What is a project?
Projects are events with precisely defined duration, requirements, and payout. Our platform runs them on demand for our customers. Testers who participate in the project test cycles are called project testers.
Info: In project test cycles, there are special tasks described in the test instructions that must be completed to get the guaranteed payout.
How can I apply for a project at Test IO?
The first step in becoming a part of the project is to fill in the survey sent by one of our Staffing Specialists. After evaluation of the responses, our delivery team compares the customer's requirements to the list of testers who applied for participation in the project through the project survey. Only testers who meet all the requirements (location, age, language, list of devices, etc) will be invited to become testers for the selected project.
Note: Bear in mind that participation in the project is not guaranteed if you fill in the survey. If we didn't invite you to one project, it doesn't mean that you are not a suitable candidate for another project. Always apply for projects if you meet the requirements. You never know when you will match all the customers' needs for testers.
What happens after you get selected for a project?
After you've been selected as a tester for the project, your Staffing Specialist will send you an email to notify you about everything you need to know about the project. Make sure that you check your email regularly and respond to the email if it was requested. Usually, confirmation is handled by responding to the email you've received from the Staffing Specialist. If you have any questions or concerns about the project, please reach out to your Staffing Specialist.
Later during the project, your Staffing Specialist might use other ways to communicate, such as a cycle Chat tab or a specific channel on our Test IO Community Discord server. When you join the Test IO Discord server, make sure that you change your screenname to match your tester screenname. Otherwise, we won't be able to find you on Discord. We highly recommend you join the server to receive the latest updates and get quick answers to your questions there. Relevant information, such as test updates, might also be shared with the community via Discord, so joining the server is the best way to keep you informed about the Project! You can also meet testers who are part of the same project and share experiences with each other.
Which types of projects can I participate in at Test IO
There are many new or improved products to be tested in the world, and customers are always looking for the best way to check the health of their solutions. But we gathered a list of the most common projects you will find on our platform here:
Hardware Testing: is the process of evaluating physical devices (like smartphones, tablets, or IoT products) to ensure their components and features work correctly in real-world conditions.
In-Field Testing: is a type of QA testing performed in real-world conditions using real devices and environments. It focuses on different real-life scenarios, such as testing GPS and navigation, fitness tracking, or mobile payments in stores. This helps identify issues that may not appear in controlled testing environments.
Digital Identity Verification: is the process of confirming a person’s identity using digital methods, such as scanning an NFC-enabled passport or ID and checking the data in an app. It ensures that the document is real and that the person using it matches the identity. This allows secure and remote identity checks without the need for physical presence.
Background Testing: you will have to install an app on your device and keep it in the background, usually to check if it's affecting the device's performance and if it does not stop working after a few days.
Performance Testing: you will monitor the overall app performance in different scenarios. You may be asked to capture different types of logs, so any previous knowledge you have in reading API calls and monitoring app usage will be more than welcome for such projects.
No matter the type of project you are participating in, you can always share your experience directly with the Staffing Specialist about the test and the product itself. Such information can be crucial for the customer and us to improve in future runs.
Note: Just like it happens with our regular exploratory cycles, you are not authorized to share customer information with anyone outside the project. That includes other testers who are not part of the project, your friends, or your family.
All project information should be considered sensitive and should only be discussed with the Staffing Specialist, TL, and the testers who were also selected for the project.
Similarly to exploratory testing cycles, if you disagree with a TL decision regarding a bug report you submitted, you can open a dispute.
Important: For certain projects, running an antivirus scan on your device is mandatory before proceeding with the test.
Why do I need to provide my personal information for a project?
When you become a project tester, you might be required to provide us with your valid personal information, such as your address for Hardware Testing projects or your Credit Card last numbers for On-Site Payment Testing projects. Such information may be crucial for us to continue the testing, or it might be relevant for the customer to confirm that your steps were done correctly. We might also need proof of your location to ensure only the eligible testers are participating in the project. All required personal information will be explicit in the project instructions, so you must deny the invite if you don't feel comfortable sharing any requested data with us.
Remember, if you are asked to provide any personal information via email, make sure the Staffing Specialist is the receiver and do not send information to other testers or to any other person outside of Test IO staff.
Note: Please, don't provide us with a wrong or incomplete address. It won't help you, and it will slow down the project processes.
Non-Disclosure Agreement
A Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) is a legal document that requires participants to keep certain information confidential. In testing contexts, this usually includes unreleased features, devices, internal tools, business processes, or any sensitive data encountered during a test.
NDAs are important because they protect the company’s intellectual property and ensure that confidential information is not shared publicly or misused. This helps maintain trust between the company and testers and reduces potential legal or reputational risks.
In some projects, signing an NDA is required before participation. It is also possible that the NDA is included directly in the test instructions as a link—testers may only need to confirm (e.g., check a box) that they have read and agree to it, or they may be required to download the document, sign it, and upload it before proceeding.
How do we handle sensitive data?
Once you provide us with your personal information, we handle it respectfully and professionally. The Staffing Specialist, Test IO, and the customer will only use it for the project purpose and are not authorised to sell your data to any other third-party companies.
Remember: Sometimes the customer will send an Information request for more info about the bug, and you are required to respond to the Information request within 24 hours. Also, the customer could ask you in the comments of the bug report to include additional information in the next bug you submit.
FAQ
How will your data be stored?
How will your data be stored?
Our customers store and utilize your data confidentially.
How long will the customer store your data?
How long will the customer store your data?
Till the end of the test cycle or project.
Do we send the notification when the data is deleted?
Do we send the notification when the data is deleted?
Yes. At the end of the project, our Staffing Specialist will send an email to notify you about the end of the project and the deletion of your data from the customer's environment.