How to Build a Test Automation Strategy?

How to Build a Test Automation Strategy: Introduction

Test automation is a critical part of modern software development processes. It saves you time, improves product quality, and reduces time-to-market.

A test automation strategy is a comprehensive plan that outlines how to implement automated testing in your software development lifecycle. It includes defining the scope of automation, selecting the right tools, and identifying the tests that should be automated. By having a clear strategy, you can ensure that your automation efforts are efficient and effective.

Understanding the importance of a test automation strategy is crucial. A robust test automation strategy offers numerous benefits such as improved efficiency since automated tests can run faster and more frequently than manual tests, allowing you to identify and fix issues sooner.

It also ensures consistency, as automated tests perform the same steps precisely each time they are executed, reducing the risk of human error.

Begin by automating the most critical and repetitive test cases. Once you have a solid foundation, gradually expand your automation efforts to cover more complex scenarios. This approach helps you manage resources effectively and refine your strategy as you grow.

Sergey Almyashev

COO, ZappleTech Inc.

Common mistakes to avoid in your test automation strategy include automating everything, ignoring maintenance, lack of training, and poor test data management.

Not all tests should be automated; focus on high-value tests that provide the most benefit. Test scripts need regular updates to remain effective, and neglecting maintenance can lead to outdated tests and false positives.

What is a test automation strategy?

A test automation strategy is a well-thought-out approach devised by the QA Mentor Automation Expert department. This strategy involves creating a set of reusable automated scripts and determining the overall plan for project automation.

Implementing a correct test automation strategy and roadmap ensures higher ROI, better coverage, and increased reliability of tests.

The test strategy, once established, can be applied across multiple projects, testing phases, and environments. By leveraging a solid test automation strategy, businesses can stay competitive in the market and consistently deliver high-quality products.

The strategy not only streamlines the testing process but also enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of the QA team.

Test strategy vs test plan

Both a test strategy and a test plan are essential elements of the quality assurance process. They share commonalities, which can sometimes make it confusing to distinguish between the two. Let’s explore how a test automation strategy differs from a test plan and when each should be used.

A test automation strategy provides a high-level approach to automation within the testing process. It outlines the overall goals, tools, frameworks, and best practices for automating test cases.

The strategy focuses on long-term objectives and ensures that the automated testing aligns with the broader business goals. It addresses the “why” and “what” of the automation process, setting the foundation for consistent and scalable test automation efforts across multiple projects and environments.

On the other hand, a test plan is a detailed document that describes the specific activities and resources needed for a particular testing phase or project. It includes the scope of testing, test objectives, resources, schedule, test deliverables, and the specific test cases to be executed.

• Goal. Test strategy explains test design and determines how testing should be done. Test plan defines specific details of testing a particular project.
• Components. Test strategy includes the goals and scope, formats of documentation, description of testing processes, the structure of test report, communication strategy. Test plan includes features to test, testing techniques and tasks, pass \ fail criteria, deliverables, responsibilities, schedule etc.
• The use. The strategy is once designed and used for organizational purposes across different projects. The plan is a specification that is created for each separate project and is rarely repeated
• Flexibility. Once designed, the test strategy isn’t changed. The plan is more flexible and can be changed depending on test results.
• The responsible person. The test strategy is created by the project manager while the plan is carried by the test manager

Why you need a test automation strategy

Designing a test automation strategy in Agile is a good way to improve the business processes and to organize the testing process.

Here are the benefits of having an automation strategy

More comprehensive testing

• Having a test strategy, it is easier to design a test plan even for complex automation tasks. This will help to improve the test coverage and the quality of the final product

Re-use of critical components

• Introducing an automation strategy will help to design a reusable testing framework. This will speed up the testing process and improve the productivity of the employees

Reducing maintenance costs

• With reusable components, you will spend less money on designing new testing frameworks. Having a strategy helps the team to adapt to the changing conditions quickly and efficiently.

Creating the testing standard

• The strategy will become a standard that will be used across all projects of the organization that will make the testing process more smooth and efficient.

Generally, having a test strategy will increase your confidence and help to deliver software of better quality to the stakeholders.

Automation strategy structure

Generally, the automation strategy includes the overall company’s approach to testing and reporting. It plans and outlines the testing processes and procedures for the work of testers.

The test automation approach points

Test environment

• First, the testing environment should be fully controlled and give the developers the freedom to edit all the necessary data. Some cases require several environments working simultaneously while the tests are run. In this case, the QA specialist has to make sure that all the systems are compatible with each other.

Testing approach

• Here the testers define the testing copes, create the lists of activities and assign the responsible team members to control each section. A standard automated test pipeline generally runs the following stages: Initiation, Automation Test Planning, Execution, Reporting, Close-out.

Testing tools

• A test specialist has to choose which tools will be used for different sections and environments.

The automation strategy is dependent on the company structure, the number of people involved in the processes, the methodology of business, the number of actions to be taken in each section.

How to create an automation strategy for your project

Now that you understand, what is a test automation strategy and why is it necessary for your business, we have prepared a simple test automation strategy example for your project.

Step 1. Decide which tests you will automate

The first step in developing a test automation strategy is to decide which tests you will automate. Achieving 100% automation coverage is impossible since some bottlenecks can only be tested manually.

Therefore, before developing your automation strategy, it’s crucial to determine which test cases are best suited for automation.

Begin by identifying test cases that are repetitive, time-consuming, and critical to the application’s functionality. These are typically the best candidates for automation. 

Automation parameters

• Runs in numerous environments. If you are testing an app on multiple devices, operating systems, browsers, manual testing will take a lot of resources. With automation scripts, it will be easier and faster.
• Needs a large data input. If the case requires a lot of data, consider automating it. Not to collect the data manually, you can also use a data generation tool.
• Takes a lot of time to perform. Some tests need to be continuously controlled during 10-12 hours — in this case, you’d better definitely consider automation. The executed script doesn’t require much human attention — all the tester needs to do is to analyze the results of the script execution.
• Performance testing. Here we check, how the app works in case thousands of users access it simultaneously. It’s impossible to achieve without test automation.
• Data-driven testing. If your test case involves changing the data sets of the tests, automation is what you need. 

Step 2. Select the automation tools

Selecting the right suite of tools is particularly important in developing an effective test automation strategy.

With dozens of tools available, each offering different functionalities, benefits, and limitations, choosing the right ones can significantly impact the success of your automated testing efforts.

When selecting automation tools, consider the specific needs and goals of your project. Ensure that the tools you choose are compatible with your technology stack and can integrate seamlessly with your existing development and testing environments.

The right tools should support the types of tests you plan to automate, whether they are unit tests, integration tests, regression tests, or performance tests.

Key factors

• Complexity. Here you need to make sure that the tool matches the abilities of your QA team, languages they are familiar with, their previous experience with automation tools. 
• Technical feasibility. The tool should provide you with the main benefits of test automation — run tests without supervision, collect reports, run many tests at a time etc.
• Test data. It’s better to choose a tool with data management features. With them, you will be able to run the tests with large data input and data-driven ones
• Reusability of scripts. It’s good if the app allows you to keep all the written scripts in a database and use them in different projects
• Support of different environments. It’s important that the tool is able to transfer the script to a different environment and automatically change the app-specific data.

Step 3. Create automation framework

Creating a test automation framework is a crucial step in developing a comprehensive test automation strategy. A test automation framework is a set of guidelines, best practices, and tools that your testers will use across different projects.

It provides a structured approach to automation, ensuring consistency and efficiency in testing processes.

To ensure your test automation framework is effective, it must be scalable and capable of supporting not just the execution of a single test case but the entire system of test cases and reports.

This means the framework should be designed to handle various types of tests, including functional, regression, and performance tests, while also allowing for easy maintenance and updates as the project evolves.

General principles of creating a framework

• Use the PageObjects model (POM). The increasing coverage may lead to appearing an unmaintainable structure. 
• Use object repositories for automated testing. Instead of scattering the objects across the test scripts, it’s better to keep them in a centralized location. 
• Define the testing scope. Make sure your testing requirements are clear — this will help to define if your test passed or failed.
• Have all the needed documentation. The documentation will help the team members to master the tools and to solve the problems that might emerge during the script execution.

Step 4. Set up the testing environment

Setting up the testing environment is a critical component of a robust test automation strategy. The testing environment is a combination of software and hardware necessary to test the performance, functionality, and reliability of the system.

Properly configuring this environment ensures that automated tests are executed under conditions that closely mimic the production environment, providing more accurate and meaningful results.

Short checklist

• Check if all the necessary equipment is ready
• Make sure that all the testing apps are installed
• Ensure that all the standard datasets are available
• Assign the environment maintenance to a responsible person in a team
• Schedule the use of testing environment
• Check the connection before starting the testing

This will help to check if the environment is configured correctly and to increase the efficiency of testing.

Step 5. Developing test plan

To ensure a smooth testing process, it’s essential to define a strategy for the automation test plan that will be executed. The test plan is a detailed document that outlines the specific testing activities to be performed as part of your test automation strategy.

The first step in developing the test plan is to clearly define the scope of testing. This includes identifying the features and functionalities to be tested, the types of tests to be conducted (e.g., functional, regression, performance), and the specific test cases to be automated.

By establishing a clear scope, you can ensure that all critical aspects of the application are covered and that the testing efforts are focused and efficient.

Next, detail the test environment setup within the test plan. Specify the software and hardware requirements, configurations, and any necessary dependencies for the testing process.

This ensures that the tests are executed in a controlled and consistent environment, leading to more reliable results.

The test plan should also include a schedule for the testing activities. Define the timelines for each phase of the testing process, including the development of test scripts, execution of tests, and analysis of results. 

Structure of a test plan

• Description of daily tasks. Here one can find the status of the task, progress update etc
• Pipeline orchestrators for test executions. They will help to automate the task sequences to complete them in a fixed order
• Keeping tests change-resistant. This is a set of guidelines covering the ways the test cases interact with the components of the app in testing

Selecting the appropriate automation tools that fit your project’s technology stack and testing requirements is crucial. Invest time in evaluating different tools based on their features, ease of use, and integration capabilities to ensure they meet your long-term needs.

Mikhail Bodnarchuk

CDO, ZappleTech Inc.

Step 6. Write the scripts

Firstly, ensure that your scripts are modular and reusable. This means breaking down the test cases into smaller, manageable components that can be reused across different tests. 

Secondly, focus on readability and maintainability. Write your scripts in a way that they are easy to understand and modify. Use clear and descriptive names for variables, functions, and test cases.

Include comments and documentation within the scripts to explain the purpose and logic of the code, making it easier for other team members to review and update them.

Thirdly, implement proper error handling and reporting mechanisms. Ensure that your scripts can gracefully handle unexpected conditions and provide meaningful error messages.

Checklist for scripts

• Prioritize the scenarios. Define and test the most important flows. They include a login page, checkouts, shopping cart. You can use the Analytics data to find out the most used flows
• Break scenarios down. Break complex scripts into a set of simple tests. Once each of them is tested, run a sequence test to make sure that the performance is good as well
• Make sure that the initial test state is the same. Automated tests consist of a fixed number of actions. To avoid compromising the flow, it’s necessary to start them with the same state
• Reduce the number of if-statements. To ensure that the test is predictable, try to avoid occurrence conditions
• Write isolated scripts. With self-contained flows, the quality of parallel testing improves. If there is a delay with an independent test, the entire sequence won’t be compromised.

Step 7. Make the reporting system

Firstly, ensure that your test reports are comprehensive and clear. Include detailed information about the test cases executed, including the test objectives, test data, environment details, and the exact steps followed during execution.

This level of detail helps in understanding the context of the tests and any issues that arise.

Secondly, provide a summary of the test results, highlighting the key metrics such as the number of tests passed, failed, and skipped. This high-level overview allows stakeholders to quickly grasp the overall quality of the application and identify areas that need attention.

Moreover, ensure that your reporting system supports trend analysis. Track and compare test results over time to identify patterns and trends in the application’s performance and stability.

This historical data can help in predicting potential issues and planning future testing efforts.

Another important aspect is to make your test reports accessible and shareable. Use reporting tools that allow easy sharing with team members and stakeholders.

Consider integrating your reporting system with other tools used in your development workflow, such as CI/CD pipelines, to automate the distribution of test reports.

Lastly, regularly review and update your reporting format to meet the evolving needs of your project and stakeholders. Continuous improvement in your reporting practices is essential for maintaining an effective test automation strategy.

Once the test sequence is executed, it’s time to structure the results and present them in a logical document that will help to improve the product. Although there are plenty of test reporting tools, there are some tips that will increase the efficiency of test reporting:

• Analyze the results in connection. Comparing the data of different test sessions, you will be able to track progress, identify repeated issues and tests that need to be improved.

• Get detailed test logs. Analyze screenshots, system logs, and other data received during testing. Don’t rely on passed\failed logs, study the step-by-step description of the test execution
• Improve data visualization. Test results will be more meaningful if you present them as a diagram or graph. 

Step 8. Maintain the scripts

Maintaining the scripts is a crucial part of an effective test automation strategy. The less maintenance a script requires, the easier it will be to reuse in different situations, ultimately enhancing the efficiency and longevity of your automated testing efforts. 

Firstly, write modular and reusable scripts. Break down your test cases into smaller, self-contained modules that can be easily reused across various tests. This modularity not only simplifies maintenance but also allows for easy updates and modifications when changes occur in the application.

Secondly, ensure that your scripts are well-documented. Include comments and explanations within the code to describe the purpose and functionality of each part of the script. 

Thirdly, use descriptive and meaningful naming conventions for your variables, functions, and test cases. Consistent naming conventions improve readability and make it easier to identify and modify specific parts of the script.

Another important tip is to use version control for your test scripts. Version control systems, like Git, allow you to track changes, collaborate with team members, and revert to previous versions if needed.

This practice helps in managing script updates and ensures that all changes are documented and controlled.

• Eliminate rarely used browsers and OS. This will reduce the number of possible combinations and save you both time and money
• Avoid complicated scenarios. Simple test suits are easier to maintain. Try to avoid if-patterns, complex user glows — they are harder and more expensive to debug and read
• Study system’s asynchronous actions. Keep an eye on client-side asynchronous actions. Although callbacks can be challenging for the testers, cooperation with developers will help to understand the page flow and to create helper features.

How to Build a Test Automation Strategy: Conclusion