Benefits of Automated Software Testing
All too often, when an application is released to market, it still has flaws. Test engineers often try their best to identify the bugs manually before the release of the product, but somehow, bugs creep in and even reappear after rigorous manual testing. To maximize efficiency and limit such problems, employing automation testing can be a great solution.
The main goal of Automated Testing is to reduce the time and long term costs of certain testing as much as possible by utilizing test scripts. Automated testing scripts, display test results and compare outcomes with previous runs. Tests conducted using these automated tools can be executed repeatedly at any time.
Automated testing phases involve:
An application is evaluated to check whether it qualifies for automation testing.
An appropriate Automation tool is selected.
A suitable testing framework is designed.
Test scripts are developed, executed and analyzed for accuracy.
Test scripts are adjusted if necessary
Key Benefits of Automated Testing
Return on Investment: In automated testing, the initial investment required is comparatively high over manual testing due to the development costs of the testing scripts. However, the long-term financial and time benefits outweigh those of repeated manual testing due to minimal manpower required.
Option to Execute Tests 24/7: You can execute the tests from any location, enabling you to remotely run multiple test labs simultaneously. For example, you can use partner labs on a range of devices you do not currently own.
Fewer Man hours Required: In the case of automated testing, just a test automation engineer is required to execute the tests.
Re-usability: Certain scripts can be reused for different applications. The tester is not required to create new scripts for new applications even if the version of the operating system changes for the device.
Increased Coverage: Test engineers can easily build a test suite to explore different user behaviour of every feature of the application.
Bugs: As Automated Testing is performed in each stage of application development, it helps in identifying the bugs in the initial stages of application development. This ultimately helps in minimizing the expenses and the overall time required to fix these bugs.
Reliability: Automated Testing can be highly reliable over Manual Testing. It is a quick method of finding bugs in an application without the expense of performing repetitive tests manually.
Simultaneous Testing of Applications on Different Devices: Automated Testing enables simultaneous testing of applications on multiple devices.
Continuity: Automated testing provides clearer information on the following:
Automated Testing provides clearer information on the following:
The tests performed on the application
Devices used in the tests
The scripts that are already written for the application
The details of the engineers performing the tests
The bugs identified and fixed
Automated Testing Scenarios
Stress Testing: A deliberately intense testing designed to cause an overload of software or software system, with the goal of producing errors. It would be almost impossible to overload a system in this way manually.
Volume: This non-functional performance test also referred as flood testing, is the process whereby software is subjected to massive volumes of data increases in the database. To do this across thousands of devices simultaneously, again, would be almost impossible to do manually.
Upgrade: Automated testing enables the up-gradation of the software directory whenever any new test is used, and new bugs are discovered.
Regression Testing: Automated Testing significantly minimizes errors by following the pre-written instructions. Regression Testing checks whether or not the existing functionalities also work for new OS versions and devices. This is required when new changes are made in the existing application. The consistency of Automated Testing enables the required reliability for Regression Testing.
User Interface Environment Simulation: Automated scripts test an application in a simulated user environment, using inputs such as configured mouse clicks and keystrokes. User Interface (UI) Testing is one of the most time consuming and repetitive methods of testing. Engineers need to use the same methods on hundreds of devices to identify problems relating to the responsiveness of the UI.
Limiting Human Errors: People may not repeat the same tasks in the same sequence as a machine would. Such human errors make automation essential during interactive development or sprint cycles where the same features need to be tested on mass repeat.
Where Not To Automate
Automation will not be able to replace manual testing completely. There will always be a need for human intervention. A prime example is Security Testing, where the idea is to find new ways to break security barriers skillfully.
