7 Standard Reasons Why Test Automation Fails [With Solution]

If test automation promises to deliver fast, efficient, consistent, and reliable testing, why don’t more companies take advantage?
Less than 25% of QA teams are using test automation, and why are so many companies still sticking with manual testing even when they have an automated testing tool available?
According to CA Technologies’ report, Test Automation Trends, the number one reason for test automation failure is that there isn’t enough testing expertise in the organization.
Test automation provides numerous benefits to software development projects, such as reducing manual QA time and raising code quality by catching bugs early.
Yet, many teams still don’t automate their tests—and it’s not because they lack the money or time to do so. Indeed, there are several other reasons why test automation fails, so these are the most common ones. Here are some additional reasons why test automation fails in organizations.

Standard Reasons Why Test Automation Fails

1. Unrealistic Expectations

Development teams have come to believe that test automation is a one-size-fits-all solution is the most common reason why test automation fails. Developers, who may not be accustomed to thinking like testers, are sold on test automation with unrealistic expectations.
For example, they may assume it will eliminate all manual testing or that it will drastically reduce test cycle times. This leads to disappointment when expectations aren’t met and leaves them questioning whether automated tests provide any value.

2. “One Size Fits All” Mindset

One of the leading causes of the failures of test automation is that test automation does not provide a one size fits all solution as it depends on various parameters like requirements, the type of tests, and the number of tests that need to be automated.
You’ll need to be patient and willing to grow along with continuous improvement for automated testing to work efficiently.

3. Improper Management

There are plenty of reasons why your software projects might not be automated, but poor management is likely near or at the top of that list and responsible for test automation failure.
When management doesn’t value test automation—or worse, does not prioritize it above other activities—there will always be a long list of pressing tasks that will get done before anyone gets around to Automation.
And once you do begin to automate, you can expect resistance from everyone on your team who isn’t quite sure how it fits into their workflow. So make sure you have support from upper management and don’t be afraid to help them understand why it’s important in term of avoiding failures of test automation. After all, if you have time for another meeting about defects or issues with code quality, there’s time for test automation!
It is naïve to think that Automation will fix everything. This issue is complicated because only half of the team members know how automation testing is performed.
Each team member should have the necessary skills to perform their role effectively, as Automation is a team effort rather than something one person can handle independently.

4. Ignoring Manual Testing Completely

Humans aren’t always consistent. The same test can be executed multiple times by different people and get vastly different results.
For example, one person might be in a good mood on a particular day and interpret things more favourably than another. Even if all users execute tests with 100% accuracy, a manual tester is still limited to only being able to test one thing at a time—and they can only do that once every 24 hours!
Most teams find it faster and cheaper to automate tests instead of solely relying on manual testing during peak hours.
If you want your tests to run fast and frequently, consider automating them. Also, remember: even better than Automation alone is having both humans and machines work toward an accurate final result!

5. Unclarity on When to Use Automation

Some organizations that have embraced test automation haven’t given up manual testing; they’ve just automated only a small set of tests. Even though automating those tests may make sense (perhaps there are high levels of re-testing or manual testing is slowing down development), there may be no strategy for transitioning from primarily manual to primarily automated.
This confusion leads some teams to abandon test automation altogether because it’s not meeting their goals or doesn’t align with their plans to reduce headcount. If you want to convince your organization that you need to automate more tests than you already do, then be sure everyone understands how test automation fits your long-term strategy.
Read more: When to use Automation Testing for Better Results?

6. Improper Staff Selection and Resource Planning

Resources that are not adequately trained to use a specific test automation tool or technology can create severe issues with the tests and execution of those tests resulting in test automation failure.
You need to have tools for your staff that are easier for them to use, and you need to ensure you have enough of these
skilled resources on staff to handle all your automation needs. When choosing a test automation tool or technology, look at your existing team’s skillsets, what they already know, and any training they may need.
If you don’t pick a tool with an easy learning curve, it will be a lot harder to convince others in your organization that they should give it a try. It also doesn’t help if none of them has any experience using it.

7. Not Giving Attention to Test Reports

Why does test automation fail? It’s simply an answer maybe you’re not giving attention to testing reports.
Automated testing does many checks at once, making failure more likely, so it’s important to sift through test reports.
If you fail to look at the test reports carefully and attend to the test results, you might overlook the primary defects, wasting time, resources, and efforts.
Some tests succeed, and some fail, so it is necessary to analyze the causes of failures to solve problems before they even occur.
This blog is originally published at TestGrid