Most software development teams have adopted automated tests and use them as a part of the testing process. The majority didn’t give up on manual testing either, so you can see testers conducting both types of analysis.
It’s tricky to coordinate between manual and automatic tests. Most software developers manage them separately, but that’s not the most efficient approach. If you are wondering how to coordinate automated and manual testing processes, this article offers important guidelines. Check out the tips below and learn how to maximize your testing!
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What Is the Difference Between Automatic and Manual Tests?
The biggest difference is obvious – manual tests are performed by the human workforce. Automated testing on the other hand, only requires an engineer to create the process. The computer does the rest, eliminating the error risk and speeding up the actual testing execution. Compared to manual testing, where human participation is an obligation, automated testing helps to run the pre-written script and increase the coverage of testing devices.
Apart from this evident difference, here are the other distinctions between automatic and manual tests:
- Purpose. Most teams go with manual tests when they evaluate the product focusing on user experience. Automatic tests focus on detecting bugs and issues related to functional stability.
- Repeatability. The common approach is to use manual tests for one-off analysis. But if you want to check a certain feature multiple times, automatic tests will save time and effort.
- Other test specifics. For example, it’s easy to prepare manual tests. However, you use the human workforce, making them expensive to perform. Automatic tests use the opposite approach. It takes effort to write them, but they can run unattended, ensuring they are affordable to perform.
How to Coordinate Automated and Manual Testing Processes
The first task is to confirm whether you can automate a particular test. The general rule is to see if the test can have a clear determinant. If one exists, it will ensure you have an evident result. The computer should be able to determine the outcome easily.
If you are having problems choosing the outcome, or the correct result is often changing, a manual test could be a better choice. But choosing the preferred testing option is only the beginning. You need to coordinate between these processes, and here’s how to do that!
Make Sure Everyone Is on the Same Page
From the perspective of your software, automation and manual testing are both important. Each type can help recover critical information on improving the app and delivering a better product. Your priority is that everyone understands you are on the same task. It’s not a competition, and your common priority is maximizing the product quality.
Depending on the team size, manual and automatic testers could be in the same office. If that’s not possible, organize regular meetings to improve communication between the departments.
Who Decides Which Tests to Use?
You can benefit from dividing staff into those conducting automatic and others conducting manual tests. It could be confusing if everyone does everything.
Another thing to ensure is who decides which tests to use. In some situations, this will be obvious. But if you can use automatic and manual approaches for the same test, you need to have a clear path to deciding which way to go.
Take Advantage of Test Management Tools
You need to optimize communication between testers to make it fast and simple. Using a shared dashboard with tasks and other relevant information listed can be helpful. Also, make sure the reports provide valuable information and get published regularly. Not all testers need comprehensive information, but having all details accessible is important.
Stick to the Same Names and Phrases
Let’s imagine a tester comes across a feature for the first time and uses “Name A” for it. Another tester encounters the same feature later but uses “Name B.” It could lead to massive confusion. Ensuring everyone uses the same names and phrases can be useful. It simplifies communication since everyone knows how to refer to each feature.
Other Tips to Improve Coordination Between Automated and Manual Testing Processes
Even if it seems like a minor thing, it can improve the coordination between the two testing types. Here are some things to apply to your team:
- Group tests the way you see fit. It can be by staff members who perform them, metrics to analyze, etc.
- Not all information is for everyone. If you share info in a meeting or dashboard, think about who should read it. Not everyone might have a “clearance level” for some data, so try to adjust the info you provide to those you are communicating with.
- Work on team building. Having a good atmosphere is important in any team, so consider how you can boost the bond between members.
Final Thoughts – You Need the Best Balance of Automatic and Manual Tests
If you want to maximize the software testing potential, you need the best of both worlds. By optimizing automatic and manual testing processes, you improve product quality and ensure simple communication within the team. Begin by ensuring everyone knows what their tasks are. Having a shared dashboard and holding regular meetings is a great foundation. From there, you can work on fine details that will tailor the entire process to your team!