Test automation as a service (TaaS) is going to be a growing buzz phrase for 2020, but what exactly is it? We’re so glad you asked! We see TaaS as a means of removing one more struggle from the battle for resources. Here, a service provider (instead of employees) performs testing activities. In a nutshell, TaaS is an outsourcing model for software testing that makes resources available on the cloud that would otherwise/traditionally be in-house. Contact us for more info
Let’s paint a scenario:
With multiple projects running in parallel, it’s usually the case that testing server availability is a delicate balance between software development project teams deploying patches and staging builds versus the testers performing regression testing. If one project encounters a delay (like that ever happens), either team may need the test environment for longer than initially thought. This situation is then likely to cascade through all the other ongoing efforts and cause multiple missed deployment dates if something isn’t done.
In this case, we typically see the directors of the product, testing, development, and the PMO groups all scrambling to slap together a new and bigger deployment, with more stories and complexity to try and compensate for the delay. However, adding complexity and scope to a shortened timeline is a good root cause of bug injections (defeats being missed and making their way to the next step in the deployment pipeline). From here, things get more ugly and expensive to fix, and it’s a bad day to be the Vice President of the Technology Division.
So to help in situations like this, TaaS is a tool that aims to help remove dependencies from the process so these projects and releases can be “crashed” (project management term) without adding additional risk to both the application and your client commitments.
In fact: if your organization does deployment risk assessments (and we can help you if you don’t), a TaaS program is a great mitigating factor to help keep you on track.
What’s does TaaS include?
Most TaaS providers include automation testing in the following areas, but be sure to ask each TaaS provider to make sure they can do what you need:
Unit testing
This code-level testing detects bugs in the methods, functions, and routines written by the developers.
GUI testing
This process tests the front-end of the application (user interface) and how the end-user will interact with the program.
Regression testing
Frequent code changes risk affecting dependent coding. A complicated project may have many dependencies on certain strings of coding. When remaining code strings are left undetected right away, these are often the cause of delays down the line. Automation testing is attributed to decreasing these occurrences.
API/Web Service
Tests for security issues, compliance, and functionality. This testing should also include testing to make sure the site is secure and encrypted.
Load testing
Measurements are taken of the system at increasing levels of demand to ensure continued stability.
Performance testing
Automating the testing of responsiveness and stability has dramatically increased the level of efficiency.
Benefits of TaaS
As automation testing continues to evolve, the increased efficiency of testing has reduced the costs of time and resources associated with software testing. TaaS has added to those advances with additional benefits:
Flexibility
The first piece of flexibility is that you pay for TaaS only as you use it, and only for as much as you need (above a baseline retainer to hold your slot within a portfolio). Outside of that and infrastructure (if required). This increases the quality of testing available to smaller operations that were otherwise unable to afford the expense of robust in-house servers, testers, and software testing tools. Likewise, larger teams have staff flexibility in times of emergencies.
Cost reduction
Having dedicated; infrastructure, tools, people, and processes to ensure an application performs as intended can cost as much as 40% of your overall project or program budget. So being able to tap into a plug and play option like TaaS means you can have a faster time to market and faster time to product/market fit while also saving up to 60% by utilizing a shared group or tools, pros, and methods.
Accessibility and integrity
With cloud-based TaaS, the convenience of accessibility never compromises data integrity or security.
Does your organization need testing automation as a service?
Of course, you do! Okay, so most of you, at the very least, need the testing automation portion (if your organization develops software -and you probably wouldn’t still be reading otherwise). With more technology and accessibility going to the cloud, growth in TaaS is a natural progression to this cultural shift in software testing, among other IT functionality.
Pro Tip: TaaS is especially useful when (but not limited to, the following scenarios)…
- You have ad-hoc or need some unusual testing performed that you anticipate will require extensive resources. (pay only for what you need)
- Your application testing requires comprehensive automation with a short test execution cycle. (automation provides the speed you need with availability as soon as you need it)
- You need an automated test script that doesn’t require in-depth knowledge of the design of the system in order to write. (automated testing does what it’s told)
TaaS is scalable (large or small) to fit the needs of any size organization, project, or team. Additionally, because of the scalability, it offers opportunities to expand your testing capability that may have yet to be tried. -It also sure beats the silent prayer method of doing the best with what you’ve got!
Think of it this way. Customers judge your company and your products every day, and if the public uses your software product, that adds extra scrutiny to your company. One bug can affect thousands of users or (gasp) potential customers and risk user abandonment or, worse yet, a lost sale. The trailing effect of software defects may lead to unpleasant feedback and public reviews, creating damage to your company’s reputation.
Combine the very best tools with the best testers
Software quality is critical to your company, and the more testing you can accomplish – the better. Automation testing increases speed and accuracy to each sprint and reduces the risk of downstream defects (because it catches several bugs at inception).
Lighthouse Technology’s software testing professionals have the knowledge and experience to anticipate and react to changing needs as quickly as you do while maintaining the highest level of quality. As a wholly outsourced team, we work autonomously with complete transparency through our dashboards and reporting, so you always have current status at the moment you need it. As augmented team members, we leave behind a breadcrumb trail of improved efficiency.
2020 is full of innovation as we look ahead. Lighthouse Technologies helps bring dreams to realities with near perfection. How can we help your organization zoom forward in 2020? Contact us, and let’s talk about how we can alleviate that quality concern from the project puzzle.
