How do Agile Methodology And Test Automation Fit Together?

Agile software development methodology has gained huge prominence in the software development realm, because of its valuable practices and outstanding approach. The Agile methodology encourages a cross-functional and collaborative approach, which, in turn, can prove to be profitable and rewarding. When the platform of test automation is incorporated in the agile environment then the value is only increased, because the entire process is carried out at a rapid pace and that too with higher efficiency.

In this article, you will get to know as to why agile methodology and test automation are considered to be an outstanding combination.

Following are the five factors that depict a synergy between agile methodology and test automation:

The inclusion of dedicated resources:

In order to make sure that the test automation platform is able to properly fit in the agile development scenario, ensure that the key professionals involved in creating and maintaining the automation platform have got the right expertise to perform these specific tasks. The time that is being devoted by key professionals towards automation depends on specific factors such as the creation of a specific type of automation, the necessary skills and complexity involved in developing the application.

If the organization does not have the right automation professionals in terms of experience, then it is better to hire automation experts from various other sources on a temporary basis, so that the testing activities can get initiated.

Plan on initiating the process:

In any project, the right decision needs to be made in order to ascertain the right context to begin the test automation process. Following are the two points that can prove to be of value:

· Initiate with tasks that are of low priority or focus on those aspects of an application that has high risks involved and may have a huge number of defects

· End-to-end test automation tools like selenium need not be used. This might seem to be a good move to write automated regression tests, but, these types of tests take time to execute, are hardest to write and are prone to fail. It can fail due to false positives that have been caused by synchronization or changes made in the application under test. Instead, meaningful unit tests can be created or API testing can be leveraged so that crucial business logic can be verified.

Set specific goals:

The test automation strategy can work seamlessly if certain specific automation goals are properly defined. Goals help in obtaining fast feedback on every commit that has been done by the developer.

The value of learning:

When test automation is being implemented in an agile environment, it becomes necessary to apply the principle of quick evaluation, fast feedback and also keep learning the essentials as the work progresses. It may not be right from the start itself. Learn from the mistakes, take the time to experiment, evaluate early and often and focus on what really works.

When the applied learning and work is carried out over a period of time then the test automation platform can optimize the software development activities. Depending upon the business requirements and the project scope, the necessary adjustments pertaining to the testing approach and deliverables can be assessed by the concerned teams.

Improved collaboration and communication activities:

The agile methodology adopts a collaborative framework. At every stage of the software development life cycle process, QA teams are involved thereby making clear and quick communication a necessity. Intelligent reporting capabilities can be easily availed through test automation solutions through which integration can be easily done with the underlying software. These specific reports play a pivotal role in the development and testing process.

Conclusion:

If you are looking forward to implementing test automation in your agile project, then do get connected with a predominant software testing services company that not only understands the entire framework of perfectly applying test automation in agile but, will also provide you with solutions and strategies that are precisely in line with your project specific requirements.

About the author: I am a technical content writer focused on writing technology specific articles. I strive to provide well-researched information on the leading market savvy technologies.