Manual is the backbone of software testing. There must be someone in the company that understands setting up the requirements of a testing scenario and can perform the test runs. Yet, most startup companies start off using automated testing which can be an expensive mistake. We are here to give you pointers on the benefits of both and how to make the switch to automated testing from manual testing.
"The main goal of software testing is to bring certainty to the software product. Whether that be through manual or automated, companies need to have great testing solutions" - Cody Sprattmoran, COO
In the initial stages of a startup, product development is going to change immensely due to user experiences and new features that will be included. Automating the software testing process means setting up each test, but then having to change this for every new product design and development. Starting off with manual testing is a sure way to make sure that nothing gets missed and that the automated tests do not require constant maintenance and upkeep since this defeats the purpose of automation. Manual testing is cheaper in the short term, allowing for large changes in product development, and provides the structure for automated testing. So when to make the switch to automation? When switching to automated testing there are a couple things that every company should bear in mind.
Establish that there are not going to be any more huge product designs or developments. This ensures that once the automated testing suite is built, there will not be any massive changes or maintenance associated with it besides regular upkeep which has a low cost of maintenance. Maintenance for automation is much more simple than manual if it is not required all the time, with automation software allowing clients to change the building blocks instead of each individual test case.
Secondly, getting results back from automation is super simple. If companies have multiple people working together on one testing project that consumes 40+ man-hours a week, this could be reduced to running an automated test on a computer, walking away for a few hours to complete other tasks, and returning to have the results right there. The time to get results is dramatically decreased and requires no one running it continuously. It is possible to run tests on staging and production at the same time, simply press a button, and walk away.
"Automated testing has transformed our client's work. They are now able to get the results they need in half the time and without the man hours required to run it. It's a game-changer" - Matt Osiecki, Head of Automation
By making the switch to automation, it is possible to increase efficiency. Manual cases can be difficult to manage if there is high volume with the tests becoming ineffective. Automation can speed up this process by being able to test millions of datasets without mistakes. Test creation is another area which could reduce man-hours in the long-term. Of course, this has to be coded properly, but it is possible to do things with automation that is not feasible with manual testing.
There can be some drawbacks when looking to make the switch to automated testing. Automation setup time differs from company to company depending on the extensiveness of the application, but a general rule of thumb is that it would take a full-time employee a month to build all of the testing suites. The other possible hindrance is cost. The cost of automation is higher in the short term which might limit some companies with cash flow issues. There is the payment for the automation license, the need for someone on the team to be able to write the code for the software, or at the very least someone to write the test for the developer to automate which can complicate things further.
Deciding which automation software can be tricky, but here at Loop Software and Testing Services, we are proud to be in partnership with Zeenyx and their incredible automation system, AscentialTest. Making the switch from manual testing to automation doesn’t have to be a headache. AscentialTest could be the right automation software for your company and Loop can help with onboarding, training, and more. Reach out to us for more information.
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