ARE YOU READY FOR TEST AUTOMATION GAME

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ARE YOU READY FOR TEST AUTOMATION GAME?

• Kerry Zallar (STQE Magazine)
• (Nov/Dec 2001 Issue)
• CONCEPT/ DEFINITION
• Use of software to control the execution of tests
  and data comparison
• To enable test scripts/ cases to be developed and
  executed
• (Potentially in an unattended or off-hours mode)

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STORY Buggy the Tester

• Simple behavioral model of the application
• Test program to compare results
• Program ran continuously, generating new test
  sequences
• Ran tests on a dozen machines at once
• Some manual testing included
• Fewer bugs after several rounds of testing and
  bug fixes
• RESULT Very few bugs found upon release

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NEW TO TEST AUTOMATION?

• Author suggests 5 broad areas for analysis
• 1) Test Automation is Software Development
• 2) Test Automation is Long-Term Investment
• 3) Assess your Resources
• 4) No one-size-fits-all Approach
• 5) Gauge your Maturity Levels

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1) TEST AUTOMATION IS SW DEV.

• Unable to cope with manual testing?
• Solution Purchase a test automation tool
• Known as Capture/Playback
• (Capture tests while theyre running and execute
  later using Playback tool)
• Simplify or Complicate?
• Understanding of tasks, issues and impact
• Automation Not a project, but a product

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EFFECTIVE AUTOMATION

• Planning
• Logical and Modular code designs
• Standardization
• Configuration Management
• Documentation and Testing

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2) LONG TERM INVESTMENT

• Justification of investment
• Supporting defective software
• Releases to fix problems in production
• Losing business due to customer dissatisfaction
• Two aspects
• Upfront costs
• Maintenance costs
• Estimation of Return on Investment (ROI)

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3) ASSESS YOUR RESOURCES

• Resources People and Skills
• Effective Automation gt
• Visionary Automation is planned, designed and
  managed well
• Development Skills Program code to write
  reusable modules and test scripts
• Staff skills set

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4) NO ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL APPROACH

• Automation effort depends on
• Criticality of software under test
• Level of investment
• Maturity of software development
• Maturity of testing processes
• Time-frame for results

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CUSTOMIZING TEST AUTOMATION

• Mix of manual and automated testing
• Guide proportions to meet your organizations
  needs

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5) GUAGE YOUR MATURITY LEVELS

• Process Maturity essential for Test Maturity
• Test Maturity
• Independent Testing?
• Structured Process?
• Documentation Practices for Tests?
• Release Management
• Management of software releases
• Disciplined prioritization and communication

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SUMMARY/ ANALYSIS

• Evaluation of Test Automation
• More than buying a tool
• Long-term investment of money, time, people and
  skills
• Purpose needs to be well-defined
• Important to develop a test-automation strategy
• Work as a team
• Requires relevant skill sets for efficiency
• Treat it as software development
• Need for customization
• Commitment is essential
• Get an early start