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Latest Trends in
Software Test Automation

Ashwin Palaparthi
Founder & Principal Architect
ValueMinds Solutions (P) Ltd.
E-mail: ashwin@valueminds.com

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I am glad that this is the

last seminar for the day

Again;
All technical jargon put together cannot
compensate buggy software

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The next 45 minutes

A quick look at the Test Automation field

A few recent and contemporary trends
Certain predictions for the coming years
Q&A

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An old fact newly applied!

As you know, Test Automation has been

(and still is being) viewed just as a saver
in Test Execution
The modern definition for Test
Automation is anything that improves
productivity in test engineering

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Automation Tools
Everywhere!
system
integration
module

whatever
UNDER
TEST

unit

security
usability
reliability

Web UI Clients
SOA/WebService Applications

functionality
performance

GUI Apps

Server-side Applications
white box

black box
Custom Processes/APIs
Embedded Applications

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Computer Aided Software

Testing (CAST)
Test Management Tools
Defect Tracker Tools
Other process tools

Performance Testing Tools

Security Testing Tools
[XYZ]bility Testing Tools

GUI Test Drivers

API Test Drivers
WebService Test Drivers

Test Data Prep Tools

Test Environment Tools
Other test setup tools

Data/File Comparators
Resource Monitoring Tools
Miscellaneous Utilities

Custom Test Harnesses

Test Oracles
Distributed Test Drivers

Unit Testing Tools

Integration Testing Tools
Installation Testing Tools

Realtime
Embedded
Mobile
Testing Tools

Static Analysis Tools

Dynamic Analysis Tools
Code Coverage Tools

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Model Based Testing

from the world of executable

specifications

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Model Based Testing1

Automatic generation of effective (and

efficient) test procedures using the models
of the system functionality
Automation is just an economy model for
regression testing an ancient and even
modern fallacy

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What is it about?

MODEL BASED TESTING

THE CHANGE

Test Authoring

Models

Requirements
(Very formal
(Informal?)
requirements)

Automated
Test Generation
Tools

Interface Under Test

Test Execution

Automated
Test Drivers

I/O
Pass/Fail?

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Model Based Testing2

Models can be expressed in several ways (FSM, Custom
Grammar, Markov Chains, Decision Tables and so on)
Suitable candidates are Formal Languages (HTML apps),
Protocol-based (FIX apps), State-rich (telephony apps)
among others
Test-case Generation, Test Oracles are all automatic
There are many emerging free tools like SpecExplorer
and even COTS ones like Conformiq
Too academic and process-heavy but there seems to be
increasing adoption (for example, informal sources say
that CISCO is using home-brewed Model Based Testing
as an organizational testing practice)

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Vendor Integration - ISVs

and Test Automation Tools

a good acceleration in the marriage

between test automation tool vendors and
other ISVs

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Vendor Integration - ISVs

and Test Automation Tools

SAP test automation was popular only with

CATT and other internal tools but now
Mercurys QTP has a comprehensive
support (obviously with help from SAP)
Test Automation projects on GUI apps
using certain 3rd party ActiveX controls
failed in the past (Infragistics is a great
example and it now has TestAdvantage)

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New (or upgraded) automation

tool features, inline with other
technology trends

Change is inevitable, growth is intentional.-Glenda Cloud

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New (or upgraded) automation

tool features, inline with other
technology trends

64-bit is almost here! And so will be the new 64bit only apps
Major infra upgrades like IE7 invite rework
Headless testing of AJAX applications
SOA and WebService apps need dedicated new
tools
Media content is being used more than ever
And oh yeah, pervasive (mobiles etc)

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A few predictions by
ValueMinds
The PREAMBLE first!
Test Automation tools will not survive with the closed-source
approach (they can/will remain commercial but have to be open
for modification by the customer) WHY?
Besides the people-driven IV&V companies, new business models
will evolve providing managed Virtual Test Labs, from the
infrastructure perspective (there are a very few examples,
currently)
More and more Design for Testability paradigms will arrive
Testers will not write test cases in natural languages like
English anymore, even in manual testing (I am part of the race
that is trying to end it :-)

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Q&A
When we have arrived at the question, the
answer is already near.--Ralph Waldo
Emerson
Ashwin Palaparthi
Founder & Principal Architect
ValueMinds Solutions (P) Ltd.
E-mail: ashwin@valueminds.com