Advantages of test automation or Short comparison of test automation to manual testing

Categories: general

Companies are introducing test automation as an answer to the speed of digital changes, which is forcing them to change their development, testing and launching procedures. Goals are always the same – become faster in development process and flawless in providing customer/user experience. Let us not forget that test automation, fast validation and intelligent, behaviour driven decision-making capabilities are expected to change the business landscape in the near future.

Advantages of test automation are numerous.

Each company dealing with IT solutions provides some sort of testing. Usually it is manual and it can be done by testing engineers, developers, in some cases even by users directly. Testing represents an essential part of product development, especially when it comes to quality warranty, but it is often overlooked because it is time and resource consuming. Unfortunately that results in “weaker products” – more bugs, unsatisfied customers and less profit.

Test automation can answer to all three factors that contribute to weak products. When handled correctly, it can become a strong advantage and beneficial to each project and company.

Main goals of test automation according to CEOs, project managers and QA engineers are several. Tendency for reduced business expenses is one of the most common drivers for implementation of changes and it usually originates among highest management. When implementing automated tests, the goals can vary from achieving higher test coverage, receiving faster feedback from executed test cycles, fasten the process of determining the stability of new builds and possibility of reusing existing test cycles. With all this factors in mind, QA team can save time and shorten the time from research and development to market.

Does implementing test automation mean that company does not need testers anymore?

With one word – no. Introducing test automation to the process does not mean that existing manual testers are unnecessary. On the contrary - the understanding of test automation as in “All tests will be from now on automated.” is very much mistaken.

Testing is not as much a process of executing predefined test steps and comparing actual results with expected results, as it is exploring and discovering. While the first one can be done automatically, the true quality testing requires domain knowledge, a focused mind and willingness to learn the application. That is why a human intelligence is always required.

Creating the right balance between test automation and manual testing is the key.

Test automation surely simplifies the execution of monotonous and repeatable test cases. It allows broader coverage, different types of testing, quickens the manual testing and is at the same time more reliable. Because of that, it increases the development team`s productivity when executing the testing process and directly improves quality of the projects. None the less all test cases must be somehow written down, test steps must be clicked at and recorded, documentation must be led and updated. Manual testers remain an important part of testing teams, although their role is expected to change. Test automation and manual testing can this way form a practically undefeatable alliance which will bring your companies one step closer to success.