Test Automation TOP 10 mistakes

# 1. The tool is selected solely due to its open-source nature.

Nowadays, Open source tools are being widely accepted in the market. However, selecting an open-source tool, as it would be cost-saving, should not be the only tool selection criteria. Open-source tools require you to be well-versed in technical skills. If any issue crops up while handling the tool, you won’t be able to get support over the phone or by email from the vendor.?

Open-source tools attract users as they have no licensing fees but they also come with some limitations. Some have limited functionality and may not give you all the features you need, so be very clear about what you require and how the tool will help you to automate your desired requirements.

Many organizations end up using both open-source and commercial tools together since the commercial tools can fill in any missing functionality that the open-source tools don’t have and often add value on top of the open-source tools.

#2. Excluding the inclusion of manual testing.

Although automation can be an efficient way to test software, it’s important to remember that it cannot replace manual testing entirely. Some tests may be too complex or too difficult to automate and may require human judgment and interaction.

To avoid this mistake, it’s important to incorporate manual testing in conjunction with automated testing. This includes using manual testing to cover areas that cannot be effectively tested with automation, and using automation to cover repetitive or time-consuming tests.

#3. Failing to verify test outcomes.

Another common mistake in test automation is not validating test results. This can lead to false positives and false negatives, which can be time-consuming to debug. To avoid this mistake, it is important to validate test results. This includes comparing expected results with actual results and identifying any discrepancies. By validating test results, QA can ensure that their tests are working as expected.

#4. Not maintaining tests.

One of the most common mistakes in test automation is not maintaining tests. Tests that are not maintained can become obsolete and may not work correctly. To avoid this mistake, it is important to maintain tests regularly. This includes updating tests as the software product changes and retesting them to ensure that they are working as expected.

By maintaining tests, QA can ensure that their tests are up-to-date and effective.

#5. Overlooking the test environment.

Another common mistake in test automation is not considering the test environment. Tests that work in one environment may not work in another, and this can lead to false positives and false negatives. To avoid this mistake, it is important to use test data that is representative of the production environment. This includes using the same operating system, browser, and hardware configurations. By using representative test data, QA professionals can ensure that their tests will work in the production environment.

#6. Not accounting for test data variations.

Another common mistake in test automation is not accounting for variations in test data. This can result in a lack of coverage of potential edge cases and scenarios, leading to inadequate testing.

To avoid this mistake, it’s important to use data-driven testing. This means using a wide variety of test data that includes different inputs and expected outputs. By doing this, QA professionals can ensure that their tests are covering a broad range of potential scenarios and edge cases.

#7. Neglecting to offer adequate training to team members.

Organizations often fail to understand that making a change is easy, but making people accept the change and live with it is really very hard. This is where businesses struggle. They adopt automation without taking their team on board and don’t understand their employees who make or break the deal.

There are two critical phases where you need to ensure your team is with you:

1. ? Training and adaptation

2. ? Testing and implementation of the automated solution

The introduction of any tool requires proper training of the tool to the members who will be using it. It should not be rolled out to the organization and asked to do a hit and trial. The tools should be made familiar to a bunch of people and then once they are well versed with it they should train others.

The best way to do this is by offering training. Before enacting your automation strategy, create a training document and have multiple meetings and workshops. It’s also helpful to host a testing session to ensure your staff fully understands the automated processes.

#8. Excessively automating tests.

Automation?is a good thing.?Too much automation?is not. One of the most common mistakes in test automation is automating too many tests. This often leads to a large number of tests that are difficult to maintain and execute. It can also lead to false positives and false negatives, which can be time-consuming to debug.

To avoid this mistake, it is important to prioritize tests based on their importance and impact on the software product. High-priority tests should be automated first, followed by medium-priority tests, and then low-priority tests.

By prioritizing tests, QA can ensure that they are focusing on the most critical tests and not wasting time automating tests that have little value.

#9. Relying excessively on User Interface (UI)-based testing.

While UI testing is a valuable aspect of the testing process, depending solely on it can result in several drawbacks. Relying excessively on User Interface (UI)--based testing can pose significant challenges and limitations to the overall quality of software applications.

This can lead to tests that are brittle and difficult to maintain, as changes to the user interface can often break automated tests.

It’s important to use API-based testing in addition to UI-based testing.

By testing application programming interfaces (APIs), QA can verify that the backend of the application is working correctly, without relying too heavily on the UI. This can result in more stable and maintainable automated tests.

#10. Absence of oversight/supervision.

Supervision is not limited to managing your staff and their roles during automating a project. Supervision also includes managing the entire project along with the automation process.

Failure to manage your automated processes results in losing control of the project and impacts sales adversely.

Supervisors should always monitor the automated process activity to ensure all processes are successful if something goes wrong, they should be the first ones to know and get the issue fixed.