Test Automation the Smart Way

Let the tool do the work for you

Learn how to let the tool do the work for you and that working smarter, not harder is the key to success in test automation.

You will leave with an assessment of your own test automation maturity and a strategy for moving forward in both management and technical areas.

Did we choose the right tool?

Both suppliers of freeware and commercial test execution tools promise you the world, significant benefits in especially the regression testing area. Often these benefits are not achieved, the structured manual test documentation you had before the automation project has been destroyed and your test team is left in despair. Success in test automation depends on how the automation work is managed as well as on the technical aspects of the automation regime, not on the tool of your choice.

About the instructor

Dorothy Graham (UK) has worked in software testing for over 30 years. Originally from the US, her first job was developing testing tools for Bell Labs in New Jersey.

She is co-author of three books. Software Inspection with Tom Gilb, Software Test Automation with Mark Fewster and Foundations of Software Testing with Erik Van Veenendaal, Isabel Evans and Rex Black.

Dorothy was Programme Chair for the first EuroStar conference in 1993, and for the British Computer Society’s special interest group in software testing for its first 7 years. She was a founding member of the ISEB Software Testing Board and of the working party that developed the ISTQB Foundation Syllabus.

Dorothy is a popular and entertaining speaker at conferences and events world-wide and holds the European Excellence Award in Software Testing.

Intended For

This MasterClass is suitable for anyone with an interest in test execution automation. If you are about to acquire or begin using a test execution tool, this MasterClass will help you start off in the right way. If you have had a test execution tool for a while but have been disappointed with the results achieved or with the costs of testware maintenance, this MasterClass will help put you back on the right track.

Prerequisites

While no prior experience is necessary, it is assumed that participants are familiar with the theoretical principles of test execution automation at a basic level. For example, they already understand why a simple capture/replay approach alone does not lead to long term success.

Learning outcomes

After this MasterClass you’ll be able to:

Assess test automation maturity
Distinguish between good and unrealistic objectives of test automation
Understand role and responsibility differences between testers and test automators
Understand the benefits and pitfalls of different scripting techniques
Understand the need for a common testware architecture
Recognise the difference between automated tests and automated testing
Distinguish when and how to use different comparison techniques
Understand what to automate and what not to automate
Measure the success of your test automation project

Content

Tips are given on how to achieve smarter test automation, and you will plan your own test automation strategy. The following topics will be covered:

Planning & Managing test automation

Achieving good test automation is a journey rather than a destination. Where are you on your current journey? Take the self-assessment test to see what further progress you can make. This session looks at how and what to explore in order to achieve the best results for your organisation. This includes automation objectives, roles and responsibilities, and measurement of automation costs and benefits.

Scripting techniques

Scripting is often the backbone of test automation. Pros and cons of different scripting techniques are explored with particular emphasis on keyword-driven approaches. The more sophisticated scripting methods are not difficult to implement but are key to increased productivity in test automation. Higher level scripting techniques can minimise maintenance and allow independence from the tool in use.

Testware architecture

Knowing where to put things is just as important as knowing where to find them. Having a well organised scheme for storing all the testware artefacts that accumulate, typically in the thousands, is a must for high productivity with test automation. This session considers the main issues that must be addressed and outlines a basic approach that can be tailored to suit specific organisational needs.

Pre and post processing

Automating individual test cases is one thing, automating testing is another! The difference between these two things is explained and an approach to bridging the gap is covered.

Comparison techniques

Automated test execution is of little use without automated comparison of test results. In this session we will look at different ways of comparing (dynamic and post-execution) and ways to implement each. Test sensitivity is an important consideration in automated comparison. The use of filters, a practical way to give simple comparators a powerful boost, is also covered.

Testware maintenance

Maintenance of automated tests has proven to be the downfall of many test automation efforts. This session describes the most common problems and suggests ways in which maintenance effort can be minimised.

Method Used

During this MasterClass lecturing is kept to the minimum necessary. A participative approach is used to maximize the learning outcomes.

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