The Prolifics Guide to Test Automation

Test Automation: the Key to Quality Assurance

Software businesses are operating in intensely competitive global markets, catering to very discerning and demanding consumer preferences around the world.

Getting quality software in the market quickly and regularly has never been more important.

To do this, businesses need to have particularly efficient and effective quality assurance systems in place.

This is where test automation has made the biggest difference. It involves using automation software to carry out various tests to assess the quality and performance of the software being created.

Led by Artificial Launch and Machine Learning, intelligent test automation is the ground-breaking, new approach for adding value to the product lifecycle while also making it an even faster process.

As organizations have scaled up and spread their operations, the challenges they face have also grown.

Test automation is expected to deliver higher volumes and better quality at a much faster pace than ever before. This is where intelligent test automation has made a huge contribution. Machine learning, for example, can now carry out image-based testing using automated visual validation tools to verify that the UI appears correctly to users. It does so efficiently and with much greater attention to detail than humanly possible.

Test automation is a key component of quality assurance. It is a process that involves validating the quality and functionality of the software by running tests, managing test data, and using it to improve the software.

What a General Test Automation Process Looks Like

A common question is how test automation works. Here we give a glimpse into what a test automation process looks like:

• Define Scope of Automation: This step involves identifying the part of the application that needs automation.
• Create Automation Test Framework: This is one of the most technical steps of test automation. It involves creating a test framework that provides adequate support for the test automation to be able to run in the long-run. A good test framework will provide the right set of rules and a well thought out script that will help minimize maintenance required and will help cope effectively with changes in the application, needing little to no updates itself.
• Writing Scripts: Once the framework is designed and the execution plan has been decided on, writing the script comes next. All the best programming practices should be adopted when writing a script to ensure the best results. An organized approach to writing the script and maintenance of the source code and history are some ways of delivering high-quality scripts.
• Reporting: The results from the testing process are reported to the management and test coverage is generally disclosed to them at this stage.
• Maintenance of Scripts: A good framework and a well-written script will generally make this an easy step with little maintenance required.