Let’s face it: your subject matter experts (SMEs) aren’t cheap. And every time you use them for testing, you’re squandering their skills for a task that could be performed by a far-cheaper software tester. But how do you get a tester to emulate your SMEs’ business-savvy? Simple—you get a computer to do it instead.
Test Automation
With a lengthy implementation period and a focus on long-term gains over static, unchanging tests, most people’s idea of test automation seems to be incompatible with the fluid, iterative Agile development methodology. Are these two really incompatible, or are we just not thinking about it the right way?
When it comes to testing, improving time-to-market can be tricky without sacrificing quality for speed. But as senior IT executives face constant pressure to do so, test automation offers them the best of both worlds—getting a high-quality job done in record time by bypassing the subject matter experts (SMEs) who rarely have the luxury of making testing a priority.
When it comes to software development projects, test automation (Oracle OATS, HP UFT/QTP, etc.) is oftentimes seen as a luxury—nothing more than a speedy improvement over the status quo. But while this is somewhat true, test automation offers so much more than speed: it allows you to execute essential stress tests that would otherwise be impossible to afford.
Whether it’s lowering costs, improving quality, accelerating time-to-market, or increasing test capacity, lots of people think test automation is the answer to all of their problems. And while it most certainly can be, it’s not a magic bullet, either. But provided you’re smart, you’ll see an ROI in next to no time. Here are some tips to help you get there.
It’s a new year—that means new objectives, new budgets, and new projects. If you’re like most QA departments, chances are you’re looking into test automation. But while the value to your department is obvious, how do you state the best financial case to secure upper management’s buy-in?
While automating all of your manual test cases with Oracle Application Testing Suite (Oracle OATS) can be a surefire way to an ROI, not all enterprise-level companies execute enough test cases to merit it or funding to commit to it. For those companies, smoke test automation may be a better solution.
