Alpha Testing provides an early preview of the functional capabilities, component interactions, as well as the system and user interfaces to obtain crucial feedback from selected testers for product refinements. A limited group including Quality Assurance (QA) specialists exercise the product capabilities to ensure new functionality and/or changes to existing functionality meets the intended needs and the solution's requirements. Results of Alpha testing provides crucial insight into the overall solution readiness, capabilities for initial delivery, verification and validation of related requirements, as well as product readiness for Beta testing of the solution.

Alpha Testing is typically performed in-house with a selected group of testers and QA specialists, providing qualitative evaluation of the product to ensure its readiness for Beta testing. The testing performed at this stage is focused on finding problems with the functionality, and attempts to answer the question: Does the product perform as expected.

Beta Testing provides for a larger audience to support end-user testing of a solution. A variety of testing scenarios are exercised, including the functional capabilities and options, exception event handling, user interface controls, as well as user interaction and experience to obtain valuable feedback for solution success. The QA team works closely with the Beta testers to ensure the solution is ready for market, and meets or exceeds the client's expectations. Results of Beta testing provides vital insight into the General Release process, marketing strategies, storefront preparedness, planned updates and revisions, as well as General Release readiness and related documentation.

Beta Testing attempts to evaluate customer satisfaction of the product and ensure release readiness. These tests among other things, consider how user-friendly the product is from the customer's perspective, and attempts to answer the question: How will the customer like the overall solution.

The software product release (General Release) is a milestone climax (where the "Rubber Hits the Road") in a software development project. Comprehensive product testing activities (e.g., interfaces, regression, Beta, etc.), quality assurance actions, General Release readiness, store preparedness, product packaging, as well as documentation, training, marketing, and client coordination must all come together in an orchestrated manner. Additionally, follow-on product release strategies including; planned product updates, security and emergency patches, product revisions, as well as near-term marketing and promotional campaigns are considered to further ensure roll-out success of the product.

Product Release is one where the product is now considered to be ready for end-user exposure. Product Release support is crucial to help minimize end-user frustrations, and facilitate end-user acceptance of the solution. Concerns and/or issues are generally minimal at this stage, and are handled in a timely manner through product updates and/or patches.