This document summarizes a presentation about the differences between single-use tests and reusable tests. Single-use tests are straightforward and designed for one-time use, while reusable tests have higher complexity as they may have different people working on them with varying resources and goals. Reusable tests also require more maintenance over time to address issues like code rot, while maintenance does not apply to single-use tests by definition. The presenter acknowledges there are more tooling choices for reusable tests compared to single-use tests, and emphasizes that tools should help solve problems rather than be problems themselves.

1. Automated
Test
Design:
Single
Use
vs.
Reusable
Tests
Josh
Grant
@joshin4colours
@testcomplete
|
#testdesign

2. A
Few
Notes
• We
will
send
you
the
recording
and
slides
from
this
presenta@on
• Join
the
live
Q&A
at
the
end
of
the
preso
• Use
#testdesign
on
TwiFer
or
use
the
webinar
chat
box
to
par@cipate
#testdesign

3. This
is
Josh
Grant.
• Follow
him
@joshin4colours
• From
Toronto,
Ontario
• Formerly
a
mathema@cian
• Automa@on
enthusiast
#testdesign

4. #testdesign
##tetestsdtdeesisgignn

5. #testdesign
##tetestsdtdeesisgignn
...how
so?

6. Single-Use Tests
#testdesign

7. #testdesign

8. #testdesign

9. #testdesign

10. #testdesign

11. ...and
that's
it!
#testdesign

12. l Straightforward
l Gets the Job Done
l Designed for One-Time Use
#testdesign
#testdesign

13. Reusable Tests
#testdesign

14. #testdesign

15. #testdesign
l Budgets
l Patrons
l Menus
l Maintenance
l Staffing
l Decor
#testdesign

16. In
other
words,
not
at
all
like...

17. In
other
words,
not
at
all
like...

18. In
other
words,
not
at
all
like...
Several
aspects
don't
even
apply!

19. Complexity

20. In
the
case
of...

21. In
the
case
of...
...complexity
is
fairly
clear
(not
too
high).

22. Tests designed for one-time use...
l by specific people,
l with set resources,
l with a clear, objective goal.
#testdesign
#testdesign

23. In
the
case
of...

24. In
the
case
of...
...
complexity
is
much
higher.

25. Reusable tests may mean tests
l ...have different people working with them
l ...in varying environments
l ...with different resources
l ...and possibly changing goals
#testdesign
#testdesign

26. Reusable
tests
need
to
address
subjec<vity.
#testdesign
#testdesign

27. Reusable
tests
need
to
address
subjec<vity.
#testdesign
#testdesign
“Predic'on
is
hard,
par'cularly
about
the
future.”
-­‐
Yogi
Berra

28. What
are
your
goals?
##tteessttddeessiiggnn

29. #testdesign

30. #testdesign

31. Value

32. Here...
#testdesign

33. Here...
value
is
preFy
clear.
#testdesign

34. What
about
here?

35. What
about
here?
...
it
depends
on
who
you
are.

36. #testdesign

37. #testdesign

38. Different
Kinds
of
Value
l
Business
value
(yes,
this
means
$$$)
#testdesign
l
Technical
value
l
Opportunity
costs
l
(Is
this
even
a
good
idea?)
#testdesign

39. Maintenance

40. In
this
case...
#testdesign

41. In
this
case...
There
is
no
maintenance.
#testdesign

42. By
defini@on,
maintenance
doesn't
apply
to
single
use
tests.
#t#etsetsdtdeessiiggnn

43. By
defini@on,
maintenance
doesn't
apply
to
single
use
tests.
This
is
a
key
feature
of
single
use
tests.
#t#etsetsdtdeessiiggnn

44. Meanwhile,
here...

45. Meanwhile,
here...
It’s
almost
all
maintenance.

46. #testdesign

47. Maintenance, Maintenance, Maintenance!
#testdesign

48. Reusable Tests mean Usable Tests
#testdesign
l Code Rot
l Technical Debt
l Fragile Tests
l ...and the app is changing as well
#testdesign

49. Tooling

50. Tooling
is
easy
here
#testdesign

51. ...which
is
kind
of
the
point.
#testdesign

52. Many
more
tooling
choices
here
#testdesign

53. Some
are
familiar...

54. ...And
some
are
less
so.

55. Tools
help
solve
problems,
not
be
a
problem.
#testdesign
l
Source
Control
l
Languages/Editors
l
Third-­‐party
or
roll
your
own?
l
Most
important
tool
is
your
brain
#testdesign

56. In
conclusion...
≠

57. #testdesign
Acknowledgements
l Lorinda
Brandon
and
Kendal
Peiguss
at
SmartBear
l Ron
Perreault
and
Test
Development
at
CaseWare

58. Thanks! Questions?
@testcomplete
|
#testdesign
Josh
Grant
@joshin4colours