Automating your testing processes is one of the best ways to make application testing more efficient, allow for greater test coverage, and more. Unlike manual testing which requires human participation, automated testing creates scripts that allow running the same test unlimited times. Automated testing helps to improve the scale at which the test team operates and the speed of delivery.
Today, we’ll be looking at how you can integrate automated testing alongside manual testing to develop bug-free applications with a pleasing UX that completely satisfies your business’s demands.
Read on for more information.
Tips for Integrated Automated Testing into the Manual Testing Process
Know Which Automated Testing Tool Is Right for You
Testers need to understand the important of choosing the right automated testing tool for their team. There are numerous options on the market, some of which will suit your requirements. Consider this checklist when choosing your next automated testing tool:
Does the tool support your current tech and platforms?
Consider whether you are testing .Net, WPF, C# applications, and operating systems. Do you test web applications? Will you need to venture into mobile app testing? Are you working on iOS, Android, or both? Your testing tool needs to allow these possibilities.
Does the tool have flexible functions for different testing levels and experiences?
If your testing department can write automated testing scripts, fantastic. However, some testing departments require simplified keyword testing. Ensure your tool accommodates testers of different skills and experience levels.
Does the testing tool have plenty of features, and does it allow easy test creation?
The best-automated testing tools will support record-and-playback test creation while allowing manual automated test creation. You should also consider whether it has various features to verify databases, values, and application functionality.
Does the testing tool integrate with your testing ecosystem?
If you already use numerous other platforms and frameworks in your testing process, you’ll need to ensure your automated testing tool will support them. Consider if the testing integrates with CI/CD pipeline, test management framework, and defect management systems. This will save plenty of headaches during the testing process.
Design Automated Tests That Can Cope With User Interface Changes
One thing testers need to understand about automated tests is that scripts and keyword tests are based on the application in question. This application’s user interface will most likely change a lot during the development stage, especially at the start of the testing process. Keep in mind these changes will alter test results or render a particular automated test entirely obsolete.
When testing manually, you’ll have more of an idea of what works and what doesn’t work, as you’ll be going through every function by hand. If you have to develop new automated tests for every build, you’re going to waste time, negating the point of automating tests in the first place.
Automated testing tools use properties to locate and identify objects. If those properties (such as location coordinates) change, the test will fail when it cannot locate those objects. The tester then needs to create and run new tests all over again. Testers should make tests that will work despite UI changes, so they can reuse those test scripts in the future or adapt them to similar scenarios.
Luckily, when integrating automated testing into your manual testing processes, there will still be plenty of manual testing practices to pick up on any automated testing issues that arise with new builds.
Segment Your Testing Processes
In an environment where testers integrate automated tests with manual processes, different tests are created based on each tester’s skill level. When introducing automated testing, teams need to understand their team skills and experience. Automated tests require an acute knowledge of script languages. Most manual testers will not possess this skill, so many teams hire testers specifically to prepare for the switch to automated testing tools. Alternatively, they may wish to train current testers to reach the same level.
While some testers may not know how to write test scripts, they could be better suited to creating test cases. Some testing tools do not require expert knowledge of scripting. For example, certain testing tools allow keyword test creation (or keyword-driven testing). These tests are a good alternative to automated scripts, as they can be used by knowledgeable and beginner users alike to create comprehensive automated tests.
Also, testing teams should still maintain a good number of manual testing practices, as nothing can replace human creativity or intuition when finding and fixing technical issues.
In addition, testing teams should also learn how to collaborate and improve their communication across automated and manual testing departments. This will help the team find defects and bugs quickly, bringing a robust and faultless application to market more efficiently.
Final Thoughts
These are just a few things you need to consider when integrated automated testing. While a fully automated testing process sounds efficient and enticing, teams will still need to incorporate plenty of manual practices to ensure the application functions well from a human standpoint. By mixing automated testing and manual testing together, you get the best of both worlds, resulting in a more complete application.