Test Automation

http://www.kualitatem.
com
Automation
What is Automation?
Automated testing is automating the manual testing process currently in use
Today, rigorous application testing is a critical part of virtually all software

development projects. As more organizations develop mission-critical systems to
support their business activities, the need is greatly increased for testing
methods that support business objectives. It is necessary to ensure that these
systems are reliable, built according to specification, and have the ability to
support business processes. Many internal and external factors are forcing
organizations to
ensure a high level of software quality and reliability.
In the past, most software tests were performed using manual methods. This
required a large staff of test personnel to perform expensive, and time-consuming
manual test procedures. Owing to the size and complexity of today's advanced
software applications, manual testing is no longer a viable option for most
testing situations.
Every organization has unique reasons for automating software quality activities,
but several reasons are common across industries.
Using Testing Effectively

By definition, testing is a repetitive activity. The very nature of application
software development dictates that no matter which methods are employed to carry
out testing (manual or automated), they remain repetitious throughout the
development lifecycle. Automation of testing processes allows machines to complete
the tedious, repetitive work while human personnel perform other tasks.
Automation allows the tester to reduce or eliminate the required "think time" or
"read time" necessary for the manual interpretation of when or where to click the
mouse or press the enter key.
An automated test executes the next operation in the test hierarchy at machine
speed, allowing
tests to be completed many times faster than the fastest individual. Furthermore,
some types of
testing, such as load/stress testing, are virtually impossible to perform
manually.
Reducing Testing Costs

The cost of performing manual testing is prohibitive when compared to automated
methods. The
reason is that computers can execute instructions many times faster, and with
fewer errors than
individuals. Many automated testing tools can replicate the activity of a large
number of users (and their associated transactions) using a single computer.
Therefore, load/stress testing using
automated methods require only a fraction of the computer hardware that would be
necessary to
complete a manual test. Imagine performing a load test on a typical distributed
client/server
application on which 50 concurrent users were planned.
To do the testing manually, 50 application users employing 50 PCs with associated
software, an
available network, and a cadre of coordinators to relay instructions to the users
would be required. With an automated scenario, the entire test operation could be
created on a single machine having the ability to run and rerun the test as
necessary, at night or on weekends without having to assemble an army of end
users. As another example, imagine the same application used by hundreds or
thousands of users. It is easy to see why manual methods for load/stress testing
is an expensive and logistical nightmare.
Replicating Testing Across Different Platforms

Automation allows the testing organization to perform consistent and repeatable
tests. When
applications need to be deployed across different hardware or software platforms,
standard or
benchmark tests can be created and repeated on target platforms to ensure that new
platforms
operate consistently.
Repeatability and Control

By using automated techniques, the tester has a very high degree of control over
which types of
tests are being performed, and how the tests will be executed. Using automated
tests enforces
consistent procedures that allow developers to evaluate the effect of various
application
modifications as well as the effect of various user actions.
For example, automated tests can be built that extract variable data from external
files or
applications and then run a test using the data as an input value. Most
importantly, automated
tests can be executed as many times as necessary without requiring a user to
recreate a test
script each time the test is run.
Greater Application Coverage

The productivity gains delivered by automated testing allow and encourage
organizations to test
more often and more completely. Greater application test coverage also reduces the
risk of
exposing users to malfunctioning or non-compliant software. In some industries
such as
healthcare and pharmaceuticals, organizations are required to comply with strict
quality
regulations as well as being required to document their quality assurance efforts
for all parts of
their systems.
Identifying Tests Requiring Automation
Most, but not all, types of tests can be automated. Certain types of tests like
user comprehension
tests, tests that run only once, and tests that require constant human
intervention are usually not
worth the investment to automate. The following are examples of criteria that can
be used to
identify tests that are prime candidates for automation.
High Path Frequency - Automated testing can be used to verify the performance of
application paths that are used with a high degree of frequency when the software
is running in full production.
Examples include: creating customer records, invoicing and other high volume
activities where
software failures would occur frequently.
Critical Business Processes - In many situations, software applications can
literally define or control the core of a company's business. If the application
fails, the company can face extreme
disruptions in critical operations. Mission-critical processes are prime
candidates for automated
testing.
Examples include: financial month-end closings, production planning, sales order

entry
and other core activities. Any application with a high-degree of risk associated
with a failure is a
good candidate for test automation.
Repetitive Testing - If a testing procedure can be reused many times, it is also a

prime candidate for automation. For example, common outline files can be created
to establish a testing session, close a testing session and apply testing values.
These automated modules can be used again and again without having to rebuild the
test scripts. This modular approach saves time and money when compared to creating
a new end-to-end script for each and every test.
Applications with a Long Life Span - If an application is planned to be in

production for a long period of time, the greater the benefits are from
automation.
What to Look For in a Testing Tool

Choosing an automated software testing tool is an important step, and one which
often poses enterprise-wide implications. Here are several key issues, which
should be addressed when selecting an application testing solution.
Test Planning and Management

A robust testing tool should have the capability to manage the testing process,
provide
organization for testing components, and create meaningful end-user and management
reports. It should also allow users to include non-automated testing procedures
within automated test plans and test results.
A robust tool will allow users to integrate existing test results into an
automated test plan. Finally, an automated test should be able to link business
requirements to test results, allowing users to evaluate application readiness
based upon the application's ability to support the business requirements.
Testing Product Integration

Testing tools should provide tightly integrated modules that support test
component reusability. Test components built for performing functional tests
should also support other types of testing including regression and load/stress
testing. All products within the testing product environment should be based upon
a common, easy-to-understand language. User training and experience gained in
performing one testing task should be transferable to other testing tasks. Also,
the architecture of the testing tool environment should be open to support
interaction with other technologies such as defect or bug tracking packages.
Internet/Intranet Testing
A good tool will have the ability to support testing within the scope of a web
browser. The tests created for testing Internet or intranet-based applications
should be portable across browsers, and should automatically adjust for different
load times and performance levels.
Ease of Use
Testing tools should be engineered to be usable by non-programmers and application
end-users. With much of the testing responsibility shifting from the development
staff to the departmental level, a testing tool that requires programming skills
is unusable by most organizations. Even if programmers are responsible for
testing, the testing tool itself should have a short learning curve.
GUI and Client/Server Testing
A robust testing tool should support testing with a variety of user interfaces and
create simple-to manage, easy-to-modify tests. Test component reusability should
be a cornerstone of the product
architecture.
Load and Performance Testing
The selected testing solution should allow users to perform meaningful load and
performance tests to accurately measure system performance. It should also provide
test
results in an easy-to-understand reporting format.

Test Automation

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Test Automation

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Test Automation

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

What are some common reasons for automating software testing?

What are some characteristics of applications that are good candidates for automated testing?

http://www.kualitatem.

Today, rigorous application testing is a critical part of virtually all software

Using Testing Effectively

Reducing Testing Costs

Replicating Testing Across Different Platforms

Repeatability and Control

Greater Application Coverage

Examples include: financial month-end closings, production planning, sales order

Repetitive Testing - If a testing procedure can be reused many times, it is also a

Applications with a Long Life Span - If an application is planned to be in

What to Look For in a Testing Tool

Test Planning and Management

Testing Product Integration

You might also like