Which type of testing aligns with stakeholders to ensure product alignment with company vision?

Alpha testing is a crucial phase in the product development process that is designed to validate that the product is aligned with stakeholder expectations and company vision. During this stage, internal teams, including stakeholders, actively evaluate the product in a controlled environment. The focus is on identifying and fixing bugs before the product is introduced to a larger audience or beta testers.

This type of testing is typically conducted early in the development lifecycle, allowing for modifications based on direct stakeholder feedback, which ensures that the product meets the strategic goals of the organization. By having stakeholders involved in this phase, organizations can confirm that the product vision and goals are being met, thus laying a strong foundation before moving on to broader testing with users.

In contrast, beta testing usually involves a wider audience and focuses on gathering user feedback to refine the product further, rather than aligning it with internal visions or goals. Internal testing generally does not engage stakeholders in the same collaborative capacity, and external testing tends to involve users outside the organization, which also removes stakeholder alignment from the equation.