Software developers often feel pressured to release their products on time. It’s hard to keep up with the schedule, so most developers give up on detailed testing because it’s time-consuming. But that’s not a smart approach since it could lead to a buggy final version.
The solution lies in speeding up software testing, and that’s what test automation delivers. Test automation allows specialists to reduce the time of the testing process as it is run by pre-written scripts and excludes human participation in the process.Automated tests can cover large-scope projects while freeing engineers to work on other tasks. Proper integration of automated testing into your working process is imperative to maximize its potential. Keep reading to learn more about the implementation and migration to the new testing method!
Can Automation Replace Manual Testing?
The answer is yes, but only up to some extent. Manual tests require humans to perform them, which means at least one staff member will be busy testing, making it impossible for them to do other tasks. And although that’s the old-fashioned approach, it’s the sole option for some cases. It’s suitable for one-time tests that require much time to automate. Manual testing is also great for exploratory checks and identifying bugs you don’t know are there.
Automated testing brings a significant change to the entire process. It doesn’t require a human to execute the test. Instead, an engineer prepares it, and a computer performs the desired checks. That’s a massive time-saver for large-scope tests, especially since computers can process data quicker than humans. Test automation ensures faster feedback, and it’s suitable for a wide range of checks. Experts estimate you can automate three out of four tests, although it depends on the company’s needs.
Things to Consider Before Integrating Automated Testing into the Testing Process
Purchasing a test automation tool is a significant investment. It will also adjust the working process, and you need to be ready for this change. So before integrating automated testing into your company’s operations, here are the details to consider!
Understand Why It’s a Good Business Decision
The first thing to confirm is test automation is the right option for your business. That means automated testing should be supported at all company levels, including the management. Here are some tips if you need to convince the managers to implement automated testing:
- Explain it will save much money in the long run. Freeing the human workforce to do other tasks improves productivity, making it a wise long-term investment.
- Emphasize how it will benefit software quality. Automated tests deliver reliable results since there’s no risk of human error. A fast and reliable feedback cycle helps achieve the desired software quality.
- Ensure you stick to the schedule. If you work on a large number of projects, the management will consider releasing products as planned a top priority. You should pinpoint automated testing will speed up the development process and ensure you’ll stick to the schedule.
Pick an Automation Tool That Fits Your Requirements
The secret lies in understanding your requirements and picking an automation tool accordingly. For example, does your software use Silverlight or flash? If yes, look for automated testing solutions supporting those. It helps if the tool supports testing on different operating systems or browsers. That can save time while ensuring your software works flawlessly across all platforms.
Decide Who Will Work with Automated Tests
The general rule is to have staff dedicated to automated testing. Small teams would have a single person, while big companies could have an entire squad dealing with these tools.
Why is this important? First, test automation tools have a learning curve. Getting used to working in the frameworks and integrating them into the company’s processes takes a while. Training takes time, and the company might even need to pay for someone to educate the engineer on the topic.
Second, there’s the rule of too many cooks. If you have a dedicated engineer, they’ll know automated tests inside and out, increasing the odds they work flawlessly.
Understand Which Tests You Can Automate
Unit, integration, system, and even acceptance tests can be automated. But there’s the rule that automatic tests require a clear parameter that decides the outcome. So the computer needs to recognize a determinant based on which it selects the test result.
Automated tests are the best fit for tedious and repeatable tasks. You can run the same test on unlimited occasions while creating it only once. And you can rest assured you’ll receive reliable results each time.
Best Practices When Integrating Automated Testing into Your Working Processes
Here are some other quick tips that would help with automated testing integration:
- Design a detailed plan. You want to define each test case to the smallest detail.
- Start testing as soon as possible. Don’t wait for the late development stages. Your goal is to discover bugs as early as possible.
- Run tests in a particular order. For example, it’s logical to run a test for the form of creating a new user before testing the account page.
- Use the alert system. It can notify you if there’s a bug found. The problem could be serious, and there’s no point in continuing testing without fixing it. This could be an additional time-saver.
Final Thoughts
Test automation is an intelligent investment for any software development company eager to take the next step. Integrating automated tests into your projects is a process. It’s important to be patient and do everything right from the start. That guarantees you can reap the benefits of automated tests down the road. These include accelerating time to market while ensuring software quality is at a high level. And that combination is everything a software developer could ask for!
