It is necessary to conduct testing in advance to create high-quality software. To make testing more effective, many experts seek to automate this process. It is not always possible to do this correctly, which causes problems.
What mistakes are made when automating testing?
There are several common mistakes that testers face around the world. Today we want to consider the most common of them.
Missed the first step
Before you start automating testing, you need to understand why you are doing this. For example, try to figure it out following this link. After you clearly see your goal, get to the next step.
Usually, before you automate testing, you need to understand what you didn’t like about the usual work format.
Solution: Determine the main goals you want to achieve in each automation task. Each area of automation should have measurable goals and be specifically geared towards increasing the speed rate.
Automated the wrong things
Testing is a very complex multi-component process. Sometimes, some teams try to automate processes that cannot be automated. It takes a lot of time and effort, but it does not result.
So, if you use one type of testing only once a year, then there is no need to spend several months automating processes (creating a framework and scripts).
In addition, some professionals want to impress their customers and make more money from it, which is doing useless work.
Solution: It is best to automate those tests that are reproducible and deterministic. If the code changes regularly, it isn’t easy to automate.
Using the wrong tools
Some specialists want to find a tool that will help solve all the tasks simultaneously. It is a big mistake because there are simply no such people.
The QA testing process is quite complex, so it is always better to choose tools that will solve one problem well. Today there are a considerable number of different devices so that you can select the essential tool depending on the goals, the professionalism of the team, and many other points.
Solution: First, you must determine what tasks need to be solved. Then you can try out several tools and see how they suit you. Most modern devices provide a 2 week trial for free.
The selected tools are not suitable for testing
The technicians must know how to operate the tool. Whatever expensive and feature-rich tool you choose, it doesn’t matter if you don’t have to use it.
There are 3 main types of testers:
1. Offers to use only one programming environment;
2. Prefer higher-level tools that use modeling and do not require programming skills;
3. They are not technical people who do acceptance testing, usability testing, etc., and prefer to use natural language to write tests.
Tool developers are well versed in this, so they create different software for each of these varieties of testers.
When buying software, you should take this fact into account and choose a product that is convenient for you.
Solution: Try a trial run of your chosen tools, understand how they work, and decide how they meet your requirements and needs. In addition, a good solution would be to improve your qualifications and your team’s skills constantly. It can simplify the process of automating all functional and non-functional testing types as much as possible.
They wrongly calculated the cost of automation
Test automation is a rather complicated process that involves the purchase of expensive tools, advanced training of specialists, and long-term work on the project. The more methods you need to automate, the more it costs.
Sometimes, before testing automation begins, specialists incorrectly calculate all expenses, so the process is frozen. It leads not only to the fact that all the costs and efforts go nowhere.
Solution: when calculating the cost of test automation, you should consider force majeure situations and multiply the amount received by 2. In this case, you can be sure there will be enough funding.
Pick a tool just because it has an open stroke
Many testers believe that open source tools are better and more professional, but at the same time, working with them requires specific knowledge. Open source tools have some limitations, despite the attractive lack of royalties. Some have limited functionality and may not provide all the required functionality.
Many testers use 2 types of tools at once: open source and commercial tools. They skillfully complement each other and allow you to get the job done faster and easier.
Solution: Before you start automating testing, you need to define tasks and select several types of tools with open and closed sources.
They haven’t created a testing culture that includes automation
Some testers are accustomed to blaming tools for the failure of automation. However, quite often, the problem is that you have failed to create a testing culture.
Teams with culture issues may be prejudiced against test automation, or they may still assign only one person as a tester and require all testing activities to go through that tester.
Solution: Consider the entire department’s work principles and correctly allocate responsibilities.
