Enterprise Test Automation: Breaking The Barriers

Technology is the essence of digital transformation. From business solutions to routine requirements of the general users, software, website, and applications are must to take the notion forward.  

However, every new tool that make its way into the market have certain pain areas surrounding the development process. Besides, it is the struggle surrounding the test process that make things complicated. Here test automation dramatically enables developers and testers to improve the product quality while giving a save on time and resources. This is why automation has become an essential component of every development lifecycle and is adopted as a digital practice worldwide.

     Nevertheless, enterprise test automation is something that cannot produce immediate results and requires an effective strategy to complement smooth releases. Thus, yielding quality through a well-thought plan require breaking the barriers to complete QA automation optimization.  

However, it is extremely important to understand what could be at stakes when an organization tries to avoid a test automation strategy. 

Most of the times, companies are found indulged with the thought of aligning complex systems with test automation to meet the varying process demands and dynamic delivery schedules.  

However, breaking the barrier to test automation require strategies that could end test maintenance while enabling users of shifting to API testing whenever feasible with the selection of right tools. Also, it must be understood that there is no particular approach to attain a perfect test automation plan as it may vary depending on several surrounding factors.  

So, what are the possible outcomes that companies may encounter due to a missing or weak automation strategy? Let’s find out. 

No Business Value 

Even if the primary idea of automation appears very reasonable, the only thing that could hamper the implementation and output is the missing business value. It is necessary that any step to automate a process should only be decided based on the potential ROI. 

Missing Vision 

To have a vision for an automation strategy, it is necessary to have a plan in place. It can be any application or a dedicated enterprise test automation framework that could help enhance the entire automation process while complementing other operations.  

Efficiency Loss 

When you are not having a right test automation strategy, there is a constant chance of choosing a wrong test automation technology. This simply creates technology efficiency loss and making an organization accommodate a solution which is unfit for the entire purpose.  

Learn How We Helped Meet The Efficiency & Performance Goals Of A Disaster Management Software. 

Case Study: Automation Testing of Disaster Management Software For Adequate Performance 

Missing The Testing Squeeze 

Since most QA and development companies are working on Agile practices, it becomes necessary to work on test squeeze. And when test automation in enterprise is in process, it is crucial to have an idea of which strategies must be restricted? What are the test priorities? And what can bring most business value.  

Step By Step Guide To Create A Test Automation Strategy 

Before we jump on learning how a test automation strategy is developed, let us take a quick walk through an example on how enterprise test automation could advance the digital operations within an organization. With more and more brands adopting the technologies like SAP, CRM, or ERP, missing on any detail during the deployment or integration of these solutions could hamper the entire business process.  

Such issues could not only affect the operational process but directly negates the ROI. Following the right approach to enterprise test automation allows users to pursue SAP, CRM, or ERP testing at the earliest.  

Since we are done exploring the possible limitations that any organization might face when missing the right approach to enterprise level test automation, it is necessary that the process to create a test automation strategy must contain everything necessary and essential. Here are a few considerations that could enable testers to yield greater efficiency with a test automation solution.  

1. Create Tests That Define High Value 

The process to create a test automation strategy for an enterprise application testing begins with defining the high value tests. These are the features or factors that could make a concept fail. In other words, the process to define high value tests needs you to understand all the critical scenarios that demonstrate ROI by meeting the most important objectives of the end users.  

1. Risk Identification  

The next significant step that QA Automation testers need to take when working on an automation strategy is to identify what must be tested on priority. It might involve risk identification and business impact assessment to measure the probability of failure. Doing so could help you work over failures with highest priority and squeeze your test plan to meet agile goals.  

1. Technology & Tools 

At this stage, testers need to understand how the planned test automation environment could affect the overall solution and strategy. From the environment access to use of libraries and APIs, all the tools and technologies used must align with the framework used.  

1. Use Good Data 

Most of the time, test automation initiatives fail due to data issues. From running pre-scripts to scripts that are made to validate data, the correctness of data could save hours of rewriting. Therefore, it is necessary that all data must be handled well, right from the storage to handling, masking, and de-identification of data.  

1. DevSecOps  

In case, testers need to work with Jenkins as a part of their test automation strategy, everything related to storage of code to deployment, environment, and security of the library must be worked well advanced in time. However, pursuing such goals might require a security scanning and a process defined for the same.  

1. Test Environment 

When we say, test environment, it refers to use of VPNs, launch box, patching of the systems, and documentation of the entire process. Such approach makes it easy for existing as well as any new onboardings to align with the login setup and know where the code is running.  

1. Tag Your Tests 

The next step that testers working on QA automation process is to group or tag their tests to make it easy for the entire team to find out the purpose of each test. Besides, testers could even plan to work on a tag agreement to work on consistent tagging and regular updates of the most common tags.  

1. Test Efficiency 

Enterprise software testing is all about applying the logic. Therefore, anything that seems to deliver efficiency could be applied to the other tests and resources. To progress in such manner could enable testers to save a lot of time while simplifying the whole test automation strategy for maximum output.  

1. Agile Tools 

Last but not least, any agile tools and DevOps practices must be embraced with documentation. The test automation strategy should be well-reviewed and updated for the vision, changes, and the end goals. Either you are using any cloud testing tools or working on any micro-strategy sessions, everything must be in check.  

Putting It All Together  

Ultimately, the goal behind a test automation strategy is to achieve precision and speed while keeping communication and goals in focus. Thus, working on the idea of enterprise test automation demands maximum transparency on business goals, technology goals, and end objectives.  

More importantly, running a successful test automation plan needs early support of the stakeholders, which may include project managers, business analysts, testers, and developers. Also, the strategy must include a thorough understanding of the entire strategy to learn what must be cut and what must be included.  

A test automation strategy is all about investment made for the operations and adopting technologies that could aid business. And here at BugRaptors, we bring you all the support you need to grow, innovate, and avoid anything that could hamper your time, resources, or objectives.  

For any assistance on test automation services, feel free to reach our team through info@bugraptors.com