We are seeing an increase in the popularity of flexible methodologies. Today, 94% of businesses practice Agile, and 74% use DevOps. Many businesses choose test automation to keep up with the high tempo of these environments.
In this article, I will explain:
- Why is automated testing central to Agile and DevOps?
- What benefits it brings to the table
- Why should manual testing be considered?
- How to set up test automation processes efficiently.
Automation of tests in Agile and DevOps
Testing was always the last step in software development before Agile and DevOps, and it is still the last step in Waterfall. Is it time-saving? Certainly not. Flexible methodologies enabled businesses to be more flexible and faster and have better communication among project members.
Is it possible, however, to keep up with the fast-paced Agile environment by concentrating on manual testing? It’s probably quite difficult. The app features are updated at breakneck speed, necessitating the inclusion of test automation at the heart of Agile.
Agile, with its many iterations, allows for more frequent testing of the IT product from the beginning of the SDLC. This is how experts identify more bugs from the start and eliminate them in a timely manner.
What about DevOps test automation? DevOps aims to increase the velocity and frequency of product releases by supporting continuous development, deployment, and testing (and it’s expected to reach 58% within the next two years).
Again, without test automation, it is extremely difficult to deliver quality at a rapid pace. Consider the diagram below: software testing is not a separate step in the traditional development model. All specialists in DevOps work in unison.
Manual testing may cause DevOps pipelines to slow down, resulting in more bottlenecks and additional time and expense to resolve.
As a result, automated testing takes center stage within these methodologies to assist organizations in increasing release cadences while delivering a high-quality IT solution that meets end-user needs.
3 Agile and DevOps test automation values
Allow me to walk you through the main benefits of automated testing integrated into Agile and DevOps processes.
Value No. 1: The first benefit is accelerated testing and go-to-market time.
Because testing occurs at each sprint of the project, the company effectively detects and eliminates software glitches earlier, reducing testing time, lowering costs for fixing them, and speeding up the release of the IT product.
Value No. 2: Improved software quality
According to the 15th State of Agile Report, 42% of organizations that implemented Agile saw this benefit. The earlier you begin testing system features, the less likely you are to miss critical bugs. This enables you to create an IT solution that runs smoothly, mitigate risks before the app goes live, and ensure compliance with requirements.
Value No. 3: Lower QA costs
Consider the following scenario. The company overlooked a critical defect early on, only to discover it at the end of the SDLC process or in production. Downtime, client loss, and a tarnished reputation are all possible outcomes. This is exactly what happened to Microsoft Azure in 2018 when a bug in the code update caused a 16-hour service outage that hampered users’ authentication to Teams, Office 365, and other Microsoft cloud services.
Gartner estimates that the cost of downtime is $5,600 per minute. Isn’t that the worst-case scenario? Businesses enable early and cost-effective bug fixing by incorporating automated testing into Agile and DevOps processes, thereby significantly reducing QA expenses.
Is manual testing still relevant in Agile and DevOps?
Does manual testing have a place in Agile and DevOps? Or should automation completely replace it?
To maintain their fast-paced rhythm, Agile and DevOps primarily focus on automated testing. However, this does not necessitate completely eliminating manual testing, as in some cases, substituting automated checks is illogical.
Exploratory testing, for example, allows for deviation from standard scenarios, examination of the software itself, and reliance on intuition to discover system-hidden vulnerabilities.
Alternatively, ad hoc testing. QA specialists are not required to follow a specific plan, create test cases, or create documentation; instead, they simply find flaws in the app by performing random checks and using non-standard software testing methods.
Setting up test automation for Agile and DevOps: Three Pointers
I’ll share my top three tips for efficiently implementing automated testing within Agile and DevOps.
Tip #1: Select the proper tools.
There are numerous test automation tools available, ranging from free and open source to fee-based and customized. If the wrong one is chosen, it may have a negative impact on QA processes, necessitating more time and money for testing or even re-starting all procedures from scratch.
Because there is no one-size-fits-all test automation tool, it may be easier to consider the following aspects before selecting the most appropriate tool: the types it, the ability to maintain DevOps and Agile tool integration, the cost of purchase and support, the technical skills and experience required to handle the tool, and so on.
Tip #2: Bring in experts with the necessary skills.
Working in fast-paced environments, test automation engineers must be able to organize their work effectively, complete all tasks on time, and meet project deadlines.
In sprint reviews, iteration planning, Agile and DevOps meetings, and other events, QA specialists work closely with developers, managers, and product owners. Proficiency in reporting and communication is necessary to foster strong collaboration amongst all project participants and enable prompt response to changes and updates.
Coding expertise, including in-depth knowledge of Java, JavaScript, Python, and other languages, is critical for both Agile and DevOps engineers, enabling effective script writing, execution, and support.
Tip #3: Don’t go overboard with test automation.
Test automation should come first in Agile and DevOps environments. But not entirely because some types of tests, such as exploratory and ad-hoc, simply cannot be automated. If you are dealing with one-time tasks, manual testing is the way to go because it is faster and less expensive.
When considering automation, ask yourself these questions to determine whether it is feasible. How often will these checks be performed? How much work is necessary? Will it assist in lowering QA expenses? Additionally, test automation may be useful if you are aware of how repetitious, tedious, and time-consuming the tests are.
Finishing up
To keep the high speed and flexibility of Agile and DevOps environments, businesses use test automation to shorten testing times, enhance software quality, and lower QA costs. For one-time tasks and exploratory and ad hoc testing, however, businesses still rely on manual testing.
You can set up a well-tuned test automation strategy within flexible methodologies by following three tips: choose the right tools, onboard QA experts with the necessary skill set, and don’t overdo automated testing. Furthermore, to achieve success in all areas, the best test automation services should always be selected.