Why are you automating your testing? Automation is more likely to be successful if we’re clear on the objectives we’re trying to accomplish, and those objectives need to be aligned with what the team needs to build a quality product – not constrained by what the tools can do. When discussing automation in the context of testing we often limit ourselves to talking about using tools to control the execution of tests, but the potential of automation is much greater – and rarely fully exploited. We also tend to contrast automated and manual testing, whereas in reality these are complementary and should support each other. To take full advantage of the possibilities of automation we need to first define what automation is, and understand what tests-related tasks should be automated in contrast to what tasks can be automated. We also need to understand that manual and automated testing are not opposites but strongly coupled and interdependent – there really is only testing!

1. © 2016 PQA - CHRISTIN WIEDEMANN
Automation for the People
Christin Wiedemann, Ph.D.
Co-CEO & Chief Scientist, PQA Testing

2. © 2016 PQA - CHRISTIN WIEDEMANN
Problem Why, what, who
SkillsPersonas

3. © 2016 PQA - CHRISTIN WIEDEMANN
Christin Wiedemann
@c_wiedemann
christin.wiedemann@pqatesting.com
www.pqatesting.com
+1 (604) 558-0772

4. © 2016 PQA - CHRISTIN WIEDEMANN
Waste

5. © 2016 PQA - CHRISTIN WIEDEMANN
Testing is dead, long live
testing!

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Automated testers

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Debugging
Manual
testing
Automated
testing
Programmers
Testers
Developers

8. © 2016 PQA - CHRISTIN WIEDEMANN
Building a product - not code

9. © 2016 PQA - CHRISTIN WIEDEMANN
Quality is a team effort

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Why automation?

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Set goals

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Myth busting

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Execution
time
Execution
time
Coding and
maintenance
Manual
testing
Automated
testing

14. © 2016 PQA - CHRISTIN WIEDEMANN
Do all roads lead to Rome?

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What is automation?

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Versus, or, and

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Manual testing Automated testingTesting

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To automate, or not to
automate

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What tests can be
automated?

20. © 2016 PQA - CHRISTIN WIEDEMANN
What tests can’t be
automated?

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What tests should be
automated?

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Who does the test
automation?

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Test automation skills

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Skills - manual testing

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Skills - automated testing

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Skills - automated testing

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Test automation is more than
coding
Planning
Preparation
Creation
Reporting
Analysis
Execution

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Personas

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Programming
Data storage, databases
Graphical representation
Statistical analysis
Communication
Out-of-the-box thinking
Quick learner
Analytical skills
User advocate
Domain expertise
Curiosity
Patience
Passion
Courage
Scripting
Social (interpersonal) skills
Integrity
Ability to prioritize
Creativity
Business understanding

30. © 2016 PQA - CHRISTIN WIEDEMANN
Anne
support・scripting・SQL・read code・
communicate with developers
preparation・analysis・reporting
test data generation・build & deploy・UI
tests・manual testing

31. © 2016 PQA - CHRISTIN WIEDEMANN
Peter
tester・big picture・domain expertise・
system expertise
planning・analysis・reporting
requirements・test conditions・test data
design・prioritization

32. © 2016 PQA - CHRISTIN WIEDEMANN
Sarah
developer・scripting・data storage and
management・detail-oriented
creation・execution・analysis
continuous integration・service layer

33. © 2016 PQA - CHRISTIN WIEDEMANN
And you?

34. © 2016 PQA - CHRISTIN WIEDEMANN
Christin Wiedemann
@c_wiedemann
christin.wiedemann@pqatesting.com
www.pqatesting.com
+1 (604) 558-0772