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Seven Steps to Test Automation Success by Bret Pettichord. Presented by Wen Yin. Introduction. What is software test automation?
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Seven Steps to Test Automation Successby Bret Pettichord Presented by Wen Yin
Introduction • What is software test automation? • “The management and performance of test activities, to include the development and execution of test scripts so as to verify test requirements, using an automated test tool.” • Significantly reduce the effort required for adequate testing; • Significantly increase the testing which can be done in limited time.
Problems in test automation • Spare time test automation. • Lack of clear goals. • Lack of experience. • Reaction to desperation. • Reluctant to think about testing. • High turnover
Solution to the problem • Follow the rules of software development • Follow the seven steps to test automation success: • Improve the Testing Process • Define Requirement • Prove the Concept • Champion Product Testability • Design for Sustainability • Plan for Deployment • Face the Challenges of Success
Step 1. Improve the Testing Process • Improve test automation documentation • Explicit test approach (names, data, test design, expected result) • Get more computers • Improve the product for easier testing • Improve the product install program • Add error scanner to the product • Identify and report slow functionality as a defect
Step 2. Define Requirements • Different parties have different automation goals. • Come to agreement on what will count as success. • Focus on getting biggest payback, not trying automate every part of tests.
Step 3. Prove the Concept • Prove the feasibility of test automation as early as possible; • A quick, meaningful test suites; • Also an excellent way to evaluate tools • Candidates for proof of concept: • Regression testing • Configuration tests • Test bed setup • Non-GUI testing
Step 4. Champion Product Testability • Asking early for testability as a product requirement; • Getting testability features designed right into the product; • Encouraging to include CLI or API; • GUI test automation is more difficult, expensive and undependable; • API and CLI are easier and cheaper;
Step 5. Design for Sustainability • Focus on design of long term sustainability • test automation efforts are prone to being dropped. • Characteristics of a sustainable test suite • Reviewability • Maintainability • Integrity • Independence • Repeatability
Step 6. Plan for Deployment • Package the automated tests for others to use; • Test your test suite; • Get others to use your test suite as soon as it’s ready; • Make your test suite widely available to the entire product team.
Step 7. Face the challenges Success • Testers are lack of automated testing skill; • Improvement of test suite over time; • Timing for when test automation should be done
Summary • Test automation brings us both hopes and disappointments. • Seven Steps to the Success: • Improve the Testing Process; • Define Requirements • Prove the Concept • Champion Product Testability • Design for Sustainability • Plan for Deployment • Face the Challenges of Success