What are the key considerations in a software test automation strategy?
I recommend starting on your automation journey with the
following considerations:
●
Statement of goals; what do we want to
accomplish?
○
This will be a valuable reference point and it
can be improved and changed as the organization learns and accumulates
experience.
●
Capabilities assessment
○
What skills and automation tools already exist?
○
What skills need to be developed?
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Inventory of tools in use, analysis, and new
tool recommendations
○
Where might external specialists help fill gaps,
accelerate progress?
○
Unit testing is a type of test automation;
include it in the assessment
●
Engage the enterprise
○
Develop a broad base of knowledge and support
for the automation strategy
●
Plan for continuous maintenance and improvement
○
For example, I recommend planning for an
improvement phase in the release cycle alongside iteration, feature test, and
regression test phases
●
Set realistic goals to sustainably increase test
automation coverage
●
Are there current “hot spots” where the
automation strategy may need to focus early?
○
For example, performance testing automation may
be a higher priority than GUI functional automation
●
It’s important to have an understanding that
automation can save time and increase coverage but may not necessarily cost
less than manual testing
●
Not all tests can be automated economically or
can be executed faster than manual tests
●
Automation is not easy but with the support of
the organization, it can be successful and help achieve goals. The support is critical. For example, outreach can help the organization
stay the course and reach its goals:
●
Success fuels engagement, creativity,
confidence, and skills growth
○
Design the strategy and roadmap to get early
wins
○
The early wins will bridge to a sustainable and
integrated test automation capability
