List Of 11 Important Automation Testing Tips (Plus Benefits)

Updated 2 September 2022

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Automation testing is a software testing method that compares the actual result with the predicted outcome to find bugs, errors and other concerns throughout the development cycle of a product. One of the most crucial tasks for a software developer is to test their online or mobile applications to make sure they function as intended. Learning about various techniques and tips related to automation testing can make your work easier. In this article, we list 11 automation testing tips and discuss some benefits of automation testing.

11 Automation Testing Tips

Here are a few automation testing tips that might prove beneficial in increasing returns on investment (ROI) and improving the effectiveness of the product:

1. Determine which test cases require automating

It is crucial to choose which test cases to automate because it might not always be feasible to automate all testing scenarios. It is often preferable to conduct manual testing for tests that you run only occasionally. The best test cases for automation are those that can process a lot of data and are possible to execute repeatedly. The primary goal of test automation is to enable repeatable test execution for each new release.

If the test only requires to be run once, the efforts you put in may be higher than the benefits. As the product being tested changes, you can run regression tests frequently as required.

2. Understand the product

Always begin by creating a product map. Consider spending some time studying the application early in the design process and attempting to simulate the features and specifications of the final product. A graphical model, like a mind map, can represent the product in a clear, understandable manner. The modelling exercise is more likely to make you aware of characteristics you maybe did not realise were present.

3. Categorise the test plans

Once you decide which tests you want to automate, you can begin selecting and categorising the tests. You can decide the results you want to get from test automation and then arrange the subsequent steps accordingly. You can group challenging activities according to their priorities. After you have finished determining the top priorities, you may begin dividing the jobs into subgroups that are necessary to complete within a specified time frame. It is also critical to recognise that not every team member possesses the same qualifications so you can delegate tasks according to their specialisations.

4. Create test designs and scenarios

Before attempting to automate the tests, it is advisable to design the test cases and scenarios. Reliable test designs can aid in detecting problems, and successful automated testing typically depends on the proper execution of these test designs. Instead of allowing such important considerations to be addressed once development is in its later phases, test design may determine high-risk areas or other specified areas where test automation is likely to contribute significantly. An excellent test design considers all the tests to be accomplished that suit the team and client requirements.

It is a smart idea to define the test scenario and generate test cases. You may prepare test cases in advance to determine the test execution time and potential flaws. It aids in identifying additional application scenarios and workflows that are possible to automate, which you may otherwise overlook if you focus more on conventional ones.

5. Select the right tool

Choosing a proper automation testing tool is crucial for test automation. There are several automated testing tools available, so it is essential to select the one that meets your criteria comprehensively. As no two organisations are alike, a certain tool might be more suitable for a scenario in one organisation, while not as useful in others. Considering this, you may search for a test management program that not only meets your current day-to-day testing demands but also provides flexibility if your testing methodology requires adjustments in the future.

6. Begin with a pilot experiment

A business test case that outlines the project's goals and the methodology that it can use to achieve them typically serves as the motivation for a pilot project. The business case may include a realistic timetable and measures for assessing performance. For instance, the testing engineer might want to shorten the regression test runtime from two weeks to 11 days. Running an initial small-scale project before adopting a full-scale automation testing approach might also give you a better idea of whether it is viable in the long term.

7. Use quality test data

For data-driven testing, proper test data are of utmost importance. It is necessary to enter the information usually kept in an external file in the input areas during an automated test. When doing an automated test, a suitable automated testing tool assimilates the data files' contents and iterates through them. Your automated tests are easier to reuse and maintain when you use high-quality external data. You can easily expand the data files with new data without modifying the automated test itself to add new testing scenarios.

8. Determine the process

Ensure that you establish the execution process before starting full-fledged test automation. This can help distribute the proper resources at various points in time and help in identifying potential issues and action plans early. Determining the testing process can help you find the best techniques to complete the job more quickly and successfully.

9. Create versatile tests

You may frequently write scripts and keyword-based tests for applications whose functional requirements vary along with their user interface (UI). In such circumstances, the test scripts may not always function for the application's subsequent versions. It is advisable to identify and locate UI objects and properties while creating tests so that they do not interfere with UI modifications. Giving the controls distinctive names might help ensure that the tests remain stable and unaffected by UI changes to make your automated tests run smoothly even without frequent adjustments.

10. Review the tests

It is critical that you periodically assess the validity of your test data and instances. Regularly reviewing tests also aids in identifying outdated, superfluous tests which are no longer necessary for the current test cycle. This also helps to lower expenses and avoid exhausting maintenance efforts. In addition, you may assess and confirm the accuracy of tests by evaluating them, which typically creates a long-term impact on the test automation project.

11. Employ standardised testing techniques

Using standardised tools, frameworks and test procedures that are appropriate for a specific application or test scenario can help you overcome several testing difficulties. You can use various testing methods, including exploratory testing, state transition testing, behavioural or black-box testing, along with structural or white-box testing for an extensive range of testing concerns. Using the correct framework and tools for test management, and issue monitoring, reporting and analytics can aid in getting the desired results from the test automation project.

What Are The Benefits Of Automation Testing?

Professionals may practice automation testing to ensure that a product or software program operates as intended and meets all the requirements and quality standards Quality assurance (QA) analysts usually run tests manually one at a time to find errors or bugs in software. Programmers or testers run scripts utilising automation tools or frameworks to check that software functions correctly with the least amount of human participation during automated testing. Here is a list of some of its benefits:

Reduced costs: The team may find software issues early in the development process by using automated testing and then resolve them. As a result, future system maintenance may become considerably simpler and less expensive.
Instant feedback: Automated testing provides comprehensive reports and immediately detects errors because of its quicker execution. Professionals can use this to analyse the outcomes and change the code.
Enhanced productivity: An automated test requires little to no human involvement and runs frequently on a schedule. This enables experts to concentrate more on other important responsibilities rather than on manual testing.
Faster development cycle: Software development teams may deliver new releases more frequently and make improvements more rapidly with faster execution, more accuracy and more effective test cases. It shortens development cycles and helps get products to market more quickly.
Improved insights: Automated testing tries to evaluate the program by running a greater number of test cases, which helps generate detailed reporting and offers useful insights.
Better accuracy: Compared to manual testing, which may be subject to human error, automated testing is much more accurate.
In-depth testing: Tools and scripts for automation testing let you test complex situations that may be more difficult and take longer to do manually.
Increased testing speed: Automated testing speeds up the testing period by running several test cases concurrently.
Higher test coverage: By automating testing, you may add more test cases to cover more software components to develop a more coherent and intuitive application.
Reusability: You can save time and resources by reusing software scripts in other projects with related requirements.