Automated testing provides significant benefits, yet organizations struggle to implement it effectively. Developing efficient and valid automated tests for an Agile team can be challenging, but when done correctly, it increases predictability and quality. Implementing test automation won’t solve all testing needs, but it provides advantages that improve testing speed, quality, and accuracy.
Agile test automation development provides a repeatable testing process that provides rapid feedback to a software development team, which means defects are identified and corrected early during development and in sprint. Rapid defect identification and correction prevents work from rolling from sprint to sprint and accumulating as technical debt. Test automation done well improves quality and extends coverage throughout every development cycle.
Here are the top seven best practices OnPath testing teams use to improve testing quality, predictability, and effectiveness when developing automated testing.
#1: Include test automation in an Agile team’s strategic plan
Automated test development needs to be part of the Agile team planning and discussion from project inception. At OnPath, automated testing becomes part of the Agile team’s strategy, which defines the automation framework, tools, and testing process. Agile teams often make changes as part of continuous improvement efforts to tools, frameworks, and processes. Be prepared to communicate with the team if tools need replacing or if there is a more efficient option.
#2: Start automation alongside code development
OnPath teams start automated test development alongside coding. Teams use a TDD (test-driven development) or a BDD (behavior-driven development) approach. TDD and BDD both use a test-first approach that requires test scripts to be created before application code is merged into the code base.
Both approaches encourage a “test-first” culture within a team, establishing collaboration between developers and testers from the beginning. By creating test automation alongside code development, OnPath testers provide faster feedback to keep defects from finding a place to hide in the codebase.
#3: Select the right test scenarios to automate
For each testing type, it’s essential to be selective when choosing test scenarios. During coding, most automated tests are small and specific. Developers create unit tests, and the OnPath team then leverage them to create integrated test suites that are executed when a build is created or new code is merged into the codebase. From these initial tests, OnPath testers develop additional scripts for other testing like regression, performance, or end-to-end.
OnPath testers then automate high priority tests that cover critical or core application functionality. Some test scenarios are too complex or require human execution, so don’t try to script every test. Test engineers implement automated test suites incrementally based on functional priority.
#4: Use AI technology where it improves test value and efficiency
Most modern test automation tools have some level of AI and machine learning (ML) technology that improves testing quality and efficiency. Intelligent testing (or test intelligence) means development teams are using a combination of human testing expertise paired with AI and ML. OnPath testers use automated test tools with embedded AI technology that provides multiple benefits, including:
- AI education
- Assistance with creating scripts
- Identifying test scenarios
- Generating test data automatically
- Creating test result reports
AI helps OnPath testers develop credible automated scripts within sprints and steadily increase test coverage. AI is also used to assist in developing unit, regression, functional, security, and performance tests to identify additional defects.
#5: Use parallel testing to reduce test execution time
OnPath teams create test environments that support parallel testing because executing automated tests in parallel increases efficiency. Parallel testing also works well when testers must cover cross-browser and visual testing on multiple devices. OnPath teams maximize resource allocation and enable testers to cover more testing ground simultaneously.
#6: Plan and perform ongoing script maintenance
OnPath teams always plan on script maintenance, regardless of the team’s talent. Planning in time for ongoing automated script maintenance prevents wasted time due to repeated false failures. OnPath testing teams keep scripts up to date with all ongoing code changes. Testers also review and refine test scripts as needed to improve test value and retain test validity.
AI-embedded testing tools add test intelligence to test maintenance. Many tools include self-healing technology that fixes minor errors (such as identifier changes) and prevents scripts from generating false failures. Self-healing technology helps improve testing by eliminating time spent on unnecessary troubleshooting and repair.
#7: Select an automation framework and tools that make work easier
In the first best practice, we discussed the importance of choosing a tool and framework at the outset of forming an Agile team. The selection of frameworks and tools is guided by their compatibility with current tools, the type of client application, the technology stack, and the complexity of the application's functionality. The criteria for selection include tools that:
- Provide scalability
- Integrate with other existing tools used within the team
- Allow for customization so teams can adjust to the needs of the client or application
- Provide cross-platform support
- Include easy-to-use reporting and analytics
- Provide version control for test scripts
Living the dream with fast, effective test automation
The tools used for a client depend on the needs of the team and the client. When teams test for clients and applications with varying levels of complexity, AI-automated test strategies need to be designed to align with client needs. OnPath teams plan testing strategies concurrent to defining team processes. At OnPath, following these seven best practices provides improved test quality and efficiency — clients get more business value, and higher-quality application builds while OnPath teams plan efficiently to reduce cost and improve work quality.
