How to Achieve a Powerful Automation Testing Strategy?

The process of test automation activities can be scaled up by incorporating a well-defined automation testing strategy. A strategy helps in fine-tuning the specific steps that are required to perform automation testing and providing a structure to it. In the process, a high quality and bug-free application can be expected, if the test automation strategy is implemented tactically. In this article, you will get to know key factors that need to be implemented to achieve a powerful automation testing strategy.

Following are the six key factors that need to be implemented in order to achieve a powerful test automation strategy:

1. Develop a strategic goal: The first step is to obviously lay down a structured roadmap that can eventually ensure results. Goals are achieved by setting up a workable strategy. Similarly, the objective of setting up a test automation strategy is to achieve a desired endpoint. The objectives that are being laid down must be achievable.

The first step of the test automation lifecycle is defining automation feasibility analysis. Every software test cannot be automated. In order to ascertain which of the tasks can be automated and which of those cannot be automated, an automation feasibility analysis is performed.

2. The test approach should be defined: Following are the two key points that needs to be taken into consideration:

·       The specific aspects that needs to be included in the automation test

·       The approach and planning done by the team to execute the automated tests.

The test approach is defined by allocating the right framework and then working upon and deciding the various testing types. The order of executing multiple testing types such as unit testing, integration testing etc., need also to be decided. This is where automation testing pyramid comes into perspective. The order of execution of all possible tests that are included in the test automation strategy are decided by the testing pyramid.

3. Scrutinize the test environment and select the right tools:  In order to streamline the process of test automation strategy, the right set of frameworks/tools is also required. Choosing the right set of tools plays a crucial role in carrying out the test automation process effectively. Certain key factors such as team expertise, team experience, technical requirements, analyzing budget etc., should be taken into consideration for choosing the right test automation tool.

4. Writing test cases and designing test scripts: Test cases and test scripts are two core aspects of a test automation strategy. There is a clear difference between a test case and a test script. Test script is a program where a certain functionality is automatically tested. A set of commands are written and programming is used in the case of a test script. On the contrary, test cases are set of documents that contain expected set of results, test data values, prerequisite conditions etc.

5. Executing the test plan: Once the test cases have been written, the executions need to be planned out. Writing test cases is as important as performing automation tests in a specific situational context. Preparing a test execution plan includes inculcating CI/CD tools like Jenkins etc. The steps needs to be defined in which test executions are to take place.

6. Analyzing results and documenting it: The key findings that has been obtained from conducting an automation test is used to ascertain whether the specific software functionality or application is working as expected or not. If there is a bug or bugs that have been detected, then the necessary steps should be taken by the team to fix it at the earliest.

All the list of tests to be done for the functionality, results, result-analysis, assigner, assignee, test cases etc., should be included in the documentation.

Conclusion: If you are looking forward to implementing automation testing for your specific project, then do get connected with a professionally renowned software testing services company that will provide a methodical testing roadmap that is precisely in line with your project specific requirements.