So finally, you are willing to ride the high tide. Developing software or an app means you have to take care of numerous aspects in mind, be it speed, performance, high security and whatnot! You see, developing a high-quality application is not an easy venture; it takes a lot in terms of development as well as testing. As the title suggests, the following post focuses on what test automation is, how it is beneficial, and, of course, what are the best practices to consider with test automation.
What is Automation Testing?
Over the years, automation testing has become one of the cornerstones of high-quality software applications and with ample reasons. Earlier, it was all about manual testing, and we only had a few automation tools and frameworks. On the contrary, today it is possible to leverage automation to reach more efficient and effective testing cycles. This is pretty important to manage a fast-paced tech environment. As a result, these demands are leading towards automated solutions. In short, quality assurance has been considered as a top-most primary aspect. Not to mention, the demand for quick development cycles and high customer standards are increasing day in and day out.
Automation testing is highly considered to manage all the repetitive and tedious steps, which are considered to validate functionality, assisting in reducing time and resources to raise the existing bar of quality.
Earlier, human testers were compelled to spend hours and hours and days going through an app over and over in case there is any change. Now, with the help of an automated test suite, all these actions can be taken care of within a span of minutes. And this definitely doesn’t affect quality; moreover, it successfully transforms the entire software development lifecycle.
Importance of Automation Testing
So now you know, automation testing mainly refers to the use of specialised tools or scripts for executing predefined tests, depending on different software applications. Further below, I would like to mention some of the core benefits gained from considering automation testing.
Cost-effective solution
The most noticeable benefit to consider here is the cost-effectiveness. Often, I have come across businesses that prefer to skip automation testing due to the initial cost associated. Of course, this kind of activity doesn’t come for free and requires more people and time. In addition to this, there is maintenance overhead, which you need to look into, especially if the test suite expands and you need to keep tabs on teams to know whether they are working on a regular basis or not.
However, the money spent upfront is eventually offset by the savings that come from leaner and more effective software development across the board. Automated testing isn’t a cost-consuming process. When done well, it’s a cost-effective solution.
As soon as test automation is in place, it is possible to reuse it again at a fraction of the cost. On the contrary, all the testers can be bifurcated in performing tasks which are better suited in accordance with unique skills to make the most out of QA efforts. This means the organisation is bound to save money, especially when you are able to detect errors and issues at a very early stage, since fixing defects early in the software development lifecycle is faster and cheaper. My advice is to look beyond the initial expenses, and you will definitely find your way out.
Better allocation of resources
The next benefit of considering test automation is, it is possible to allocate resources in a better manner. Since the automation is meant to take care of all the mundane and repetitive tasks, it is possible for QAs to devote their valuable time and effort to activities which require their discernment and intellectual engagement.
For instance, how about spending time on formulating more test cases, deciding advanced testing metrics, reviewing automated test results closely, or running tests, especially all those tasks which cannot be automated at all.
Additionally, since professionals have fewer monotonous tasks at hand, they no longer have to deal with these baseless concerns, and they can be more engaged in their day-to-day work. In other words, you will have a happy team with raised morale, all of which leads to a better quality of work. So, better allocation of resources which increases productivity and efficiency.
High accuracy rate
Humans often make mistakes when it comes to machines; you are guaranteed with higher accuracy. No matter how meticulous these professionals are, one shouldn’t expect them to deliver 100% accurate results. You see, humans are bound to get tired and miss steps and end up making unwanted errors or issues. However, automation, on the other hand, makes sure the script is thoroughly run every single time and in the most accurate manner.
Detecting easy bugs
The next benefit offered by conducting test automation is detecting easy bugs. You see, now it is possible to run unit tests right from their workstations, no kidding! In addition to unit testing, you need to incorporate integration and regression testing.
It may be quite interesting to you to know that every patch of the code is tested in the most extensive manner, and this is where it is possible to detect bugs at a very early stage. Once you figure out these bugs, they can be fixed easily, and the overall impact to the developed app is pretty minimal.
Since you can detect bugs at a very early stage, it is possible to debug at an early stage as well. There are times when bugs do escape into pre-pod stages, and this is definitely not good news; it can certainly result in unwanted issues which are harder to resolve and harder to eliminate. And not to mention, these issues can have a significant impact on the overall software developed. This is where shift left testing comes into existence. Here, the concept mainly focuses on identifying as well as resolving bugs as early as possible so that there is no further scope for unwanted issues. As a result, overall software quality is improved.
Maximizes ROI
Now, since the overall quality of the software is improved, of course, you are bound to maximise ROI. In addition, here the speed of testing has increased which definitely leads to faster results. This speeds up the release of the product, and that doesn’t mean the software quality is compromised in any manner. Once you are able to achieve desirable results in comparison to your competitors, of course you are bound to have increased return on investment for a business.
Better Team Collaboration
Yes, when you choose automated tests, it is possible for teams to communicate and collaborate more seamlessly. Not just testers, even developers and other stakeholders can have a better idea regarding what is going on, how things are accelerating, basically everyone turns out to be on the same page. This means the scope for any kind of miscommunication and issues is automatically reduced.
Enhanced customer satisfaction
Of course, as soon as you are able to detect bugs easily and quickly, you are bound to receive software with absolute quality and capability to offer a seamless user experience, which leads to absolute customer satisfaction. You need to remember this: software development or any other development project isn’t done just for the sake of doing it; you need to make sure it turns out to be a grand success as well.
Best Test Automation Practices to Consider for Test Automation
Always begin with a clear automation strategy.
One of the sure-shot ways to succeed with test automation is to make sure you have come up with a kickass, crystal clear automation strategy on hand. Yes, there needs to be careful planning and plotting, by doing so, it is possible to determine the first set of tests which needs to be automated. And do you know what the best part here is? The planning stage serves as a proper guideline, especially if you want to conduct subsequent testing.
So all you need to do is begin by establishing the ultimate purpose of automated testing and decide whether you want to automate a few tests or all of them. As mentioned, you will come across different types of testing, where each has its own role and responsibility and is pivotal in the testing process. Unit testing is considered to test all the intended apps, whereas functional or GUI testing is mainly considered to test a specific component of the app’s user interface.
Make sure to pick the right set of tools.
Now it’s time to choose the right set of tools and technologies. Now you must be wondering how to make a choice here? Well, the key is to choose automation solutions which are extremely compatible with your app’s current technological stack, be it the web, mobile or API. The choice of tools must be able to meet your automation requirements, which include everything from test management to reporting and seamless integration.
Now the choice of tools must be able to provide key features, including simple scripting, robust reporting, and integration and other relevant CI/CD pipelines. Here are some factors to take into account:
- Platform and tech support
- Absolute flexibility and scalability
- Feature-rich options
- User-friendly
- High reusability
- Easy to maintain
- Integration with all existing systems
- Support for developing enterprise applications
Test Automation must be on the basis of Value and ROI
What does this point mean? Well, you need to prioritise all the high-value tests. Those tests which can have a high impact and are stable. Some of the best examples to consider here include regression and smoke tests. Also, try avoiding automation testing for features and functionalities which keep changing every now and then.
Do not forget to keep the cost and benefit of each test into consideration. Make sure to keep those on a priority basis which offer the best return on investment.
- Try automating repetitive tests on several builds
- Try automating tests which are highly prone to human errors
- Automation should be considered for tests which require numerous data sets
- Automation needs to be considered for high-risk situations
- Of course, automate those tests which are impossible to complete on a manual basis.
Decide on which test suites to automate
Now, what if I say that not every automation case will offer a high return on investment? Yes, which is why you need to choose pretty wisely regarding the cases which can bring the most value to the existing application. Here are some critical questions you must ask yourself right away.
- Are you willing to run the test in a repeat mode?
- How much percentage of human errors are more likely to occur if you test manually?
- How much time will be consumed?
- Is manual testing the best option available?
Team Fit
Have you focused on the team’s expertise and experiences yet? If not, it’s the right time to do so. It may quite interest to you to know that Java, Python, Ruby, and JavaScript are some of the most popular programming languages considered for test automation, and you will certainly find a variety of information as well, so in case if the team gets stuck, you know where you need to check for further assistance.
For example, let's say the team is more comfortable with Java and Python, consider Playwright; and in case if it’s Ruby, Selenium should be taken into consideration.
Lastly, do not forget to conduct a proper risk analysis. Now you must be wondering how? Well, try identifying different problems and calculating their severity. For starters, you can define the impact criteria, then think of different outcomes due to the event. Then you need to assign different quantitative measures and evaluate interdependencies between risks as well as their impact. Try gathering as many diverse perspectives as you can and document all the potential consequences.
Shipping high-quality applications and that too at a fanatic pace isn’t an easy venture, but it is altogether a doable job. Moreover, make sure to keep a record of the analysis and fix issues as soon as possible.
A Must-Have Test Automation Checklist
Test Automation Assessment - Try evaluating the current state and spot the needed gaps and areas where you need improvement. Make sure to keep on measuring the progress.
Objectives - Have you defined the project objectives yet? If yes, what about securing management support? Have you created a clear ROI?
Budget - Of course, budgeting is really important, one has to know whether the allocated costs are sufficient enough to conduct an entire project or not.
Setting Realistic Expectations - Make sure to set as many realistic expectations as possible.
Team Skills - Choose the professionals who have the necessary skills and expertise. Make sure they are super comfortable using the chosen automation tools and technologies. Try bridging the skill gap as much as you can.
Scan through technical profiles - Make sure you try and document all technical requirements and environments. Is the developed app suitable for automation or not?
Assumptions and Risk Analysis - There is a huge difference between making assumptions and analysing risks. So make sure assumptions are documented and validated, and you have a mitigation plan ready for high-priority risks.
Test Data Management - Do you think the test data is available and well managed? Have you addressed all the data privacy and security considerations?
CI/CD Integration - Have you integrated test automation with CI/CD pipelines? Have you combined test results and reports with the CI/CD dashboards?
Maintenance and Safety - You need to have a plan, especially in regards to maintenance safety. Do you think the automation framework can successfully scale with growing needs and demands?
Have you figured out the milestones yet? - There needs to be a clear timeline and well-defined milestones and deliverables.
On and all, the significance of test automation shouldn’t be ignored at any rate. I hope the post acts as a solid foundation for your developed software, and in the end, you offer high-end software.
Conclusion
And we are done for now! With the growing demand for technology, the need for test automation keeps increasing. Not to mention that the software development market is expected to reach $1039 billion by 2027, one shouldn’t afford to miss it at all. Hundreds and thousands of apps are being developed day in and day out, so you need to make sure that yours turns out to be an exception, and this is possible by conducting rigorous testing.
Testing automation offers a plethora of benefits, whichever the reason is whether you are willing to speed up the development process so that you can gain an edge above your competitors or roll out new set of features and functionalities, enhancing software app quality or reduce overall operational expenditure, test automation is a must. Below are a few scenarios where test automation is a must.
- Complex or highly consuming tasks
- Impossible or difficult to run manual tasks
- Repetitive tasks
- Tests, when run frequently
- Basic smoke-level tests
- Functional Testing
- Performance or load testing
- Advanced GUI testing
- High-risk cases
- Critical components
- Cross-platform testing
After all, Automated testing also plays a vital role in building software for the long haul. Basically, it is all about developing a highly functional and smooth app or software and by creating an automation strategy and conducting the best practices, nothing can stop you from doing so. Also, it is very important to remember that automation testing does not rule out manual testing; moreover, both types complement each other and must be taken into consideration. I hope you did find the following post worth taking into account. In case you still have any doubts or queries, feel free to mention them in the comment section below.
Good luck with your upcoming development project. It is advisable to seek assistance from a reputable and reliable development company which offers proper planning, monitoring and control processes in regards to software development as well as software testing. Thank You for your valuable time!
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