Today, we often hear that everything needs to be rolled out to Production faster without a loss of quality identified in Production. Often companies look for a way to bring this to fruition and end up with automation.

But the question we should/dare to ask is, is this the right choice? In most cases, it is the right choice, but in other cases it creates more problems and the software is delayed going into production.

Perhaps we should first make a statement clear :

“Automation is just one way to start working faster.”

Many companies think if we buy an automation tool then we are going to work faster and better.

This is a statement that is not really true. The tool is just a tool to help you work faster. I compare it a little bit to mental arithmetic and using a calculator. The calculator will help you get the result faster, but you still need a thinking process to execute it.

In testing it is just the same, an automation tool is for support, but using the tool correctly is super important. When the client asks about automation, M2Q will first ask a number of questions before suggesting and selecting a tool.

The first question and also the most important is, does the customer have a Test Approach/Test Strategy in which Automation has a significant role. Often we see that the customers have an approach mainly focused on manual testing. If this Test Strategy is not there then this is the first task we take on. Together with the client, we draw up a customized strategy in which automation can add value.

M2Q will go over a number of concerns with the client and then, based on the answers, determine the appropriate tool and approach :

1. Define clear goals
   • Why do you want to deploy test automation?
   • Is it to save time, improve quality, or reduce repetitive tasks?
   • Make sure your goals are measurable!
2. Who will be responsible for automation?
   • If these are developers, then you can opt for a more technical solution
   • Are it the functional Testers/ Business then you can choose a low-code automation tool
3. Choose the right tools
   • Select tools that fit your business ( low-code automation tools or more technical tools)
   • Consider licensing costs, support, and the learning curve of the tools.

4. Start with the right tests
   • Don’t automate everything.
     Focus on:
     • Repetitive testing (e.g., regression testing).
     • Critical paths in the application (such as login and payment flows).
     • Tests to be performed frequently.
   • Have one-time or infrequent tests performed manually.

5. Make testing robust and reliable
   • Make sure tests are not sensitive to small changes in the application (e.g., dynamic selectors).
   • Minimize flaky tests that sometimes fail for no apparent reason.

6. Keep in mind maintenance
   • Test scripts should be easy to maintain when changes occur in the application.
   • Use a good test structure and design patterns such as the Page Object Model (POM) or Screenplay Pattern.

7. Integrate with CI/CD
   • Automate test execution via Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment pipelines (e.g., with Jenkins, GitHub Actions, or GitLab CI).
   • Run tests regularly, such as after every code change.

8. Provide good test data
   • Test data must be predictable and consistent.
   • Consider mocking or isolating test environments to minimize dependencies.

9. Measuring and analyzing
   • Monitor the results of automated tests.
   • Use metrics such as test coverage, failure rates, and the time it takes to run tests.

10. Engage the team
    • Automate tests together with developers, testers, and other stakeholders.
    • Make sure everyone understands how automated tests work and how they contribute to quality.

11. Keep improving continuously
    • Evaluate your automation strategy regularly.
    • Introduce new tools or techniques as needed.

Convinced of our approach? Don’t hesitate to contact us for a free consultation.