The software world is discovering that almost all tasks in the software life cycle can improve with automation. Today, automation is end-to-end and covers all core processes in software development, and is modernizing design, quality assurance, security, resource provisioning, etc. Test automation, therefore, is becoming a key differentiator in the pursuit of competitive advantage. But before you implement an automation strategy, learn the four key ingredients for successful test automation that helps you gain better in the long run.
Automate the Right Processes
Your test automation solution is among the best technical assets in-house. Never force it into the wrong role. Some test processes are more suitable for automation than others. Experts suggest automating only those test cases that give you the best results with fewer efforts. What’s the point of implementing automation if setting it up is more complicated than the testing process itself? Test automation is an ideal solution. You hit the ground running with a test automation solution if you use it for repetitive tests or do regression testing. The list goes on.
Make ‘Ease-of-use’ a Top Priority
Your test automation solution should be user-friendly and easy-to-use, like a plug-and-play system. It should support users’ needs as simply as possible so that all your quality assurance team members can use it with ease—the lesser the dependency on a learning curve of an automation solution, the better.
For example, in RESTful API testing, a test automation solution helps a tester who does not know everything about the API, to test it. A tester can move forward with testing as long as a request can find the information needed for a test, execute it, and compare the results. This seamlessness applies to all other aspects of API testing like performance, functional correctness, and security.
Ensure Scalability and Reusability
The test automation tool you rely on should be scalable as the testing process needs to cover many like load testing, unit testing, functional testing, etc. Also, to meet new market requirements, these testing methods might need to scale up or scale down. The best test automation framework allows changes with the minimum software development effort. For example, a test automation tool built to test RESTFUL API alone will not accommodate anything outside this specific scope. In such cases, adding a testing capability requires additional coding efforts.
In contrast, a scalable API test automation framework will already have the capabilities to cover most API test cases and allow other changes without extra development needs. Your QA teams can easily configure the new APIs and test cases to get going.
Likewise, reusability is also the primary benefit of successful test automation. A reusable test automation solution supports your team in repeatedly using your favorite test automation solution across multiple testing processes. It, therefore, optimizes the value besides making testing quicker and less expensive, a necessity to drive rapid software release schedules. Reusability also makes reconfiguring aspects simple besides making additional test cases easy to accomplish.
Get the Right Automation Team in Place
In our second point, we discussed that a test automation solution should be easy-to-use and for everyone. This benchmark is achievable when your team has experts who can seamlessly manage the test automation solution so that the testing process becomes simple or easy for all.
For example, in an agile environment where numerous changes occur during a sprint, it is crucial to have an expert QA automation team. They can proactively respond to in-time notifications about changes without any downtime. Ensure that your automation team includes specialists who have successful experience in this domain.
The bottom line is that test automation has numerous advantages with a proper implementation. The four key ingredients for successful test automation that we discussed will help you achieve that goal. Meanwhile, automation also requires a proper/reliable test environment apart from the four key factors discussed above to give satisfactory results.
At Avo, we offer a best-in-class test automation solution, Avo Assure, which caters to all your testing requirements. It is a no-code heterogeneous solution with a pre-built keyword library, intelligent reporting, and intuitive UI. Connect with us to see how this test automation solution aligns with your business objectives. Sign up for a demo today to learn more about Avo Assure.
