In this article we will see what is Manual testing and what is Automation testing, advantages and disadvantages between each other and basic information about manual vs automation testing.
Overview
Testing of software can be done in both Automation and Manual testing method, but it’s totally depends on the project requirement, and which testing method will be benefited to the project. This article provides basic information about Manual Testing and Automation Testing
1. What is Automation testing?
Automation Testing is the process of creation and execution of test scripts with the help of a tool and verifying the results against the expected behavior. It has become popular and inevitable in most of the organization due to the ease and advantages it provides over the manual tests.
2. What is Manual testing?
Manual testing is testing of the software where tests are executed manually by the test Engineers or QA Analysts to discover bugs in software or development application. In Manual testing, the tester checks all the requirement features. In this process, the software testers execute the test cases and generate the test reports without the help of any automation software testing tools.
3. Manual Testing vs Automation testing
| Automation Testing | Manual Testing |
|---|---|
| 1. This testing can be executed on different operating platforms in parallel and reduce test execution time. | 1. Manual tests can be executed in parallel but would need to increase your human resource which is expensive. |
| 2. Automation testing is very much helpful regressions in testing where code changes and large test sets run frequently. | 2. Manual testing is not useful to run large test suites very frequently. |
| 3. Many tools available to do the performance and load testing and this is efficient solution. | 3. Some kind of tests not possible like load testing, spike testing for the performance testing of application. |
| 4. Must know the programming language skills depends on which automation tool you use. | 4. Mostly programming language skills are not required. |
| 5. Some times can not catch the User interface or UI design issues. | 5. In case Manual testing there are high chances to identify UI breaks. |
| 6. Automated testing is more reliable, as it is performed by tools and/or scripts. | 6. Manual testing is not accurate at all times due to human error, hence it is less reliable. |
| 7. Automated testing is executed by software tools, so it is significantly faster than a manual approach. | 7. Manual testing is time-consuming, taking up human resources. |
| 8. Automation scripts are highly reusable. | 8. Same human effort required every time if you want to recreate the test again. |
| 9. Customized Report generating and update to the test management tools is possible in automation, which is less time consuming. | 9. Its additional process creating advanced reports for tests execution results. |
| 10. Cost is depending on project requirement and type of software tool you choose for the project whether its a open source tool or enterprise tool. | 10. Most of the time less cost when compare to automation tools and resources required for Automation. |
4. Conclusion on Automation vs Manual testing
Automation become popular and inevitable in most of the organization due to the ease and advantages it provides over the manual tests.
Time Factor : Automation tests increases the scope and depth of testing resulting in increased test coverage. It helps to overcome human error. Automation tests are more reliable, and can be executed much quicker than the manual tests.
Cost Factor : Manual and automation tests have specific benefits and disadvantages. It is important to understand the difference and select the tests appropriately to maximize the returns. The important factors that define testing considerations are budget, requirements, timeline, etc., The main goal of testing is to provide the quality outcome.
Best fit is depends on requirement : The complete knowledge of manual and automated tests will allow us to choose the most suitable type of tests for a particular scenario. If requirement specifications are not clear, exploratory tests can help. If the test approach is not clear, ad-hoc testing can be done. If tests need to measure user experience, and other look and feel of the product, usability testing will help. In all the above cases manual tests will be the best choice.
Test Frequency and Performance Factors : On the other hand, in scenarios where there are lot of tests that are to be executed repeatedly, it is best to be automated, which saves a lot of time and effort. Automation tests also helps in cases where there are a number of test data combinations to be tested. This is also helpful in some non-performance tests.
Estimation : Automation testing involves creation of test scripts, framework design, etc., which can be time consuming. A proof of Concept(PoC), calculation of return on investment will be useful for estimation and budgeting of automation tests.
Final Thoughts : Be it manual or automation, both has its own pros and cons. As a test architect, it is important to analyze the scenario of the project and to choose the right type of testing and resources. Quality is a serious business!
