What to automate?

The automation requirements define what needs to be automated looking into various aspects. The specific requirements can vary based on product, time and situation, but still, I am trying to sum-up a few generic tips.

Test cases to be automated

  • Tests that need to be run with every build of the application (sanity check, regression)
  • Tests that use multiple data values for the same actions (data driven tests)
  • Complex and time-consuming tests
  • Tests requiring a great deal of precision
  • Tests involving many simple, repetitive steps
  • Testing needed on multiple combinations of OS, DBMS & Browsers
  • Creation of Data & Test Beds

Test cases not to be automated

  • Usability testing – “How easy is the application to use?”
  • One-time testing
  • “ASAP” testing – “We need to test NOW!”
  • Ad hoc/random testing – based on intuition and knowledge of application
  • Device Interface testing
  • Back-end testing

Prioritize those tests that are to be automated, give them weight on risk and ease of automation. Also, make sure you keep a right balance of unit tests and automated functional tests. You can then place them into priority order and plan accordingly.

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Hello @joannalaine,

Thank you for sharing, really seems important and helpful.

Br,
Dhvanil

Nice list!
I´ll would take the “Complex TCs” out of the automated ones. Only easy TCs should be automated.
Complex automated TCs are really painfully to debug and fix if they became flickering or brittle tests.

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