Comprehensive Exploratory Testing of Cars.ng: A Detailed Analysis.

Introduction

In the rapidly evolving digital marketplace, ensuring a seamless user experience is paramount. This analysis delves into the exploratory testing of Cars.ng, focusing on its core user flows to identify potential bugs, usability concerns, and inconsistencies across both desktop and mobile platforms.

Methodology

The testing process was conducted using the latest versions of Chrome, Safari and Firefox browsers. Both desktop and mobile views were evaluated to ensure a comprehensive assessment. The primary user flows that were tested include:

1. Homepage Navigation: Assessing the accessibility and intuitiveness of the main page.
2. Search Functionality: Evaluating the efficiency and accuracy of vehicle searches.
3. Vehicle Detail Page: Reviewing the completeness and clarity of vehicle information.
4. User Account Management: Testing the ease of account setup and profile management.
5. Contact and Support Features: Ensuring users can effortlessly reach out for assistance.

Findings

During the testing phase, several issues were identified and the details are as follows;

Spreadsheet

1. Search Functionality Bug

Description: The search criteria return the same internal features for all car types.

Test Environment: Windows 10, Chrome Version 88.0.4324.150.

Visual Proof:

Steps to Reproduce:

1. Navigate to the homepage.
2. Enter a specific make and model in the search bar.
3. Observe the search results.
4. Repeat 1-3 for another car type and observe the results.

Expected Result: Displays different vehicles matching their specific features.

Actual Result: Displays different vehicles matching the same exact features.

Severity: High

2. Responsive Design Issue

Description: On mobile devices, the items are not properly sized, causing them to look shrunk.

Test Environment: iOS 18.0, Safari Browser.

Visual Proof:

Steps to Reproduce:

1. Access the website on a mobile device.
2. Observe the way that items are placed on the body of the webpage.

Expected Result: Items are properly sized to fit the screen.

Actual Result: Items are not properly sized and are shrunk.

Severity: Medium

3. User Account Usability Concern

Description: Inability to view user profile and unable logout of user account.

Test Environment: Windows 10, Firefox Version 85.0.2.

Visual Proof:

Steps to Reproduce:

1. Navigate to the account creation page.
2. Create a user account.
3. Attempt to view user profile or to logout of user account.

Expected Result: User account profile access and a functional logout button.

Actual Result: Users are unable to view their account profile or to access a logout button.

Severity: Medium

4. Vehicle Detail Page Inconsistency

Description: Some vehicle listings lack complete information, such as mileage and year.

Test Environment: Windows 10, Chrome Version 88.0.4324.150.

Visual Proof:

Steps to Reproduce:

1. Search for vehicles.
2. Select a listing.
3. Review the vehicle details.

Expected Result: Comprehensive vehicle information displayed.

Actual Result: Missing critical details like mileage and year.

Severity: High

5. Contact Form Error

Description: Submitting the contact form results in an error message.

Test Environment: Windows 10, Firefox Version 85.0.2.

Visual Proof:

Steps to Reproduce:

1. On the home page, scroll to the bottom of the page.
2. Select a car from the list and fill out the form fields.
3. Attempt to submit the form.

Expected Result: Form is submitted successfully.

Actual Result: A 404 error message is displayed.

Severity: Low

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Recommendations

To enhance the user experience on Cars.ng, the following improvements are suggested:

1. Refine Search Algorithm: Ensure that applied filters yield accurate and relevant results to improve user satisfaction.
2. Enhance Mobile Interface: Adjust the mobile layout to prevent shrunk elements, particularly in the page body section.
3. Enhance User Account Dashboard: Provide an accessible user profile where users can change their account settings and logout, reducing potential frustration.
4. Ensure Complete Vehicle Listings: Implement mandatory fields for vehicle details to guarantee that comprehensive information is available for all listings.
5. Improve Form Validation Feedback: Implement a functional submit button in the form to enable a successful submission of the form without any 404 error.

Conclusion

The exploratory testing of Cars.ng revealed several areas for enhancement. Addressing these issues will significantly improve the platform's usability and overall user satisfaction. Continuous testing and iterative improvements are essential to maintain a high-quality user experience in the competitive online automotive marketplace.