Test automation has become a prominent term in the software industry, with organizations increasingly embracing it to enhance the efficiency of their software testing procedures. Automation tools are particularly well-suited to contemporary agile methodologies, contributing to their growing adoption.
While achieving complete automation is not always feasible, relying solely on manual testing can elongate the delivery cycle due to its inherent time-consuming nature. Thus, striking the right balance between automation and manual testing is essential in modern software development practices.
What Is Software Test Automation?
Software Test Automation involves the systematic validation of expected outcomes versus actual results, all accomplished without the need for manual intervention. To achieve this, specialized testing tools are employed to script and execute these verification processes.
Why is Automation testing essential?
The answer lies in the fact that manual testing can be laborious and resource-intensive. In contrast, contemporary software development practices emphasize automation, a factor that significantly expedites release cycles.
In manual testing, the release timeline may be contingent upon feedback from the testing team. Consequently, Django even if the development phase is completed promptly, the testing phase can potentially impede the release process. Conversely, automation testing presents an efficient alternative that consumes less time and fewer resources, enabling a smoother and more expedited release cycle.
What is a Test Automation Strategy?
In straightforward terms, a test automation strategy can be viewed as a miniature reflection of your overarching testing strategy. Much of the methodology employed in crafting your comprehensive testing strategy applies similarly to your automation strategy. Consequently, your test automation strategy should be positioned at a comparable level to your other facets of system and performance testing, as it leverages analogous data points to answer critical questions related to automation.
In essence, a test automation strategy resides within the framework of your broader testing strategy and adopts parallel processes and tools to determine the following:
- Target Audience: Identifying who the testing is aimed at.
- User Actions: Understanding the actions that users perform.
- Role of Testers: Defining the responsibilities of testers.
- Developer Involvement: Clarifying the involvement of developers.
- Metric Assessment: Establishing the metrics to be evaluated.
In essence, your test automation strategy aligns with the same principles and practices employed across your entire testing landscape. It serves as an integral part of your overarching testing approach, wielding analogous methodologies to ascertain what aspects should be automated, how to execute automation effectively, and which technology choices make the most sense.
Why is a Test Automation Strategy Necessary?
A Test Automation Strategy plays a pivotal role in determining the success of test automation efforts, and a meticulously defined strategy yields the most favorable outcomes. Allocating ample time to the formulation of a robust automation strategy is imperative, as a lack thereof can result in automation initiatives losing their direction.
Here are some potential issues that can arise in the absence of a well-defined automation strategy:
- Loss of Business Value: Without a clear automation strategy, the test automation framework may fail to deliver substantial business value, resulting in a negligible Return On Investment (ROI). Organizations are generally hesitant to support endeavors that do not contribute to business value or lack a discernible Test Automation ROI. An effective automation strategy should be crafted to ensure that it provides a higher level of business value than initially anticipated.
- Lack of Vision: An automation strategy is essential for outlining long-term objectives and vision. In its absence, there’s a risk of adopting multiple tools haphazardly, only to discard them frequently due to a lack of cohesive vision and direction.
- Incorrect Technology Selection: Without a well-defined automation strategy, the risk of selecting inappropriate tools and technology is significantly higher. Making the wrong choices in terms of technology stack and tools can lead to numerous challenges in the long run, possibly necessitating the scrapping of existing solutions and the development of new ones from scratch.
- Risk Assessment: An automation strategy also plays a crucial role in identifying and mitigating risks associated with test automation. It provides insights into potential risks, optimization possibilities, workarounds, and alternative solutions. In the absence of a strategy, you might remain unaware of impending risks until they materialize, leaving you ill-prepared to find timely solutions. Understanding and managing risks is particularly critical in agile methodologies, where adaptability is key.
Test Automation Strategies and Best Practices
Let’s dive into the essential strategies and best practices for successful test automation:
Employ a Dedicated Automation Engineer or Team
It’s crucial to designate dedicated resources for test automation rather than tasking manual testers with automation responsibilities. Test automation is a specialized field that demands a full-time commitment. Consider forming a test automation team, ideally led by an automation architect, and scaling the team size based on your project’s complexity.
Test Approach Planning: A Comprehensive Overview
In the realm of software testing, it’s essential to understand that testing is not a singular entity but comprises various levels and facets. Automation, often mistakenly associated solely with end-to-end testing, actually encompasses multiple layers, making it crucial to adopt a structured approach known as the “test pyramid.”
●Unit Testing:
Unit testing forms the foundational layer of the test pyramid, serving as the backbone of any automation strategy. It boasts a high degree of reliability, resulting in minimal false failures.
While unit testing is considered a subset of white-box testing, it plays a pivotal role in reducing regression issues. Mandatory unit testing for newly developed features is a best practice.
Modern infrastructure facilitates the establishment of quality gates, ensuring a minimum unit test coverage percentage before code integration. Typical unit testing coverage ranges between 80% and 90%, with variations based on factors such as application complexity and framework.
●Integration and API Testing:
With contemporary development practices embracing API-driven architectures, integration and API testing assume a significant role. API testing operates at an intermediate level, bridging gaps between unit and end-to-end testing.
Employing clear API testing techniques yields highly productive outcomes. API testing is instrumental in validating business logic. In scenarios where APIs are unavailable, integrated component testing becomes a viable alternative.
●UI Testing:
UI testing revolves around the examination of user interface elements.
Visual Validation testing is a prime example of UI testing, focusing on aspects like styles, layouts, alignments, and fonts. Well-defined UI testing aids in identifying and rectifying UI-related issues, enhancing the overall User Experience (UX).
●End-to-End Testing:
End-to-end testing represents the pinnacle of test automation, concentrating primarily on functionality and workflow validation.
●Cross Browser Testing:
Collaborate closely with product and business teams to comprehend cross-browser requirements. Ensure your application’s compatibility with various browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, etc. AI-powered test orchestration and execution platforms like LambdaTest can simplify your browser testing needs, streamlining the process and ensuring compatibility across diverse environments.
LambdaTest facilitates automated parallel testing on real devices and web browsers. With a scalable cloud of over 3000 real devices and browsers at your disposal, teams can effortlessly conduct both automated and manual testing for websites and mobile applications.
Realize That the Tool Isn’t a Magic Solution
While selecting the right automation tool is important, it’s merely the first step. Avoid the misconception that the tool alone can handle everything seamlessly. Automation tools simplify processes but require skilled resources to navigate challenges, such as identifying complex application objects and overcoming tool-related issues.
Understand Your Application Thoroughly
Comprehensive knowledge of your application is crucial before embarking on automation. Identify the technologies, browsers, and platforms your application supports. For desktop applications, ascertain the underlying language and third-party controls used. This knowledge guides your tool selection and simplifies future automation efforts.
Begin with Well-Designed Manual Test Cases
Effective automation starts with well-crafted manual test cases. Develop clear, robust manual test cases that serve as the foundation for automation. These cases should be self-contained, have clear objectives, and require minimal dependencies on other test cases. Running these test cases manually can uncover issues before automation begins.
Identify Automation Opportunities
When automating a manual test case, explore opportunities to expand its scope. For instance, transform a basic login test case into a data-driven scenario that tests various login scenarios, including invalid passwords, empty fields, and more. Look for complex scenarios that automation can handle effectively, such as load testing and performance benchmarks.
Acknowledge That Not Everything Can Be Automated
Realize that automation doesn’t replace manual testing but complements it. Start by automating essential tests like smoke tests and gradually expand to more complex scenarios. The goal is to free up manual testers to focus on exploratory testing and uncovering new scenarios and defects.
Avoid GUI Automation When Alternatives Exist
Graphical User Interface (GUI) automation can be challenging. Whenever possible, opt for non-GUI automation approaches like command-line inputs. For tasks such as application installation verification, consider using command-line arguments instead of clicking through GUI interfaces. This approach can save time and enhance reliability.
Utilize Automation Beyond Test Execution
Automation offers versatility beyond test execution. Explore other automation applications within your organization, such as automated data setup and configuration. Streamlining manual tasks with automation can result in significant time savings and process improvements.
Treat Automation as Software Development
Automation is essentially software development. Apply software development best practices, including code reviews, the use of frameworks or design patterns, constant maintenance, and source code management. Treating automation as a software development endeavor ensures its success and sustainability.
By adhering to these test automation strategies and best practices, you can enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of your automation efforts and achieve more robust and reliable testing outcomes.
Conclusion
The central objective of your test automation strategy should revolve around your goals and effective communication, rather than fixating on the format. Consider how you intend to deliver value, what your overarching technological aspirations are, and how these factors impact both your team and your working environments.
Furthermore, it is crucial to garner support from your business partners, product owners, and project managers. Their backing will be invaluable when navigating the challenges of testing. When these stakeholders comprehend your strategy, they will trust your judgment when it comes to prioritizing tasks and determining what can be trimmed.
Ultimately, utilize your test automation strategy as a foundation for investing in the appropriate technologies and driving business growth through innovation. After all, the ultimate aim is progress, innovation, and avoiding regression in your journey forward.