Testing automation is becoming one of the essential phases in the execution of a software project. When done correctly and with the appropriate tools, it is one of the most interesting options for enhancing the quality of the final product and minimizing the use of valuable economic resources. Among other benefits, it also helps shorten the time-to-market.

The definition of testing automation can shed light on many of the advantages we've just mentioned. Software testing automation is defined as any technology focused on the design, development, and execution of scripts without human intervention.

In a context where software companies need to optimize their agility and the final quality of their products, these benefits are the reason why QA tester automation processes are gaining ground. According to the 2021 State of Testing survey by PractiTest, testing automation is already being practiced by 70% of testing experts, while 80% of experts plan to increase the role that test automation plays in the future. Thus, automation has become one of the keys to enhancing processes within companies.

Features of Testing Automation

Testing automation can be defined in contrast to manual testing. The latter involves repetitive testing processes that consume time and resources and are subject to human error. While manual testing tools offer advantages for certain types of tests, such as those focused on the user interface, QA software, oriented towards software test automation, is proving particularly useful in service-oriented architectures.

Some of the characteristics include:

• It is performed through software testing automation tools.
• Actions are executed automatically based on scripts (e.g., commands to click on specific buttons, fill out forms, navigate, verify, etc.).
• They can serve as a complement to the optimization of manual testing. In this regard, they allow the replacement of repetitive processes and enable parallel testing, automatic reporting, or test reusability.
• They can generate test reports to compare results with the intended objectives.

Advantages over Manual Testing

Speed

With the implementation of this automation, test execution times are significantly reduced. This, in turn, translates to cost savings as compared to manual testing processes.

Efficiency

Testing automation processes lead to resource optimization: more tests are conducted in less time.

Enhance the Quality of the Final Result

Final software that has undergone testing automation processes is often defined as “reliable”. The use of QA tester automation encompasses the ability to cover more permutations and paths and address a wide variety of scenarios during testing. This, in turn, results in improved quality of the final software since potential errors are detected and resolved early. This also has implications for the overall cost of producing high-quality products.

Reusability

Automated tests can be executed multiple times in repetitive processes. This enables the detection and resolution of potential repetitive errors.

Scalability

Testing automation is capable of handling large volumes of data, allowing for the testing of different scenarios and test data. In this sense, it offers extensive scalability that applies to projects involving substantial data input.

Prevention of Human Error

Choosing testing automation represents a commitment to consistency and objectivity: since tests are performed by software tools, they are not subject to human errors or variations inherent to human involvement in such processes. The reality of software development and testing is that many processes are repetitive, which opens the door to lapses in attention from human testers and, ultimately, errors. With testing automation, a script would follow precise steps and be executed consistently.

Test Data Management

As reported in the same PractiTest report mentioned above, 43% of QA testing teams describe test data management as particularly challenging. In response to this, Test Data Management (TDM)’s QA software tools offer a solution capable of managing test data in compliance with regulations, through entirely secure and automated processes. As a result, companies ensure compliance with legal requirements for development environments.

Tools for Testing Automation

While we have described all the advantages testing automation is bringing to testing processes, the reality is that having the support of a capable human team is crucial.

Testing automation still requires the correct script design to eliminate issues such as false negatives; it needs proper planning, and it needs to be able to adapt to project needs.

Platforms like icaria TDM come into play here, positioning themselves at the heart of processes where agility and efficient goal achievement without resource waste are key. This tool is oriented towards testing automation and result verification. Furthermore, it opens the door to the following advantages:

• Supplying high-quality test data specifically tailored for QA testing projects.
• Preventing unnecessary waiting times or halts that might occur in other scenarios for validations and verifications.
• Facilitating the escalation of testing processes. The software provides companies with data specifically oriented to replicate testing environments, all with minimal failure risks.
• Complying with data privacy legislation in test environments by detecting sensitive data and masking it so that companies can still harness its potential.

In essence, when it comes to testing automation, icaria TDM grants access to all the benefits outlined above: testing times are minimized (companies can experience up to 5 times faster testing), storage and testing costs are reduced, and human teams can focus on high-value tasks, thereby increasing productivity while avoiding the typical human errors associated with repetitive tasks. Ultimately, companies access higher-quality software, all while ensuring compliance with legal requirements regarding data handling.If you want to learn more and how tools like icaria TDM can assist you in implementing them, icaria Technology is at your service. You can request a free demo of icaria TDM to firsthand experience the improvements it can introduce to your processes, or you can get in touch with us to directly discuss with our team.