Regression testing for CX runs tests that take the customer’s perspective and determines if the customer experience has been affected.

For example, a banking feature allows a customer to get her checking account balance. A functional test of the feature might test that when the customer clicks on “Balance,” the back-end system with checking account balances is connected. If it connects then the functional test passes. But what if it takes 30 seconds for the back-end system to give the balance? What if the customer journey shows that once she sees the balance she connects to a live agent to ask why her balance is so low? The complete customer perspective is not represented in the functional test that determines if the back-end system has connected.

Regression testing for CX can include load tests, tests that cover omnichannel customer journeys, or other tests that assess the customer experience. Regression tests should be run whenever changes are made to the code or run on a frequent and regular basis.

The Agile and DevOps methodologies enable the ability to shift left, moving testing earlier in the software lifecycle. Regression testing is an important aspect of continuous testing, as the regression tests are continually run throughout the lifecycle and often included in sprints.

• Assure that CX has not been affected by changes in the code
• Accelerate time to deployment through repeatable processes
• Reduce costs by 50-80% over manual testing
• Find CX defects earlier, saving time and money
• Build a regression suite up to 4 times faster
• Re-use test cases, which reduces testing time
• Accommodate thousands of scenarios in just one test case
• Keep documentation and tests current and accurate
• Maximize testing coverage and remove subjectivity

The best way to test for customer experience is to take a design-driven approach where CX models, which use intuitive visual language to specify the design, are used to create test cases. Then it can be certain that the test cases accurately test what has been designed. The automation of the test cases and updates to the test cases accelerate testing and the overall speed of the development effort. The automation of the execution of tests enable testing to be run on demand and on a regular basis.

Regression test suites for CX can include a mix of tests that include functional tests, load tests, and CX monitoring tests. Test coverage can be increased through automation and visualization to see trends over time. It is important to test holistically to cover digital and voice channels, self-service interactions, agent-assisted interactions, and complete omnichannel customer journeys.