4 Common Misconceptions about Test Automation

4 Common Misconceptions about Test Automation

Last Updated: February 21, 20242.4 min readCategories: Software Testing & QA

4 Common Misconceptions about Test Automation Revealed

Test automation has become an increasingly interesting and effective testing method for many testers. Every time your software code is modified, it needs to be tested to ensure quality. As your codebase application grows and new functionality is added, manual testing becomes inefficient and costly. Automated testing uses software to test software, providing valuable insight in a speedy, objective way resulting in a reduction of testing cost by up to 40% and a reduction in test times of up to 20%.

While the case for its use is strong, many organizations remain hesitant to adopt or expand automated testing due to misconceptions they have about it. Here are the top 4 most common arguments against test automation that may cause a company to miss out on a big opportunity to leverage this excellent testing method:

  1. Automated software testing means there’s no need for manual – Manual and automated testing are great complements to each other. While automated testing is ideal for predictable, repetitive, and frequently tested code, it cannot replace human intuition. Manual testing is the logical option for things that are unpredictable, need human intervention, and do not need to be frequently tested.
  2. If you automate some testing, you must automate all of it – While automated testing may free up time and work well for some aspects, test automation is not the answer for all of your software testing challenges. Testing some things requires the experience of manual testers to ensure accurate results and thoroughness.
  3. You have to be a developer to write automated tests – While it once required a developer to write any automated test, today there are many new software testing tools that can be used to accomplish many common tasks. These tools are typically user-friendly whether you have coding experience or not. You just need to choose a tool that works best for who will be running and maintaining the automated tests and what you are testing. However, writing certain types of custom automated tests is still best left to experienced developers.
  4. Automated testing is too costly – While automated testing can have higher upfront costs, this expense should be viewed as a long-term investment. The investment will typically deliver a strong ROI in 2-4 years. Performing an ROI analysis will help you weigh your costs and benefits to determine if automation is the right way to go for you.

While these are just a few misconceptions we have come across in talking with clients, there are sure to be plenty more. Let us know of some you have witnessed!

Ready to improve your automated testing use?

At QAT Global, we are here to help you design and implement an automated testing strategy for your organization and ensure that there is an operational plan in place to maintain it.

For more information about how our Automated Testing Services can solve your testing needs, contact us now.

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