Technology forms the beating heart of many successful businesses. It enables them to engage with clients, publicise themselves and communicate internally in a seamless way. However, when creating something new or updating existing tools, testing is required to make sure it works as it’s supposed to do.

It is a must to test any new piece of software, device or system, but if done manually, it takes time and effort which could be better spent elsewhere. For the time-pressed business owner or senior manager, there must be an alternative. This is where test automation comes in, but what is it about and how does it work?

 

Running like Clockwork

Test automation, as the name suggests, involves tests of software, apps and computer systems to be done automatically. It can be done at any set time of the day, all by doing nothing more than either flicking a few switches or clicking a mouse a few times. By following the instructions given, your test automation system can run just like clockwork, at a time of the day that suits you.

How it works is that it takes a small sample of scripts of code from each piece of software and identifies whether they are working as they should. It compares the results of each test against the previous ones, coming up with a set of stats that show whether software performance has improved, stood still or deteriorated.

 

Acting Fast

In having test automation to check whether your software et al is working correctly, you’ll be better placed to identify where there’s a problem and what can be done to fix it. As an example, if you have built a website that has a faulty line of code, testing can find it and you can get it fixed quickly. It can, in some cases, reduce the need to make many manual fixes at a time.

In taking out the manpower needed to do this, your business stands to save money through not hiring someone to take on the testing task. Furthermore, there are additional savings to be made, as one piece of test automation software could be sufficient for covering the entire business’s IT infrastructure.

The time saved gives you peace of mind in knowing that test automation is doing all the hard work. It gives you spare time to spend on other important tasks, such as answering important emails and dealing with clients. Just make sure you know how to use it first time round and pick a time to have it run; the end of each work day is ideal.

By Kar

Dr. Kar works in the interface of digital transformation and data science. Professionally a professor in one of the top B-Schools of Asia and an alumni of XLRI, he has extensive experience in teaching, training, consultancy and research in reputed institutes. He is a regular contributor of Business Fundas and a frequent author in research platforms. He is widely cited as a researcher. Note: The articles authored in this blog are his personal views and does not reflect that of his affiliations.