Introduction to Test Automation Essentials

Course Objectives

Working in an interactive learning environment, led by our expert facilitator, attendees will learn to:

• Document the current state of test automation in your organization
• Define a custom test automation plan and architecture to fit their situation
• Create an initial implementation plan
• Identify initial key measures
• Develop a metrics dashboard for tracking the value of test automation
• Lay out a future strategy and roadmap to get there

Course Prerequisites

The content is appropriate for test automation engineering roles, test manager roles, test lead roles, test architect roles, as well as developer roles.

This course assumes you have a foundational understanding of testing and the purpose of automation. This course will be beneficial to anyone who is accountable for assessing, planning, designing, and implementing an integrated set of technology (testing infrastructure) that supports development, testing, and deployment.

Course Agenda

Please note that this list of topics is based on our standard course offering, evolved from typical industry uses and trends. We’ll work with you to tune this course and level of coverage to target the skills you need most.

Getting Started

• Automation beginnings
• Software as a series of imperfect translations

The Compelling Business Needs for Automation

• Automation the next opportunity
• Islands of Automation
• Getting products to market more quickly, at the right costs and quality

Automation Challenges and Requirements

• Automation Challenges
• Test Automation Key Requirements

Foundational material for your automation plan

• Templates
• Questions
• Examples
• Virtual Consulting included with this course

Automation plan vision and strategy

• Vision, Strategy, Approach Example
• Defining your end in mind
• Deciding where to start
• Engaging Others

Conducting a current state tools inventory

• Assessing your current state - tools and processes
• Tools inventory example and template
• Radar Chart as a means of presenting current state information

Consider the best automation approach

• Waterfall vs. agile cycles of work
• Aligning tools with your methodologies
• Strategies for Automating
• The Test Automation Pyramid

Developing your test automation architecture

• Blocks of automation capabilities
• Islands of Automation
• Integrated Tools Architecture Template
• Integrated Tools Architecture Examples

Test automation architecture examples

• Examples of different test automation architectures and frameworks
• Selenium
• Key Test Automation Architecture Characteristics

Acceptance test-driven and behavior-driven testing overview

• Test automation approaches
• FitNesse
• Cucumber
• Gherkin script overview
• Tool workflow 

Considerations for what to automate and when

• Categories of tests that might be automated
• We have many tool choices
• Key points in Test Tool Architecture Planning

Piloting and Implementing automation

• Selecting and evaluating tools and rolling them out
• Selling Automation - qualitative questions
• Selling Automation - quantitative questions

Measuring automation benefits

• Measures in technical terms
• Measures in business terms
• Measures of testing vs. measures of test automation

Next Steps

• A few keys to success