The automation testing is to perform the test steps automatically with different data sets and observe the results. There are several automation testing tools commercialised by the organisations. There are benefits and risks of automation testing.
Benefits of Automation Testing:
The potential benefits of automation testing tools are listed below:
- the automation testing tools are more reliable and consistent than human software testers because they are not error prone
- suitable for testing repetitive steps with different data sets
- automation test scripts are reusable
- automation testing is faster than manual testing
- comprehensive testing is possible using automation testing tools
- detailed results are generated with metrics
Risks of Automation Testing:
The risks involved in the automation testing are evaluated to suit the software testing requirements of the project. The risks of automation testing are listed below:
- underestimating the potential of human testers in certain test scenarios
- unrealistic expectations from the automation testing tools
- incorrect evaluation of time and effort required for below factors:
- selection and introduction of automation testing tool in organisation
- training the software testers on how to use new tool
- changes required in the organisational testing processes to implement the automation testing tool
- version control and maintainability of test scripts and test results
- incompatibility of the automation testing tools with the test environment and other software testing tools in the test environment
- project budget
- Vendor issues like:
- inability to provide technical support
- inability to update the automation testing tools with changes in software testing platform
- liquidation and take over of the vendor organisation
- a free tool is made the licensed version
The benefits and risks of automation testing is to be considered to make choice between manual testing and automation testing. The software testing requirements are also to be taken into account to make choice between the two software testing ways.
Check your understanding:
1. List the different categories of software testing tools and explain their purpose in one sentence.
