INADEQUATE COMMUNICATION
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SHARE INFORMATION: this pattern is a no brainer for big and small automation efforts. Use it!
WHOLE TEAM APPROACH: if your development team uses an agile process and you apply this pattern, you will not encounter this issue
Other useful patterns:
GET ON THE CLOUD: This pattern is especially useful if you are working with a distributed team
................................................................................................................Main Page / Back to Process Issues / Back to Test Automation Issues
Issue Summary
This issue covers two frequently recurring problems:
- Testers don’t know what automation could deliver and the test automation team doesn’t know what testers need
- Developers don't understand, don't know or don't care about the effect of their changes on the automation
Category
Process
Examples
- Test cases that should be automated are written very sparingly because "everybody knows what you have to do"... only automators do not
- Automators need help from some tester or specialist, but that person is not available or doesn't have time
- Testers do a lot of preparations to do manual testing that could be easily automated if only the automators knew about it
- Testers, developers and automators work in different buildings, cities, time zones, or countries
- Developers change the Software Under Test (SUT) without caring if it disrupts the automation or makes it harder
Questions
Are testers and automators on the same team? If not, why not?
Do developers notify automators when they want to use new components? Do automators report to development which components they cannot drive?
How often do team members meet personally? How often in telephone conferences / live meetings?
Do team members know each other? How about time or language differences?
Do team members with the same role have the same experience / know-how? Do they speak the same "language"?
Resolving Patterns
Most recommended:SHARE INFORMATION: this pattern is a no brainer for big and small automation efforts. Use it!
WHOLE TEAM APPROACH: if your development team uses an agile process and you apply this pattern, you will not encounter this issue
Other useful patterns:
GET ON THE CLOUD: This pattern is especially useful if you are working with a distributed team
................................................................................................................Main Page / Back to Process Issues / Back to Test Automation Issues