QA automation is a highly productive platform that helps ensure that the best quality product is built. Regressions can be quickly detected, and consistent performance can be ensured across different environments.

QA automation activity carries out the testing activities rapidly and by being accurate. The team should have the knowledge and expertise to leverage QA automation optimally. In this article, you will get a detailed overview of QA automation.

What is QA automation testing?

It is a specific testing method that uses scripts and automation tools so that the execution of software tests can be automated. The time-consuming testing activities can be ably conducted by the QA automation platform. Continuous integration and delivery, which involves testing, developing and deploying software on a continual basis is carried out by the test automation (also referred to as “QA automation” or “automation testing”) platform.

Following are the steps required to effectively perform QA automation testing:

1.The project scope should be defined: To carry out the test automation process successfully, the project scope needs to be properly defined. The areas of functionalities need to be identified that require automation by taking into consideration factors like regression-prone areas, repetitive tasks and high-risk factors. The test cases need to be prioritized based on the complexity, impact and execution time so that a structured list for automation can be developed.

2.The right tool should be selected: Taking into perspective the project’s needs, such as testing API, mobile, web or desktop applications, the specific tool needs to be selected that is aligned with the requirements. The tool’s features need to be assessed, which include, reporting capabilities, scalability, ease of use and integration with the existing development workflow. The team’s expertise needs to be tactically leveraged for optimal use.

3.Define a proper strategy: A well-defined automation strategy is essential for conducting QA automation in a streamlined manner. The specific automation framework (keyword-driven, data-driven etc.,) needs to be defined so that the automation process can be structured.
Best practices and clear coding standards need to be established for reusability, maintainability and collaboration within the team. The test scripts need to be integrated with version control systems to manage different versions and track changes effectively.

4.The right environment needs to be set up: For efficient test execution, there is a need to set up a proper environment. The team should devise a plan for test data management, which includes, management, creation and versioning of test data. The production environment is closely mirrored by configuring a stable testing environment.

This includes setting up browsers, databases and test servers. Automated tests need to be integrated with the continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipeline for rapid feedback loops.

5.Initiate the process of writing scripts: When test scripts are written, the team should focus on maintainability and clarity. Well-documented and clean code needs to be written that is easy to update and understand.

A modular design approach can be employed, wherein complex functionalities are broken down into reusable, smaller modules for better efficiency. Data-driven testing approaches need to be utilized so that the test execution process can be streamlined with different test data sets.

6.Run the tests: The test execution process should be automated so that it can run regularly based on specific triggers or as part of the CI/CD pipeline. Monitoring systems are setup so that test results can be tracked, failures can be quickly identified and alerts can be triggered.

7.Reporting capabilities: Test results need to be scrutinized so that recurring failures can be identified, trends can be understood and overall test coverage is validated. Concise and clear reports need to be generated so that the testing results can be effectively communicated to stakeholders.

Conclusion: If you are looking forward to implementing QA automation for your specific project, then visit a globally acclaimed software testing services company that will provide you with a pragmatic testing framework that is in line with your project needs.

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