Test Automation

http://www.kualitatem.com Automation What is Automation? Automated testing is automating the manual testing process currently in use Today, rigorous application testing is a critical part of virtually all software development projects. As more organizations develop mission-critical systems to support their business activities, the need is greatly increased for testing methods that support business objectives. It is necessary to ensure that these systems are reliable, built according to specification, and have the ability to support business processes. Many internal and external factors are forcing organizations to ensure a high level of software quality and reliability. In the past, most software tests were performed using manual methods. This required a large staff of test personnel to perform expensive, and time-consuming manual test procedures. Owing to the size and complexity of today's advanced software applications, manual testing is no longer a viable option for most testing situations. Every organization has unique reasons for automating software quality activities, but several reasons are common across industries. Using Testing Effectively By definition, testing is a repetitive activity. The very nature of application software development dictates that no matter which methods are employed to carry out testing (manual or automated), they remain repetitious throughout the development lifecycle. Automation of testing processes allows machines to complete the tedious, repetitive work while human personnel perform other tasks. Automation allows the tester to reduce or eliminate the required "think time" or "read time" necessary for the manual interpretation of when or where to click the mouse or press the enter key. An automated test executes the next operation in the test hierarchy at machine speed, allowing tests to be completed many times faster than the fastest individual. Furthermore, some types of testing, such as load/stress testing, are virtually impossible to perform manually. Reducing Testing Costs The cost of performing manual testing is prohibitive when compared to automated methods. The reason is that computers can execute instructions many times faster, and with fewer errors than individuals. Many automated testing tools can replicate the activity of a large number of users (and their associated transactions) using a single computer. Therefore, load/stress testing using automated methods require only a fraction of the computer hardware that would be necessary to complete a manual test. Imagine performing a load test on a typical distributed client/server application on which 50 concurrent users were planned. To do the testing manually, 50 application users employing 50 PCs with associated software, an available network, and a cadre of coordinators to relay instructions to the users would be required. With an automated scenario, the entire test operation could be created on a single machine having the ability to run and rerun the test as necessary, at night or on weekends without having to assemble an army of end

users. As another example, imagine the same application used by hundreds or thousands of users. It is easy to see why manual methods for load/stress testing is an expensive and logistical nightmare. Replicating Testing Across Different Platforms Automation allows the testing organization to perform consistent and repeatable tests. When applications need to be deployed across different hardware or software platforms, standard or benchmark tests can be created and repeated on target platforms to ensure that new platforms operate consistently. Repeatability and Control By using automated techniques, the tester has a very high degree of control over which types of tests are being performed, and how the tests will be executed. Using automated tests enforces consistent procedures that allow developers to evaluate the effect of various application modifications as well as the effect of various user actions. For example, automated tests can be built that extract variable data from external files or applications and then run a test using the data as an input value. Most importantly, automated tests can be executed as many times as necessary without requiring a user to recreate a test script each time the test is run. Greater Application Coverage The productivity gains delivered by automated testing allow and encourage organizations to test more often and more completely. Greater application test coverage also reduces the risk of exposing users to malfunctioning or non-compliant software. In some industries such as healthcare and pharmaceuticals, organizations are required to comply with strict quality regulations as well as being required to document their quality assurance efforts for all parts of their systems. Identifying Tests Requiring Automation Most, but not all, types of tests can be automated. Certain types of tests like user comprehension tests, tests that run only once, and tests that require constant human intervention are usually not worth the investment to automate. The following are examples of criteria that can be used to identify tests that are prime candidates for automation. High Path Frequency - Automated testing can be used to verify the performance of application paths that are used with a high degree of frequency when the software is running in full production. Examples include: creating customer records, invoicing and other high volume activities where software failures would occur frequently.

Critical Business Processes - In many situations, software applications can literally define or control the core of a company's business. If the application fails, the company can face extreme disruptions in critical operations. Mission-critical processes are prime candidates for automated testing. Examples include: financial month-end closings, production planning, sales order entry and other core activities. Any application with a high-degree of risk associated with a failure is a good candidate for test automation. Repetitive Testing - If a testing procedure can be reused many times, it is also a prime candidate for automation. For example, common outline files can be created to establish a testing session, close a testing session and apply testing values. These automated modules can be used again and again without having to rebuild the test scripts. This modular approach saves time and money when compared to creating a new end-to-end script for each and every test. Applications with a Long Life Span - If an application is planned to be in production for a long period of time, the greater the benefits are from automation. What to Look For in a Testing Tool Choosing an automated software testing tool is an important step, and one which often poses enterprise-wide implications. Here are several key issues, which should be addressed when selecting an application testing solution. Test Planning and Management A robust testing tool should have the capability to manage the testing process, provide organization for testing components, and create meaningful end-user and management reports. It should also allow users to include non-automated testing procedures within automated test plans and test results. A robust tool will allow users to integrate existing test results into an automated test plan. Finally, an automated test should be able to link business requirements to test results, allowing users to evaluate application readiness based upon the application's ability to support the business requirements. Testing Product Integration Testing tools should provide tightly integrated modules that support test component reusability. Test components built for performing functional tests should also support other types of testing including regression and load/stress testing. All products within the testing product environment should be based upon a common, easy-to-understand language. User training and experience gained in performing one testing task should be transferable to other testing tasks. Also, the architecture of the testing tool environment should be open to support interaction with other technologies such as defect or bug tracking packages. Internet/Intranet Testing A good tool will have the ability to support testing within the scope of a web browser. The tests created for testing Internet or intranet-based applications should be portable across browsers, and should automatically adjust for different load times and performance levels. Ease of Use Testing tools should be engineered to be usable by non-programmers and application end-users. With much of the testing responsibility shifting from the development

staff to the departmental level, a testing tool that requires programming skills is unusable by most organizations. Even if programmers are responsible for testing, the testing tool itself should have a short learning curve. GUI and Client/Server Testing A robust testing tool should support testing with a variety of user interfaces and create simple-to manage, easy-to-modify tests. Test component reusability should be a cornerstone of the product architecture. Load and Performance Testing The selected testing solution should allow users to perform meaningful load and performance tests to accurately measure system performance. It should also provide test results in an easy-to-understand reporting format.