Why IT Companies should switch to Automation Testing?

In a few months, we are about to enter the third decade of the Y2K. The year of Robotics, AI, Machine Learning around us and used in the most simple task that we are implementing such as clicking photos, the machine has admittedly become more capable and smarter. Software tests have to be replicated often throughout development cycles to assert quality. Every time source code is mitigated software tests should be rebuilt. Once formulated, automated tests can be rolled over and over again at no supplementary cost and they are much more agile than manual tests. As humans and most importantly as an IT company we are obligated to take advantage of the uprising of the technology available to us. The technologies are shifting at such a fast pace that the tech is more efficient than a Human.

Here I want to take a moment to tell you about The Essential Mobile App Testing Guide for 2019 and one such technique known as Automation Testing. And why IT should adopt this technology especially in 2019. Let me first start reversing some attention to the traditional approach and keep in mind where the scope of automation testing could be more advantageous and profitable for IT.

Manual Testing: The Traditional Approach

Whenever a QA sustains build for testing, the first approach is to perform the manual testing strategies on the build. In which QA sitting in front of a computer carefully goes through application screens, trying numerous usage and input combinations, comparing the results to the expected behavior and recording their observations.

Manual tests are repeated often during development cycles for source code changes and other circumstances like multiple operating environments and hardware configurations. After each iteration, a test case is executed and the problem arises when the QA performs a regression testing in which the whole application supports the testing process.

As simple, it is not always the best, manual testing is the most simple form of testing that is not efficient.

Manual Testing: Where it went downhill?

Consider the following points which would conclude the case of manual testing is not the best QA approach to attain quality –

• Manual Testing of all workflows, all fields, all negative scenarios is time and money consuming
• It is difficult to test for multi-lingual sites manually
• Manual Testing requires Human intervention.
• Manual Testing decreases the speed of test execution
• Manual Testing decreases Test Coverage
• Manual Testing can become boring and hence error-prone.

Automation Testing: The Savior

Addressing the elephant in the room, the Automation Testing. So what exactly is this? In layman terms when we execute test cases with the help of a machine that is automation. To automate a manual testing process is an automation testing.

Although automation testing is not just technology but a whole domain in itself. It comprises of several tools, methodologies, and various coding techniques. As a QA our goal is to automate the manual test cases through certain tools and coding techniques. And we need to know about the benefits of automation testing.

Automation Testing: The Time Devil

Let me tell you a scenario where automation is beneficial. Now consider testing a website that has 3 modules, Login, SignUp, and a home page. Suppose if there is a bug in the flow of signup to login to reaching the homepage, after bug fixing, the QA would have to manually sign up, login and check for the content of the Home page. To run this flow let us assume the QA takes in about 5 mins. But if the QA uses automation then this process would hardly take> 1 min.

I agree to write an automated test case would take some initial time. Let us consider writing a test case that would take in about 15 mins initially. So to run a complete flow this for the first time would take in about 16 mins. But for the subsequent testing of the website, QA would require only the order of single minutes only. So for testing the website 5 times after each bug fixing or regression testing, the total amount of time takes by automation is 21 mins approximately. But in the case of manual testing 25 minutes is required only if the QA is attentive to the system.

Now you must be thinking why should these 4 minutes saved matters. As a QA in the real world we have to run the same test cases numerous times and sometimes the fatigue of it, causes a decrease in efficiency of testing.

From here itself I could conclude 2 primary reasons why automation could be beneficial. Time saved is money saved and automation saves time as stated in the example above. The second one is the efficiency of the testing system. Automation ensures the efficiency would remain high all the time.

Automation Testing: The Reluctance

Yes, agreed there is numerous positive side of automation but why still itself the companies are adopting automation testing as standard let us look into it.

1 –  Proficiency is required to write the automation test scripts

2 – Debugging the test script is a major issue.

3 – Test maintenance is costly in case of playback methods. Even though a minor change occurs in the Graphical User Interface(GUI), the test script has to be re-recorded or replaced by a new test script.

4 – The maintenance of test data files is difficult if the test script tests more screens. This is the reason, having a robust data log service provider is the mandate need. Make sure you get the support from one before going ahead with the testing process and other sort of analysis and logs troubleshooting.

Automation Testing: The Life Cycle

Generally, everything in IT runs into a cycle, be it android app development, testing or even bug has its own life cycle. Furthermore, having talked about the Automation Testing for the last few words, let us also talk about the life cycle that is considered when Automation Testing is looked into. Meanwhile, keeping a robust solution for Android logging on the side is also mandatory.

1. Automation Feasibility Study – When it comes to automation, ROI is an important factor, this feasibility study gives the stakeholders and all the business associates that are automating this project would be beneficial or not.

2. Developing Proof of Concept – Now the feasibility study does give a high-level understanding of the project automation, the proof of Concept report includes a bunch of stats and information stating in favor of automation which in turn gives more confidence to the stakeholders.

3. Automation Tool Evaluation – The market nowadays contains a variety of tools for automation. Some of the tools are free to use and some are paid. Similarly, there are tools that require skilled personal and some do not require such skills to perform. So this stage deals with the strategizing which tool would be best suited for the project.

4. Design Automation Framework – The design framework deals with designing the right framework for the project. Using a framework for automation increases the code reusability and performance of the overall scripts.

5. Automation Test Plan Creation – The automation test plan contains a plethora of information containing test strategies, processes, workflow and methodologies used for the project.

6. Identification of test case scenarios – The scenarios are what eventually gonna automate so it is important to identify the different test cases for any particular scenario so that automation could be done efficiently.

7. Test Script Creation – This is where the hands get dirty. The actual code creation for any manual test case and the subsequent creation of the whole test framework for the project.

8. Test Script Execution – Now the script which has been created in the above phase is now executed to see if the script is able to automate the manual test case successfully or not.

9. Automation Test Reports Creation – This phase concludes the Automation testing life cycle. Now the subsequent reports are shared with the team including the stakeholders of the project. These reports just not only provides the results for the current project but also guides as the reference points for Business Analyst for quoting on a future project.

Automation Testing: The Future

No one is perfect, everything that exists in this world has some or other imperfections in it. The same case is with automation too. Keep in mind the latest trends in test automation, the title for the article is why should companies switch to automation. Now it is the moment you are looking for the article this long is here. Here I would like to present the various points that I feel are reasons what are the automation testing future scope —

1. Automation testing is though the complicated process, but if achieved can give immense benefits

2. The report generated by the Automation Testing is always in a shareable format, so the companies while making a closure report, add a certain amount of weight to the testing reports.

3. The BA and development team could be benefited too. The BA can quote on how automation affects the money and time associated with the project could be enhanced.

4. For development teams, the team can understand exactly how the bug is reproduced and where code lacks, thereby enhancing the overall coding procedure.

5. Reusability of the test case. Considering the fact the scripts from scratch takes a whole lot of time. This time could be reduced if the automation scripts in such a way that it could be reused for further projects.

6. With the inclusion of automation, there is a guaranteed focus on all areas of testing, thereby assuring the best possible quality.

7. The most promising aspect of the automated testing process is that it adds value to all of the stakeholders involved. It improves brand image, generates higher revenue, increases brand recall and ensures higher customer retention. As a result, there is an increase in the investment in product research and process innovation, thereby helping the organization to scale new heights and establish superiority in the market.

Even after all the facts considered, one should not forget that automation is the key to the future. This automation is affecting the lives of millions of manual labor out there in various industries as well as mobile app development companies.

IT is not an industry that keeps the pace down with the adoption of the new technologies and trends and believes me when I say this automation is the new trend. Companies need to foster automation anyways to keep in the list of potential clients. Automation is the key to growth and to be relevant in this ever-competitive market.

Conclusion