How ROI for Test Automation can Affect Testing

Bangalore: Many software testing firms see test automation as an effective way to reduce the cost involved in testing, shorten the testing lifecycle as well as to increase test coverage. In most of these firms, senior managers and product managers show keen interests in the return on investments.

However, according to Robert Galen, Founder of the RGalen Consulting Group, return on investment place much focus on what should be invested in rather than on hiring the best testers. This will in turn harm the testing organization. Jennifer Lent on searchsoftwarequality.techtarget.com highlights Galen’s view on this topic.

1.    Impact of Simplified ROI measures
The costs involved when moving to test automation is often ignored by simplified ROI measures. Most of the time, test managers and product managers underestimate the time and effort required in setting up new software or even customizing the tests. At times, ROI for test automation doesn’t address important aspects such as important updates for the software. Automated tests need to be changed whenever there are any changes in technology or any other unanticipated challenges.  

2.    Invest time in morphing the test set
Galen advises test managers to invest in tests as well as testers rather than investing a lot of time on test automation ROI. In many testing organizations, instead of developing new tests, they subject the software to old test suites. According to estimates given by Galen, only 5 percent of the tests are being executed using new test suites while 95 percent use existing tests.

3.    Invest in testers
Galen also advised test managers to hire testers who are not only efficient in testing but also in taking decisions as only good testers can differentiate between which tests can be redesigned and which cannot. He further advised test managers to “attack the evolution of the application with testers’ brains.”