It’s natural for companies, especially startups, to consider test automation as they grow, so your boss asks you to enable automation for testing. The problem is you’re new to this and unsure where to begin. But don’t worry, I’ve got you!
This step-by-step framework will help you take a structured approach to test automation and ensure you do it the right way. We’ll examine four steps to help you get started with test automation and use a real-world scenario of a web app to make it practical.
So, let’s dive in!
I believe in this era, automation is a must-have for every company. We can debate how much to use it, but as soon as your features start to grow and your test cases begin to multiply, you’ll realize that automation is indispensable.
At its core, automation is just a tool. Like a car, it can take you places, but if you don't know how to drive, it's just sitting in your garage. The same applies to automation. It remains just a buzzword if your company lacks a meaningful purpose for it. I've noticed teams often rush straight into picking the best automation tools on the market. But trust me, diving into the sea without a clear purpose will only leave you lost.
So, if your boss asks you to explore automation, start by asking:
You could also outline simple problem statements like:
Although automation can achieve much more than these two objectives, starting small and improving gradually beats proposing a grand solution right away.
Let’s tackle one of the key objectives, reducing manual effort.
The best approach to reducing manual effort is to identify the most repetitive testing activities in your software development lifecycle. Why? Because automation excels at executing the same test cases repeatedly. By identifying repetitive cases, you can free up manual effort for more valuable tasks.
In every iteration or increment, there are generally two types of testing strategies applied:
You might wonder, "Progression testing? What's that?”. Don’t worry, it’s not a commonly used term. Progression testing is essentially the opposite of regression testing. It’s about testing the new changes to ensure they work as intended. So while regression checks old features works, progression validates new behavior.
Between these two, which do you think is more repetitive? The answer is Regression testing.
Congrats! You’ve identified a prime candidate for automation. Repeating the same test cases is where automation truly shines.
To get the most from automation, start with the UI E2E layer, especially if you’re just starting out. Automating regression tests here provides immediate value and often requires less technical depth than unit or API tests, making it easier to build confidence as you develop your automation skills.
You've got your goals and know where to apply automation. But with so many options available, how do you pick the right automation tool?
Hold up, champ! You’re doing great so far. But here’s the thing: there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Every tool has its strengths, which depend on your organization’s context, culture, people, tech stack, and more.
Instead of searching for “the best tool,” create specific criteria to guide your selection. For example:
These distinctions can lead to entirely different tool options. Once you’ve outlined your criteria, rank them by importance and start evaluating tools in the market. Remember, the right tool for you depends entirely on your specific needs.
One often overlooked aspect of adopting automation is Integration.
Incorporating automation execution into your software development lifecycle (SDLC) brings a lot of benefits. For example, you can make automation results part of the decision-making process before a release. This simple step ensures that automation is formally adopted as part of your quality engineering efforts.
When automation becomes integral to your delivery process, it “forces” the team to keep automation up to date and maintain its health and reliability. This consistency fosters commitment, avoiding the common pitfall where automation initiatives start strong but eventually fade away.
Another aspect to consider is scheduling automation executions. CI/CD tools can help automate the scheduling process, whether through triggers, cron jobs, or pipelines. These tools ensure that your automation suite runs consistently, such as nightly or after specific events like code commits or merges.
If CI/CD tools feel overwhelming, don’t worry, starting with a basic calendar reminder for manual execution is fine. The key is to establish a routine. Starting small is better than not starting at all. As you gain familiarity, you can fully utilize CI/CD’s capabilities to schedule and streamline automation execution automatically.
After discussing the step-by-step process of implementing automation in your workplace, let me now share an example to help you understand it better. Imagine your team is preparing for a major release of your web application. Over 300 regression test cases need to be executed to ensure nothing breaks in production. Completing this takes two testers an entire day, every single time. It’s draining, repetitive, and leaves little room for anything else, like exploratory testing.
This is where automation steps in. Here’s how you can tackle it:
This transformation not only saves time but also leverages the quality of your releases. Automation is about enabling your team to focus on what truly matters.
Automation is indeed only a tool.
Therefore, to ensure its success, it requires the right mindset. Start by defining a clear purpose, identify the right candidates for automation, and integrate it into your workflows. With this approach, you’ll build a sustainable and impactful automation initiative.
Good luck, and remember... Start small, think big, and iterate often. 😉