IVR (Interactive Voice Response) applications allows
customers to call and navigate through various instructions
to Login, check on account, pay bills, order service, Customer call, Raise complaints etc.
IVR applications interacts with the caller to determine (via collection
of customer entered dtmf digits) who is calling and the reason
for the call.
The IVR can also provide automated services to the customer e.g. Automated Bill Inquiry. The IVR acts as a play-and-collect box where the only call routing logic exists to provide fall back routing capability. The IVR performs a database lookup based upon the collected digits and passes the customer data to the CTI infrastructure associated with the call.
Example of IVR architecture:

Testing all of these IVR systems poses a number of challenges that you don’t often encounter testing other types of applications.
Following are some points which needs to be taken care at the time of testing an IVR application:
- Account Login scenario tests for User & Administration account:
Test System login scenarios for user & Admin perspective.
- Pushing the keys of a phone to send DTMF digits:
The DTMF tone is the basic unit used to communicate with and take control over an IVR system. A caller sends the DTMF tones by pressing appropriate keys on a touch-tone phone to move through the menu tree of the IVR system. This menu can be a complicated maze of menus, branches and choices. Complex systems of this type require in-depth testing to ensure that customers are not confused or become stuck without a defined exit.
- Distinguishing between different languages:
Advanced IVR systems offer caller-selectable languages in which to play announcements.
- Speaking, listening and understanding voice prompts:
Many IVR systems do not only accept caller interactions with DTMF tones, they are increasingly capable of recognizing voice prompts spoken by the caller.
- Rating the voice quality of an announcements:
IVR system announcements must be of good quality. They must be transmitted clearly to ensure the caller can understand every word.
- Behavior under load conditions:
An IVR system can be put under very different load conditions once it is deployed in a live network (e.g., during a tele-voting event, when many callers setup up a call within a very short time). Thus IVR systems must be tested under different load conditions prior to their deployment to ensure:
- The IVR system works correctly under real load conditions in a live network.
- The IVR system recovers properly from overload conditions
- The IVR system is stable over a long period of time
- Call tracking and report testing
- The source of the message.
- Each step in the path it takes to reach the destination.
- When and how it reaches the destination.
- What, if any, errors were encountered and the nature of those errors.
With your logs are functioning as desired, anytime you run into an issue you can check the logs to find the root cause of the issue.
For References :
Test IVR app
Optimus IVR Testing