Transitioning into test automation is a wise move for any organization, making it key to choose the right test automation tool for the job. Here, we’ll cover how to compare and evaluate a test automation tool like Ranorex.
A software test automation tool can generally be split into three crucial aspects that can be used to evaluate the tool’s effectiveness. The three essential aspects are sequential steps that can be broken down into various features and processes but the general idea of the three steps is similar for all software test automation tools. The three parts are the automation creation, the automation’s running, and reporting of the automation results. The various components of the three steps can be included in evaluating the effectiveness of a test automation tool.
Creating automated tests is the initial step of the three essential aspects. Having test automation helps reduce the workload on manual testers, but the creation of the automation needs to be done in a way that is effective and efficient. The creation of automation can be split into various subsections, which can have different levels of priorities depending on the team that is creating the automation and the goal of the automation tool.
No-Code — The ability to create automated tests without scripting. Easily record tests and adjust without any code, which allows for increased ease of use. No-code will enable users with no coding experience to create automation alongside those with coding experience.
Script Development — Along with No-Code, using code when writing the test scripts, which contain the instructions for automating test scenarios, is another important automation creation avenue.
Data-Driven Testing — The ability to build automated test cases and connect them to a data source. This allows users to run the same test with different data and get more coverage in a reduced timeframe.
Reusability — Ensuring that when creating the automation, everything is reusable within each test case to avoid any extra work with repeated steps such as logging into an application.
Scalability — The automated test suite can be expanded as needed to accommodate new features, application updates, and additional test cases.
Ease of Use — Whether using a no-code automation recorder or script development, using the tool should be convenient.
Adaptability — Being able to create automation for a variety of platforms and frameworks. Depending on whether you are testing a web application, desktop application, or mobile application, the automation tool should be able to work with the specified platform.
Running automated tests involves executing the tests created in the first step. In comparison to manual testing, where running the steps is when a tester would go through each step, this aspect of automation is where the majority of time savings come into effect.
Speed and Efficiency — Automated tests execute much faster than manual testing, and measuring how fast the automated tests are is an important way to compare automation tools.
Consistency — Ensure that the automated tests are consistent and have reproducible results.
Continuous Testing — Integration into continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines such as Jenkins, Bamboo, Azure, etc.
Test Configuration — The ability to configure which tests to run to fit various needs. For example, running a full regression test would include many more test cases than a smoke test. The ability to change the test configuration and run specific
Parallel Testing — Automated tests that can run parallel, further accelerating the testing process, especially for large test suites. Using agents to run tests asynchronously can be a great way to maximize efficiency, so it is an important aspect to have in an automation tool.
The final crucial part of test automation is retrieving and distributing the test results. After running the automation, the information must be in a format that can be easily shared and distributed to the project’s proper stakeholders.
Reporting — Automated tests need to generate comprehensive reports offering detailed information about test execution, screenshots of the UI, pass/fail results, and any issues encountered.
Customizability — Reports can be customized to include information that is important for the specific use case as well as made to match other document styling that a company may use.
Distribution — Sharing test results with stakeholders, including developers, project managers, and other team members. Using file types such as PDF or HTML is important so it is easier for everyone to read the file. Setting up emailing so the reports are automatically forwarded to the stakeholders is another aspect of distribution that can increase the tool’s usefulness.
The three crucial parts of test automation are the basis for any automation tool, and each part has important sections that can be used to evaluate the tool’s effectiveness. It is important to look at your organization’s use case and select the right tool for the job. We took these three aspects of test automation tools into account with Ranorex, and that’s why these three aspects are all integrated into Ranorex. Contact us for a free trial to see it in action.
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