How to Examine the Results of your Test Automation?

If efficient testing needs to be performed by introducing test automation, then the test result analysis process should also be efficient enough. This in turn requires the right set of tools and the right approach. Reduced risks, lower costs and high levels of efficiency are expected out of test automation activities, and that is the reason why QA and testing teams are embracing automation. But, investigating the test automation results also plays a key role in enhancing the overall effectiveness of automation testing. In this article, you will get to know about the crucial factors that are used to examine the results of your test automation.

Following are the five key factors that are used to examine the results of your test automation:

1. The necessity of an automation tool: The testing team can easily decipher the test cases that are being tested in order to ensure the accuracy of tests. The automated tests can be presented in a visual, intuitive way, rather than in lines of script, by using no-code automation. This in turn makes it easier for the team members to identify an issue in the test flow.

For UI tests, smart recorder functionality is considered to be ideal, especially when automated test flow is being developed as it simply builds the test flow and replicates the user’s actions based on those exact actions. This leaves little room for tests that are incorrectly built.

2. An automated monitoring system should be set up: As part of the software delivery process, there are already plenty of tasks for any test team, so simply another task of monitoring a result log needs to be added up. But, this does not mean that there will be an improvement in quality.

If test results are monitored constantly by the test team on their own, then there will be several risks involved. Instead, a specific test automation tool can be used that can set up alerts, through which messages can be sent out when the test team needs to act.

3. Enhance the effectiveness of the test cases: If the tester focuses on scrutinizing the failure of an automated test case, then the purpose of automation is lost. Ascertaining the reason for failure and examining a failing test case is considered to be a not too difficult activity. Testers, developers and product owners need quick feedback so that irregularities can be identified as quickly as possible.

The following features can be included in a test automation platform so that the productivity of the testers can be further enhanced:

• · The test cases that are run by machines should be video recorded: The testing team is allowed to observe as to what happened when the test cases were running
• ·  Logging functionality: All the output from the test case is contained in a step-by-step manner, in the same manner as the test case was executed
• · Debugging functionality: The test cases that have failed are presented in a step-by-step manner to see states, values etc.

4. The release management platform needs to be integrated: Both bugs can be handled and tests can be managed by using release platforms such as TFS, Jira and Quality Center. They are widely used among teams as tools for test case descriptions, test strategies and keeping track of bugs etc.

If at all test automation is introduced, it won’t change the effectiveness of these platforms as they serve as a hub for collective testing efforts. For this purpose, test automation platform needs to be integrated by either pulling results from the test automation platform by using an API or the results being pushed to the test management system.

5. The strategic value of feedback: Using visual dashboards on shared monitors is considered to be an effective tactic to share results in and between tests. For example, the latest results from regression tests can be depicted through a simple graphical representation and thus will help the team to know the current quality of the software under test.

Conclusion: If you are looking forward to implementing test automation for your specific project, then do get connected with a well-established software testing services company that will provide you with an in-detail testing blueprint that is in line with your testing and project specific requirements.