Bugs due to testing-2

Hi,

Let’s continue our discussion on bugs due to software testing.

I mean improper testing.

In my earlier article, I explained about issues due to testing process.

Also I explained 3 testing issues.

You can read testing issues due to requirements.

In this article, I will explain about automation challenges.

I will try to explain with examples and how to mitigate those challenges.

Alright, lets dive in

4. Automation challenges

Automation can significantly improve efficiency and test coverage.

We know that.

But, along with that various challenges can arise, hindering the effectiveness of automated testing.

Automation solves the problem.

We had this mindset. So we started automating the test cases for a product we were testing.

As we started and continued automation, we faced many challenges.

These difficulties were encountered in the creation and maintenance of automated test scripts.

In fact, we had many challenges.

Here are some:

1. Data Dependency
2. Synchronization Issues
3. Dynamic Elements
4. Flaky Tests
5. Script Maintenance

Example:

Assume you are testing e-commerce application.

It is undergoing frequent changes to its user interface. If the automated test scripts are dependent on UI elements, any small change in the UI can lead to script failures.

Automation challenges in this scenario might involve:

• Constant script updates
• Maintenance issues
• Increased efforts to adapt to UI changes

Make sure that, you spend quality time in these:

1. Feasibility analysis
2. Tool selection
3. Framework selection

Note: Feasibility analysis = How to select test cases for automation

Impact:

These Automation challenges can greatly impact the efficiency and reliability of automated testing.

They can lead to false positives or false negatives.

That is , report generated might be wrong.

People often do not bother about test scripts that are passed.

This is a big mistake.

You need to make sure that, scripts which are passed, are really passed.

There might be increased maintenance efforts and a delayed ROI (Return On Investment) for automation.

This may even lead to termination of automation project itself.

Mitigation:

We can mitigate the automation challenges in multiple ways.

Some of them are:

1. Automation framework selection:

Analyse and select a robust automation framework.

This framework should support:

• Modularity
• Abstraction
• Easy maintenance

Various frameworks are available for you to choose.

Example: Selenium WebDriver with Page Object Model (POM) or Appium for mobile testing.

These provide structures to overcome common automation challenges.

1. Effective Element handlingDo not use id or index locators.To handle the dynamic elements in the application, you can use CSS selectors or XPath expressions.These are less sensitive to changes.Do not use static waits.Employ dynamic waits to ensure that elements are fully loaded before they are used. This reduces synchronization issues.
2. Effective Logging and Debugging

Collect the automation logs.

Add logging feature in automation scripts to capture relevant information during test execution.

You can implement detailed logging mechanisms in your framework.

You can use these logs. Logs help you in debugging failed scripts. They also facilitate quicker identification and resolution of issues.

1. Continuous Monitoring and Reporting

Monitor the scripts and their execution.

Better still, you can implement continuous integration (CI) and continuous testing practices. You can accompany them by robust reporting tools.

Regularly monitor test results.

Also, investigate failures to maintain a high level of confidence in the automated test suite.

As I mentioned earlier, it is not enough to just monitor failed scripts. It is equally important to monitor passed scripts. This is specially important in initial stages of automation and script development. Make sure that, scripts are validating the required steps.

1. Regular maintenance

Develop and forget.

This will not work out in automated scripts.

They need to be maintained.

Set up a scheduled routine for script reviews and updates.

You can prioritize scripts based on the frequency of application changes. 5. The more the changes in application, more should be frequency of maintenance.

Automated tests should evolve with the application.

Regular maintenance helps keep scripts in sync and up-to-date.

By adopting these and other mitigations, you can address automation challenges more effectively.

These mitigations help you in a more robust and reliable automated testing process.

I will cover other challenges in upcoming articles.

That’s all for now !

-Jayateerth

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