Test Automation Factory

A virtual Facility of Processes, Roles, Events and Tools aimed for Test Automation Development

Description

The Testware Test Automation Factory is a virtual facility of processes, roles, events and tools enabling a company to continuously develop automated test cases for an Application Under Test. The Factory is based on the tools from the Testware Automation SDK and may in combination with processes, roles and events be seen as a framework with flexibility for adaption to existing company procedures.

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Roles

In the Test Automation Factory there exists different roles with various assignments, responsibilities and placements in the Factory Process. The roles are the following:

  • The Test Manager
  • The Tester
  • The Automation Developer
  • The IT Operations Engineer

The Test Manager

  • The Test Manager is responsible for delivering test scripts to the Automation Developers.
  • The Test Manager is responsible for evaluating the test results collected in the Test Report.

The nature of the role as a Test Manager is being the acting interface towards the management and the coordinating instance between the Tester and the Automation Developers. The Test Manager will ensure a common direction for the test automation by coordinating the delivery and validation of the test cases during the review meetings. The Test Manager will finally evaluate and report the test results in the Test Report.

The Tester

  • The Tester is responsible for specifying test scripts with sufficient details for a proper test automation.
  • The Tester is responsible for being available to assist the Automation Developers in elaborating details.

The nature of the role as a Tester is being the domain expert supplying the Automation Developers with sufficiently detailed specifications to ensure the implementation will meet the requirements. The tester is mainly responsible for delivering well-defined written Test Script specifications but another important part is an ongoing dialog with the Automation Developers.

The Automation Developer

  • The Automation Developer is responsible for implementing the specified test scripts into automated test cases.
  • The Automation Developer is responsible for maintaining the technical part of the Test Automation Factory.

The nature of the role as an Automation Developer is to implement the test cases to ensure the test automation fulfills the requirements of the test scripts specifications.

The Automation Developer will primarily develop test cases as source code using the Automation SDK and secondarily maintain the technical parts in collaboration with the IT Operations Engineer and Testware ApS.

The IT Operations Engineer

  • The IT Operations Engineer is responsible for maintaining the infrastructure surrounding the Test Automation Factory.

The nature of the role as an IT Operations Engineer is to support the Automation Developers by maintaining infrastructure surrounding the Test Automation Factory.

To ensures a smooth operation of the Test Automation Factory the work includes services such as network access, VPN credentials and test environments.

Test Script Review

A Test Script Review is the event validating the requirements of the specified test scripts.

The purpose of the review is to establish a common understanding for the test script and to mature it for test automation. A Test Script Review is performed by the Test Manager, the Testers and the Automation Developers in collaboration. The output of a successful Test Script Review is matured test scripts ready for implementation by the Automation Team.

Automation Development

The Automation Development is the process containing all the development activities performed by the Automation Developers. The overall task is to transform the test script requirements into automated test cases, however a part of this development process is also to maintain and enhance the underlying functionality.

The output of an Automation Development process is stable automated test cases.

Test Case Review

A Test Case Review is the event validating the implementation of the developed automated test cases. The purpose of this review is to ensure the implementation meets the requirements specified in the test script. A Test Case Review is performed by the Test Manager, the Testers and the Automation Developers in collaboration. The output of a successful Test Case Review is automated test cases ready for usage and to be included in Automation Execution.

Automation Execution

The Automation Execution is the process containing an execution bench for running the developed test automation. It is usually implemented as a Jenkins Server and will run the automated test cases, bulked in test suites, against the Application Under Test.

The test automation may be executed on a scheduled basis for a continuous feedback loop or manually on demand when required. The output of an Automation Execution process is a Test Report - summarizing the test results into one common overview.

Test Report Evaluation

The Test Report Evaluation is the event evaluating the results of the test automation executed during the Automation Execution.

The purpose of this event is to gain an overview of the current state of the Application Under Test. The Test Report Evaluation is typically performed by the Test Manager and is the basis for recommended actions accepting deviations in the Application Under Test.

Maintenance, Support & Training

The Maintenance, Support & Training are the services provided by Testware ApS to assist stakeholders of the Test Automation Factory.

Initially, training is provided to ensure that the stakeholders have the required skills and competences for operating the Test Automation Factory.

Afterwards, Maintenance & Support will provide required knowledge and help to ensure a smoothly operating Test Automation Factory.