Richard, what tests should I automate?’ ‘What should I be automating?’ ‘What layer should I be automating on?’ ‘Where do I start with automation Richard?’ These are questions I get asked regularly. My answer every single time? ‘Checkout The Test Automation Pyramid!’, ha, of course, it’s not, it’s ‘It depends…’ That’s because there isn’t a single correct answer to any of those questions, although most are looking for one. It certainly isn’t a picture of a triangle. However, there are steps we can take, questions we should be asking, which will lead to answers. They won’t be the right answers, but they will be enough to progress, while we learn more and continuously adapt. These questions will allow you to map out your context, arguably the most important action to maximise your automation efforts. Knowing when to ask these questions, how to progress after the answers and who to involve are the most underrated skills in automation. You can learn all the programming languages, all the frameworks and tools, but if you don’t know how to audit your own context and frame your problems, they are irrelevant. In this talk, I’m going to share the questions I ask in order to understand the context I’m in, allowing me to create an automation strategy. We’ll then compare those questions and answers to existing models highlighting the flaws in them, but also where they can provide some direction. Takeaways: - Understanding the importance of having an automation strategy - A set of questions to help you understand any context and formulate an automation strategy - How to evaluate and challenge existing automation models

1. PYRAMIDS
ARE
ANCIENT…

4. [Test Automation,
Automation,
Testing] Triangles
Though, They Aren’t
Ancient

5. We even label
them now, you
know…
because
percentages make
everything clearer!

7. Let’s Talk
Automation
Strategy

8. Test’ability’

9. @FriendlyTester

10. Team
Project
Product
Technology
Stakeholders
Infrastructure
@FriendlyTester

11. Team Context
@FriendlyTester

12. STAKEHOLDERS context

13. Project context
@FriendlyTester

14. Product context
@FriendlyTester

15. Technology context
@FriendlyTester

16. Infrastructure context

17. We aren’t quite
ready to build our
pyramid just yet…

18. A Quick Look
at Check
Design

19. UI
JS
API
APP
DB
Load
page
Build
login page
Interact
with Login
Send API
request
Process API
request
Check credentials /
Create token
Send API
response
Flag as
logged in
Render
room comp.
View
rooms
Potential
check
Seam /
Layer
Action
Successful
login flow
Restful Booker Platform
https://automationintesting.online
@FriendlyTester

20. UI
JS
API
APP
DB
Creating a
booking
@FriendlyTester

21. Targeted
Reliable
Informative
Maintainable
Speed
Credit: Mark Winteringham / @2bittester

22. UI
API
UNIT
UI
API
UNIT UI
API
UNIT
UI
API
UNIT
@FriendlyTester
Heuristic
Ham Vocke
Mark Winteringham

23. The F.A.R.T Model
@FriendlyTester

24. Richard Bradshaw
@FriendlyTester
https://automationintesting.com
https://automationintesting.online
https://thefriendlytester.co.uk
https://ministryoftesting.com

25. Resources
• https://martinfowler.com/articles/practical-test-pyramid.html
• https://www.martinfowler.com/bliki/TestPyramid.html
• https://www.mountaingoatsoftware.com/blog/the-forgotten-layer-of-the-test-
automation-pyramid
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KE44UUEHSM8
• https://club.ministryoftesting.com/t/missing-layer-from-the-test-automation-
pyramid/24942/4
• https://twitter.com/FriendlyTester/status/1120118030292475904
• https://www.mwtestconsultancy.co.uk//the-test-automation-pyramid-is-a-heuristic-
not-a-strategy/index.html
• http://www.testingreferences.com/here_be_pyramids.php
• https://www.ontestautomation.com/the-test-automation-pyramid/