Conf in a Conf Session

The Rise of Automation is not about burying Manual Testing

25-minute Talk

All levels

Timetable

1:30 a.m.-2:00 a.m.

Wednesday 15th

Room

Track 1

Audience

Tester, Agile Tester, Test Manager, Automation Test Engineer, Software Test Engineer, QA Engineer

Key-Learning

- Automation is not required in all testing levels. Example, Exploratory Testing requires human creativity and expertise, but not regression testing.

- Test automation requires training and upskilling the required technical expertise are necessary for adoption of automated testing.

- Collaboration among manual and automated testing teams is crucial. Both teams are responsible to identify the tests to be automated and implemented.

- Test automation maintenance is a continuous process. Tests need to be maintained regularly to ensure its effectiveness.

- Test automation can significantly increase the speed and efficiency, enabling teams to test more thoroughly and deliver higher quality software.

Embracing Automation as the New Normal

Shift Mindset and Embrace automation. Manual Testing still has important role to play in testing. Automation should be seen as a complement to manual testing, not a replacement for it.

The evolution of automation in software testing has led to a common misconception that manual testing is no longer relevant. This paper argues that manual testing still plays a critical role in the software testing process and should not be overlooked or replaced entirely by automation. While automation can provide benefits such as increased efficiency and accuracy, it is not a silver bullet solution. Automated testing can only test what it has been programmed to test, and it cannot replicate the human intuition and creativity that manual testing provides. Hence, we need to bring a shift in our mindset and embracing automation.

This paper explores the advantages and limitations of both manual and automated testing methods, and how they can be used together to achieve optimal results. It highlights the importance of a balanced approach to testing, where manual testing is used to explore and uncover issues that automation may miss. This paper emphasizes on collaboration among manual and automated testing teams is crucial. Both teams are responsible to identify the tests to be automated and implemented.

The paper also discusses the impact of the rise of automation on the role of manual testers and the skills required for the future. It proposes that manual testers can add value by focusing on exploratory testing, usability testing, and other areas where automation is not yet capable. As we all know creating anything new is easy, nut maintaining them is a continuous process. Automated tests need to be maintained regularly to ensure they continue to be effective. This includes updating tests to reflect changes in the application being tested and addressing any issues that arise during testing.

In conclusion, this paper aims to dispel the notion that the rise of automation is about burying manual testing. Instead, it emphasizes the importance of a balanced approach to testing, where both manual and automated testing methods are used to ensure high-quality software.