Successfully Navigating the Journey from Manual Testing to Test Automation

Arpita Goala , Content Marketing Manager

February 16th, 2024

The journey from manual testing to investing in test automation solutions can be daunting, with several potential roadblocks limiting success. Some factors that make this transition challenging include the high upfront costs, limited access to talent, and the need to implement sustainable script maintenance. These factors can be overwhelming and seem at odds with the objective of leveraging automation, which is to relieve pressure from product executives to increase software release velocity, improve efficiency, and cut costs.

But these factors don’t have to be roadblocks to achieving the business benefits of test automation. What these emphasize is the importance of coming up with a pragmatic and comprehensive roadmap to lead the way for a successful test automation journey. 

In this blog, we’ll discuss what a successful roadmap to automation should look like, and some recommended approaches to navigate the complexities of automated testing. 

First, Why Invest in Test Automation?

There’s no denying the impact of test automation on software testing efficiency. When deployed successfully, research indicates that automation can cut down testing spend by 85%. Some of the core benefits of automated testing are: 

• Efficiency and Speed: Leveraging machines over humans to execute test cases can unlock faster release cycles and reduce the cost of QA. 
• Reliability and Consistency: Automated tests ensure consistent and repeatable test execution, reducing human error. 
• Early Defect Detection: Developers can address defects early with automation, reducing the likelihood that they impact end users and reducing the cost of resolution.
• Enhanced Productivity: Automation frees engineering teams to take on more innovation and apply human QA bandwidth to tackle more qualitative product issues. 

Related: An essential checklist to measure your test automation readiness. 

Can Automated Testing Replace Manual Testing?

The answer is no. Test automation shouldn’t be seen as a replacement for manual testing but as a complementary counterpart. Therefore, instead of considering automation as a replacement, it’s better to focus on selecting the appropriate workflows for each type of testing and optimizing them as part of a comprehensive strategy.

While test automation has several benefits, it struggles to identify human issues. Users have unique habits and introduce variables to your software that are hard to script for automation. 

This is where manual testing excels. When it comes to detecting user issues that automated tests may miss, nothing beats the intuition and creativity of human testers. Additionally, manual testers can quickly adapt to changes and explore different testing scenarios, which enables them to simulate real-world user experiences more accurately. 

To ensure comprehensive coverage and high-quality software releases, it is vital to leverage the strengths of both manual and automated testing.

The Roadmap to QA Automation

Approach Test Automation as an End-to-End Process

To successfully implement automation in software development, it is crucial to have a comprehensive end-to-end approach. This approach should consider all aspects of automation, such as design, tool selection, resourcing model, execution, and reporting, as interconnected components of a comprehensive strategy. At its core, automated testing is a natural extension of the software development lifecycle. So, it’s important to approach it holistically to integrate it within the broader DevOps and software engineering workflows. 

Additionally, prioritizing this end-to-end dynamic enables you to think comprehensively about implementation, ultimately reducing risks and ensuring the success of your automation endeavors.

Develop the Right Team Mindset and Culture

Developing the right team mindset and culture is crucial for successfully integrating test automation. Beyond technical skills, fostering an environment of growth and adaptability is critical. One pivotal aspect of this culture is the alignment between QA and core engineering, including architects and developers, to ensure a unified approach to designing, coding, and supporting your software. This alignment ensures that QA is not an isolated function but an integral part of the development process.

Central to this collaborative approach is establishing shared metrics that unify the efforts of both QA and development teams. By breaking down silos and promoting cross-functional collaboration, you create an environment where QA informs development, and vice versa, fostering mutual improvement.

Moreover, regular feedback mechanisms are crucial in refining automation processes and strategies. These mechanisms help identify areas for improvement and promote ongoing learning within the team. Additionally, feedback enables you to build a culture of transparency, innovation, and resilience by encouraging experimentation and embracing failure as an opportunity for growth. This approach enhances the effectiveness of test automation efforts and fosters continuous improvement across the entire software development lifecycle.

Embrace the Power and Limitations of Frameworks 

Automated testing processes are only as good as the frameworks you use to build them. Testing frameworks help reduce maintenance costs and testing efforts by providing a higher return on investment (ROI). You can build your own framework, which is time-consuming and challenging to maintain, or leverage open-sourced libraries like Selenium or Appium to build automation capabilities.  

Open-source libraries and frameworks are powerful and necessary to every automation journey because they are both time and cost-effective. So, it’s crucial that you not only pick the right frameworks for your business but also understand the limitations of these resources. The lack of built-in governance is the most critical drawback of ready-to-use automation frameworks. 

Since these frameworks are universally applicable and are updated frequently, it’s impossible to keep inconsistencies and failed tests at bay without framework extensions. These extensions help standardize scripting processes and workflows, ensure data and security compliance, measure effectiveness, and improve accountability for effective test automation. Simply put, these extensions enable you to deliver more consistent, reliable, and reusable test automation with fewer maintenance cycles. 

However, since these libraries have limited vendor support, the heavy lifting of building the right extensions can fall on your team, which can be challenging with limited experience or expertise. For some, the standardization of protocols can take well over a year to achieve. In this case, it may be beneficial to start with mature frameworks designed by external experts who deeply understand the nuances of automated testing.  

Limit Test Scope

Starting small with test automation allows you to manage risk, gain experience, and set a solid foundation for successful implementation. 

One common mistake teams make is automating too many test cases or functionalities too quickly in hopes of achieving quick wins. This can make managing and maintaining the test suite a nightmare. Without proper planning, you could invest significant resources in automating tests that offer limited value and prioritize quantity over quality. As a result, your automated tests may become unfocused and fail to address the most crucial aspects of your software. 

To make the automation process more manageable and controllable, focus on a small set of test cases. Prioritize critical and stable test cases first and limit the scope. This approach will allow you to quickly identify gaps in coverage and skills and gradually scale automation efforts based on feedback and demonstrated value.

Remain Flexible and Adaptive

The world of test automation is constantly evolving with continuous value unlocks like the use of GenAI. Maintaining the ability to adapt to and adopt new technologies and tools that offer incremental value to quality assurance is important. Frameworks, requirements, regulations, and coding guidelines can change at any time, making flexibility a strategic requirement of any test automation journey.

As a result, continuous learning and skill development, access to industry innovation, and a flexible automation foundation without vendor or tool lock-in are essential. However, it can be challenging for your in-house DevOps teams to keep up with their learning while managing day-to-day operations.

This is where partnering with external experts can be beneficial. While your knowledgeable partner navigates and guides you through what’s changing and why, your team can concentrate on delivering a seamless user experience and innovating your product. 

Navigate the Manual Testing to Test Automation Journey with Confidence 

Test automation represents a powerful and transformative opportunity for software engineering teams. However, it also presents a series of potential roadblocks, some obvious while others hidden from plain sight. This is why a holistic and flexible test automation strategy is necessary to ensure success. 

Such an automated testing strategy requires a deep understanding of software development principles, testing methodologies, programming languages, complex frameworks, tools, and techniques. Today, due to a looming talent shortage, many in-house teams struggle to find the right talent and enable them to adapt their skills to keep up with frequent changes. Moreover, the burden of building framework extensions can prevent several companies from fully unlocking the power of automated testing. 

This is where an experienced test automation partner can help. You can accelerate the adoption of automated testing by leveraging their expertise and accessing mature framework extensions and best practices. This allows you to bypass the initial learning curve and focus on building end-to-end test automation capabilities that are sustainable and scalable. 

At Testlio, we’re experienced in all aspects of QA software testing, our in-house experts can help you integrate test automation across various open-source libraries. Our sophisticated governance model and access to 10k+ freelancers can help you build and refactor reliable and stable test cases faster without compromising quality or script passing rates. 

Schedule a call to learn how we can help you build, optimize, and scale your test automation efforts.