For the next private alpha beta public multiplayer server research focus stress test

I've realised that I've participated to a greater or lesser extent in a number of beta's this year. Largely these have been public tests (such as with The Division, Overwatch, Battleborn, and Titanfall 2) but there have been a couple of closed beta's and even a private test session. The public tests seem to have been largely for shooters but the rest has been across a variety of genre's

Even as someone who has essentially volunteered his time, I've had to sign NDA so no game or studio specifics but some thoughts.

Firstly, is this a way of replacing paid employment? I remember being recruited by a survey company to go to a private session that ended up being Pursuit Force, a very enjoyable riff on the Chase HQ formula (think loosely of Burnout/Need For Speed meeting Prince of Persia acrobatics). I actually got paid to attend that and play a couple of levels on a game that had it stayed on the PS2 I was testing it on and not ended up on PSP, I would have bought.
I'm hoping the seeming rise in public server tests is studios recognising that real world data is necessary to confirm the game works in the real world and is not a replacement for any kind of QA or games testers. I'd hate to think that studio's are using willing volunteers to prove test games or game features that haven't already had controlled testing undertaken.

Secondly, a number of things that developers should really consider:

• Network traffic will always be more than expected
• Watermarking the screen to prevent unwanted streams/recording is fine but having that watermark obscure game UI (and that includes pop-up elements, such as tutorial text) should be a big no-no 
• If the beta/test session is for a limited time, then the developer should be prepared to provide support for as much of the session as possible. If it takes place over a weekend, then there should be support over the weekend - which may mean swopping people's days off so that they can be monitoring in real time and, more importantly responding to issues as they occur.
• Actually setting tasks helps - it gives the participants something to work toward and it makes it easier to set and monitor targets for the studio. There will always be people as well who will naturally wonder off and see what they can do to break the game but aiming the majority of the participants to do the same thing makes it easier to track what's going on.
• Provide means of communication (surveys, questionnaire, forums) so that participants and developers can directly talk to each other.
• If the test requires the participants to download the game/anything, allow for pre-loads if possible. Not everyone has a great internet connection (and a good chunk of my blog posts mention this ...) so being able to have the game installed before it becomes live is welcomed.

And finally, a small thing but please be consistent about how you refer to the session. I'm surprised how I can be invited for an alpha test to look at a beta loading screen, or the studio refers to the beta when the private forum calls it a stress test. 

If you aren't consistent on how you refer to your own game, it begins to raise questions about where else you aren't being consistent ...