Step by Step Guide to Implement Proof of Concept (POC) in Automation Testing

Approaches to Implement POC in Automation Testing

While automation testing is forging a path in companies, every entity maintains its unique set of testing methods and standards. Although manual testing is indispensable, automation testing drastically enhances performance.

If you’re considering integrating automation testing into your organization, various aspects need to be considered to ascertain its necessity:

#1. Project Lifespan: Analyze if the project is intended for short-term or long-term. Automation is suited for projects with an extended duration.

#2. Regression Testing: Evaluate the amount of regression testing undertaken during each testing cycle. Automation testing can curb the overall testing duration, ensuring comprehensive coverage for projects necessitating repetitive and lengthy regression tests.

#3. Application Stability: Mind the stability of the application. Automation is ideal for applications that are not prone to frequent alterations. Refrain from automating unstable products or ones with regular changes in GUI/functionality, elements, or XPath on the page.

#4. Data Security and Complexity: If the project data is highly confidential and the testing calls for complex procedures, manual testing might be a more fitting choice than automation.

#5. Automation Budget: Determine if the company has allocated a budget for automation. The expenses associated are not limited to the costs of automation tools, resources, time dedicated to framework development, and the authoring/maintenance of automation test scripts.

Automation testing guarantees robust module coverage, reducing the risk of missing tests or assuming test results. It also allows the same test to be run on different browsers and platforms multiple times.

The ensuing figure demonstrates the automation testing process:

From a technical examination standpoint, the QA team must grasp the following attributes about the automation tool:

1. Platform and OS testing matrix
2. Capability for data-driven operations
3. Reporting potential and report portability
4. Effortless debugging and logging
5. Support for version control
6. Extent of extensibility and customizability (integration with other tools like Ant, TestNG)
7. Endless integration
8. Email notifications (custom email excerpts for test success/failures or network faults)
9. Support for cross-browser and multi-platform testing via distributed testing environments.

Choosing the Suitable Automation Tool:

#1. Ascertain if the application for testing is a web-based or desktop application.
#2. Opt for either an open-source or paid automation tool.
#3. Make sure the tool corresponds to the testing requirements of the application.
#4. Analyze the proficiency and ease levels of the team with the tool.
#5. Examine the reporting capabilities of the tool. If they do not exist, consider other possibilities (open-source or paid) for reporting. Evaluate how effectively the tool’s reporting conveys precise data and presents information.

During the tool evaluation, the below points should also be taken into account:

While choosing an automation tool, evaluate if it supports the implementation of the application’s GUI:

1. Does the GUI employ conventional HTML, AJAX, or other web development kits?
2. Does the GUI include videos, images, or a good deal of text content?
3. Is the GUI interactive or purely informational?
4. Which browsers require testing.

Having these facotors in mind will help ascertain if the tool meets the project’s testing needs.

Formulating the Proof of Concept for Automation:

Executing an automation testing POC is a vital step when introducing a tool to an organization. After deciding to go ahead with automation and picking a tool, a prototype must be created as a POC and demonstrated to the administration to exhibit its practical usage and benefits.

To construct a POC:

1) Select the test cases to be incorporated into the POC.
2) Highlight the areas that would capture the clients’ main interest.
3) Draw parallels between manual and automation testing to manifest that quality does not suffer.
4) Include a test case that fails resulting in the identification of defects to showcase the effectiveness of the tool.
5) Utilize assertions and validation points as necessary.
6) Define clearly the areas that can be automated and those that cannot. Typically, the underlying aspects cannot be automated:

• Video streams
• Flash content (non-static content)
• Non-static images

7) Indicate if the tool satisfies the following requisites:

• Can it automate all main application features?
• Does it support the necessary browser(s) for the project?
• Is automation contingent on changes in the application’s implementation? (e.g., unique element identifiers that don’t modify when the page is invoked)

Probable Results of the Proof of Concept:

1. Tool meets the project’s specifications: Further deliberations about aspects including implementation expenses (negotiating tariffs if required), subscription fees, training and support expenses, consultation, and setup costs. For open-source tools, evaluate the maturity of the tool, available learning resources, learning curve, and support. Maintenance costs should be considered for both licensed and open-source tools as the advantages are typically long-term.
2. Tool fails to meet the specifications: Withdraw the tool from further consideration.
3. Tool partially meets the requisites: Re-examine and assess whether another tool would satisfy the requirements better, or if automation is not viable, or if an alternative solution exists with the same tool.

After the management greenlights the proof of concept, the subsequent step is to launch an initial project with the selected tool.

POC Layout:

While a universally fitting POC template does not exist, it commonly contains:

1. POC preconditions
2. Potential automation tools
3. Project prerequisites
4. Advantages and drawbacks of each tool based on the project specifications
5. POC findings
   

Here are some example Automation POC templates for reference:

=> POC layout 1
=> POC layout 2

Executing a Sample Project:

Outline the pilot project by:

• Enumerating the business cases that influence the decision to use the tool.
• Establishing nomenclature conventions and guidelines for the application tool.
• Identifying the advantages of the tool, including its financial implications, capabilities, limitations, workarounds, and other considerations.

Step #1. Picking Pilot Test Cases:

• Select modules/features that are significant from the client’s viewpoint.
• Choose functionalities that are easy to demonstrate (e.g., end-to-end content testing).
• Identify test cases that are hard to examine manually but would be eased through automation.
• Include test cases that can reveal defects, displaying the tool’s bug-finding capability.

Step #2. Development of Automation Framework:

An automation testing framework is a unified system that sets out concepts, processes, procedures, best practices, and the testing environment. It comprises functional libraries, APIs, test data, an object repository, and other modules. The choice of scripting techniques in the automation framework affects its cost.

Consider utilizing the following scripting techniques:

• Linear
• Hybrid
• Data-driven
• Keyword-driven
• Structured

Design a testing framework using any of these techniques to provide a particular format for executing the tests, simplifying test operations and reporting.

Establish templates and nomenclature conventions for objects, test cases, test suites, data repositories, and so on.

Step #3. Development and Execution of Scripts:

Step #4. Reporting: Find out if the tool has built-in reporting capabilities. If it doesn’t, consider other reporting tools such as Crystal Reports or ReportNG.

Step #5. Automation Scripts Maintenance:

Demonstrating to the Stakeholders:

The demonstration of the proof of concept and the initial project is of utmost importance. Bear the following points in mind for an effective presentation:

1. Begin by emphasizing the amount of manual testing effort and the challenges encountered during manual testing. Show how automation can remedy these hurdles.
2. Clarify how the tool was chosen based on the proof of concept.
3. Accentuate the features of the automation tool and how they support the testing specifications.
4. Show how the automation tool not only quickens test execution but also locates defects.
5. Show how the tool’s reporting features display the status of test case execution.
6. Point out key reporting features, such as colorful legends for test case status, snapshots of failed test cases, and report portability.
7. Demonstrate the substantial reduction in testing time for each test cycle.
8. Explain the advantages and usability of the developed automation framework.

Be ready to field questions about the time needed to automate simple or critical functionalities and the amount of script alterations required for minor application changes.

We trust this guide will assist you in creating an effective automation testing POC document. Should you have any queries, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.