Implementing Automation Testing Tools like a Pro

Intense competition in the digital landscape means software companies need to enhance their product quality, reduce time to market, streamline workflows, deliver better user experiences, and achieve significant ROIs. Furthermore, they need to optimize resources and deliver in short cycles. Since product quality has become the ultimate differentiator for customers to adopt or forsake a brand, quality assurance has assumed significance.

Quality assurance entails software testing to be conducted rigorously and repeatedly. It means each time the source code gets changed, the same should be tested all over again. Every test iteration should include validating the application on devices, browsers, and operating systems. However, doing this exercise manually is time-consuming and prone to error. This brings into the equation automation testing, which leads to faster testing as well as significant savings in time and cost. It also leads to a better test coverage as manual testers can skip lengthy or complex testing scenarios. Importantly, automation testing can use virtualization to create hundreds of test users (across geographies) and test various aspects of the software quickly and consistently.

In the Agile and DevOps driven world with Continuous Integration and Testing being the desired outcomes, software test automation is an approach that is needed to be implemented in the SDLC. Test automation can take the load off testers by executing repeated tasks, thereby enabling testers to focus on more challenging projects. Also, the time saved from not doing the repetitive tasks can be put to better use such as skill development. However, not every test can be automated and would require the testing team to understand the ways to implement a test automation strategy. The QA team should be proficient in implementing the right automation tool in the most efficient way to validate a given task. So, let us understand how to conduct QA automation testing by using tools like a pro.

Ways to implement an automated testing strategy

Automation testing is not a one-size-fits-all job, for you need to identify the specific processes where it can be implemented with success. Post identification of the process, you need to choose the right automation tool and create the best test environment.

• Choose the right test cases for automation: Since not all test cases require automation, the QA team should choose cases that can be automated on a priority basis. The test cases so chosen should be based on the premise of testing a large quantum of data repeatedly. For example, should a test case be needed to get tested only 3-4 times, it should ideally be tested manually. Other criteria to select the right test cases are as follows:
• Test cases comprising multiple builds should be tested repeatedly for hidden glitches.
• Certain tests need multiple data sets for validation. These can either be virtualized or provisioned from multiple databases.
• The presence of complex test cases where manual testing can lead to human error. Such test cases ought to be automated for better compliance.
• Functionalities used frequently by the end-users are prone to develop glitches or vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities, if not identified and removed in time, can lead to the application being hacked by cybercriminals.
• Time-consuming processes that would take a lot of time in manual testing.
• Tests that need to be executed across devices, operating platforms, and browsers.
• Choose the right automation tool for optimum results: The QA team should choose an automation tool that is not only compatible with the application under test but should be easily operable by the team as well. Thereafter, the QA team should decide the level at which a business logic or functionality ought to be tested. The primary task of the QA team, post choosing an automation tool, is to select the processes the latter is slated to verify. It is important not to perform tasks the automation tool is not built to execute.
• Test data management: Test data management lies at the core of any test automation strategy. Its complexity increases with the scope and type of testing. For example, during end-to-end testing, the testing process requires a certain set of data to be present. Also, the data present in other systems undergoing interaction with your application should be present in specific states as well.
• Creating a robust test and reporting environment: For any application to function smoothly, it needs to be tested on a slew of operating platforms, browsers, and devices. This calls for managing dependencies and simulating the test environment. A robust automation testing approach should ensure the setting up of a reporting mechanism showing the number of test runs, passes, and failures in detail.

Conclusion

Implementing automation testing tools should be done with proper care and planning. The QA team ought to take into consideration aspects like creating a robust test environment, ensuring compatibility of the tool, and the available skill sets. It is only after executing a seamless automation testing that the overall business objectives can be achieved.

Diya works for Cigniti Technologies, Global Leaders in Independent Software Testing Services Company to be appraised at Cmmi-Svc v1.3, Maturity Level 5, and is also Iso 9001:2015 & Iso 27001:2013 certified.