Test automation being a buzzword does not mean that every company must do the automation for testing. We need to consider when to automate as we are planning for test automation. One of the key things that each organization will consider when they are considering automating is the savings it can bring to the organization. Every industry is saving costs by applying automation and the same is done by the software industry too. When you start the cost-benefit analysis, take a piece of paper and pen and write down the following points:
- How much time does it take to run the complete manual test case execution?
- What is the hourly rate of the tester who is involved in manual test execution?
- What is the frequency of the release of the product?
- During a release cycle, how many times regression or a part of regression tests are being run?
**This will be excluding infrastructure costs.
What is the financial impact of the production bug?
This is a tricky question to answer. A few applications like free social media apps can live with a minor bug with no financial impact. However, companies can be sued if their application has bugs and customers are dependent on the financial reporting using those applications. Giving a buggy product constantly will result in customer loss and little or no chance of getting new customers if your application is expensive and for the niche market. Some organizations pay their client if they find any bug in their product. Based on all the considerations, you can write some dollar value per year as the financial impact of the production bug.
Test automation has become a popular approach to testing software applications due to its ability to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and increase test coverage. However, before implementing test automation, it’s important to conduct a cost-benefit analysis to determine whether the benefits of test automation outweigh the costs.
Benefits of Test Automation
The benefits of test automation are numerous and include:
- Improved Efficiency: Test automation reduces the time and effort required to execute tests, enabling organizations to test more frequently and efficiently.
- Increased Test Coverage: Test automation enables organizations to test a larger number of test cases, resulting in increased test coverage and better software quality.
- Better Quality: Test automation eliminates the human error factor, resulting in more accurate and reliable testing.
- Reduced Costs: Test automation reduces the costs associated with manual testing, such as labor costs, training costs, and equipment costs.
Costs of Test Automation
The costs associated with test automation include:
- Initial Investment: Implementing test automation requires an initial investment in software, hardware, and tools. The cost of test automation tools can range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars per license.
- Maintenance Costs: Test automation requires ongoing maintenance, including updates, maintenance of test scripts, and addressing issues that arise during testing. The cost of maintenance can range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars per year.
- Learning Curve: Test automation requires specialized skills, which can require training or hiring new staff. The cost of training can range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars per person.
- Limitations of Test Automation: Test automation is not suitable for all types of testing, such as exploratory testing, usability testing, and visual testing. Therefore, manual testing may still be required in addition to test automation.
Cost-Benefit Analysis
To determine whether test automation is cost-effective, a cost-benefit analysis can be conducted. This involves comparing the costs of implementing and maintaining test automation to the benefits it provides, such as improved efficiency, increased test coverage, and reduced costs associated with manual testing.
The following steps can be followed to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of test automation:
- Identify the costs associated with implementing and maintaining test automation, including the initial investment, maintenance costs, and training costs.
- Identify the benefits of test automation, including improved efficiency, increased test coverage, and reduced costs associated with manual testing.
- Estimate the value of the benefits, such as the amount of time saved, the number of defects found, and the reduction in manual testing costs.
- Compare the costs and benefits to determine whether the benefits outweigh the costs. If the benefits outweigh the costs, then test automation is likely to be cost-effective.
Takeaway
Test automation can provide significant benefits, including improved efficiency, increased test coverage, and reduced costs associated with manual testing. However, implementing test automation requires an initial investment in software, hardware, and tools, as well as ongoing maintenance and training costs. Conducting a cost-benefit analysis can help organizations determine whether the benefits of test automation outweigh the costs and whether test automation is a cost-effective solution for their testing needs.