Original date: 11 Mar 2009, 1:30pm

Front-End Test Automation Practices – Data-Driven Framework

1. Description
• Programmatically created
• Parameterized, capable to import spreadsheets
• GUI/Database checkpoints, hard-coded and/or parameterized
• Library-based structure
• Possibly error handling
• Hard-coded yet data-driven flow (input and logic)
• Standard reporting
• Verification is limited to Testing Tool’s capabilities
• No validation

2. Advantages
• Good usability and re-usability
• Good test flow coverage
• Multi-environment support
• Data and code are separate
• Reproducible test results

3. Disadvantages
• Quality and coverage strongly depends on the automation skills of implementing person
• Continuous maintenance issues due to a big amount of the code
• Exit on fail
• Manual validation is required

4. Applicability
• Good fit for a single application testing, featuring multi-environment, big datasets, and rarely changing Test Cases
• Batch-run capable with additional development efforts
• Limited set of checkpoints, as any Database / Data Input change breaks verification and requires recapture
• Shared across the team workspace (environment, data, etc.) required (possible issues with offshore support)
• Mid-term automation goals