Though automation testing is the method of the new era, many techno-geeks and testers prefer the old-school manual testing method. We know that it’s hard to get around the new method and get adapted to the Automation but if not done, it’s your loss.
Automation testing provides many benefits which one cannot achieve through manual testing. Instant feedback, more frequency of the test execution, more test coverage to the development team, quicker releases are a few of them.
In spite of these, there are certain common misconceptions about automation testing. Today, we have decided to clear out these myths from your mind and to make sure that your work flow will get faster and efficient.
So, come on, let’s clear them out.
Disbelief about automation testing.
#1: Automation testing is superior to manual testing.
- Deciding which kind is better is, in this case, an irrelevant discussion. The purpose and intention of both the methods is different. First of all, we cannot say that automation testing is testing as such. It’s a process of checking facts. Facts about the system. When we have to tally our knowledge of the system, we perform automation testing, to confirm that understanding with the truth.
Well, Software testing is like an investigation. It gives away new data and knowledge about the respective system. So, as said earlier, it will be rookie mistake to choose only one. For quality results, it is an unavoidable decision to use both methods for a more efficient work ethic.
#2: Doing 100% Automation testing.
- It’s hard to achieve 100% test coverage. Almost impossible. It’s same for the test automation. Though we can increase test coverage by utilizing more data, configurations, covering various operating systems and browsers, 100% is an unachievable target.
Unfortunately, it’s a false equation that more the number of tests, better the quality. Quality of the test is directly dependant on how precise and good your test design is. So, rather than trying to get full coverage, the prime goal of your test should be to concentrate on the more prominent areas of functionality of the product.
#3: Deciding a quick ROI each time.
- When you execute a test automation result, a clear development of the precise regions of interests is important to support operations. This Framework creation can be useful and will give more meaning to test case selection, reporting etc. This is supposed to be considered as a project in itself. Due to this treatment, it requires multiple skilled developers and takes a lot of time.
Even with a fully working framework, making scripts of automated checks takes more time at the start. So, to have a quick result or feedback of the new feature, one should check it manually.
#4: Automated Checks are having higher Error Recognition Rate
- Even if it is true that vendor-supplied or home-made test automation solutions are greatly capable of performing complicated operations; it’s quite impossible that they will ever replace a human tester. A tester’s capabilities are much beyond and precise. She can detect the most invisible anomalies in the application.
Though it is called an ‘automated’ test, an automated check is not automatic until written. It will only perform according to the program written. Hence, the programs are only as good and precise as the person who wrote them. So it should be quite clear to you guys that if any automation program is not written properly, it can directly ignore some prominent errors in the systems. In essence, Automation testing can see if there are any errors in the system but can’t confirm that they are the only errors present. There might be more undetected defects due to bad program writing.
#5: Unit Test Automation is everything we need.
- This is a quite common misconception. But one should get it clear that a unit test only identifies programmer’s errors. It does not show his failures. A much larger element of testing comes ahead when all the components are joined together to form a system. Many of the organizations have their automated checks at the system UI layer.
The process of writing scripts of the automated checks is a complicated task because the functionalities during the development are absolutely volatile. So, don’t spend your precious time on automating a functionality which might not be a part of the final application. It can create problems later.
#6: System UI Automation is the whole ball of wax.
- It’s a mistake to depend solely on automated checks, that to at UI layer. The period of development comes with a number of changes in the UI in various forms like enriched visual design and utility. A fallacious impression about the application’s condition is noted in the checks if a similar change hasn’t taken place in the functionality.
The automation checks in the unit and API layers have a higher execution speed than the UI layer. Hence, the feedback process becomes slow. And because of the exact location of the error is yet unknown, the analysis of the root cause takes much longer. Hence, identifying the layers where the utility of automated tests may become helpful becomes a must.
All in all, if you decipher these misconceptions as we did, you will notice a dynamic shift in your working. It will become more fast and efficient.
Understand that automated checks are not something which you do once and you are done. It’s a constant process of updating and monitoring. Make sure you are aware of the limitations of it and have targets which are realistic.
After all, you must not stick only to manual testing and get the most out of automated checks too!
