Review of the Year – Automation
Automation of software testing is something that seems to be on the minds of many Quality Assurance Managers and Test Leads. It has been a popular topic for many years.
Currently we get requests for particular tools and knowledge of their attributes in particular environments; these are usually serviceable. Current status seems to be a separate tool for every need and environment and sometimes every organisation. Based on past experience, in a few years, someone will consolidate all the disparate technologies under one umbrella tool. Then the cycle will start again with people inventing new tools for specific niches and products.
We also receive requests for people to “automate our testing” with no decision on the tool attached. This is a completely different question and requires some discussion to occur before the attempt to automate even starts. We need to know the what; when and Why the company wants to automate their testing. The thing we want to avoid are the actions below.
- Purchase Automated Test Tool.
- Install Tool.
- Wait for successful automation to save all the cost of the tool and cost of manual testing.
- Become disillusioned.
- Go to 1; Repeat ad infinitum.
This has occurred over and over in different organisations. A lot of money gets used up with no progress and eventually the organisation gives up on the cycle and continues manual testing (see last week’s blog).
Our best recommendations are as follows:
Look up where you are on the technology maturity level with your current technology.
Decide what you need (criteria are available) in terms of automation and what you are capable of handling based on maturity level.
Then do a Plan to implement your automation. Never assume it will just occur. It won’t.
Want to discuss how to automate effectively? Contact us.
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