A Guide to Agile Automation Testing Methods and Best Practices

Agile automation testing uses test automation in Agile development. As with most organizations, the goal is to deliver high-quality software on time. One of the ways to achieve this is by including test automation.

Test automation helps meet the dynamic needs of agile development methodologies. Some of the benefits of test automation include Fast Efficient Accurate Repeatable (FEAR) results.

• Fast – run tests quickly and speed delivery of new software
• Efficient – ??run more test cases in less time
• Accurate – run the same steps every time
• Repeatable – run tests multiple times before each release of the software

In this blog, we will discuss various agile automation testing methodologies and best practices that developers can follow to get the best results.

Why Use Automation in Agile

Agile development methodologies create products using short iteration cycles for continuous review and rapid release while confirming customer changes. It consists of cross-functional teams (Scrum master, Product Owner, BA, Developers, QA) that require continuous collaboration and communication.

• Scrum Master – organizes meetings and responds to blocks
• Product Owner – identifies and prioritizes system features
• BA – collects and writes product acceptance criteria
• Dev – develops product
• QA – ensures product quality

Most of the time, agile teams sprint to complete development and test new features within 2 weeks. With this acceleration technique, there is not enough time to test new and existing features.

Although time-limited, automation in Agile ensures the quality of existing and new functionality. Existing functionality is verified by regression testing and should not be interrupted by new functionality. New features should be fully operational and working as expected every sprint cycle.

With automation in Agile, once automated test scripts are executed, feedback will be fast and reliable. Here is a list of 5 key points to consider before starting automation in Agile:

• Consider automating repetitive tasks
• Consider the pain points of the automated product
• Consider the critical path of the automated product
• Consider automating the tests that require multiple data sets 
• Consider the cost of manual intervention steps of automation

Methods of Agile Automation Testing

By default, most people think of user interface (UI) when they talk about test automation. In addition to the user interface, engineers can automate at the unit and department levels. 

• Unit – forms the bottom layer where developers create unit tests
• Service – forms the middle layer that exchanges information via requests and responses
• UI – forms the top layer, testing Where the script interacts with the application

Unit testing is the biggest part of the pyramid. Most testing is done at this base layer because specific data is returned to the developer on error. Build and run small units of code using testing frameworks like JUnit, TestNG, etc.

Many agile teams apply test-driven development (TDD), performing unit tests before the software is fully developed. The service layer responds to a set of requests, including business logic and web service automation. It is also known as the API automation layer. We can choose to write our tests by passing them a series of inputs. Inputs allow us to bypass specific steps that the UI has already automated.

Running tests at the UI level can take longer than at the service and unit layers. Some of the reasons include network speed and interaction with apps. Network speed can affect application load times. The interaction with the application, such as clicking a button or entering data into a field, is the act that determines the end of the test.

Nevertheless, an effective approach to automated testing in Agile is to automate the 3 layers: unit layer, service layer, and user interface layer. Each layer is relevant and conducive to bringing a viable product to market.

Best Practices for Agile Automated Testing 

As agile teams increase product release speed, product quality becomes critical. Quality assurance should be tested as soon as possible, just as products should be developed as soon as possible. Test automation is suitable for checking quality in a short time. Here are the best practices for agile automated testing:

• Prepare and plan before creating automated test scripts – this plan is used as a template for performing automation in an agile team
• Understand scenarios to automate – create scenarios with high added value Test scripts contribute to reuse
• Choose the best tool – Take the time to evaluate the capabilities of the tools on the market, then choose the best automation tool. Selenium and TestProject are the main tools for test automation
• Implement in sprint automation – Automate test cases in the same sprint as developed
• Build test automation Code review – Provide automation logs analyzed by others than the author

Also Read: Chaos Testing – It’s The New Trend In Testing

Conclusion

Agile automation testing is an essential part of software development that helps to ensure that software is tested thoroughly and efficiently. By following best practices and using appropriate testing methods, developers can ensure that their software is of high quality and meets the needs of their stakeholders.

Accelerate your software development process with Agile automation testing! Save time, reduce human error, and enhance overall testing efficiency with cutting-edge tools and frameworks. Our Agile automation testing methods and best practices will help you achieve optimal results in record time. Boost your productivity, streamline your testing cycles, and get your products to market faster than ever before. Don’t let manual testing slow you down – switch to Agile automation testing and see the difference for yourself! Contact us today to learn more about how we can help take your software development to the next level.

TestUnity

Testunity is a SaaS-based technology platform driven by a vast community of testers & QAs spread around the world, powered by technology & testing experts to create the dedicated testing hub. Which is capable of providing almost all kind of testing services for almost all the platforms exists in software word.