You have information from production that the previous version of your product has had a high rate of abandonment after the initial download. In…

The scenario describes users abandoning the application immediately after the initial download and before any meaningful interaction ("never use it"). This points to a failure at the very first step of the user experience. Application launch time is the first performance characteristic a user encounters. An excessively long launch time creates a poor first impression and is a direct and plausible reason for immediate abandonment, thus aligning perfectly with the observed user behavior and the hypothesis that poor performance is the cause. Testing this specific metric is the most targeted way to validate the hypothesis.

A. User interface delays: These are experienced during interaction with the application's features, which the problem states is not occurring.
B. Irregular performance: This is a characteristic observed over a period of use, but users are abandoning the app before they can experience such variations.
C. Resource usage: High resource usage is a valid performance concern, but its negative effects are typically noticed during or after a session, not usually causing abandonment before the app even opens.

1. ISTQB® Certified Tester Performance Tester Syllabus (Version 2018): Section 2.2.2, "Performance Objectives," discusses key performance indicators, including "Response time: The time it takes for the system to respond to a user’s request." Application launch is the system's response to the user's first request (opening the app). A failure to meet user expectations for this initial response time is a critical performance risk.

2. ISTQB® Certified Tester Advanced Level Syllabus - Technical Test Analyst (Version 3.1.2, 2021): Section 4.2.1, "Introduction," highlights that performance testing addresses quality risks such as the "failure to meet user expectations regarding response times." The scenario presents a classic example where the initial response time (launch time) fails to meet user expectations, leading to abandonment.

3. Pressman, R. S., & Maxim, B. R. (2020). Software Engineering: A Practitioner's Approach (9th ed.). McGraw-Hill. Chapter 19, "Software Testing Strategies," discusses performance testing as a type of non-functional testing. It emphasizes evaluating system response time under various conditions. The initial launch is the first and most critical response time measurement from a new user's perspective.