5 Top Ideas about Test Automation Estimation

The outcome of a software testing project depends on many factors. In addition to deciding how many test cases to be automated, and picking the right software testing tools, professionals are also required to make estimations for the project. Despite not being purely technical in nature, test automation estimation has also become an integral part of software development. Based on his prior experience in testing software applications, a professional can always estimate an upcoming testing project. However, he also needs to consider some innovative ideas to estimate the software testing project in a precise and accurate manner.

Innovative Test Automation Estimation Ideas

1) Compare Different Software Testing Approaches: While testing a software application, it is important to decide the best testing environment. You must compare different approaches to a software testing project to choose the right one. You can always consider mapping the features of the application, and connect each feature with specific functionality like what information it will process or what checks it will do. The skeleton reference will make it easier for you to evaluate different approaches. However, it is also important to collate data from multiple references, while evaluating the information gathered from each source. The collated information will act as the master reference to estimate software automation.

2) Break Down the Entire Project: Once you determine the skeleton and master references, it will be easier for you to break down the entire project into several building blocks. Also, you have to size individual building blocks according to the reference. Finally, you have to calculate the time and effort required by an experienced software testing professional to complete the testing. However, you also need to consider the amount of time required to setup, test and integrate each building block.

3) Identify the Smallest Unit of Work: The process of testing a software application is entirely different from other product testing models. So you must identify the smallest unit of work that will be a part of the building block of the entire solution. The smallest unit can be a function, class or any other element. But the building block will differ according to the unit. At the same time, you also need to decide how many building blocks need to be built for the entire project.

4) Determine the Coding Requirements : Like software development, test automation also needs code. So you must identify what the developers need. You will find several software-testing frameworks claiming to generate code automatically or requiring no code. But you must remember that sustainable automation code is essential for validating a software product properly. So you need to have a discussion with developers, and identify the coding requirements for automated software testing.

5) Understand the Pros and Cons of Keyword-Driven Frameworks : An increase is noted in number of organizations opting for keyword driven frameworks. The term keyword can be defined as an action or verb that describes specific features of the application to be tested. But developers and testers use keyword as some basic unit of testing code like a function or method. So the keyword driven framework may not complement all testing of a project. Also, you need testing professionals who are familiar with testing software using keywords. So you must evaluate these frameworks, and choose the right one only after understanding its pros and cons.

Determining the amount of time required to plan the project, and the amount of time required to convert the ideas into ready-to-compile code are also a key aspect of test automation estimation. Many professionals also find it a daunting challenge to determine the exact amount of time required for making and implementing the plan. But you must decide the time requirements at the beginning of the project to set the project deadline. You can hire testers from top automation testing companies who can help you in testing your application within allocated budgets and time schedules.

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