The term automation is becoming more commonplace and popular with the already large and rapidly growing world of IT companies. A quick web search will give you thousands of articles talking about the benefits of automated testing, including how much money companies can save by using it. The purpose of this article will be to share some of the experiences I’ve had in more than five years of working in quality assurance (QA).
In my time in QA, I have worked on three major projects: the website of a major airline, with an on-demand video provider, and creating a security application for one of the most famous antivirus services. I have also participated in small projects where I was involved in manually running the same test suites every day, up to three times a day. Working on these projects has made me realize how necessary and beneficial it can be to automate.
Throughout my five years of experience, I have acquired a lot of tips that make the automation process much more manageable. In this article, I will provide you with seven tips that will making the automation process a lot easier.
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The Code Reviews of other QA and/or developers, as well as those from POP or the BA are of GREAT importance.
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Reuse code. Writing the same code over and over again can be a waste of time, particularly when the changes in the data set are minimal.
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The tests have to be fail-proof. They should only fail due to errors in the product or the environment. They should not fail because of a bad analysis made before creating it. This fail-proof status should also include the Unit Test.
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Ask for help. We are all proud people. Because of this, it can be very satisfying to complete a challenging task without having to turn to someone for help. We all want to be resourceful and use the skills we have acquired in our years of working so that we share our successes with our colleagues. However, being prideful can sometimes translate into hours of extra work that will only lead to losing time in the sprint, losing money for the client and the company, and can even delay the tasks of our peers.
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Respect good practices. When working as a team we must remember that our code can affect the code or work of others. Because of this, we need to keep best practices in mind.
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Automated tests are not only a good tool for testers but also, when used correctly, can be very useful for developers.
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Being able to adapt is very important. Sometimes, because of licensing issues or other reasons, we may have to automate in a language which we are not comfortable using, are not familiar with, or simply do not like. Although this has happened to me before, I understood that the language was the right one for the software to be tested, and I pleased to say that I have some experience in other languages and technologies that will surely be useful again throughout my career. Being flexible and open to learning new skills will also make me more valuable to my current employer.
Hopefully, these tips will help testers and developers who are not yet familiar with automation to better understand more about its importance. At Santex, we are always open to sharing knowledge and listening to new experiences and opinions, so feel free to leave your thoughts on automation.
About the author: Mauricio Ardiles is an enthusiastic QA Analyst seasoned in a variety of testing skills. Strong background in automation testing and a certified Scrum Master.
