http://shrinik.blogspot.in/2008/09/10-commandments-for-automation.html
Here is an outline .. read complete details in the actual blog.
Automation is not an answer to your testing problems
Automation is White Elephant
Anything that is quickly creatable – is quickly perishable
Your business users can not create and own Automation solutions
Judge your vendor by the questions they ask about automation Higher % of offshoring in automation higher investments to make
Pay attention to dependencies and Quality of current test Artifacts
Decide Acceptance criteria
Avoid linking an automation project (and its deliverables) to application release dates
Record and Playback (RP) Automation is for Kids
Do you agree with these commandments? Any different experience?
[update]
Some additional tips :
What a Vendor should ask you
- questions about your manual testing practice
- Your objectives of Automation and expectations
- Readiness to take up automation in terms of test cases, application state and environment
- Ask about your expectations on ROI
What vendor should suggest you
- Plan for automation maintenance when supplier is gone.
- Automation may or may not reduce cycle time – that depends upon nature of tests, application technology stack, nature of tool etc
- Automation may or may not reduce the cost of testing.
What to look for in an automation proposal
- Acceptance criteria
- Automation design details – how tests will be structured
- Environment related assumptions
- Pre-requisites about tool licenses, test cases, test data, access to developers, testers and business users (for clarifications about test cases)
Here is an outline .. read complete details in the actual blog.
Automation is not an answer to your testing problems
Automation is White Elephant
Anything that is quickly creatable – is quickly perishable
Your business users can not create and own Automation solutions
Judge your vendor by the questions they ask about automation Higher % of offshoring in automation higher investments to make
Pay attention to dependencies and Quality of current test Artifacts
Decide Acceptance criteria
Avoid linking an automation project (and its deliverables) to application release dates
Record and Playback (RP) Automation is for Kids
Do you agree with these commandments? Any different experience?
[update]
Some additional tips :
What a Vendor should ask you
- questions about your manual testing practice
- Your objectives of Automation and expectations
- Readiness to take up automation in terms of test cases, application state and environment
- Ask about your expectations on ROI
What vendor should suggest you
- Plan for automation maintenance when supplier is gone.
- Automation may or may not reduce cycle time – that depends upon nature of tests, application technology stack, nature of tool etc
- Automation may or may not reduce the cost of testing.
What to look for in an automation proposal
- Acceptance criteria
- Automation design details – how tests will be structured
- Environment related assumptions
- Pre-requisites about tool licenses, test cases, test data, access to developers, testers and business users (for clarifications about test cases)
