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    Do You Fall For These 10 Automation Testing Myths?

    automation testing myths - KMS Solutions

    Automated testing has been the solution for many teams who wanted to accelerate the testing life cycle and improve testing performance. But there are many widespread misconceptions about automation testing that prevent people from getting the most value from it.

    This article attempts to bust some of the most common automated testing myths to prepare you for your next project.

    Myth #1 - You should automate 100% of your tests

    The fact is: It’s impossible to test everything. Although automation testing can help you increase the number of tests you are able to run, the reality is that you can’t test everything. But even if you can automate everything, it’s likely that it’s not gonna be as efficient as you want. 

    The reason is clear. Manual testing is the foundation of automation testing. Without automation testing, you cannot do automation testing. At the same time, some tests are better off left to manual testers. For example, every time you add a new integration, you should need manual tests because automated tests can only verify previous scripts.

    Automation experts are those who know that knowing when to automate is just as important as knowing how to automate. However, though you’re not able to automate every test, automation will greatly increase the number of tests you’re able to run.

    Myth #2 - Automation replaces manual testing

    The fact is: People often conclude that automated testing is a replacement for manual testing. This is not true. Each of these 2 approaches has its own set of use cases and needs to be used to complement each other.  While the automated tests are automating mundane tasks several times a day, testers can use this time to explore software using risk-based, exploratory, and other testing approaches, and support developers throughout the process. Manual testing is still important as they help find new vulnerabilities in the application which would otherwise be hard to find using automated testing.

    Also, manual testing is a humanized approach that focuses on user empathy and using the application like how a customer would use it. This cannot be replaced by automation. 

    Myth #3 - Developers should lead automated testing efforts

    The fact is: It must be Automation Engineers who define automation. While automation testing requires programming and coding, it’s always testers who build automated scripts. Now that the industry is starting to rely on modern testing methods and development processes, your company will need more test automation engineers and architects. 

    In fact, most of the time companies prefer automation engineers to developers when it comes to automation testing. It’s because testers have the mindset, training, and specialized skills for different automation tasks, which require more than just coding.

    Myth #4 - Automation is more expensive than manual testing

    The fact is: If implemented with proper planning, automation testing can save money in the long run. Although the initial investment in automated testing tools and hiring testers can be daunting, the ROI of test automation is often worth it because it can save the time that otherwise is spent on manual testing.

    For example, if you’re manually running tests that could be automated, it’s costing you wasted time because your testers could be doing something more constructive. If you think about this scenario over weeks, months, or years, that’s a huge opportunity cost. Test automation is also a cost-effective way to extend testing coverage, scale testing efforts, and mitigate risks as your application grows.

    Myth #5 - Automated testing is superior to manual testing

    The fact is: Neither automated testing is better nor worse than manual testing. And the other way around is also true. They just have different uses. The most effective testing strategy has a balance between manual and automation. Manual testing is still ideal for one-off tests or those tests that need human observation. Exploratory tests, smoke tests, and usability testing are some of those. On the other hand, automation is usually better for repetitive tests or tests that need to be frequently tested, such as regression tests

    Knowing different use cases of each of them and how to apply them to appropriate test cases is the best way to get the most out of your automation testing efforts.

    Myth #6 - Automated Testing is a makeshift solution

    The fact is: Automated testing isn’t a one-off solution. You can’t set up automated tests and never look at them again. In fact, the code of your automated tests requires much maintenance to ensure that it’s doing its job. 

    Moreover, changing your company’s testing and development processes will require new training and onboarding to familiarize employees with automation tools and writing automated tests, which takes a lot of time. While the ROI of test automation will surface over time, the transition to automation testing will take commitment, patience, and financial investment.

    Myth #7 - Automation will solve all testing problems

    The fact is: Automation is not a silver bullet. Automation engineers always experience false positives and flaky builds that come from a lack of human observation, maintenance, and collaboration. 

    Automation testing can also raise new problems. For example, one challenge with automation testing tools is coding for cases with more complicated elements like dynamic content, multiple tabs, and pop-up windows that are easier to test manually.

    Automation testing will still require the specialized skills of testers to troubleshoot problems, write scripts, manage tools, and maintain test cases.

    Myth #8 - Test script once created can run for all versions of builds

    The fact is: Test script once created is not there to stay. You will need to change it in accordance with new changes in the build. Builds can be modified either because of changes in functionality, or to reflect changes in the test environment or third-party tools, or due to bug fixing. In either case, the test cases have to be up to date.

    If you want to learn more about Automation Testing and how it can help your business improve efficiency while reducing costs, contact KMS Solutions for a quick consultation.