Closed Testing Plan

Status: Required for this personal developer account before production access.

Official baseline:

Minimum 12 testers.
Testers must opt in to the closed test.
At least 12 testers must remain opted in for 14 continuous days before applying for production access.
Internal testing is optional and fast, but it does not replace the required closed test.

Official references:

Immediate Flow

Finish App setup.
- Privacy policy URL
- App access: no login required
- Ads: no ads
- Content rating
- Target audience
- Data safety
- Government app: no
- Financial products and services: no
- Health: no
- App category and contact details
- Store listing
Publish an internal testing release.
- Upload build/app/outputs/bundle/release/app-release.aab.
- Use release name 1.0.2 internal.
- Release notes:
```
Internal test release for Focus Seed.
Includes focus timer, habit tracking, daily reflection, local progress stats, default focus duration, and local privacy controls.
```
- Add yourself and one or two trusted accounts if available.
- Use this to confirm Play delivery and installation.
Create a closed testing track.
- Play Console > Testing > Closed testing.
- Create track name: Focus Seed V1 closed test.
- Countries/regions: use English-first regions from region-localization-strategy.md.
- Upload the same AAB.
- Use release name 1.0.2 closed test.
- Release notes:
```
Closed test release for Focus Seed.
Please test Today, Focus, Records, Me, habit management from Today, default focus duration, clear today's loop, delete local records, and privacy information.
```
Add testers.
- Use email list or Google Group.
- Recommended target: 15-20 invited testers, not exactly 12.
- Minimum passing target: 12 opted-in testers.
- Tester emails must be Google accounts that can access Google Play.
- Adding emails is not enough. Each tester must open the opt-in link and join the test.
- If uploading CSV, use one email address per line with no comma and no header row.
Send tester instructions.
- Send the opt-in link from Play Console.
- Ask each tester to confirm after they see the joined tester state.
- Ask each tester to install and open the app at least once.
Track 14 days.
- Day 0 starts when at least 12 testers have opted in.
- Keep at least 12 opted in continuously for 14 days.
- If the opted-in count drops below 12, recruit replacements immediately and expect the qualifying window may be affected.
Apply for production access.
- Apply from the Play Console dashboard when eligible.
- Answer questions using the notes in this file.

Tester Strategy For A Solo Developer

Best compliant sources:

Friends and family with Android phones and Google accounts.
Former classmates, coworkers, or community contacts.
Small indie developer groups where members exchange real testing help.
Productivity or focus communities where you honestly ask for feedback.
Existing users from your personal network.

Recommended count:

Invite 20 people.
Aim for 15 opted-in.
Keep a buffer above 12 because some people will forget, use the wrong account, or fail to install.

Do not:

Use fake Google accounts.
Buy bot installs.
Promise paid reviews or fake ratings.
Ask testers to leave public reviews during closed testing.
Misrepresent who tested or what feedback you received.

Tester success checklist:

Tester email is added to the closed test email list or Google Group.
Tester opens the opt-in link while signed into the same Google account.
Tester joins the test.
Tester installs from Google Play.
Tester opens the app.
Tester tries at least one real flow.
Tester sends short feedback privately.

Tester Invitation Message

I am running a closed Google Play test for a new Android app called Focus Seed.
It is a lightweight focus timer, habit tracker, and one-minute reflection app. It does not require an account, does not include ads, and does not include payments.

Could you help me test it?

Steps:
1. Open this test link on your Android phone:
   [Paste Play Console opt-in link]
2. Join the test.
3. Install Focus Seed from Google Play.
4. Try these flows:
   - Set today's focus on Today
   - Start or complete a focus timer
   - Check off a habit
   - Save a short reflection
   - Open Records and view progress/history
   - Open Me and change the default focus duration
   - Review privacy information and local data controls
5. Send me quick feedback:
   - Did install/open work?
   - Was any screen confusing?
   - Any crash, lag, unreadable text, or button issue?

The test needs testers to stay opted in for 14 days. You do not need to use it every day, but please do not leave the test during that period.
Thank you!

Quick Feedback Questions

1. Your phone model:
2. Android version, if known:
3. Did the app install from Google Play? Yes / No
4. Did the app open successfully? Yes / No
5. Which screen did you try? Today / Focus / Records / Me / habit manager
6. Did default focus duration work as expected?
7. Any crash, freeze, lag, or layout issue?
8. What felt confusing?
9. One thing you would improve:

Tester Tracking Table

Tester name | Google account email | Invited | Opted in | Installed | Opened app | Feedback received | Still opted in day 14

Target:

Invited: 20
Opted in: 15+
Installed/opened: 12+
Feedback: 8+

Production Access Application Notes

Use these points when Play Console asks about the closed test:

App purpose: Focus Seed is a private focus timer, habit tracker, and daily reflection app.
Test scope: Today focus, timer, habits, reflection, Records/history, Me/settings, default focus duration, clear today's loop, delete local records, and privacy information.
Tester recruitment: invited trusted Android users through direct email/message using the Play Console opt-in link.
Feedback collected: installation success, first-run clarity, timer usability, habit check-off, reflection save flow, settings/privacy clarity, layout or crash reports.
Actions taken: verified local-only storage, removed obsolete data-transfer wording, added default focus duration, and checked release-sensitive privacy wording.
Readiness: no account, no server, no ads, no billing, no analytics SDK, no sensitive permissions, privacy policy and Data safety match the shipped app.

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