that you've tested your Event App, read our best practices for launching and promoting your Event App to attendees. 🚀 Don't forget to do live stream rehearsals with your speakers, too!
Questions? Chat Us or Email support@socio.events