DON'T REINVENT THE WHEEL
Pattern summary
Use available know-how, tools and processes whenever possible.
Category
Design
Context
Use this pattern for efficient automation, but it is always useful!
Description
Use available know-how, tools and processes whenever possible. Reuse available data. Reuse scripts or libraries: you save lots of effort because you can just use testware that has already been tested and implemented.
'James Tony': Duplication is to be avoided! Copy and paste is (usually) the wrong thing to do – repeated cloning and tweaking of tests can lead to high technical debt and having to make the same change in many places when the requirements change
Implementation
Some suggestions:
- GET TRAINING: you don’t have to invent everything yourself!
- PREFER FAMILIAR SOLUTIONS: take advantage of what know-how is already available in your company
- For REPETITIOUS TESTS implement DATA-DRIVEN TESTING
- Look for common keywords and implement KEYWORD-DRIVEN TESTING
Recommendations
DESIGN FOR REUSE: Write scripts so that they can be reused and reuse them.
Create generalized data that can be reused and reuse it
=Issues addressed by this pattern=
LOCALISED REGIMES
REPETITIOUS TESTS
TEST DATA LOSS
Experiences
If you have used this pattern, please add your name and a brief story of how you used this pattern: your context, what you did, and how well it worked - or how it didn't work!.................................................................................................................Main Page / Back to Design Patterns / Back to Test Automation Patterns