Test automation is one of the major novelty approaches that are here to stay. That’s because it’s not just a trend or a fad. It IS actually a good strategy to reduce manual labor, involve stable processes and, thus, foster testing and accelerate feedback, increase ROI on QA and decrease expenses.
According to the European Software Testing Benchmark report 2016, the majority of clients who made the best of test automation experienced a return on their test automation investment immediately (24%) or within the first 6 months (24%).
This article will help you understand what automated testing is about, its major peculiarities, pros and cons. Thus, for you this notion will transform from something intimidating and difficult to apply into a useful tool to invest in to boost your project’s success.
To start with, here’s a short profile to help you grasp the essence of the notion itself.
What?
In a nutshell, test automation is a software testing procedure aimed at testing and comparing the actual results with the expected ones.
How?
It is implemented by writing test scripts and automating them via test automation tools
Why?
Automation (when executed properly) enhances testing (and QA in general) and makes it:
What for?
Note!
Our previous article focusing on the importance of QA proves that to develop a successful app, you need testing. Certainly, not just any testing, but good, thorough, well-planned testing. And that is what a test strategy should be specified for. In case of test automation, a respectable QA team is sure to use the test automation pyramid before shaping any strategy.
What?
The testing pyramid is a concept of a framework that strategically classifies software tests into major categories.
Why?
The pyramid defines
What for?
It helps the QA and development teams to:
The major focus is on timely feedback to make sure existing features are not disrupted by any code changes.
The main layers of the pyramid are as follows:
Let’s discuss each level in detail, starting from the bottom up.
Pros:
Cons:
The two types of tests on this level are:
A. Integration Testing - performed to check how different codes, features, units interact with each other i.e. how each part of the code communicates with the external components.
B. API testing - performed by sending calls to the API and obtaining output to verify the response of the whole system to the input parameters.
All of these types are executed on the second level of the pyramid to make sure the development runs error-free. They also have their advantages and disadvantages.
Pros:
Cons:
Pros:
Cons:
Now, when you are aware of what all the levels stand for, it’s time to draw the following conclusion. The Test Automation Pyramid shows that:
Tip 1. The most reasonable way for beginners is to push automated tests as low as possible and get a higher ROI.
Why? Unit tests are small and isolated so detecting bugs becomes faster and cheaper to execute. Tests on the top of the pyramid are time consuming, sometimes even brittle, fewer and more often tend to be carried out manually.
Tip 2. Sticking to test automation on one level to avoid additional costs is not an option.
Why? To perform successful automated testing every layer of the pyramid should be analyzed. Choosing what and how many tests to automate and what to remain manual is a different issue. Yet, covering all of the levels is obligatory if you wish to get a high quality product.
Tip 3. The test automation pyramid should not be confused with the strategy itself.
Why? Banal application of this pyramid is just a framework rather than a universal solution. Any and every project should be discussed with your QA team, risks assessed and test automation strategy carefully selected and drawn up.
Our experience proves that the test automation pyramid can be really helpful for agile teams as it enhances speed and effectiveness. The matter is if you are lucky to have a good QA team, they are sure to introduce its logic into your test automation processes to manage their time more efficiently, run easier tests from the very beginning and, thus, save everyone’s time and money.
As a customer, you can also check if the QA team has the correct priorities. If they offer writing test scenarios for UI levels, you have every chance to doubt that their business logic and back-end functionality are correct. If they insist on that option, you should know it leads to more work, lower test coverage and lower quality of your project. Thus, by knowing how the pyramid must be implemented, you are sure to avoid such misunderstandings and choose truly skilled QA teams.
Once you understand the test classification and their features, we’ve come to one of the most relevant issues in test automation - selecting tests to be automated. The general rule is:
It is necessary and advisable to automate those processes which both the team and your business will benefit from rather than experience any discomfort or new challenges.
It happens that the QA teams are eager to automate any and every test they can, but such decisions eventually backfire and cause a number of problems with quality, performance and budget numbers. Here’s a cheat sheet for you to be sure if your QA team is on the right track.
Test cases should be automated when:
To help you set standards and priorities for test automation and weigh your chances of higher ROI on investing in it, here are some things to consider as well:
Another important factor is tool selection. As it usually happens with highly-technological issues, there is no clear answer or a cheat sheet that gives precise instructions on what and how to use. Yes, the banal phrase works here perfectly - it always depends. Every project is special and, therefore, requires individual approach and thorough analysis. At LinkUp Studio we use the following guidelines to verify our choice of tools:
Finally, it is always up to a QA team to make thorough analysis of all the factors involved to make an informed and well-grounded decision.
After all, applying tools is always a good idea once it helps save costs and time rather than add pressure or disparity. Therefore, the key step in either tool selection or test automation in general is choosing the right QA team who can add value to your project and assess the processes with expertise.
So far, it must be obvious that the main aim of test automation is to make the QA process faster and with less effort involved. Yet, there are both benefits and downsides to every enhancement strategy. What you already get from this publication is that NOT everything CAN or SHOULD be automated. So, to get a better perspective of the issue, here’s what you should know about test automation.
Benefits of test automation:
Yet, there are a few things you should keep in mind when engaging test automation:
And finally, as it happens with any other process in project implementation, to avoid faulty or random results, opt for an experienced and scrupulous QA team that has both special expertise and skills.
To sum up, test automation certainly is a win-win as it increases software quality while making debugging and time to market faster. Talking numbers. Finding bugs at the early stage can save you 40x the cost of detecting it during the coding phase.
Yet, you realize that 100% is not just impossible but unnecessary. So, to assess this option objectively, you have to consider the other one, i.e. to understand the benefits and drawbacks of manual testing.
pros
cons
Your main takeaway at this point is the idea that testing automation does not replace testing in general. Automated tests lack domain knowledge and human intelligence, thus, they should never eliminate manual ones but complement them and reduce their number when it’s appropriate.
Good quality and successful delivery of your dream project are achieved by proper combination of both. The latter is possible through engaging a skilled QA team capable of finding the right balance between the two types of testing to ensure maximum efficiency in terms of technological features and user appeal.
The core method our QA team applies is CI\CD as it helps us to introduce test automation into various stages of the project development.
In this approach CI stands for continuous integration, while CD means continuous delivery and continuous deployment. The main reason we stick to this principle is that it helps to ensure flawless integration of new codes on every stage of alterations (CI) and error-free delivery and deployment in the long term (CD). Moreover, we are sure it provides ongoing monitoring and automation of the SDLC.
The core idea is to merge all changes, efforts, workers and ideas to enable the development process to run as a whole.
In order to make sure the clients see the outcomes and improvements introduced we are always ready to present them with thorough reports on any of the milestones of the QA process. Here are some samples from our previous projects for you to understand what a client can review and discuss.
Another LinkUp Studio project includes the Allure report containing detailed information about the results of conducting UI testing.
To sum up, we all know the better the QA, the better the deployment. And even if it seems outrageous or impossible to expect any step in development or QA to both save time\costs and enhance quality, test automation does appear to be the real deal. Certainly, as long as it is properly applied and well-planned. Like any other implementation of new software, tools or principles, test automation requires patience, accuracy and expertise to make you experience its benefits at their best.
Yet, it is worth trying in the long run as it is one of the QA tricks that can definitely enhance the quality of your product while saving time, effort and costs. Another thing you should bear in mind is that not every test that can be automated, should be. Mostly, it is the right balance between automated and manual testing that ensures sustainability and success.
So, it is only up to an experienced QA team to figure out what risk-based approach and tools to use in every single case to make your investment profitable. Thus, if you have further questions concerning your project, please contact us.