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Understanding QA Automation
Automation testing tools are used to automate software testing processes. Primarily used for repetitive (or manually performed) testing tasks, which were once conducted manually by testers.
Automation makes our QA testing more efficient, helping us provide more secure software to users faster. Automated tests also ensure we deliver robust solutions more easily to the market.
Benefits of QA Automation
With software development moving faster and demands for quicker deliveries increasing simultaneously, manual testing cannot keep pace.
Automated QA tests offer many advantages over manual ones when used for software and mobile app testing; here are just a few:
- Automation Allows Faster and Efficient Testing: When used effectively, quality assurance (QA) automation can execute test cases faster and without human error than humans could, significantly reducing software testing time frame. With automated tests, we are quickly reporting on quality issues of software as well as providing feedback quickly - it also lowers error rates due to fewer human interactions resulting in reduced errors during software QA testing.
- Increased Test Coverage: With advanced features like parallel testing and automated QA testing, our advanced tests provide us with greater test coverage across various scenarios, edge cases and data combinations. Please see our blog on parallel tests for further insight. This feature also allows us to cover every single case regardless of scenarios, edge cases or data combinations that come our way.
- Automated Quality Assurance Tests Offer Consistency and Repeatability: Automated quality assurance (QA) tests run according to predefined scripts without human interference, eliminating human errors during the execution of testing for consistent and repeatable results. This ensures reliable tests.
- Time and cost savings: Human testers require more time and resources to conduct certain test cases; automated quality assurance (QA) testing allows us to speed up this process while saving both time and money in the process. With automation comes time- and cost-savings over time.
- Regression Testing: The main goal of software testing is to find and eliminate bugs. As one bug is corrected, other bugs often emerge afterwards, necessitating regression testing in order to ensure there are no new issues after fixing code changes or fixes have been applied. Automated QA Testing provides us with the capability of automating our regression tests on mobile devices or software applications and software solutions.
- Scalability: When new features are introduced into software, new test cases must be carefully established in order to thoroughly test each feature introduced into it. As more features are introduced into software, their number increases accordingly; manual tests cannot handle such high volumes of test cases alone, and automated quality assurance (QA) automation will likely become necessary; automated QA tools allow scaling-up quickly with each feature introduced, providing seamless testing across operating systems platforms browsers etc.
- Continuous Integration and DevOps: Manual testing becomes less efficient as software becomes increasingly complex, while QA automation offers a convenient solution by seamlessly integrating with DevOps tools for continuous integration and continuous delivery, thus creating shorter feedback loops and releases as well as strengthening team collaboration.
- Early Bug Identification: Manual testing cannot identify bugs until after extensive examination; automated QA test allows us to locate problems sooner as scripted tests can quickly find problems in an application and detect bugs more rapidly than manual methods can.
- Increased Productivity: Quality Automation tools help us automate repetitive, time-consuming tasks so QA testers can focus on other aspects of testing like test strategy planning, analysis and exploratory testing. And By Selecting Appropriate Quality Automation Tools
Selecting Right Tools for Quality Automation
Finding the appropriate tool for Quality Assurance Automation can be challenging; your decision depends on who you are as an individual and on what requirements your project necessitates.
Here are a few checklists you should keep in mind when making wise decisions:
- Support of Environment: When selecting a QA Automation tool, it's critical that its software fits seamlessly within its environment and technology requirements for running applications. Compatible platforms may include web, desktop, cloud and mobile, as well as multiple operating systems and browsers.
- Ease-of-Use: When searching for tools, we should prioritize those which provide a user-friendly interface with minimal effort required for use and comprehension - such as intuitive navigation features, clear documentation resources and training opportunities.
- Database Testing: If our application uses databases, it is crucial that our automation tool contains database test features. Selecting one that supports commonly-used databases and query languages could have enormous repercussions for testing success.
- Identification: It is vital that any automation tool provides accurate and efficient support in identifying application elements and the Document Object Model (DOM) to facilitate the manipulation and placement of components within software UIs.
- Recover from Error Tests: When selecting an automation tool, it is crucial that we can use its capabilities for error handling and recovery testing scenarios. We must be able to simulate unexpected errors as they come up during our test execution while handling exceptions with ease.
- Check Scripting Language Compatibility: When researching automation tools, be sure they support a scripting language you are comfortable with or willing to learn; some popular options for automation tools include Java, Python C# and JavaScript as examples of such languages.
- Support for Test Types: It is wise to verify whether or not your tool can support various test types according to your requirements, whether this means functional or regression testing.
- Testing Frameworks: A good testing tool should support popular frameworks.
- Comprehensive Reports: Generating comprehensive test reports is key for debugging results and understanding test strategies, so choosing an automation tool capable of producing thorough test reports must also come as standard. Look out for tools with customizable reporting formats or visual displays of test results as additional capabilities that provide useful insights for our analysis or selection process of testing strategies.
- Cost of Training and Certification: When purchasing automation tools, one should not forget the costs related to training and certification for them. We must evaluate all training materials available as well as online/offline courses as well as community support to make a cost analysis.
To select an effective automation tool, we should identify our requirements first and evaluate different tools' capabilities accordingly.
Researching different products is also invaluable in this respect; to further assess the suitability of a tool, it would be prudent to conduct a Proof of Concept test as part of this decision-making process.
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Automated Quality Assurance Testing Process
Automated quality assurance testing involves several steps and must take place efficiently for effective testing to take place.
Let's examine each one more in-depth now.
Selection of an Automation Tool
An application under test (AUT), it is critical that an automation tool fits seamlessly with its technology environment and meets specific user requirements for compatibility, ease-of-use and support of desired programming languages or frameworks.
When selecting an automation tool, it should take these factors into consideration as key decision points: compatibility, the usability of features available, and possible support requirements from various programming frameworks or languages.
Define The Scope Of Automation
Prioritizing testing on areas and features with major business ramifications is of utmost importance, so we must identify those most in need of automation first, including analyzing data volumes or repeatable functions that need automation.
Planning, Design and Development
Prior to automating test cases, it's crucial that we develop and design an automation strategy with clear goals, timelines and resources in mind.
Planning out goals, timelines, and resources makes testing effortless, while developing automated QA tests also bear considerable weight; selecting an automation framework, test architecture, and scenario is necessary as part of this step.
Test Execution
Planning and developing strategies for automated quality assurance tests makes accomplishing other tasks much simpler, with test execution as one of the primary focuses.
Automation script writing algorithms may be planned ahead, with script instructing tools used in conducting the test cases with automation scripts as guides for the execution of each case using automation scripts directing each one directly towards completion of its required function.
Maintaining Test Automation
Regular Maintenance for automated quality assurance tests is vitally important. Regular tests help us go one step further to verify new features' quality while updating and maintaining automation algorithms will prevent script and test failures in future.
Best Practices and Scenarios for QA Automation
In order to maximize the return on investment of QA Automation, selecting appropriate test cases is of key importance - knowing which do and don't require automation is also key in optimizing its effectiveness.
Scenarios Ideal for Automated QA Testing
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High-Risk - Business Critical Test Cases
Automated testing can be crucial when test cases pose serious risks if they are not performed correctly. These test cases ensure stability, reliability and security. -
Repeated Execution Of Test Cases
Automating regression tests and other test cases that require repeated execution are ideal candidates for automation. Automating these test cases saves both time and effort. It reduces the need for manual testing and helps to identify potential problems more often. -
Tests That Are Difficult Or Tedious
Automating test cases that are monotonous, repetitive, or have complex steps is ideal. Automating these test cases increases accuracy and reduces human errors. This allows testers to spend more time on challenging and exploratory tasks. -
Testing Cases That Take Up Too Much Time
Some test cases take a lot of time to test manually, with human interference. These test cases can easily be automated to speed up the testing process and increase output.
Test Cases That Don't Require QA Automation
Automated QA testing may not be the best option in all situations. Here are some scenarios in which automated QA testing is not ideal:
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Newly Designed Testing Cases
Some test cases are new and have never been manually executed. These newly designed test cases should be tested manually at least one time. This will help you to better understand the problem and any adjustments that may be needed. -
Changes In Requirements Are Frequent
Automating test cases that are subject to frequent requirements changes may not be possible. In this case, updating and maintaining automated tests may be difficult and time-consuming. In such situations, manual testing can be more flexible. -
Ad-Hoc Test Cases
Automating test cases that are executed on ad hoc basis and without any predefined steps or outcomes may not be the most suitable. These cases require human judgment and flexibility which is better for manual testing.
Which Test Cases Should Be Automated?
Care should be taken when considering which test cases could benefit from automation; below are potential candidates:
- Human error is a major cause of failure in tests
- Monotonous and repetitive testing
- Multiple data sets are used to conduct extensive tests
- Manual execution of tests is not possible
- Tests that require significant manual effort
- High-risk tests
- Tests that require execution on multiple hardware platforms and software platforms
Automation testing offers many potential uses:
- Industry: Automated testing is used by many industries. The most common are IT, eCommerce and Banking & Finance. Automation testing can be a great asset for any industry that has business models centered around functionality, stability, digital visibility, or a top-notch experience.
- Application Under Testing: Websites, mobile apps, desktop apps, and APIs can all have various quality elements that can be tested using automation tests. Automating tests such as those to check the usability, functionality, and security of a site is easy. Mobile applications can also be tested to ensure compatibility with various operating systems, real devices and screen sizes.
- Testing Types: Testers are able to automate many types of testing including regression testing and acceptance testing. They can also automate unit testing or integration testing.
- Testing Environment: Automation can be performed on different operating systems, devices, and browsers.
Why Test Automation Fails (FTAF)?
1. Planning and Strategy Are Missing
Failing to plan or organize tests properly leads to disorganized testing processes, which make detecting software defects quickly arduous; in some instances, it even creates additional issues.
Following these steps, an automation testing process should be carefully planned and executed in an organized fashion.
- Assign the Scope of Automation: To make automation testing effective and appropriate for specific types of tests and software sections. Outline Your Goals For Automation Testing Make sure the goals set for automation testing align with the overall development of software projects as per project requirements.
- Choose an Appropriate Tool: Select test automation software that best matches your needs and budget while prepping Data sets to use in automation testing.
- Create and Execute Test Cases: Develop test cases that are easy for everyone involved to understand, maintain, and run effectively and provide clear feedback on test results.
- Finally, analyze these results: In order to detect failures or errors that have taken place during the execution of these automated test cases.
- Maintain and update tests: Inculcate good maintenance practices such as using Page Object Model Framework (POMF), test refactoring or tracking flakiness to promote optimal functioning.
- Monitor Results: Monitor and report on the performance testing and effectiveness of automated tests to detect critical faults that you might otherwise overlook by neglecting to analyze test reports.
2. You Don't Fully Comprehend The Application Being Tested
It is critical that testing professionals thoroughly comprehend an application, its behavior and expected outcomes when testing any given app. You will find it easier to automate those time-intensive and critical test cases while manually conducting other ones you might find necessary.
Before creating an application, it is a good idea to read its requirements and specifications carefully in order to gain an understanding of its functional testing, purpose, components and dependencies. Also, explore its features and behavior.
Working closely with our development team gives us insight into their designs and implementation processes.
Read More: Utilizing Automated Testing Frameworks
3. Cloud Computing Is Not Recommended
- Cloud-based testing platforms enable QA teams to conduct automated tests across a wide range of devices and real browsers without investing in physical machines, providing flexibility, agility and cost savings necessary for producing high-quality software development projects.
- Cloud-based test environments accurately reflect real-world situations where an app may be utilized without needing to set up the correct hardware-software configuration first.
- Regression testing becomes much faster when tests can be scheduled in advance - saving both time and resources. This feature makes testing much faster.
4. Lack of Cooperation Between Development and Testing Teams
Automation testing relies heavily upon cooperation between development and testing teams, who need to collaborate closely in order to seamlessly incorporate testing processes into development cycles while quickly addressing any potential issues as soon as they arise.
- Establish Roles and Responsibilities: Both teams should understand each other's roles, responsibilities, and the expectations each of them can hold towards one another.
- Joint Testing and Planning: Team members should collaborate and plan together when performing tests in order to quickly identify roadblocks and make testing efficient and effective.
- This approach may also assist with avoiding duplicated efforts during the execution of these processes.
- Teams should use common tool sets for test planning and execution to improve collaboration, as everyone will have access to the same data.
5. Wrong Tool Was Selected
Incorrect tool selection can lead to test automation failure and waste of testing budget, as well as inefficiency for budget purposes.
Trends in Test Automation
Looking ahead, here are the most notable test automation trends to watch out for in 2023. These approaches may help organizations provide optimal customer experiences while meeting daily operational constraints effectively.
1. Adoption of Low-Code Solutions
No stranger to these technologies, low-code and non-code automation is predicted to continue its rapid ascent into 2023.
Platforms offering abstraction development with automated tests and governance make development faster for digital products. Automation testing also influences business technologists as well as citizen developers - two roles which often exist outside IT organizations but create technology or analytical capabilities for business purposes.
2. Collaborative Robots
Collaborative robots (collabo bots), also referred to as cohorts, are intended to work alongside humans in shared professional environments and perform multiple functions ranging from lifting heavy products and equipment in warehouses, moving goods intelligently through supply chains or lifting and transporting heavy loads between storage rooms and picking shelves in retail shops.
2023 will witness an upsurge in automation which may prompt companies to invest more in digitally collaborative robotics to streamline complex workflows more easily.
3. Shift-left Testing
Organizations prioritize meeting customer demands while staying within budget constraints while meeting production schedules on time with minimal defects, at an efficient price, while meeting time-to-market goals quickly and cost-efficiently.
Shift-left testing enables testing teams to more quickly detect bugs early in the product life cycle and mitigate time and money wasted through delays due to unanticipated bugs or risks early in development, allowing teams to collaborate to detect defects early and release faster with minimum repair times and rapid release cycles ensuring increased efficiency, better products quality products speed to market by 2023 organizations can expect increased efficiencies, better products quality products faster time to market with this growing trend becoming mainstream within organization's production lines and time-to-market processes.
4. Robotic Process Automation Revolutions with Semantic Automation
AI has quickly become one of the go-to solutions to streamline business processes, making them more agile, interactive and less cumbersome while streamlining operations.
Developers currently give robots specific instructions for performing desired tasks; with semantic automation, this rule-based automation is done away with, while robots created using semantic automation perform their duties by simply watching or simulating tasks they encounter during their daily duties.
5. Hyper Automation on the Rise
Hyper Automation seeks to accelerate automation by adding another level of sophistication. While automation alone cannot do this, Hyper Automated processes may leverage AI/ML technologies such as analysis/reassessment for the input of particular processes as well as increased productivity with reduced human intervention needed.
6. NLP and Conversational AI
Intelligent automation (IA), as an umbrella term, encompasses various technologies; RPA is at its heart; however, leaders in IA often go further by employing NLP or conversational AI technologies in their IA strategies to guide users through workflows or support customers, or streamline processes with repetitive tasks.
7. Smart Test Execution
In 2023, smart testing will become more prevalent as a wide variety of automated platforms leverage smart test execution platforms to execute complex user flows.
Smart testing execution also enables developers to test code using compliance channels which automatically identify which tests must be run for any particular check-in and allows their teams to run only those needed (delta tests) without resorting to long testing cycles for every component.
8. Tests for Multiple Experiences
Multi-experience testing will soon become standard practice in software testing, with software development platforms expanding their capacities to accommodate various approaches to testing in order to meet user demands from various verticals and industries.
Such platforms must support scenarios involving augmented reality, voice response/input devices, as well as complex flows comprising several mobile phones or nontraditional devices if multiple experiences need to be accommodated simultaneously.
9. Autonomous System
The concept of an "autonomic computer," as coined by its namesake, draws its inspiration from biological mechanisms known as an autonomic nervous system which provide automatic responses and actions related to biological processes, including responses for software development processes.
An autonomous computing system manages itself autonomously by taking corrective actions automatically without human input or oversight.
10. Composable Apps
Composable apps differ from conventionally built applications by employing open architecture and agile design principles to separate app components that can then be scaled and maintained according to business needs.
Software components that are independent of one another can be packaged together to form distinct business capabilities. Composable applications allow enterprises greater agility when adapting their application infrastructure in response to changing business demands.
Composable application technologies will become more and more widely adopted as organizations strive to build market momentum and secure customer loyalty. These technologies also can assist digital creativity and innovation at scale while streamlining processes more cost-efficiently.
They may become the go-to option as organizations look for market momentum.
11. Automating BioAuthentication
Over recent years, biometric authentication has gained much traction among users, enabling them to log into apps and validate actions more securely than with traditional passwords.
Enterprises must ensure their apps offer not only seamless functionality but also maintain robust security; with passwordless biometric authentication on mobile phones becoming ever more prevalent and Face ID technologies becoming easier and safer than their conventional equivalents making biometric passwordless authentication increasingly prevalent for digital experiences, software testing platforms must have adequate capacity in place in order to handle it as this method becomes an integral component.
Overcoming Challenges of QA Automation
Software testing can be an excellent place to begin; however, its implementation presents its own set of hurdles and difficulties.
Achieve the successful implementation of QA Automation by understanding and meeting those obstacles head-on is the goal; here are some common QA automation obstacles and potential solutions:
Securing an Appropriate Automation Framework or Tool
Selecting the Ideal Automation Framework or Tool, It is of utmost importance for quality assurance (QA) automation professionals to select an apt automation framework or tool from among hundreds of open-source or licensed tools available today, whether open or licensed, when making their selection among thousands.
When doing so, it is necessary to assess compatibility, ease-of-use and scalability between options before conducting extensive research to establish industry best practices as well as consulting experts or peers regarding the best decisions made. To make well-informed decisions, you should seek expert opinions as well as seek input from both experts and peers when making their selection decision.
Employers Or Existing Teams Can Be Trained In Testing For Defects By Hiring Experienced Testers To Assist
Automation Testing Services require skilled testers who possess knowledge of programming languages and automation software to achieve excellence.
In order to enhance our automation skills, it's wise to hire more experienced testers or train existing teams - we may offer relevant programs, certifications or workshops - providing our testers with enough ability to take on automation challenges effectively.
Establish Realistic Expectations
In order to effectively implement quality assurance automation, we should have realistic expectations, factoring in factors like resources, time and scope.
Automated QA tests require long-term dedication as they require ongoing effort and Maintenance - so in order to align expectations and reality of projects, we must also account for benefits, limitations as well as outcomes of automated quality tests.
Implementation Requires Initial Investment
Implementing Quality Assurance Automation may require initial capital expenditure on tools, infrastructure and training.
Consider factors like time spent testing more thoroughly or reduced human error when estimating the return on investment (ROI).
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Conclusion
This blog explores QA automation, its benefits, the automation process and selecting an automated test tool to automate your QA tests efficiently, improve software quality quickly and accelerate time-to-market.
CISIN helps overcome challenges associated with cross-browser and device testing for seamless testing experiences.
