Possessing contradictory behavior is how the word “paradox” is defined. This write-up helps you understand the concept which describes the paradox of automation. Automation is a concept equated with the delivery of output at a faster speed without any human intervention when compared to the time it takes during traditional manual operations.
Role of Automation
To test various scenarios, automation testing uses different scripts and programs. They aid in speeding up test execution, particularly during repetitive and regression testing processes. Test cases always need extra effort to build from scratch, which also requires a certain level of skill set. Without the proper test case and program, even the most indestructible machine will collapse.
The same applies to test scripts. To stay up with the more recent stages of the application’s development, they must be continuously updated and maintained. The concept behind automation is that it will reduce the need for human engagement. You’ve probably heard statements like “AI will control the world” or “Automation will take your work in no time,” which alludes to the extinction of humans.
However, the importance of human participation increases with the efficiency of the automated system. Even the most effective system will eventually malfunction or collapse. If skilled employees are not available at such times, it may result in numerous mistakes and a significant loss for the business. Such glitches have caused severely lose to large corporations like Amazon, Dropbox, Gmail, and many more organizations.
The damage that might result from improper maintenance of the automation system can be better understood by consulting the automation service provider available in the market.
Paradox’s Effects on the Life Cycle
A significant investment is necessary for automation testing, whether it be in terms of trained labor, time, or money. Additionally, choosing a proper framework for your business or project requires extensive research, time, and knowledge. This does not include the time that the SQA engineer spent maintaining it in the latter stages.
Companies that have embraced agile development methodologies have a faster turnaround time for new features and builds. As an SQA engineer, one must create new test scripts to account for the addition of new features.
Ironically, you have less time to create more test scripts as you create more tests. Either you concentrate on creating new tests, rendering the old test cases useless, or keeping the created test cases compatible with the most recent versions. You don’t have time to create fresh test case scenarios, regardless of the circumstance.
The phrase “Pesticide Paradox” was first used by Boris Beizer in Software Testing Techniques [2nd edition]. It depicts the phenomena where tests lose their efficacy as more are conducted. In other words, the longer it takes to maintain them, the more automation you have. As a result of this, you have less time to automate.
This causes an endless loop that is difficult to escape. The responsibility for its upkeep will grow as you add more tests. If you continue to maintain the existing tests, it will take more effort to construct new tests to cover the application’s recently released features.
Therefore, you either get stuck creating new tests while ignoring your previous test scripts or you get stuck maintaining your existing tests, which leaves you with little time to create new ones. Keeping you stuck in a cycle as a result.
The Automation Paradox and Overcoming it
Apart few concepts highlighted above, test automation is surrounded by several contradictions. Testing the entire app is paradoxical in itself. Testing never ends, and no application can ever be completely bug-free. When the same test and test data set are repeatedly employed, paradoxes begin to overwhelm test automation.
It’s impossible to escape this cycle. There are techniques to lessen its effects while preserving the caliber of the automation tests produced, though. For instance, one must always be involved in the application development process. Write reusable codes first and foremost, and sanitize and review them religiously.
Your tests shouldn’t fail after each upgrade or new version. To prevent your old tests from failing, you must evaluate them periodically. At the same time, you must make sure that all test scenarios that could uncover system bugs are included.
How is this possible?
Automating a task can seem to guarantee a decline in employment for that occupation. However, that reasoning ignores some fundamental economics: Automation brings down the price of a good or service, and higher costs typically draw more clients. Software made it easier and faster to search through legal records, which led to an increase in the number of searches by law firms and the number of wide discovery requests that judges granted.
Automation boosts employment, not decreases it, once demand rises sufficiently in response to price decreases. And over the past three decades, this has been the general trend with computer automation. It happened during the Industrial Revolution as well, when automation in the textile, steel, and a variety of other industries resulted in a significant rise in manufacturing employment.
Final Word
One way or another, test automation will always be mired in paradox. Knowing what it exactly is and how its impact would be the best possible way in overcoming its possible drawbacks of it.Before implementing an automated framework, you need first check out a lot more instances in addition to the few paradoxes highlighted in this blog. Whether it’s the SDLC your business has chosen, the number of experts on your QA team, or both. Therefore, you must be aware of all the factors that could engulf and overwhelm your QA team before using any automation framework.
Never worry much, we are here to help you to understand how automation has impacted the business and concept which describes the paradox of automation. Rootfacts also has a team of experts who can guide you in adopting best practices of automation to your enterprise and gain an edge over competitors. Do visit us at Rootfactsto know more about our services in big data, cloud computing, IoT, quantum computing, and automation.