Software quality assurance can be achieved in two different ways: manually and automatically. While automated testing uses software tools to run tests automatically, manual testing involves human testers manually running test cases. Both strategies have advantages and disadvantages. Instead of going for an automation testing vs manual testing approach, you can combine them. In terms of test coverage, dependability, and speed, combining manual and automated testing can produce better outcomes. The following are the best practices for combining manual and automated testing for efficient quality assurance.
- Pick the ideal ratio of manual and automated testing:
Determining the ideal ratio of manual and automated tests is the first step in combining them. This is dependent on the software’s characteristics, the project’s timeline, and the requirements. While some tests are better carried out manually, others are better automated. For instance, manual testing is best suited for exploratory, usability, and ad-hoc testing, while automated testing is best suited for regression, performance, and load testing. - Automate tests that are repetitive and time-consuming:
Automation testing can save time and effort by automating repetitive and time-consuming tests, which is one of its main benefits. To make sure that any new modifications or software updates do not obstruct existing functionality, regression testing, for instance, can be automated. Similar to usability testing, load testing can also be automated to test the software’s performance under various scenarios by simulating the behaviour of multiple users. - Use manual testing for ad-hoc and exploratory testing:
Manual testing is best suited for exploratory and ad-hoc testing, where testers can more flexibly and imaginatively explore the functionality and behaviour of the software. Exploratory testing and ad hoc testing can both be used to find bugs and problems that automated tests are unable to catch, as well as problems that result from unexpected user behaviour or usage patterns. - Utilize both strategies in combination:
It is important to recognize that manual and automated testing methods complement one another rather than compete with one another and can produce superior outcomes when used in tandem. For instance, the most important and frequent test cases can be covered by automated tests, while the most challenging edge cases and scenarios can be covered by manual tests. - Maintain a suitable testing environment and infrastructure:
A suitable testing environment and infrastructure are necessary when combining manual and automated testing to ensure that tests are carried out accurately and consistently. This entails creating test environments that resemble the production environment, guaranteeing consistent and accurate test data, and making sure that the infrastructure and testing tools are set up, maintained, and used as intended. - Utilize version control for test resources:
To make sure that changes to the test assets are properly tracked and managed, version control can be used for test assets like test cases, test scripts, and test data. Ensuring that the most recent version of the test assets is always used for testing, can help prevent conflicts and inconsistencies between various test asset versions.
Conclusion
Combining manual and automated testing is a successful strategy for ensuring software quality. Organizations can increase the quality and dependability of their software while reducing time and effort by using both approaches to complement one another, ensuring proper test environments and infrastructure, etc. Opkey is a great platform to use when performing software testing as they provide the latest automation testing services. The success of this strategy also depends on effective cooperation and communication between testers, developers, and stakeholders.
