2 Days

This course focuses on the basics of software test automation and expands on those topics to learn some of the deeper issues of test automation.  This course is not specific to any particular tool set but does include hands-on exercises using free and cheap test tools.

The main objective of this course is to help you understand the landscape of software test automation and how to make test automation a reality in your organization. You will learn the top challenges of test automation and which approaches are the best ones for your situation, how to establish your own test automation organization, and how to design software with test automation in mind. You will also learn many of the lessons of test automation by performing exercises using sample test automation tools on sample applications.

You will leave the course with your own test automation strategy and plan for implementing it.

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Return on Investment

• Learn how to test faster and better with test automation
• Learn how to design great tests with test automation
• Learn how to make the best use of your testing resources
• Learn how to select the right tools
• Learn about free and inexpensive test tools

Who Should Attend

• Software test automators
• Software testers
• Software test managers
• Software developers

Topics and Outline

Module 1 – Understanding Test Automation (1 hr.)

• The relationship between test tools and test automation
• The promise and value of test automation
• Common measures and metrics for test automation
• Examples of implementing test automation
• Critical success factors for test automation
  

Module 2 – Surviving the Top Ten Challenges of Software Test Automation (1.5 hrs.)

• The Top Ten Challenges
  - Human-related
  - Process-related
  - Technical
• How to overcome the challenges
• Case study and exercise
  
  

Module 3 – Building a Framework for Test Automation (2 hrs.)

• What is a test automation framework?
  - Process frameworks
  - Architectural frameworks
  - Environmental frameworks
• Why a framework is needed
• Test process integration
• Integration with other types of test tools
• Case study and exercises
  
  

Module 4 – Deconstructing Test Automation (3 hrs.)

• Diving deeper into capture/playback
  - Automating a simple test
  - Modifying the script
• Diving deeper into test scripting
  - Automating a simple test by writing a script
• Diving deeper into component and keyword-based testing
  - Building a small set of automated test components
  - Assembling the components into a test
• Case study and exercises
  
  

Module 5 – Structural Test Automation (1 hr.)

• The role of structural test automation tools
• How structural test automation tools work
• Case study and exercises
  

Module 6 – A Process for Acquiring and Implementing Test Automation Tools (1.5 hrs.)

• Acquiring test automation tools
  - Process overview
  - Steps in the process
  - What is required for the process
  - How to implement the process
• Implementing test automation tools
  - Process overview
  - Steps in the process
  - What is required for the process
  - How to implement the process
• Case study and exercises
  
  

Module 7 – Cheap and Free Test Tools

• The issues behind “free” tools
• Helpful and effective open-source tools
• Inexpensive test automation tools
  
  

Module 8 – Functional Test Metrics (1.5 hrs.)

• Measures vs Measurements
• Helpful Test Automation Measures
• Helpful Test Automation Metrics
• Capturing the Measurements
• Picking the Right Metrics
• Creating a Test Automation Dashboard
• Case study and exercises
  

Module 9 – Managing Test Automation (1.5 hrs.)

• Why testware management is needed
  - Configuration management for testware
  - Establishing and maintaining tracability
  - Measuring testware
• The role of test management tools
• Case study and exercises
  
  

Module 10 – Summary (.25 hr.)

• Top ten course points
• Final questions and answers