What is the best way to choose which test cases to automate?

1 Test frequency and priority

One of the main benefits of test automation is that it can run repetitive and tedious tests faster and more consistently than humans. Therefore, you should automate test cases that are executed frequently, such as regression tests, smoke tests, and sanity tests. These tests are usually high-priority and cover the core functionalities of the application. You should also automate test cases that are critical for the business or the user, such as security tests, performance tests, and compliance tests. These tests are often complex and require specialized tools or skills that manual testing cannot provide.

2 Test stability and complexity

Another factor to consider when choosing test cases to automate is the stability and complexity of the test scenario and the application under test. You should avoid automating test cases that are unstable, meaning that they are prone to change or fail due to external factors, such as network issues, data dependencies, or user input. These test cases can cause false positives or negatives, and require frequent updates or debugging. You should also avoid automating test cases that are too complex, meaning that they involve multiple steps, interactions, or conditions that are hard to emulate or verify by automation scripts. These test cases can be more error-prone, time-consuming, and difficult to maintain than manual testing.

3 Test design and data

A third aspect to keep in mind when choosing test cases to automate is the design and data of the test cases. You should automate test cases that are well-designed, meaning that they have clear objectives, inputs, outputs, and expected results. These test cases can be easily translated into automation scripts and verified by assertions or checkpoints. You should also automate test cases that use reusable or dynamic data, meaning that they can be executed with different sets of data without modifying the automation scripts. These test cases can increase the test coverage and reduce the data preparation efforts.

4 Test ROI and maintenance

A final consideration when choosing test cases to automate is the return on investment (ROI) and maintenance of the test automation. You should automate test cases that have a high ROI, meaning that they can deliver significant benefits in terms of time, quality, and efficiency compared to manual testing. These test cases can justify the initial cost and effort of developing and running the automation scripts. You should also automate test cases that have low maintenance, meaning that they can be executed with minimal changes or interventions over time. These test cases can reduce the overhead and risk of maintaining the automation scripts.

By applying these criteria and tips, you can select the most suitable test cases to automate and optimize your test automation strategy. Remember that test automation is not a replacement for manual testing, but a complement that can enhance your testing process and outcomes.