Product Discovery - Mobile Testing for VPN-protected Platforms
Introduction
An Open Data Portal is a repository of vital information, making data available to the public, so as to empower them to make informed decisions. The Government of Jamaica took its citizen-engagement initiative to the next level by revamping its Open Data Portal, bringing crucial information closer to the citizens.
Challenges
The Open Data Portal of Goverment of Jamaica, built for use by its citizens exposed to varying levels of digital inclusion, called for high-degree of optimisation across varying screen-sizes. The portal houses thousands of datasets, and is equipped with data-visualisation interfaces such as charts, graphs and diagrams. The focus on graphic data-representation made it even more important to ensure device-browser compatibility so as to widen the choices available to the users to access the portal. Browser Stack helps simulate user experience in a variety of devices, across varying browsers. However, being VPN-protected, use of Browser Stack to evaluate device-browser compatibility became challenging. Attempts to test the in-house/non-public platforms failed, returning an 'ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED' alert.
Our Approach
Enabling 'Local Testing' on Browser Stack rendered platforms hosted on a local computer ("localhost") or behind a corporate firewall accessible for testing/validation. Through the process, a secure and uninterrupted connection was established between the Browser Stack and the private test environment.Thus, the web portal could be examined for varying screen-sizes even as it continued to stay private.
The steps to enable Local testing in Browser Stack are as follows:-
- Download and Install the 'Browser Stack Local' App.
- From the 'Browser Stack Local' icon in the Desktop, select 'Launch', and choose 'Live' option from it, and login using Browser Stack Credentials
- Load the VPN-protected website in Browser stack-local Interface
Result
The VPN-protected website could be launched, and evaluated in various device-browser-combinations via Browser Stack Local interface, while maintaining the access-controls around the portal.
CONCLUSION
Digital Platforms are storehouses of information, some of which are restricted in nature. Local testing option in Browser Stack helps evaluate digital platforms without compromising on data security. It brings the restricted websites too within the purview of digital validation.
