QR Codes and QA: how to test a user journey that starts off-screen?

In today's digital ecosystem, QR Codes are ubiquitous, transforming the way users access digital services. These little pixelated squares enable companies to offer innovative and engaging off-screen journeys.

In fact, 59% of smartphone users claim to scan a QR Code every day.

However, testing these routes represents a unique challenge for QA teams.

Contrairement aux tests traditionnels qui démarrent directement dans l’interface numérique, les tests pour les parcours initiés par QR Codes doivent prendre en compte la transition critique entre le support physique et l’expérience digitale. Ils ouvrent la voie à des parcours hors écran (O2O, Online <> Offline)

QA challenge: a QR journey is not just about checking a URL; it's about validating the entire chain: code legibility, redirection, performance, security and cross-device consistency.

This additional complexity calls for an adapted methodological approach. 

In this context, automated testing plays a decisive role. They guarantee not only the technical quality of the scan, but also the complete fluidity of the user experience, from code recognition to completion of the final action.

In this article, we detail how to build a robust test strategy to ensure the security, performance and reliability of these multi-channel interactions.

Understand how user paths initiated by QR Codes work

QR codes act as technological bridges, enabling this instant physical-digital transition.

Users scan a code with their smartphone and find themselves immediately immersed in a digital experience specifically designed to meet their current needs.

This approach transforms any physical medium into an entry point to an optimized mobile interface.

For example:

• The restaurant that displays a QR Code on its table allows customers to access the digital menu directly and order without waiting for the waiter.
• The advertising poster in the metro becomes a gateway to a personalized landing page where the user can discover the promotional offer and make a purchase in just a few clicks.

Examples of its use are multiplying in all sectors:

1. Museums are integrating QR codes on their panels to enrich the visit with multimedia content.
2. FMCG products use these codes to direct consumers to user tutorials, loyalty programs or satisfaction forms.
3. Business events are replacing traditional business cards with QR codes that automate the exchange of contacts.

They eliminate manual URL entry and offer instant access to digital services, transforming every physical interaction into a genuine engagement opportunity.

The specific challenges of QA testing for routes initiated by QR Codes

QA tests for user journeys starting with a QR Code present multidimensional complexities that far exceed the challenges of traditional application testing:

Reliable scanning

Reliable scanning is the first major obstacle.

Variable lighting conditions, code printing quality, scanning distance and the photographic capabilities of different mobile devices create a particularly complex test environment.

A QR Code that works perfectly well in development may be illegible in a real-life environment with poor lighting or on a degraded substrate.

QR Code security

Malicious code can redirect users to fraudulent sites or trigger unwanted downloads.

QA teams need to validate not only the intended destination, but also ensure that the route remains safe throughout the experience.

The diversity of reading devices and applications

The diversity of scanning devices and applications amplifies these difficulties. Each smartphone/scan application combination can interpret the same code differently, creating unpredictable behavioral variations.

Response times, supported data formats and security protocols vary considerably from one environment to another.

The cross-platform aspect

For example, a journey initiated on mobile must often continue consistently across different browsers and operating systems, multiplying the test scenarios needed to ensure a consistent user experience.

Recommended methodologies for effectively testing a user path initiated by a QR Code

The first step is to develop test scenarios that faithfully reproduce actual user behavior, from scanning the code to completing the digital journey.

Adapted scripting strategies

Creating effective scenarios involves simulating different usage contexts: variable lighting, QR Code print quality, types of mobile devices used.

These scenarios need to incorporate UX validation at every critical stage of the customer journey, especially during the transition from scan to first web page display.

The automation of these tests becomes particularly relevant with no-code tools, which enable validation sequences to be created without the need for in-depth technical skills.

These solutions automatically test landing pages for redirection, loading speed and mobile compatibility.

Progressive and iterative approach

A robust methodology involves segmenting the journey into distinct stages: QR Code scan, redirection, page load, navigation and conversion.

Each segment undergoes specific testing to verify technical functionality and user experience.

The integration ofreal-time monitoring tools enables malfunctions to be detected quickly and test parameters adjusted accordingly. This approach guarantees complete coverage of the user journey, while optimizing the efficiency of QA teams.

Case study: how Mr Suricate facilitates the automation of QA tests for routes using QR Codes?

Mr Suricate has positioned itself as the leader in no-code test automation, offering a solution particularly suited to the complex challenges of QR code testing.

The platform meets the specific needs of QA teams who have to validate hybrid user paths, combining physical and digital interactions.

The tool can be used to create automated test scenarios that faithfully simulate user behavior from the moment the QR Code is scanned through to completion of the journey.

This no-code approach eliminates traditional technical barriers, allowing teams to focus on business logic rather than code complexity.

The platform excels in real-time redirect validation, ensuring that each QR Code directs the user to the right destination. It also monitors the loading performance of target pages, a critical element in maintaining user engagement after scanning.

Mr Suricate integrates cross-device testing capabilities, essential for validating the experience on different types of smartphones and scanning applications. This capability ensures optimum compatibility, whatever the end-user's technical environment.

Case study: automating with Mr Suricate (No-Code) + Playwright or Selenium

Mr Suricate orchestrates No-Code scenarios via a Suricapture recorder, executed by a Playwright engine in the cloud or on premise (satellite). Two complementary patterns:

Pattern 1 - Validate the QR's encoded content (desktop/mobile web)
Extract the QR from the page (canvas/img/div)
Decode the image on the test side
Verify the expected URL (schema/hostname/path/params)
Navigate to the URL and continue the journey (auth, payment, etc.).)

Pattern 2 - Simulate a scan on the mobile side (camera)
Objective: validate the real experience (app/camera):
Use a device farm (cloud or internal) capable of injecting an image into the camera / simulating a scan.
Trigger the app/camera, aim at the synthetic QR, check that the intent/URL has been opened, then run through the journey.

Continuous monitoring of metrics enables potential friction points to be proactively identified, transforming one-off validation into permanent monitoring of the quality of the user journey.

Mr Suricate - Test faster. Correct sooner.

Technical, safety and multi-environment compatibility challenges call for sophisticated automated QA testing adapted to this complex reality.

No-code automation is emerging as the ideal solution for overcoming these obstacles.

It enables teams to create complete test scenarios that cover the entire user journey, from the scan of the QR Code to the final user action.

Thanks to Mr Suricate's intuitive platform, you can now automate your QR Code route tests without advanced technical skills. Find out how our solution can revolutionize your validation processes, ensuring smooth, secure, high-performance routes every time.