Process Issues
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Process issues list the test automation problems that occur when the test automation process has not yet been established or hasn’t yet reached the necessary maturity. The table below gives a short list of the issues. Clicking on an issue shows more detail and the patterns needed to solve it.
The Process Issues Mind Map shows an overview of the Process Issues, together with the top level of resolving patterns, both the Most Recommended and other Useful patterns.
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The Process Issues Mind Map shows an overview of the Process Issues, together with the top level of resolving patterns, both the Most Recommended and other Useful patterns.
| Issue |
Description |
|---|---|
| AUTOMATION DECAY |
Automation hasn't been or is not properly maintained and gradually decays to shelfware |
| BUGGY SCRIPTS |
Automation scripts are not tested adequately |
| DATA CREEP |
There are countless data files with different names but identical or almost identical content |
| INADEQUATE COMMUNICATION |
Testers don’t know what automation could deliver and the test automation team doesn’t know what testers need or Developers don't understand, don't know or don't care about the effect of their changes on the automation |
| INADEQUATE DOCUMENTATION |
Test automation testware (scripts data etc.) are not adequately documented |
| INADEQUATE REVISION CONTROL |
Test automation scripts are not consistently paired to the correct version of the Software Under Test (SUT). |
| INSUFFICIENT METRICS |
Few or no metrics are collected or not consistently. Collection is cumbersome. |
| LATE TEST CASE DESIGN |
Automated test cases are designed and written only after the Software Under Test (SUT) has been implemented. |
| NO INFO ON CHANGES |
Development changes are not communicated to the test automators, or not in good time. |
| NON-TECHNICAL-TESTERS |
Testers aren’t able to write automation test cases if they are not adept with the automation tools. |
| SCRIPT CREEP |
There are too many scripts and it is not clear if they are still in use or not. |
| STALLED AUTOMATION |
Automation has been tried, but it never "got off the ground". |
| TEST DATA LOSS |
Test data isn’t secured so that it has to be generated again and again. |
| TOOL-DRIVEN AUTOMATION |
Test cases are automated using “as is” the features of a test automation tool |
| UNFOCUSED AUTOMATION |
What to automate is selected ad-hoc. |
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