Automation Testing Life Cycle ( ATLC ) Phases: Automation testing is integral to the software development life cycle. It helps developers and testers catch bugs in the code that might otherwise slip through. Automating manual testing ensures that many tests are run at any given time and helps reduce cycle time.
In one of our articles, we discussed the Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC); the main goal behind that is that we can deliver the best software by using it. In a similar way, we are following the Automation Testing Life Cycle (ATLC) to create the best automation testing framework and better results.
This guide will help you understand the key elements in the Automation Testing Life Cycle and how it helps ensure that quality remains consistent throughout each project’s life cycle phase.
Automation Testing Life Cycle Phases
Below, we have mentioned the list of Phases of the Automation Testing Life Cycle (ATLC):
- Determining The Scope Of Test Automation
- Automation Feasibility Analysis
- Selecting The Right Automation Tool
- Test Plan, Design, and Strategy
- Setting Up The Test Environment
- Test Script development/ Automation test case development
- Automation Test Script Execution
- Analysis + Generation Of Test Results & Test Reports
Determining The Scope Of Test Automation:
The main goal of this phase is to identify the feasibility of automation by considering all the aspects. The following things are taken care of in this phase:
- Which module can we automate, and which can we not automate?
- Which Test scenario can we automate, and how can we automate that?
- During this phase, we must consider important factors like Team size, cost, and expertise.
Automation Feasibility Analysis
In this section, you have to think from different perspectives. The main objective of this phase will be to check the feasibility of automation.
So, your main focus will be on the below points.
- Which test case can be automated, and how can we automate them
- Which module of your application can be tested and which can not be automated
- Which tools can we use for our application (like Selenium, QTP, Sahi, OATS, Telerik, etc.), and which tools will be best for our application
- Consider the following factors: Team size, Effort, and cost involved for tools that we will use.
Selecting The Right Automation Tool
The whole automation testing life cycle depends upon selecting the right automation tools. So when you are looking for an automation tool, you have to consider some of the things like:
- Budget
- Technologies being used in the project
- Familiarity with the tool with resources on board
- It provides you with a support team that can handle queries or issues.
- Intuitiveness, flexibility, and more.
Test Plan/Test Design
This phase plays a very important role in the Automation test life cycle. You must create a test plan in this phase considering the points below.
- Fetch all the manual test cases from a test management tool that TC has to automate.
- Which framework should we use, and what will the advantages and disadvantages be of the framework we will use?
- Create a test suite for an Automation test case in the Test Management tool.
- In the test plan, you can mention background, limitations, risks, and dependency between applications and tools.
- Approval from client/ Stack holders.
Environment Setup/Test lab setup
By the name itself, you can understand that we need to set up a machine or remote machine where our test case will execute.
- In this section, you can mention how many machines you want.
- What should be the configuration in terms of hardware and software?
Test Script development/ Automation test case development
In this phase, you must develop an automation script and ensure all test scripts run fine and stable.
- Start creating a test script based on your requirement
- Create some common method or function that you can reuse throughout your script.
- Make your script easy, reusable, well structured, and well documented, so if the third person checks your script, he/she can understand your scripts easily.
- Use better reporting to trace your code in case of failure.
- Finally, review your script, which should be ready before consumption.
- Test script execution
Automation Test Script Execution
Now, it’s time for the execution of test scripts. In this phase, you have to execute all your test scripts. Some points to remember during the execution
- Your script should cover all the functional requirements as per the test case.
- Your script should be stable, so it should run in multiple environments and multiple browsers (depending on your requirements)
- You can also do batch execution if possible to save time and effort.
- In case of failure, your script should take screenshots.
- If the test case fails due to functionality, you must raise a bug/defect.
- Generate test results / Analyses of results.
Analysis + Generation Of Test Results & Test Reports
This is the last phase of the Automation test life cycle in which we will gather test results and share them with the team, client, and stack holders.
- Analyze the output and calculate how long it takes to complete the test case.
