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)

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

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

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 they’re running and execute later using Playback tool) Simplify or Complicate? Understanding of tasks, issues and impact Automation: Not a ‘project’, but a ‘product’

EFFECTIVE AUTOMATION Planning Logical and Modular code designs Standardization Configuration Management Documentation and Testing

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)

3) ASSESS YOUR RESOURCES Resources: People and Skills Effective Automation =>  Visionary: Automation is planned, designed and managed well  Development Skills: Program code to write reusable modules and test scripts Staff skills set

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

CUSTOMIZING TEST AUTOMATION Mix of manual and automated testing Guide proportions to meet your organization’s needs

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

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