1. Best Practises In Test Automation
February, 2017

2. Introduction
Agile development is the key to survival in today’s digital era. To meet growing user
expectations, apps need to evolve fast. For implementing continuous app improvements,
development teams need regular testing insights through test automation tools.
In the initial stages of development, as more features are added, manual exploratory testing
becomes crucial. As a product matures, complexity of an app increases. When there is a large
software project with many system users, you need a continuous testing strategy to ensure that
the project is on the right track. Relying solely on manual testing to execute repetitive testing
steps is not only costly but also time consuming and ineffective.
Automation simplifies and speeds up the testing process for large projects, making it easy to
move from one build to the next, without the risk of breaking things. With automation, testing
tools run the tests to ensure that the expected outcomes of the developing programs match the
actual outcomes. For better accuracy and speed, test automation is crucial. It can help achieve
test coverage & speed for large projects. A combination of manual testing & test automation
can give a software product adequate test coverage to eliminate risks, if any.
Key Merits Of Automation :
·​ ​It is useful in scenarios that require continuous delivery and continues testing.
·​ ​With automation, you can run tests faster and get results quickly.
·​ ​Faster results help development teams to implement changes faster.
When To Automate Tests
With automation, developers can get feedbacks faster & reduce the risk of breaking things as they
progress from one build to the next. The defects can be found faster. The cost of fixing them can be
reduced as well. However, before opting to automate tests, companies must factor in the need &
measurable benefits of test automation. A good & simple rule would be to aim for automation of
repetitive testing tasks that are prone to human error. Automation Testing is needed in the following
cases:

3. 1) When the app is stable
Any feature that is at least 80% stable & unchanging can be automated. Automation involves considerable
investment of time & effort. A product that is not stable is likely to change functionality wise. There is no
point in test automation for products that are not stable in terms of functionality.
2) When there is no manual regression testing
Regression testing involves testing of unchanged parts of an application. Automation testing becomes
critical for regression tests to ensure that no features break from one build to the next. As these tests are
repetitive in nature, they need to be automated to save cost & time. The automation frame work for
regression tests should include the option to add & update test cases.
3) When you need faster results
Automation allows companies to execute repetitive & difficult tests faster. Product managers can get
quick feedback & ensure that no feature is broken from one build to another.
4) When testing steps are repetitive
Any static or repetitive test that is relatively unchanged in new test cycles can be considered for
automation. The time saved can be devoted by testers in conducting critical exploratory testing of the
product.
5) When there is huge volume of data
Data driven tests that involve validation with huge volume of data and inputs are more likely to get errors
when done manually. Setting up test data again & again is a major pain point. Further as & when new
features are released, you have to set up the complex test data in various test environments. Uploading
multiple variations of the same data is a time consuming and difficult process. Automation in these cases
not only speeds up the process, but ensures better accuracy. A simple script will allow you to upload
different variants of the same data & track the test easily.
Challenges In Test Automation
Test automation of work flows requires the help of skilled domain experts. The major
roadblocks to achieving adequate automation coverage is the huge investment required for
testing an app in real world conditions & the investment required for setting up a test

4. automation framework. Further, when functions change, automation scripts need to be
updated & maintained accordingly.
Drawbacks Of Traditional Automation Methodologies:
​Traditionally, automation was done by in-house QA teams or by outsourcing.
​This involves considerable investment in tools and teams.
​This system follows a headcount based pricing that is fixed and rigid.
​​Limited access to testing experts.
Building an efficient automation framework involves a considerable investment in resources
especially time, money & automation experts. A problem that can be solved through crowd
sourced testing platforms.
Test Automation Powered By Crowd
To keep up with the rapid pace at which apps are developing today, enterprises need a flexible
and smart automation testing strategy that is both efficient and cost-effective. Enterprise
crowd testing is the most optimum solution that is both cost-effective and output oriented.
Automation testing powered by crowd sourced platform provides a cost-effective solution that
can help combat both the challenges of attaining maximum coverage and accessing skilled QA
experts. Further, incorporation of an ​ACC (Attributes, Components & Capabilities) model​ will
enable product owners to identify critical workflows that needs to be automated.
Highlights Of Automation Through Crowd Platform:
​Leverage on support from testing experts from all over the world.
​Access a flexible, on-demand workforce that can handle peak demands.
​Transparent output based pricing that allows more predictability.
​Cost-effective solution.
​​Easier to integrate the tools with the existing resources.
​​Faster results and time to market.
​​More accountability and performance.

5. Merits Of Automation Powered By Crowd
The agility & flexibility of crowd sourced automation platform provides companies with greater
testing capabilities for managing the complexities of their product. The long term savings of
investing in adequate testing is huge for enterprises looking to speed innovation and improve
product quality.The following are some of the key merits of automation testing powered by
crowd:
1) Expert Support In Creating Automation Scripts
With test automation powered by crowd, enterprises can recruit professional testers with specific domain
knowledge to manage their testing projects. With access to crowd testers & validators it is easier to
assess risks & plan the tests. This makes automation of repetitive workflows easier. With crowd sourced
testing experts you can easily create the automation scripts. This helps in speedy, one click execution of
all the automation scripts. Thereby reducing the turnaround time for results.
2) Automation Script Maintenance Powered By Crowd
There is a lot of cost and effort involved in the maintenance of automation scripts. When a change in the
feature impacts other features, updating the scripts becomes a necessity. Instead of straining your
in-house QA team, you can utilize crowd platforms to maintain & update the automation scripts.
3) Run Scripts In Different Devices
Crowd automation testing gives product managers the opportunity to test their app in varied real life
testing environments without investing the devices. Clients can invoke browsers in different operating
scripts & run scripts on various devices on automation framework powered by crowd. Companies can
thus gain maximum test coverage in terms of device configurations.
4) Save Time & Money
Increased testing capabilities through crowd allows companies to test, develop and deploy software
faster and more effectively. Apart from savings in terms of device procurement & full time QA hires,
companies also gain the advantage to scale their testing efforts with an on-demand crowd testing team.
5) Boost Agile Development
Quick feedback for regression tests powered by crowd will enable developers to fix issues faster and
minimize the risk of breaking things from one build to the next. Crowd sourced test automation thus

6. enables product owners to test fast & automate easily. This in turn helps align the QA efforts to match the
speed of Dev ops, helping developers to release innovative software features faster in a matter of weeks.
6) Effective utilisation of QA talent
By providing crowd sourced QA support to in-house QA team, companies can save considerable amount
of time for the in-house testing team. This time can be used for crucial manual testing of the product.
Their time and investigative skills can be used for testing new features. You can even involve them in
early requirement discussions to identify bugs sooner.
Best Practises InTest Automation
In order for testing process to be fast & effective, product managers need to intelligently plan &
execute their test automation strategy. A good rule is to not try & automate everything at once.
Start with critical workflows that are crucial for your app. Individual test cases that need to be
automated must be identified. The following is a list of best practices in test automation that
you can adopt to make your testing process more effective:
1) Understand The App & Know What To Automate
Automate features only after they have stabilized and are likely to remain unchanged. Ideally, automation
scripts should be created for repetitive tests that need to be executed with each release like regression
cases. Automation can cover smoke tests & build acceptance tests that are frequently performed. These
kind of tests are time consuming and difficult to execute manually. The goal is to simplify repetitive tasks
and make it easier for manual testers to focus on ways to improve product quality.
Additionally, don’t try to automate everything as it involves considerable investment in time & resources to
not only set up the framework but also maintain it. Identify critical workflows based on the risks
assessed. Automate only critical workflows that don’t involve complex checking system or manual
analysis. Good knowledge of your app will also help in finalizing the right tool for automation.
2) Choose The Right Automation Tool
The automation tool must be compatible with the technology used by your application. Know the
browsers the app supports; the language it is built on & the technology it uses. Choose a tool that is most
familiar for your team, which does not incur a lot of time in learning the technology. The tool should help
in execution of multiple test cases without any intervention and should generate accurate logs at the end

7. of the tests. Check if there is scope for extending the capabilities of the tool. Selection of the right tool
makes the automation process easier.
3) Include Manual testing & Test Automation In Framework
Good test automation begins with creation of good manual test cases. Include provision for manual
testing and creation of effective test cases in the automation framework. Leverage on manual testing to
create & implement effective test designs that can be automated. Each test case should be clear & less
dependent on the other test cases. These test cases should be run manually to identify bugs before the
creation of automation scripts & also used to finalize the workflows. Validate and remove test cases that
are not compatible with the app. Listing out & testing all scenarios manually in this manner helps in
identifying the actual scope of automation.
4) Create Automated Tests That Are Reusable & Maintainable
A good automation framework must support changes in the tests. While creating the framework, consider
the possible future modifications that may happen in the application. Adopt a process of creating
modular scripts that are less dependent on one another.
5) Create Effective Test Data
A well-structured test data makes it easier to create & execute automation scripts. It is also simpler to
maintain & reuse high quality test data. The automation framework must be data driven & should enable
input of data in various formats. This saves up time for execution of data driven tests. It also makes it
easier to write automation scripts as the product matures.
6) Avoid GUI Automation
The UI of an application is prone to changes during different stages of development. Further, relying on UI
makes automated tests slow & increases the risk of errors. To ensure that your scripts work on future
versions of the applications, make your automated tests resistant to UI changes. Avoid automating the
GUI.
7) Aim For Faster Results
To create & execute automation scripts faster, companies can take the support of crowd sourced testing
platforms. Crowd testing platforms enables clients to access an on-demand & skilled QA team who can
help attain maximum automation coverage faster. The lesser the turn around time for results, the more

8. frequently and earlier you can implement the testing process. Faster execution will enable developers to
get quick feedback to find & fix all regression bugs.
Conclusion
Automation plays a crucial role in the success of a software development project. Adequate planning &
investment in testing & automation tools can hence reduce the risk of poor app quality, reduce time to
release products & improve the effectiveness of QA teams. With the right automation testing strategy in
place, testers can focus on manual testing, developers can focus on innovation and companies can
confidently release high quality software products faster.
About 99tests
99tests is a product of Preenos Crowd Technologies Pvt Ltd. The company is funded by Infosys Co-founder, Kris Goplakrishnan,
Allianz CIO, Steve Coles and Founder of Beenos, Teruhido Sato. 99tests is a crowd test automation platform for testing mobile and
web apps by top notch testers. With over 20,000 crowd testers from 160+ countries, 99tests has helped over 200 clients including
companies like P&G, Intuit and Security scorecard to test their software.We provide companies with economical, and effective
crowd testing & automation services.​Learn how automation through 99tests can give you the insights you need to build stunning
software products. Mail us at contact@99tests.com.
www.99tests.com