What are the challenges in Test Automation?

Test automation is considered to be an important subset of software testing. Through the implementation of automation testing, the process of software validation can be accelerated and testing coverage can be improved to a great extent. The inclusion of test automation tools and implementing these tools strategically in a specific project will only increase efficiency and make the testing process even faster. In this article, you will get to know what are the challenges in implementing test automation. 

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Following are some of the key challenges in implementing test automation:

1. Requirement of skilled resources: Some are of the view that manual testers can handle test automation because recording test scripts and playing back are supported by many test tools and can be performed quickly and easily. 

On the contrary, utilizing test automation in an optimal manner requires adequate technical skills in order to maintain and design test scripts and test automation frameworks, resolve technical issues and build solutions. To attain the above test automation requirements, framework design and implementation are required. 

2. Ascertaining the right tool: There are some efficient and open-source tools such as selenium and katalon, and then there are commercial tools like TestComplete that support various types and technologies. Specific scenarios are supported by each of these tools. Proper decisions and research need to be made by the concerned teams in order to select the right test automation tools. Proper evaluation of these tools is required. 

A set of tool requirements criteria needs to be defined based on the Application Under Test (AUT)  and the experts’ experience needs to be considered based on the tools that they have used. Despite the kind of process and testing methodology that is being used, the business and technical expectations should be in line with the features of the tool or tools, only then can the tools provide the maximum benefit to the project in which it is being used.

3. Strategizing team collaboration: There is not an iota of doubt that test automation is more efficient and faster compared to manual testing. But, it is also true that test automation is more complicated than manual testing because there is a lot more collaboration and communication that is required in automation teams. Setting targets and identifying test automation objectives needs to be carried out by the team members and then significant efforts need to be spent on communication and providing historical data.

4. The cost factor: In most agile scenarios, automated regression testing plays a crucial role. Implementing automation testing is considered to be quite expensive. It is important to build, design and analyze a test automation framework, reusable functions, libraries etc. In certain scenarios, facilitating and operating costs such as software and hardware costs, licensing costs need to be taken into account.

Though there is an availability of open-source test automation tools which basically reduces the amount spent on licensing costs, still, significant amount of effort needs to be put in to understand, learn, get trained and maintain these open-source tools.

5. A proper testing approach needs to be determined: A right testing approach plays a pivotal role in implementing automation testing activities. The automation team must plan and decide the best testing approach based on the project requirements. The focus should also be on reducing efforts for maintenance of test suite and test scripts and the necessary implementation. There should be an ideal test automation solution, through which issues can be detected to automatically re-validate and update the tests without the need for any human intervention.              

Conclusion: If you are looking forward to implementing automation testing for your specific project, then do get connected with a premium software testing services company that will provide professional consultation and support on developing a crystal-clear automation testing strategy.