Test Automation Strategies and Architectures (CTM #6) or (CSTAS #5) or (CSTP Elective)

This tutorial covers area 6 of the Test Management Body of Knowledge (TMBOK) required for the Certified Test Manager (CTM) certification. This tutorial also counts as an elective towards the requirements of the Certified Software Test Professional certification

For cost and cities where this course might be offered, check our Public Training Schedule.To bring this course to your test team at your location, contact our Education and Professionals Services Group.

Concepts

Organizations often purchase Software Test Automation Tools without the proper amount of research and planning, and as a result end up with results that can approach a total failure. The tools themselves are often blamed, but only after much money and effort are spent in trying to achieve successful results. The reasons driving these decisions are related to time to market, hope for an increased quality level of testing, and being able to do more with fewer resources.

A proper application of automated test tools can, in fact, result in many (or all) of these benefits, but only when applied properly. Automated testing cannot be thought of as something that replaces traditional manual testing methods, but rather, as something that augments it. It cannot make up for a lack of planning and process.

This course is geared toward the Quality Assurance Manager / Test Lead and will walk the student through a step-by-step process which he/she will be able to use to determine if their organization is right for automation, how to evaluate and select automated testing tools, how to develop effective test plans and scripts, which metrics to collect and how to report on them, and how to build an effective organization around the use of these tools.

Participants will learn

The Importance of Test Automation in the Testing Process
Develop an understanding of similarities / differences / use of Automated Testing Tools
Evaluating and Selecting Automated Testing Tools
Developing a strategy for test planning, development and execution
How to use test results to provide value to the organization
How to put together an effective automated test organization, including the use of proper tools, personnel and processes
Developing automated test scripts so they become reusable, maintainable and efficient assets of the organization
How to use automated testing metrics
How do you establish standards that are meaningful, easy to use, and maintainable

Outline

Introduction
Discussion of Automated Test Tools Selection
- Test Tool Evaluation and Selection
- Test Planning / Management
- Product Integration
- Product Support
- Build vs. Buy Strategies, Approaches and Tradeoffs
Automated Testing Roles / Responsibilities
- Developing in-house skills
- Hiring experts
The Automated Testing Process
- Developing an Automated Test Strategy and Plan
- Estimating the Size and Scope of an Automated Testing Effort
- Test Environment Components
- Automated Test Script Standards
- Choosing Which Tests to Automate
- Designing and Constructing Automated Tests
- Executing Automated Tests
- Interpreting the Results
Test Automation Architectures
- Picking the Best Architecture for the Organization
- Implementation
Dealing with Data Issues Needed to Support Automated Testing
- Why Data is So Important
- How to Maintain a Data Repository
Importance of Parameter or Table Driven Tests
Test Case Reusability
- Why Reusability is So Important
- How to Ensure Reusability
Test Scripts / Cases as Organization Assets
The Role of Metrics and How to Generate Them
Standards and Guidelines