Automation testing is no more a naïve skill and it is now an inclusive part of the software development lifecycle (SDLC). More and more companies are trusting automation testing for the quality of their software development and want to introduce automation as early as possible to maximize its benefits. However, one common mistake we do here is not realizing that automation implementation or framework development is an engineering process and should itself have its own development lifecycle. The standards followed should be no different from standards followed in developing any business software application. Then why don't we follow all the best practices a development team follows to develop software application while developing automation framework? A poorly developed or implemented automation solution will -
Never meet its objective,
Difficult to manage and implement,
Decreases the benefits automation testing can offer.
Hence automation testing is not just a side activity along with manual testing, it has to have a focused strategy to implement in the project.
Automation Testing Implementation Guide
Following are the steps that can define step by step approach to implement automation testing. The approach questions the need for automation in the first place and also gives the answers on how to implement automation testing in the best possible way.
1. Gather requirements for automation/check the need for automation
Even when software is tested multiple times, new defects can introduce throughout the lifecycle of the software as new versions of the software are built and delivered. Hence there is a considerable effort in retesting existing functionality due to changes. Testing the impacted functionality due to changes is called regression testing. Thus, regression testing if needs to be repeated multiple times then automation testing is the best way to make the testing process much more effective and efficient.
2. Understand the automation testing implementation life-cycle
4. Create an automation Test plan
An automation test plan is a detailed document that describes the automation test scope, objectives, goals, estimations, resources required and enlists the responsibilities of the automation testing team members. An automation test plan acts as a blueprint to conduct automation testing in a project. It also contains risks and contingency planning.
5. Define automation scope
The functionality of the Application Under Test (AUT) which will be automated defines the scope of Automation Testing. The items of the AUT which will be automated are In-Scope items and the other items which will not be automated are Out-Scope items.
There are several parameters on the basis of which the items to be included in the scope are decided :
Automation is useful for repetitive tasks.
The scenarios which require a large human effort can be included in the scope of automation.
The scope also depends on the criticality of the testing scenarios.
Learn - What and How much to Automate.
6. Select tool in the market vs open-source frameworks.
When to go for the licensed tool
When the budget of the organization allows the cost of the license then the tester can go for licensed tools.
Licensed tools often come with strong technical support and have higher execution speeds. Therefore, if the organization has a budget and fewer human resources then these tools are of great help. Although, it is advisable to thoroughly test the trial by making a small automation project (POC) before purchasing the license itself. Some of the popular licensed tools are :
UFT/QTP
TestComplete
Ranorex
BotPlay Automation
Katalon Studio
b. When to go for open source
Open source tools are free but they are difficult to learn as they need a level of coding skill. An organization may decide to go for an open-source tool if the budget doesn’t agree with the cost of licensed or commercial tools. Also, if the organization has experienced testers who have used open-source tools before. Some of the common examples of Open source tools are :
Selenium
Appium
Robot Framework
Cucumber
7. Design a framework
An automation framework is a defining and designing structure of code that is scalable, expandable, maintainable, and easy to use. A framework acts as a set of standards and interactions between different components in which the test script is developed and executed. It gives the testing a proper functioning flow.
Framework for test automation is beneficial for the following reasons :
Follows a defined coding structure with minimal and simple code.
Low maintenance of the code and high extensibility.
Helps in the version control of test scripts using a tool or a repository.
Increases the re-usability.
Test validation is the process of comparing the responses and behaviour of the application under test with the expected result or outcome.
8. Implement the framework
Implement the developed framework in the project. The framework should be maintainable and scalable. It should be able to cater multiple project. It also should be easy to implement even for non-technical users.
Why is BotPlay automation a perfect choice for your automation testing?
BotPlay Codeless Automation is an intelligent, on-demand, self-service SaaS product providing a codeless way to automate 100% of your testing & processes on web applications.
Benefits - It is lightweight, portable, and doesn’t need any installation. It is an easy-to-use, no-code automation testing tool that removes manual dependency for automation, provides consistent results and saves testing costs, and generates ROI.
Use cases - If you have any of the below use cases, we would recommend you try out the trial version of BotPlay and gain a comprehensive understanding of the tool and fitment for your use case and project.
Features - The salient features of BotPlay include supporting automation testing scripting in natural language hence ensuring 4x faster automation development with 80% less maintenance compared to other tools and custom frameworks.
How to use BotPlay Codeless Automation
BotPlay Codeless Automation, helps organizations to remain true to their core business priorities and solve their automation testing challenges by providing a codeless UI automation tool that anyone can automate, even a non-technical user for web automation testing.
We would recommend you use BotPlay, a free and codeless automation testing tool for QA community to start web UI automation testing in your project.
Conclusion
Making an informed and well-thought-out decision about using a new tool or developing an in-house automation framework will only magnify its efficacy in the project where it is used. All the factors should be carefully considered before reaching a decision to use Automation Testing in a project. Establishing the need for automation in a project includes factors like human resources, budget, type of tool best suited for testing, and scope. These are all the major factors that have been discussed which should help the organization in achieving automation testing goals.
Note from the author - "If you like the knowledge shared on this page or want to share your views or correct anything, please let us know in the comment section below. If you want us to share details about any other topics, please share that too in the comment section. Share with others if you found it useful. Thanks."