Automate Testing to Get More Done
Drive software delivery throughput and quality confidence by extending your automation test coverage.
- Today’s rapidly changing software products and operational processes create mounting pressure on software delivery teams to release new features and changes quickly while meeting high and demanding quality standards.
- Most organizations see automated testing as a solution to meet this demand alongside their continuous delivery pipeline. However, they often lack the critical foundations, skills, and practices that are imperative for success.
- The technology is available to enable automated testing for many scenarios and systems, but industry noise and an expansive tooling marketplace create confusion for those interested in adopting this technology.
Our Advice
Critical Insight
- Good automated testing improves development throughput. No matter how quickly you put changes into production, end users will not accept them if they do not meet quality standards. Escaped defects, refactoring, and technical debt can significantly hinder your team’s ability to deliver software on time and on budget. In fact, 65% of organizations saw a reduction of test cycle time and 62% saw reductions in test costs with automated testing (Sogeti, World Quality Report 2020–21).
- Start automation with unit and functional tests. Automated testing has a sharp learning curve, due to either the technical skills to implement and operate it or the test cases you are asked to automate. Unit tests and functional tests are ideal starting points in your automation journey because of the available tools and knowledge in the industry, the contained nature of the tests you are asked to execute, and the repeated use of the artifacts in more complicated tests (such as performance and integration tests). After all, you want to make sure the application works before stressing it.
- Automated testing is a cross-functional practice, not a silo. A core component of successful software delivery throughput is recognizing and addressing defects, bugs, and other system issues early and throughout the software development lifecycle (SDLC). This involves having all software delivery roles collaborate on and participate in automated test case design, configure and orchestrate testing tools with other delivery tools, and proactively prepare the necessary test data and environments for test types.
Impact and Result
- Bring the right people to the table. Automated testing involves significant people, process and technology changes across multiple software delivery roles. These roles will help guide how automated testing will compliment and enhance their responsibilities.
- Build a foundation. Review your current circumstances to understand the challenges blocking automated testing. Establish a strong base of good practices to support the gradually adoption of automated testing across all test types.
- Start with one application. Verify and validate the automated testing practices used in one application and their fit for other applications and systems. Develop a reference guide to assist new teams.
Member Testimonials
After each Info-Tech experience, we ask our members to quantify the real-time savings, monetary impact, and project improvements our research helped them achieve. See our top member experiences for this blueprint and what our clients have to say.
8.0/10
Overall Impact
$2,740
Average $ Saved
20
Average Days Saved
Client
Experience
Impact
$ Saved
Days Saved
Legal Services Corporation
Guided Implementation
8/10
$2,740
20
Thankyou for getting us started on testing and test automation. This was a really worthwhile first discussion.
Lyttelton Port Company
Guided Implementation
8/10
N/A
N/A
Really good honest feedback. As we are not in the project no cost savings, this was a discussion and feedback session on what good looks like. He... Read More
About Info-Tech
Info-Tech Research Group is the world’s fastest-growing information technology research and advisory company, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals.
We produce unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. We partner closely with IT teams to provide everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.
What Is a Blueprint?
A blueprint is designed to be a roadmap, containing a methodology and the tools and templates you need to solve your IT problems.
Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation that provides you access to our world-class analysts to help you get through the project.
Need Extra Help?
Speak With An Analyst
Get the help you need in this 1-phase advisory process. You'll receive 5 touchpoints with our researchers, all included in your membership.
- Call 1: Understand your need for automated testing and the SDLC process it is supporting.
- Call 2: Discuss the foundational practices and their implementation in your organization.
- Call 3: Discuss the optimal practices for automating each test type.
- Call 4: Discuss your plans to implement automated testing.
- Call 5: Review the features and services of your automated testing tools and vendors.
Contributors
- Berny Roux, Head of Quality Assurance & Release Management, Zespri International Ltd.
- Jack Bowersox Jr., Software Quality Assurance, Mutual Benefit Group
- 6 anonymous contributors
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