Should you consider Automation testing reliable ?

One of the most common topics of discussion among the developer and tester community is "Automation testing". Since buying a custom-built software package is expensive and its real cost comes into the picture when it’s maintained and updated on a regular basis. However on repetitive usage, specific defects creep into software.





Once you go about reprogramming the developed product, it calls for extra input of effort, time and cost. This leads to the requirement of software quality testing (SQA), which can be placed broadly under two heads namely, manual testing and automated testing.





As the name suggests, manual testing entails human testing endeavors, and is often carried out by offshore manual testers, as the current trend reveals. From software verification to validation is conducted manually.





Software automation testing is not completely free from human intervention. However, automated testing plans and automates the test cases so as to carry out the unit testing easily. Hence, it leads to reduced cost of recruiting manual testers.





However before software automation testing is actually carried out, the following tasks need to be finished like writing of test cases, predicted results, setting up of adequate testing environment, dedicated resource allocation etc. The fact that automated testing cost is obviously on the higher side must be clearly etched in our minds, though it requires very less human intervention.





When any enterprise opts for testing services, it must be crystal clear that automation testing is not the only feasible testing alternative left. There can be adopted certain methods using which you can make testing approach affordable. An automation testing handbook must be brought in use; it’s extensively available across different IT institutes, and guides the client effectively in selecting the most appropriate testing tool in tandem with the project requirements.





Well, if you plan to use the software once, we won’t recommend you to resort to automation testing; however, if you plan to use software reportedly, nothing better than test automation. Good test cases must be written for more effective software testing. The software must be looked into from the end user’s point of view, and not from that of the developer or the enterprise owner.





Not only automation testing should be used for repeated tests, it must be carried out for simple and convenient test cases. Manual testing and hence human testing efforts should not wasted on this.





Get started with software automation testing today !





Adam George is a well known writer. He has written many articles on various topics including outsourcing, Presently writing on Software services, Software Outsourcing , Software Automation Testing and other Software testing services.