Automation Testing Lifecycle Unveiled

Automation is indeed the name of the game. Not only have we automated human actions, but AI is here to supplement human intelligence with automation on an information level.

In software testing, market success heavily depends on automation. If you’re going to keep up with the grueling timelines of releasing customer-facing software, you’ll need to incorporate automation as much as possible into your development funnel.

For software testing automation to work, it has to be set up in specific phases, while being tailored to meet the unique requirements of each application. This requires considerable skill and — this is non-negotiable — the right toolset.

In this article, we’ll lay out the stages of the automation testing lifecycle, and introduce a tool that simplifies these forms of testing, even for users with non-technical backgrounds.

Determining The Scope Of Test Automation

When deciding if a test should be automated or not, ask the following questions:

• Is the test high risk and involving business-critical functions?

Certain software features are closely linked to a business’ monetary success. For example, the actual payment button in every app or website. This feature — pressing the “Buy” button, being redirected to the right payment portal, establishing a secure link with the customer’s bank — is paramount to the application’s success because that’s what makes the brand it’s money.

If this feature (or similar ones) are not working, or worse, they actively malfunction, the brand behind the app can expect angry/disappointed clients, heavily vexed management, and possible legal action.

Testing such features cannot be left entirely to manual QAs. Human, by our very nature, make mistakes. We get tired, miss a line, stare off into space after a hard day, etc. A person cannot be expected to test such features entirely by themselves, going through each line of code to identify where a bug was encountered.

Automation takes away much of the risk. Machines don’t make mistakes — they just do what you tell them. Automated tests can check huge swaths of code without getting exhausted or missing a single semicolon. Of course, the test scripts must be created and results checked by human QAs. But the bulk of the world can and should be automated.

• Is the test repetitive?

Regression tests are a great example of this. Some tests have to be run multiple times in a single test lifecycle, to ensure that the software is stable at all times. Such tests should be automated, because it is literally going through the same set of steps every time. Insert automation, and you have more time and resources to focus on tests that do need to be run by living, breathing people (such as User Acceptance Testing).

• Is it a functional test?

Functional tests check the viability of every single software function. This process can be mechanized easily with automation. Testers already know what the “perfect behavior” for these functions is. They also know what steps a user must take to achieve desired results.

Naturally, they can automate the steps and check for the state of the results. Once again, create the tests scripts, and you’ll end up saving significant time, effort, and money.

Stages of Automation Testing Life Cycle

Determining the Scope of Test Automation

As mentioned just above, when defining the scope of test automation — which tests to automate and which not to — ask the following questions:

• Is it a critical feature tied to the company’s financial success?
• Is it a repetitive test?
• Is it a functional test?

If the answer to above questions is yes (even if it’s ⅔), you should absolutely look into automating the test(s) in question.

Selecting the Appropriate Automation Tool

This section is not enough to detail every pointer. Test teams must look out for a plethora of qualifying factors before they choose a test automation tool. While each factor will be explained in detail later in the article, here is the overview:

• Does it fit your budget?
• Does it offer access to real browsers, devices and OSes — what actual users would utilize to operate the software after public release?
• Is the tool easy to use for the entire team — including the non-tech folks?
• Does the tool regularly upgrade itself to offer new and relevant features?
• Does the tool fit into your team’s current tech stack?
• Does the tool match your team’s technical requirements — platform, language & customer support script reusability/maintainability, etc.?
• Does the tool have in-built features for effective reporting?

We’ll dive deeper into each point after this section.

Developing the Test Plan, Test Design, and Test Strategy

A test plan highlights and details the strategy, objectives, resources and schedule of the test process. It will mention the type and number of tests to be run, aim of each test, necessary tools and pas/fail requirements. Tha plan must be regularly updated to align with changes in strategy or goals.

Test design defines the actual process of testing. QAs identify the techniques, scenarios, test cases, test data, and expected results to gauge the actual results. The test must also provide meticulous, specific input data, describe all user steps, and of course, they must lay out the test data understandably.

The test strategy describes the overarching approach for this particular software testing project. It should outline the main possible issues and salient points to bring to the attention of project managers, devs and testers. This is 100% an acquired skill — as it required understanding the large team and company work ethic.

An important part of test strategy is to define how risks can be managed with each test. It must also define the criteria for each test and the exact technique for said test to be carried out. The strategy document is to be shared with the entire team so that everyone is on the same page about the approach and mindset they must bring to the table.

Setting up the Test Environment

A test environment is a virtual space where software tests are conducted. It includes the server that powers the test and all the hardware and software configurations needed for whatever project or uses case you’re testing.

This can include devices, browsers, operating systems, automation frameworks, network configuration, data streaming over the cloud, etc. QAs run the software here to ensure it works properly before being released to the public. A test environment aims to ensure you get an the exact conditions needed each time you run tests.

Ideally, test environments should be able to replicate the real-world conditions in which a website or app is expected to run. This helps the QAs find bugs likely to show up for the end-users.

The perfect test environment should have the same browsers, gadgets, and operating systems people use when accessing the software.

Testsigma, a test automation platform, makes it easier for testers to get their users needed test environments by providing multiple cloud labs — you can choose from 800+ browsers and 2000+ devices in their cloud-hosted lab or use a local browser/device.

Developing the Automation Test Script and its Execution

In test scripts, the tester lays out step-by-step instructions for the program to execute. Steps must be devised and individualized for every functionality. The program should define the steps as well as the expected results — in line with technical and business requirements.

Popular scripting languages are Python, Ruby, Perl, Java, VB Script. Good scripts should also be able to generate data for the tests they run.

It is a best practice to write scripts that test multiple functions (time and effort-efficient) and in a reusable format.

Test Analysis and Generation of Test Results and Reports

When a product is being evaluated for release, stakeholders use test reports to judge software stability, the density of defects, and its performance in a real-world environment (real browsers & devices).

Test reporting tools highlight the processes executed during testing, and the results of said processes. They generate reports that define the scope of testing, the actual tests run on the code, and the bugs that show up as a result.

Testsigma is a test automation platform that also offers streamlined and exhaustive test reporting abilities. Stakeholders can configure the platform to generate custom reports that contain only the data relevant to your team, or a specific individual (like the CEO or CTO).

Selecting The Right Automation Tool

Affordability

Be very aware of your financial limits. Don’t research tools that are too expensive, as it takes up time unproductively. Buying most tools includes paying licensing costs, operational costs, maintenance costs, and sometimes, the cost of support.

Additionally, it might cost some money to train existing QAs in using a new tool. But you can avoid this by using a tool like Testsigma, as it allows users to write out test steps and commands in plain English.

Learning Curve

Is the tool easy to use for first-time users? How much work does it take to create test scripts? You need testers who know the right programming languages, techniques, and ancillary skills.

You can invest in training employees in the tool, and you’ll have to do some amount of that for any tool. But it’s best to pick one that shortens the process as much as possible.

Product Roadmap

Technology is always changing. Does the tool have a history of rolling out relevant upgrades at the right time? You don’t want to be stuck with a tool that doesn’t develop as fast as your competitors’. Don’t forget to consider if paying for these updates is within your yearly budgets.

Can you test on real browsers, devices, and OSes for testing?

You cannot get accurate test results without testing software in real-world conditions. The only way to get accurate results is to use the actual devices people use to access their software.

This isn’t difficult if you pick the right tool. Testsigma, for example, lets QAs run tests in parallel across 800+ OS/browser combinations and 2000+ real mobile devices — so you won’t miss any bugs that your users can encounter.

Platform support, language support, support, usability, script reusability/maintainability

Does the tool have:

• Support across multiple platforms and frameworks?
• Support across major programming languages?
• Active, robust and responsive support for any issues?
• Ample documentation and user manuals?
• Mechanisms for creating and maintaining reusable test scripts?
• Mechanisms for connecting to necessary data sources?
• Ability to record and playback tests?

Extensive reporting mechanisms

As mentioned before, automation testing tools need to run tests and report them. How else with the tester or any other project stakeholder know if the test passes or fails? If a test fails, the team must immediately be notified. Test reports must be created in different formats for stakeholders of different technical skills.

Reports must also record how the software functions at each step, and highlight the specific steps where the bug(s) appeared. Screenshots, snapshots, and video recordings are especially helpful (and necessary, at this point).

If you are looking for an industry-best automation testing tool with extensive testsigma reporting capabilities, why not give Testsigma a go? Here’s what you get:

• Quick analysis as to how your tests are performing over a period of time. Check all test runs in one place and drill down to a particular run result that matters to you to know more details on that failed test.
• Find failed tests, drill down to the environment with failures, and take a close look at the failed test suites. Be sure that your application runs on every device, OS, and browser combination.
• Know all your test suite results across different environments in each run. The result summary at the Test Suite level will help you get to the failed test quicker. Drill down to find more details on the failed tests.
• Know every possible detail needed to analyze your test case results including the test environment and environment configuration being used. Know the details of each step result with screenshots, videos, text logs, and much more.
• Leverage integrations with bug reporting tools to report a bug automatically from the test case result page. Testsigma helps you create bug reports automatically and sends them to your favorite bug-tracking tool.

The Bottom Line

Finding the right balance of skills, techniques, and tools to achieve optimal results in an automation testing lifecycle is definitely not easy. If you are just starting out with automation testing (or even if you are thinking of scaling it across teams significantly), you’ll have to invest a not-so-insignificant amount of time, money, and effort to get things rolling.

Yet, the ROI on automated testing has proved, time and again, to be worth the initial difficulties. You get speed, accuracy, and scale on a level that is impossible to achieve with manual testing (people are people, after all). Automation is a necessity in modern SDLCs, because infusing speed, ease and efficacy is the only way for brands and businesses to stand a change in the the ecosystem of modern software markets.