Software testing is critical for bringing reliable software to market quickly. Businesses employ various software testing techniques, including functional, regression, smoke, and non-functional testing. Precisely, as organizations increasingly embrace DevOps and agile approaches to expedite software delivery, the notion of mobile app test automation has risen to prominence in their pursuit of quicker and higher-quality releases.
How is Automation Testing Defined?
Automation testing is a sophisticated software testing that uses autonomous tools and frameworks to validate the program. Unlike manual software testing, software test automation requires little human participation, except for creating scripts, which are then executed automatically using automation tools.
Automation testing greatly minimizes the work required by the QA team to conduct repetitive operations and decreases the time and expense associated with regression testing. This testing approach accelerates the whole testing process and significantly reduces test cycle time.
The automated testing business has grown at a breakneck pace in recent years. As per MarketsandMarkets, the global test automation marketplace is predicted to increase from USD 12.6 billion in 2019 to USD 28.8 billion in 2024, at an 18.0% compound annual growth rate (2019-2024).
The integration of advanced technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), DevOps, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) into industrial processes has prompted organizations to invest in automation solutions, the key driver driving demand for this market.
However, organizations should have an efficient automated testing approach to accelerate release cycles and provide a consistent customer experience (CX) with practical solutions.
How to Create an Effective Strategy for Automation Testing?
A well-planned test automation strategy is critical to the automated software testing process’s efficiency, and when implemented correctly, it provides various benefits. Among the benefits are:
- Better test coverage.
- Improved test reliability.
- Shorter time-to-market.
- A faster Return On Investment.
Businesses must follow the procedure outlined below to implement a successful software test automation plan:
Determine the Test Automation Objectives:
Defining testing objectives before initiating the automated testing process is critical for keeping the testing process on track. The objectives may include expedited test execution, improved test findings, increased accuracy, decreased regression time, and cost savings.
Appoint the Appropriate Team Members:
Once the automation objectives have been defined, it is critical to have the correct personnel on the team. The teams should have sufficient hands-on experience to develop test scripts, run tests, analyze test failures, upgrade tests, and write regression tests, among others. Hire the best team to get the best results in less time.
Plan the Testing Strategy:
After identifying the appropriate team and allocating duties, it’s time to organize the testing method. It is critical to establish what will be automated first, then the measure at which the test will be prepared, and finally the sort of test that will be conducted.
Select a Framework for Automated Testing:
Frameworks for test automation provide the standards that must be followed while developing and running tests. Teams can pick from various frameworks, including linear scripting, library layout testing, modular-based testing, and data-driven testing.
Select the Appropriate Testing Tool:
The automated testing industry, according to GlobeNewswire, is set to exceed USD 68 billion by 2025.It is critical to select the appropriate testing tool to ensure the effectiveness of your automated software testing strategy. To choose the appropriate testing tool, it is typically required to consider the tool’s compliance with the current project’s technological stack, language options, system testing assistance, Operating System (OS) support, etc.
Configure the Testing Environment:
After completing the preceding procedures, it’s time to prepare the test environment for execution. Acquire the gear and software necessary to execute the test to set up the test environment.
Create and run the Test Cases:
This is a critical step since it is during this stage that test scripts are written and performed. When developing test scripts, ensure that they are scalable, well-structured, and well-documented. After creating the test scripts, run them utilizing automation testing toolkits.
Analyze and Report the Results of the Tests:
Once the test execution process is complete, it is critical to assess the test results to determine what went wrong, what needs to be corrected or improved, and the test’s success rate, among other things. It is critical to communicate the test results and findings to all participants.
Keep Track of Test Scripts:
Finally, it is vital to preserve the test scripts to reuse them for regression testing or similar software types. Furthermore, maintain a library of old test cases and add new ones to guarantee optimally automated and further reusing the test scripts.
For a comprehensive automation testing journey to be successful, developing an effective test automation plan and using the newest automation testing trends is critical for today’s organizations to stay competitive.
4 Significant Automation Testing Trends to Watch in 2022
Test Automation in DevOps:
Although DevOps has been around for some time, the usage of test automation in DevOps is reportedly increasing considerably. The primary reason driving the growth of the automation testing market might be the use of DevOps methodologies in automation.
Moreover, organizations may elevate DevOps to a new level by boosting automated testing adoption inside DevOps and employing sophisticated automated security testing solutions. It will improve security and also guarantee that security testing occurs early and frequently across the software delivery pipeline.
Test Sigma, Selenium, and Appium are just a few of the main automated testing solutions for DevOps and continuous testing.
Adoption of Tools for Codeless Automated Testing:
The primary trend for the coming year will be increased usage of codeless automated testing methods. Codeless testing is a technique that allows for the creation of automated tests without the need to write a single line of code.
It necessitates the use of codeless testing tools that are powered by artificial intelligence and visual modelling technologies. Adoption of such tools enables you save a lot time and complete the task effortlessly.
There are several advantages to codeless testing methodologies, including simplicity of use, quicker test execution, ease of review, and optimal resource use.
Automation of Functional and Non-functional Testing is Required:
Given the ongoing demand on businesses to deliver high-quality software to customers faster, the way forward is for firms to automate the software testing process. Businesses may obtain better test coverage, faster test execution, a higher-quality product, and a shorter time-to-market by automated functional and non-functional testing.
Automation of the test procedure, on the other hand, is not feasible without the use of high-quality automation tools. Thus, firms may utilize Selenium, Tricentis Tosca, and others for functional testing, and JMeter, Neoload, and others for non-functional tests.
Accessibility Testing is on the Rise:
Another trend predicted to gain traction is the increased use of accessibility testing. As organizations continue to embrace digital methods of servicing and communicating with consumers, the need for seamless software accessibility across sectors continues to grow.
Businesses must guarantee that their software is universally accessible to all individuals, including those who are blind, have mobility impairments, are colourblind, or have cognitive disabilities.
Automated testing has become a must for organizations today with the increasing acceptance of DevOps practices and the growing demand for high-quality services. This testing approach is likely to expand significantly in the following years, along with AI and machine learning integration.
Organizations must embrace automation to provide faster product releases, accurate solutions, and early market entry to enhance customer experience.Businesses should employ next-generation quality assurance and autonomous software testing service providers for DevOps test automation.
