Investment in Software Test Automation

Automation Testing


A must read for Software Test Architects and Software Test Managers who want to understand the Fixed and Variable Cost in Test Automation

Investment in Automation:

  1. Fixed Cost in Test Automation:
    • Automation feasibility analysis cost
    • Tool selection and Acquisition cost
    • Hiring skilled resources OR training existing team members
    • Time in learning the application/ business processes
    • Pilot project identification effort / Proof of Concept
    • First time automation of the identified parts of application/product
    • Test suite Documentation effort
  2. Variable cost in Test Automation:
    • Test script versioning and documentation maintenance cost
    • Automated Test infrastructure maintenance cost
    • Execution cost

Remember that it may take long time to completely automate a test as it does to perform it manually. Also consider that a change to the application can cause twice as much or more maintenance in the test library because usually a single rule changes several test cases.

– by the author of “Quick 101 on Automation”

A Must read – Classic Test Automation Mistakes