COVID-19 has changed our lives in so many ways. There is not a single aspect of our life that is untouched by it. The way organizations operate their work has also changed drastically. Before 2020 no one would have guessed that work from home will become such an internationally accepted phenomenon.



However, working from home has been a new experience for most of us, and there are times that we find ourselves struggling too. So, we thought of sharing some tips and tricks with the testing community that is working from home, aiming to improve their working experience overall.&nbsp;



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#Maintain_continuous_team_collaboration">1 Maintain continuous team collaboration</a></li><li><a href="#Robust_and_secure_infrastructure_saves_the_day">2 Robust and secure infrastructure saves the day</a></li><li><a href="#Meeting_tools_to_have_effective_global_meetings">3 Meeting tools to have effective global meetings</a></li><li><a href="#Keep_distraction_away_from_the_work_area">4 Keep distraction away from the work area</a></li><li><a href="#Tracking_the_processes_to_plan_better">5 Tracking the processes to plan better</a></li><li><a href="#Maintain_professionalism_at_all_cost">6 Maintain professionalism at all cost</a></li><li><a href="#Set_clear_boundaries_and_expectations_for_others_and_yourself">7 Set clear boundaries and expectations for others and yourself</a></li><li><a href="#Take_breaks_and_do_exercise_to_keep_the_spirit_high">8 Take breaks and do exercise to keep the spirit high</a></li><li><a href="#Conclusion">9 Conclusion</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="maintain-continuous-team-collaboration">Maintain continuous team collaboration</h2>



During regular office setup, any doubt clearance or communication can happen right away. However, in a remote working setup, smooth communication becomes challenging.



In teamwork, silence isn’t golden, it’s deadly &#8211; Mark Sanborn. This quote is absolutely true, when working in a team communication and collaboration is the key to success. Relying on text messages to communicate is not productive at all. Today, teams are relying on <a href="https://www.cloudtalk.io/phone-solution-for-remote-teams/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">communication tools</a> like Zoom, Skype, and Slack, etc. to keep team collaboration handy.&nbsp;



Also, the integrations with tools such as JIRA, Microsoft Teams, Sharepoint etc. keep the teams on the same page. This is critical since even if a small detail is missed the results can be catastrophic from a testing perspective.



A daily stand-up, even for 10-15 mins, is essential for smooth communication among the team members. You can have a daily stand-up at the beginning of the workday to resolve any roadblocks and define tasks for the day. A daily standup in the evening can help to communicate how much has been achieved for the day and plan the day ahead better.



<h2 id="robust-and-secure-infrastructure-saves-the-day">Robust and secure infrastructure saves the day</h2>



Today, when people are working from home, they are using personal or company-provided laptops to connect to the office network. In such a case, the infrastructure is required to be robust and stable to provide 24*7 available testing environments for automation testing.



Mostly we are using a virtual desktop to stay connected to the organization’s network. Any technical glitch such as a network bandwidth issue can impact the output of the whole organization. This can cause a huge negative impact on the employees and the clients as well especially in an agile environment. 



We cannot even afford a single day of downtime when working in sprints. Hence, it is imperative for organizations to have proper backup and plan to tackle such unforeseen issues.



From employees perspective, there are infrastructure issues that can impact the productivity for the day, they are:



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Unstable internet connection</li><li>Video recording not working</li><li>Screen sharing lags in voice and screen</li></ul>



The most common and annoying is internet connectivity issues. Even a few packet drops in the internet connection can disconnect you from the virtual network. Hence, it is very important to choose a service provider which provides the best network and customer support in your area.



<h2 id="meeting-tools-to-have-effective-global-meetings">Meeting tools to have effective global meetings</h2>



This is an era of distributed teams across the world where their team members are sitting across continents, where businesses are renting virtual business and <a href="https://www.alliancevirtualoffices.com/virtual-office-blog/virtual-mailing-address/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">virtual mailing addresses</a> for their remote working environment.



Obviously, the teams need to work in such a timing where the time zones coincide and overlap. The usual 9-5 office timings will not work, in a globally distributed team set up.&nbsp;



<a href="https://attrock.com/blog/slack-alternatives/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tools such as Slack</a>, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Skype, etc. help teams to share screens so that the whole team can view the same screen and provide inputs. This is really required when the testing team is demonstrating a defect during a defect triage call.



These tools help to keep the communication game up without any compromise on the quality of work.



<h2 id="keep-distraction-away-from-the-work-area">Keep distraction away from the work area</h2>



In an organization’s office setup, employees are focused on their work only. However, when we are working from home there are all sorts of distractions around. This is normal because it is home, not an office, but as an employee, this may impact our productivity.



&nbsp;Distractions like other family members working from home and having meetings or children having online classes are daily events. There may be guests visiting or your cat needs your attention. 



The list is endless, but there has to be a way to keep the distractions away and stay focused on work. Because you will not want to miss a defect anyway.



A solution is to have a separate corner in the home where you can set up your workstation away from these distractions. Choose a corner that is comparatively quiet and has a well-defined work routine. Create a to-do list daily, this plan will help you to achieve short-term goals and maintain mental peace.



<h2 id="tracking-the-processes-to-plan-better">Tracking the processes to plan better</h2>



During a testing process, you need to track and plan the testing activities such as:



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Test planning</li><li>Test scripts writing</li><li>Test data creation and management</li><li>Test versioning, review, and approvals</li><li>Test case scheduling</li><li>Test reporting</li></ul>



Thankfully, we have many testing tools that are great for managing the above-mentioned testing activities. These testing tools are available on the cloud and can be accessed from anywhere, hence they promote work from home. Thus, out of all the tips we discussed above, the most important for the testing community is the adoption of testing tools during work from home &#8211; for managed and quality software testing.



One such <a aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">test automation tool is Testsigma</a>, which is cloud-based, AI, and NLP-driven. It helps you to write your test cases in plain English and accelerates the test case writing by up to 5x speed. 



You can perform automated end-to-end testing of web, mobile, and APIs at ease. There is no need to write cumbersome code and framework any further.



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In a DevOps and Agile environment, teams are working on the cloud and the same version of artifacts are accessible to everyone. Without metrics, parameters, and tracking we can not have a successful scrum. 



Data such as how many test cases are executed, the number of unit/regression tests failed, which defects are new or fixed, etc. helps in having a clear picture of the testing process. 



This helps in tracking tasks such as who is writing test scripts for which module. This in turn enables proper planning of tasks for the whole team. The <a aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/ebook/in-sprint-test-automation-simplified" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">in-sprint test automation</a> helps to achieve quick results with continuous testing and integration of code.



If there are any resource bandwidth issues, the testing activities can be quickly redistributed to the whole team to have minimum impact on the delivery date. This tracking and continuous status sharing to the higher management helps in making decisions and coordinating release management.



You can also use <a aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/blog/what-are-the-kpis-of-software-testing-and-qa-testsigma/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">KPIs</a> to track the effectiveness of your software testing and <a aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/automated-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">test automation</a> process, it can be as primitive as colour-coding. For example, you may keep this colour coding to determine how much the team has achieved out of the expected output. 



This can be applied on a daily/weekly basis to keep the team motivated to achieve their short-term goals. Green may mean awesome work, yellow may mean great work, etc.



<h2 id="maintain-professionalism-at-all-cost">Maintain professionalism at all cost</h2>



Although it may seem comfortable to work from bed, it is not a good idea to do so. You will agree that a proper work routine and ethics certainly help to achieve a better outcome. Maintain a proper workstation desk with all the technical essentials available right there.&nbsp;



There are steps that you can take to maintain professionalism during working from home:



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Dress professionally: Working in a comfortable t-shirt and pyjamas is an advantage of working from home. However, when you have important meetings wearing a formal dress instils a sense of professionalism. </li><li>Video meetings: Make sure that you attend video meetings on a desk setup and not from anywhere. Also, try to keep background noise as minimum as possible, as we understand in a home we cannot totally avoid it.</li></ul>



<h2 id="set-clear-boundaries-and-expectations-for-others-and-yourself">Set clear boundaries and expectations for others and yourself</h2>



An issue which most people face during work-from-home is that the boundaries between working and non-working hours blur. People find themselves attending late-night work meetings. They complain about working longer than when they used to work at the office. Why is it so? The reason is a lack of proper boundaries and unclear expectations.



It is advisable to be firm and assertive about the office timings, mention clearly how many hours per day you can invest. Do not accept more work than you can execute in designated working hours. The reason is that blurring these boundaries is toxic for your family. Losing on family time can negatively impact your mental peace and work eventually.



It not only applies to you, but it also applies to others as well. When you are defining daily tasks or other assignments, meetings, etc. for your team members, stay empathetic about their family life. If you&#8217;re struggling with working overtime, use a <a href="https://www.timecamp.com/blog/2023/02/best-weekly-schedule-templates/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">weekly schedule template</a> or simply use <a href="https://apploye.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">time tracking software</a> to keep track of the overtime and plan your work ahead.



<h2 id="take-breaks-and-do-exercise-to-keep-the-spirit-high">Take breaks and do exercise to keep the spirit high</h2>



Due to COVID-19, people are already feeling low globally, because everyone is missing the life they had pre-Covid. The monotonous life with no fun may become outright boring. To come out of negativity it is really important you take mini-steps to elevate your mood and feel refreshed.&nbsp;



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Do not sit for long hours at a stretch, take mini breaks in between to divert your mind from stress and work pressure.</li><li>Play with kids or pets, it is the easiest mood refresher.</li><li>Exercise or take small walks, releases endorphins in the body and makes you feel happy and good.</li><li>If you love playing games, you can&nbsp;<a href="https://im-a-puzzle.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">play jigsaw puzzles</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.solitairebliss.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Solitaire games</a>. It will help you refresh your mind as well help you improve cognitive and learning skills. Taking breaks and staying active during the day is essential, Working late into the night can disrupt your sleep, leaving you tired the next day. Remember, taking a break at night is just as important as daytime breaks. So, invest in a peaceful night&#8217;s rest on a <a href="https://eachnight.com/mattress-guides/best-mattress/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cozy mattress</a> to boost your spirits and energy for the next working day.</li></ul>



<h2 id="conclusion">Conclusion</h2>



“I discovered that a fresh start is a process. A fresh start is a journey – a journey that requires a plan.” – Vivian Jokotade



So, for the testing community and also in general &#8211; consider work from home as a new beginning which has its perks such as work-life balance, the flexibility of work timings, and no need to travel for work, etc. However, it has its share of limitations as well. Technical and personal aspects of work from home need to be sorted out for a seamless work experience by proper planning and vision ane we hope that this tips will help.




PC: <a href="https://www.freepik.com/vectors/people" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">People vector created by goonerua &#8211; www.freepik.com</a>

Working from home - tips and tricks for the testing community

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According to Gartner, in the second quarter of 2021, mobile phone sales reached <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2021-09-01-2q21-smartphone-market-share" target="_blank">328.8 million</a> units with an increase of 10.8% year-on-year growth. It is remarkable and quite expected too! 



This outlines the need for using cloud-based automation platforms for <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/mobile-testing" target="_blank">mobile testing</a>. Because when we are dealing with huge numbers and a global audience, it is the best bet.



1. Ideal companion of Continuous Testing and Agile



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/dfeYYzOGRf12vvcxrLtjXlj0R8HEv_fhL7vcrubawFRr-eChZ91GH6gw1e23pGDWX8dqWWuM3Uu3CgIbMgPKhdeclTI3OhGqtrM_QH_NfyX2d-FQXZunWwgwT_9cxqVVSNDLg4yv=s0" alt="Testsigma - Test automation platform" width="400"/><figcaption>Reference: <a href="https://quotesgram.com/img/scrum-funny-quotes/9995035/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">https://quotesgram.com/img/scrum-funny-quotes/9995035/</a></figcaption></figure></div>



Agile methodology and CI/CD require continuous testing, review, and incorporation of changes quickly on a continuous basis.



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Whenever there are code changes and additions, the tests get triggered automatically.</li><li>The test results are evaluated and based on the pass/fail status the code is moved to production.</li><li>&nbsp;If considerable tests have failed then the code will be fixed, tested, and then deployed.</li><li>CI/CD requires all of these steps to run through automation.</li></ul>



For these scenarios, cloud-based testing is the best companion since tests are initiated automatically on all the required mobile devices, without any human intervention. 



Moreover, tools like <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/blog/how-to-speed-up-your-software-release-cycles-with-testsigma/" target="_blank">Testsigma require zero time to set up</a> the testing tool and can be used directly via browser from anywhere, anytime.



Unit tests, functional tests, regression tests, performance tests, etc. are executed via cloud-based testing seamlessly. Automation testing on the cloud helps in moving the new code quickly into production and having a good market capture ultimately.



2. Provides cost control



When mobile test automation infrastructure is set up, the associated costs are as below:



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Acquisition of physical devices</li><li>Setting up space for the lab</li><li>Upgrade/Wear and tear of devices/Maintenance</li><li>Procurement and licensing cost of testing tools, software, third party installations</li><li>Network setup</li><li>Training costs if the programming language or test tool is new to the team</li><li>Security measures to keep the vulnerabilities away</li></ul>



Above are the direct costs, which are incurred on an upfront basis. On the contrary, when the mobile testing is automated on the cloud, costs are saved in several instances-



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>No physical acquisition of devices needed</li><li>No need for extra space for setting up the lab</li><li>Wear, tear, and, maintenance is taken care of by the service provider</li><li>No need to set up the cloud or network</li><li>No training is required if a codeless test automation tool (such as <a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-mobile-app-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Testsigma</a> which uses simple English for test creation) is used</li><li>Licensing costs, third party installations are managed by the service provider</li><li>Security measures, policies, and agreements are maintained and followed by the service provider</li></ul>



The <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/what-are-some-benefits-of-doing-automation-testing-on-the-cloud/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cloud automation testing</a> services are on a pay-per-use basis, and the service charges are minimal as compared to the services provided. This saves a lot of upfront and indirect costs for an organization.



3. Better time management



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/EzItDoGLrUpGhJiKETmwVhHix3UUOz04ctU09y-SIK2JxoPiNW6-ymCxGx6XHeiI2lMeG_pTaLvnOZuU5670PZ-S_GtZtrDV8Ybsewd0ahx8X760IZy0SdIcXYJ9Us6cNqdcdQWu=s0" alt="Time estimation for testing activities" width="400"/><figcaption>Reference: <a href="https://www.apriorit.com/qa-blog/197-testing-time-estimation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">https://www.apriorit.com/qa-blog/197-testing-time-estimation</a> </figcaption></figure></div>



Automation testing has numerous benefits, the most important is time efficiency. Automation helps to test faster since it can be run 24&#215;7, round the clock, around the globe, and parallelly.&nbsp;



During the automated mobile testing process below are the areas where time is spent considerably for setting up test automation:



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Acquire devices</li><li>Set up devices, network, and infrastructure</li><li>Install the required software, browsers, etc.</li><li>Testing tools, IDE’s, third-party integrations</li><li>Maintain and upgrade whenever there are new versions of software released in the market</li></ul>



This incurred time adds up to the overall testing time or more precisely delay.&nbsp;



Cloud-based automation testing removes all these roadblocks from the whole testing process because there is zero setup time. The time-consuming activities of procuring, updating, maintaining the environment are already taken care of by the cloud service provider. Also, the test execution is totally automated, this is really a time saver!



Therefore, when mobile test automation is combined with cloud-based testing platforms &#8211; the time efficiency is increased manifolds.&nbsp;



4. Infrastructure management is delegated



According to <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180405005747/en/Cloud-Infrastructure-Services-Market---Need-to-Optimize-Project-Management-Drives-Growth-Technavio" target="_blank">Technavio</a> market research analysts, the global cloud infrastructure services market will grow at a CAGR of over 28% during the forecast period 2018-2022.&nbsp;



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Ez6JTmQzIli2Yv6MoT5nV2FDx28Iweu23bjARana5ox8_2y-wH_ps5tNp0gsN-7zLu6zdhDqT6fk2CD0ymt4kQiotRjXToUsGfhvfiQA_h8tYPFMYbgXTg4q3CG6sAa4bqxel93M=s0" alt="Cloud Infrastructure market growth 2018-2022" width="400"/><figcaption>Reference: <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180405005747/en/Cloud-Infrastructure-Services-Market---Need-to-Optimize-Project-Management-Drives-Growth-Technavio" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180405005747/en/Cloud-Infrastructure-Services-Market&#8212;Need-to-Optimize-Project-Management-Drives-Growth-Technavio</a></figcaption></figure></div>



Cloud-based testing provides the opportunity to delegate the IT and infrastructure management tasks to the service provider. This takes away a chunk of responsibilities from the organization’s IT team and thus reduces effort on their part. 



The service providers have a dedicated team for the same purpose and customer support is available 24*7. This increases the reliability, availability, and scalability of the infrastructure.



5. Great quality and test coverage



Physically setting up thousands of devices for perfect test coverage is unachievable and painful. Without great test coverage, the product quality is bound to degrade, and we want to avoid this at all costs!



The cloud-based automation testing platforms provide access to thousands of real test devices in no time. Just pay and start using immediately, this ensures testing on a wide range of required devices. 



Moreover, these tools provide the capability to test 24*7, parallelly, and from anywhere. You just need a browser and internet connection to get started! With these features, the test coverage can be extended and a great quality product is the result of it, which everyone aspires to achieve.



6. Distributed testing across locations



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Mcr6FhhfiWNAgyvT_24btRzmQDUJMdfY0lT7Llyt5hLCE6d50uao_4D7htYdFFQFoREVNc-_IF1f-mKIx9WGIdRQ-vSd1UPtVkr-UqAovqK_CXDR0xbII5CFQIHeOeCFD5mx1oPj=s0" alt="Testsigma - Test automation platform" width="400"/><figcaption>PC: <a href="https://www.freepik.com/vectors/background" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Background vector created by brgfx &#8211; www.freepik.com</a></figcaption></figure></div>



Today we live in a small world, and we are connected 24*7 with people around the globe. Cloud-based automation tools provide the ability to test from multiple locations in different time zones with minimal changes in the tests. 



This ensures that the product is market-ready to be released for a global audience as well. Imagine the effort it will require if we try to do it with the actual physical devices.&nbsp;



7. Results and reviews are real-time and the teams can collaborate better



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/rw_Sbd-b9u_knxmgz34PvTgksZq9Bg6KQDHyw91oEy3rkUdaArh_uFUAH1zeFroI8fr7ELThDtQuJzxwlw4Txeu5JtVjRZ5t90HHNgdMu3PjWTP4_dBOIcEiouN3j2hMTsfLYmxQ=s0" alt="Testsigma - Test automation platform" width="400"/><figcaption>PC: <a href="https://www.freepik.com/vectors/calendar" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Calendar vector created by pikisuperstar &#8211; www.freepik.com </a></figcaption></figure></div>



In today’s world where teams are distributed, team collaboration is the key to the success of any organization. With cloud-based test automation platforms, the team has access to real-time test results, data, information, and reviews if any &#8211; from any time, anywhere. This facilitates making quick defect fixes and moving the code to production faster.



Also, with the latest information at your fingertips, the best management and business decisions can be made for the overall success of the organization.



8. Scale-up and down as required



Let us take an example of a physical on-premise test lab. The lab has 100 <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/android-device-testing-a-no-hassle-guide-for-testers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Android devices for testing</a> activities and now the product is required to be tested on iOS as well. 



This will require procurement of physical iOS devices from the market and then setting up the required application and software manually over them. Additionally, the charging of the devices is also to be taken care of manually.



Does it look like a lot of work? Yes, it is. However, let us assume that the enthusiastic IT team completed the task successfully and the iOS devices are also ready for testing. 



Down the line, the iOS mobile app did not work as expected and the market share reduced considerably. So the organization decided to remove the iOS offering and keep only the Android version of the app.&nbsp;



Next question is &#8211; what will happen to the newly procured iOS devices? Time, money, and effort all got wasted! This whole sequence of events and misfortune could have been avoided by using cloud-based mobile testing tools which provide the easiest options to scale up or scale down as per your requirement.



9. Stringent security measures are present



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/CM4fYckg54iOSmJ7rCM__HZym1Kqb1PGP0aTAW6CxXL_GoPkvxDLnpaayFsZdt5Foqvcuf_5Eft5D6ilDxnz7_wyeIc5Wf6CdsRancHL_wHa2JQ-yaK2PXb6Yu02tgVfPQP8hIcm=s0" alt="Testsigma - Test automation platform" width="400"/><figcaption>PC: <a href="https://www.freepik.com/vectors/background" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Background vector created by freepik &#8211; www.freepik.com</a></figcaption></figure></div>



There is a myth doing rounds in the market that the cloud-based test automation tools are not secure. It may be true for some tools however, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/blog/is-testsigma-secure-for-your-organization/" target="_blank">top-notch quality tools like Testsigma</a> understand the criticality of security concerns.



They have security measures in place to keep your data, test scripts, and other sensitive information completely secure. Moreover, you have an option to use VPN to connect to your own on-premise lab via Testsigma and test securely.



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#Why_Testsigma_for_mobile_test_automation_on_the_cloud">1 Why Testsigma for mobile test automation on the cloud?</a></li><li><a href="#Conclusion">2 Conclusion</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="why-testsigma-for-mobile-test-automation-on-the-cloud">Why Testsigma for mobile test automation on the cloud?</h2>



Testsigma is a completely cloud-based test automation tool that lets you automate your web, mobile as well as API tests from the same place. Not only that, it makes it very easy to create and maintain your test cases. You can create your test cases in simple English which is just as easy as documenting your tests for the first time.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/5ilE76qR-i9Kqm7hrPsWgCrJzQj1cp4C0I8IEQwUai-4SbYAvYQfxcndUFhzOll1xdyt8HrqdRJXElMW1Rh9ZeppvR5lNFQ5YIgWmP858DCtteB19UEu-vFZ8-a-qLt4tC9_rI6a=s0" alt="Testsigma - Test automation platform" width="400"/></figure></div>



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Review more features that can help here: <a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-mobile-app-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Testsigma for mobile test automation on the cloud</a>



<h2 id="conclusion">Conclusion</h2>



The current digital landscape is huge and it is bound to grow leaps and bounds in the coming years. This clearly states adopting cloud-based test automation is the need of the hour to stay relevant.



This fact is further endorsed by the plethora of cloud-based automation tools available today. The key is to recognize the testing requirements and choose a good tool that fulfils the requirements completely. 



Cloud-based tools have a lot of advantages over traditional automation testing, however, it is the choice of tool which matters the most for a&nbsp; successful product release.

What are the advantages of automating your mobile testing on the cloud?

Both cloud and automation are taking the testing world by storm right now. As businesses are growing, they are relying more and more on cloud automation to fulfill their testing need. In fact, cloud testing is expected to grow to <a href="https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/press-release/cloud-testing-market" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">USD 11 Billion by 2023</a>. And we are talking about only cloud testing here, not cloud computing. Complex testing scenarios, such as cross-browser testing and parallel testing, are more effective when done on the cloud. This is the reason we bring you an entire blog on cloud automation advantages.



The reason is – the cloud provides the required <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/test-environment/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">testing environment </a>effortlessly and even helps to scale up or down as per your business needs.



The digital market growth, Agile, and DevOps are all pushing organizations to adopt cloud-based solutions at lightning speed.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" width="511" height="469" src="https://testsigma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/cloud_joke_7.png" alt="Businesses Move to Cloud Testing" class="wp-image-27310"/></figure></div>



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#What_is_Cloud_Automation_Testing">1 What is Cloud Automation Testing?</a></li><li><a href="#Role_of_Cloud_Automated_Testing">2 Role of Cloud Automated Testing</a></li><li><a href="#Cloud_Automated_Testing_With_Testsigma">3 Cloud Automated Testing With Testsigma</a></li><li><a href="#Top_8_Cloud_Automation_Advantages_in_Testing">4 Top 8 Cloud Automation Advantages in Testing</a><ul><li><a href="#1_Time_is_money_and_cloud_based_testing_saves_it">4.1 1. Time is money and cloud based testing saves it</a></li><li><a href="#2_Saving_costs_by_cloud_automation_tools">4.2 2. Saving costs by cloud automation tools</a></li><li><a href="#3_Global_access_247_to_perform_automation_testing">4.3 3. Global access 24*7 to perform automation testing</a></li><li><a href="#4_Scalability_at_its_best">4.4 4. Scalability at its best</a></li><li><a href="#5_Integration_options_of_Cloud_based_testing_tools_offer_a_streamlined_and_focused_collaboration">4.5 5. Integration options of Cloud based testing tools offer a streamlined and focused collaboration</a></li><li><a href="#6_Cloud_service_providers_have_a_robust_disaster_recovery">4.6 6. Cloud service providers have a robust disaster recovery</a></li><li><a href="#7_Security_is_always_excessive_until_its_not_enough">4.7 7. Security is always excessive until it’s not enough</a></li><li><a href="#8_Cloud-based_automation_testing_reduces_time_to_market">4.8 8. Cloud-based automation testing reduces time to market</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Conclusion">5 Conclusion</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="what-is-cloud-automation-testing">What is Cloud Automation Testing?</h2>



Cloud automation testing is the process that utilizes cloud technology and its computing environments to run test cases and validate software under development. The approach helps to speed up the testing process and rapidly execute the test scripts that check for application functionality. You can schedule test runs with a different combination of browsers and operating systems using the cloud. Furthermore, your team can run parallel test cases on the cloud to identify and resolve development bugs, <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/software-stress-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stress test </a>core systems, and improve the efficiency of the overall QA processes.



One of the cloud automation advantages is leaving redundant tasks to your cloud providers. For instance, running manual <a href="https://testsigma.com/regression-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">regression tests</a> takes time, resources, and money to ensure that no existing functionalities break while the new ones are being built. The overall process requires large teams to spend a lot of hours performing tedious work. You can automate all the regression work by integrating your application with the testing suite of your choice through an API. And thus, your cloud solution will handle these monotonous tasks while your team turns its attention toward more meaningful work.



<h2 id="role-of-cloud-automated-testing">Role of Cloud Automated Testing</h2>



Cloud-based automation testing plays a major role in software testing as it speeds up the software testing process compared to traditional test automation methods.



<ul><li>Cloud test automation allows you to create and run tests on the cloud. So you don&#8217;t have to spend time installing and setting up the testing infrastructure.</li><li>It provides a simple sign-in to access the cloud platform for creating and executing tests</li><li>It supports continuous testing, paving the way for rapid software deployment and testing. You can integrate your automated tests into your CI/CD and DevOps pipeline. Testsigma supports 30+ integrations to support continuous testing and delivery and constant releases.</li></ul>



<h2 id="cloud-automated-testing-with-testsigma">Cloud Automated Testing With Testsigma</h2>



Testsigma is a robust platform with powerful test automation features for different application types and offers a user-friendly visual interface that makes automated testing easy and effective. A quick look at how it solves the testing bottlenecks,



<ul><li>Testsigma is a cloud-based low-code test automation platform that allows you to automate web, mobile, desktop, API, and Salesforce testing.</li><li>Test your application on real devices on the cloud to ensure they are responsive, compatible, and functional across different devices, platforms, and browsers. Test your apps across 2000+ real devices and 800+ browser/OS combinations with Testsigma.</li><li>It allows you to test with realistic test data to understand how the application works in real-world conditions. Made easy with automated data-driven testing.</li><li>Offers a codeless approach for creating, executing, and maintaining tests on the cloud.</li></ul>



<img loading="lazy" width="554" height="253" src="https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/blog-assets-production.testsigma.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/migrated_images/AD_4nXe80pf8GebOrGOJU5-aKDxxiLr-GstiInfjxsx7JXXDsx9ixyFvM3Vopy7pHwgEC-2yUE6pq7q73kYlflNrUfHpdngEn_mRQ10JwxYCz4W-YXCH4Du4lbSiYAKqgbT-PLU1s4ySIQXaeSSKq7JjzUImgSIK_1748948861.png">



<ul><li>You can run multiple tests in parallel across different environments and cut down test execution time.</li><li>Makes test automation more inclusive across different teams like developers, testers, product owners, and stakeholders.</li><li>Zero setup time. A one-click sign-in to access the cloud platform. You don&#8217;t have to spend time on the installation or setup process.</li></ul>



<h2 id="top-8-cloud-automation-advantages-in-testing">Top 8 Cloud Automation Advantages in Testing</h2>



Let us explore the benefits of cloud based test automation in detail:



<h3 id="1-time-is-money-and-cloud-based-testing-saves-it">1. Time is money and cloud based testing saves it</h3>



When the <a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">automation testing</a> is performed on the cloud we save time on:



<ul><li>The initial set-up of the environment or devices</li><li>Upgrades, installation and maintenance</li><li>Codeless automation tools, based on the cloud, save coding time</li><li>Reduces overall testing time due to all the above factors</li></ul>



<h3 id="2-saving-costs-by-cloud-automation-tools">2. Saving costs by cloud automation tools</h3>



When cloud-based automation testing tools are used we will be saving costs associated with :



<ul><li>Setting up the in-house infrastructure from scratch</li><li>Regular maintenance and upgrade installation on the devices and environment</li><li>Licensing costs of the associated software</li><li>Configuration is managed by the service provider hence no chance of human error. This removes the cost incurred in reconfiguration and associated rework.</li></ul>



<h3 id="3-global-access-24-7-to-perform-automation-testing">3. Global access 24*7 to perform automation testing</h3>



Want to access and perform automation testing on the go? It is super easy with cloud-based automation tools, login from anywhere, anytime, 24*7. This feature supersedes the in-house test labs dominantly.



With work from home on the rise, remote work and cloud testing is the best combination of today.



<h3 id="4-scalability-at-its-best">4. Scalability at its best</h3>



Let us take an example, a mobile app for e-learning is released on Android devices. So the testing is performed according to the in-depth analysis of the user base, geographies, devices used, etc. The app received a very good response and now will be released on iOS as well.&nbsp;



Consider this whole scenario to be executed in an in-house test lab. The devices will be procured (cost involved here), they will be set up manually, required browsers/ software will be installed manually. 



Finally, the testing can commence, if there is a browser or software update, that will have to be configured again before testing continues. This will be done once for Android and then for iOS for scaling up the test coverage.



The same scenario on a cloud-based automation tool will only require choosing the required environment/device via a few clicks and paying according to the choice made. That&#8217;s it!&nbsp;



No set-up, configuration, or maintenance hassle.



<h3 id="5-integration-options-of-cloud-based-testing-tools-offer-a-streamlined-and-focused-collaboration">5. Integration options of Cloud based testing tools offer a streamlined and focused collaboration</h3>



During <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/remote-working-tips-from-experience/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">remote working</a> or otherwise, a team should be on the same page and work in real-time collaboration. When working in a team, communication is the key to all problems and that is why cloud-based automation testing tools are such a hit. This can work on applications and software that businesses often use like&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nextiva.com/products/small-business-voip.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">VOIPs</a>, custom built apps and any operational software.



The services, resources, artifacts, tasks, defects, reports, reviews, comments, everything is on the cloud and everyone has real-time access to it. Whenever a change is incorporated, the same gets reflected for everyone in the team. Therefore, cloud-based testing is a boon for teams.&nbsp;



Also, such tools allow integration with other tools for more streamlined and focused collaboration among team members e.g, <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/ci-cd-tools/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CI/CD tools</a>. So everyone involved (such as managers, testers, business analysts, developers, everyone) gets to see the same status of the project.



<h3 id="6-cloud-service-providers-have-a-robust-disaster-recovery">6. Cloud service providers have a robust disaster recovery</h3>



When using a cloud-based automation testing platform, the data related to development and testing is stored across systems on the cloud. The cloud service providers have a robust disaster recovery approach in place. 



They facilitate the storage of huge data and have automated monitoring of the systems on the cloud. Anything that goes haywire will be caught and mended automatically.&nbsp;



Additionally, they have versioning and tracking mechanisms in place to deal with any sort of disaster. This helps in disaster recovery and also for auditing purposes.&nbsp;



If we create a disaster recovery mechanism ourselves for an in-house lab, that is going to be a lot of pain, cost, effort, and time.



<h3 id="7-security-is-always-excessive-until-it-s-not-enough">7. Security is always excessive until it’s not enough</h3>



This is a quote by Robbie Sinclair, which depicts that it is better to understand the importance of security before it is broken. However, cloud-based automation testing has been under scrutiny when performed on shared cloud/resources. 



But service providers are well aware of this and they provide strict and safe methods of authentication and authorization to the users.



The security is taken care of by:



<ul><li>Identity and Access Management(IAM) of its users. Roles are created and restricted access is provided to the users based on their roles.</li></ul>



<ul><li>Multi-Factor Authorization(MFA)</li></ul>



<ul><li>Monitoring the security pitfalls, e.g. AWS CloudWatch</li></ul>



<ul><li>Data scanning, monitoring to recognize sensitive data, and fixing the cloud in case of any security issues sensed. e.g. AWS Macie</li></ul>



<h3 id="8-cloud-based-automation-testing-reduces-time-to-market">8. Cloud-based automation testing reduces time to market</h3>



Undoubtedly, cloud-based automation testing reduces time to market. We have saved time on many instances:



<ul><li>Setup</li><li>Maintenance</li><li>Test script writing if the tool is codeless such as <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/" target="_blank">Testsigma</a></li></ul>



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<ul><li>Upgrades to the devices and software</li><li>Reporting</li><li>Test case execution since tests can run parallelly 24*7</li></ul>



Due to all these reasons, the time to market is decreased considerably when compared to in-house labs. This ensures that the product is going to be in the market for the long run because it hit the market earlier than its competitors. Also, the good quality of the product plays an irreplaceable part in the success.



<h2 id="conclusion">Conclusion</h2>



With all the mentioned cloud automation advantages in testing, it is clear what the winner is here. Both cloud and automation are here to stay. And along with different tools available in the market, businesses can decide which one to choose that does the work for them.



There are several code-based cloud automation tools that offer more benefits to technically sound professionals. Many codeless cloud automation advantages are present for non-technical people as well. Testsigma is the latter cloud-powered automation testing tool that is easy to use by everyone in your company. If you know English, then you can readily write and run test cases in our tool.



Would you like to add to the list of benefits of automation testing on the cloud?



<a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/software-test-automation-what-to-expect-near-future/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The future of automation testing</a> is here for you to embrace it!

What are some benefits of doing automation testing on the cloud

Top 8 Cloud Automation Advantages in Testing

“If you have bad tests, automation can help you do bad testing faster.”— James Marcus Bach



Organizations are spending on automation for better software quality and a good ROI(Return on Investment) with time. This has to be understood that when we are creating automation frameworks and scripts, we cannot expect an immediate ROI. Since the time, money, and energy outweigh the immediate returns. When the test automation is used diligently, over a period of time organizations start receiving the ROI.



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#Test_Automation_Solution_to_Maximize_Testing_ROI">1 Test Automation Solution to Maximize Testing ROI</a></li><li><a href="#Maximize_ROI_by_Scriptless_Automation_Solution">2 Maximize ROI by Scriptless Automation Solution</a></li><li><a href="#How_these_Solutions_can_Help_You_Maximise_Your_Testing_ROI">3 How these Solutions can Help You Maximise Your Testing ROI?</a><ul><li><a href="#1_Quicker_Test_Automation">3.1 1. Quicker Test Automation</a></li><li><a href="#2_An_Amalgamation_of_Business_and_Technical_People">3.2 2. An Amalgamation of Business and Technical People</a></li><li><a href="#3_Saving_Costs">3.3 3. Saving Costs</a></li><li><a href="#4_Risk_Reduction">3.4 4. Risk Reduction</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Conclusion">4 Conclusion</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="test-automation-solution-to-maximize-testing-roi">Test Automation Solution to Maximize Testing ROI</h2>



We can achieve this by choosing correct test cases and test automation tools, using them to automate repeating activities like regression testing and not one-time runs. The generic formula of ROI is: ROI % = ( (Income – Investments) / Investments) * 100



When we are talking about automation we need to take into account the automation income and expenses as:



Automation ROI % = ((Income from automation – Investments on automation) / Investments on automation)* 100



We can understand from the above formula that if we are successful in the below two tasks, we can increase the ROI:



1. Increasing the income: This means the gains by adopting automation testing i.e., saved costs, increase in quality, save time, etc. If we can increase these gains we can increase the ROI.



2. Decreasing the Investments: This means the time, cost, and energy that is put into the automation testing. In this case, the investment can be lowered easily. Hence, the ROI can be increased immediately, without waiting for a certain time period as in conventional automation testing.



When the testing team writes the automation scripts using a programming language, it takes quite a chunk of testing timelines. However, today the software needs to be delivered as quickly as possible with great quality.



Here, a scriptless automation solution is beneficial for all the stakeholders. Because this is the only way to decrease time-to-market and provide the best quality possible in <a href="https://www.pagerduty.com/resources/learn/what-is-ci-cd-environment/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CI/CD environments</a>.



In this article, we will discuss how <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/scriptless-test-automation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">scriptless automation solutions</a> can help you improve your testing ROI. To that effect, some points that we will discuss are as given below:



<h2 id="maximize-roi-by-scriptless-automation-solution">Maximize ROI by Scriptless Automation Solution</h2>



1. It helps in quicker test automation



2. It supports amalgamation of business and technical people and skills



3. Scriptless testing tools help saving costs immensely in terms of time, skills, resources, and sometimes even space



4. Risk-reduction is an important feature of these solutions.



And then we will also discuss how to translate these into implementable steps.







<h2 id="h-how-these-solutions-can-help-you-maximise-your-testing-roi">How these Solutions can Help You Maximise Your Testing ROI?</h2>



<h3 id="h-1-quicker-test-automation">1. Quicker Test Automation</h3>



The most time exhaustive activities during test automation are:



1. Writing test scripts



2. Running test cases



3. Maintenance of test scripts



In conventional test automation, there needs to be a script in place for all the activities – test scripts, reports, test data, cross-browser tests, logs, and test evidence.



Even if the automation engineers are experts in their craft, all these activities are bound to take time. Time is the most precious commodity when we are talking about software deliveries.



In the case of scriptless tools, testing teams need not create the whole framework from scratch. All their testing needs are already covered in the testing solution created by experts.



The shift-left testing enables advanced test case creation even before the application is developed. The testing can start immediately when the smallest piece of software is available. Tools like Testsigma support the shift-left testing approach for faster and early test case creation.



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<h3 id="h-2-an-amalgamation-of-business-and-technical-people">2. An Amalgamation of Business and Technical People</h3>



These solutions are designed keeping in mind the inclusion of technical and non-technical people. Which is quite the opposite of what we have seen till today.&nbsp;



Testing by business analysts and other non-technical stakeholders? Yes, it is possible, very easily. If you know the application workflows, you can write the test cases, this is the only eligibility you require.



Also, the software people are enabled to communicate better with the business people, which enhances clarity amongst them. This results in supercharged development and testing cycles.



<h3 id="h-3-saving-costs">3. Saving Costs</h3>



A very important feature here is that they save costs in multiple other areas as compared to code-intensive tools for test automation. Let’s see how.&nbsp;



i. Saves costs in terms of skill requirements: With scriptless test automation, the tester/team member need not have any prior programming skills. This reduces the need for training and the time and money associated with it. The project need not hire experts for a specific automation tool, which leads to saving money again.



ii. Saves costs in terms of time spent: As we have seen earlier, with scriptless automation tools we need not build a test automation framework from scratch using programming languages/scripts. Having to do anything that is code-related requires more time, and when code is moved out of the picture, that time is saved.



iii. Sometimes saves cost in terms of space requirements: Some of these solutions help reduce space requirements by providing cloud for test automation, test execution. Because it is cloud, it is highly scalable too. You can reduce or increase your requirements and pay according to what you use.



The cloud services are also provided for <a href="https://testsigma.com/cross-browser-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cross-browser testing</a> by providing cloud-based device labs. So, you don’t need to invest in setting up in-house device labs.



<h3 id="h-4-risk-reduction">4. Risk Reduction</h3>



Going scriptless helps us to create, execute and maintain the test scripts easily and quickly. This in turn leaves the QA team with valuable time for other important activities like – exploratory, negative, and ad-hoc testing.



This results in uncovering the potential bugs which were hidden during automation test runs. This will help the team to attain a high-quality software delivery which is the ultimate goal of all the stakeholders involved.



Read in detail about &#8211; <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/scriptless-test-automation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scriptless Test Automation</a>



<h2 id="conclusion">Conclusion</h2>



Calculation of ROI is dependent on several factors and therefore it is crucial to select the accurate pointers while calculating it for <a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">automation testing</a>. However, one thing is for sure – the selection of a correct scriptless test automation solution is beneficial for all the stakeholders- marketing, business, development, testing.



Eventually, it will result in a quality product delivered quickly which is the sole purpose of everyone involved.&nbsp; A test automation solution like&nbsp;<a href="https://testsigma.com/">Testsigma</a>&nbsp;is a brilliant choice since it is AI-based, uses NLP for test case writing, requires no prior knowledge of coding, supports parallel testing, and integrates with third-party tools easily.



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Scriptless Test automation solution: How to use it to improve your testing ROI?

How to Use Scriptless Automation Solution to Maximize Testing ROI

No code automation testing: When to use and when not to use

No Code Automation Testing: When to Use and When Not to Use

The software will never be bug-free. But, it&#8217;s important to minimize the number of bugs such that the impact on functionality and user experience of an application is minimized. Bugs could come up due to different reasons, in this article, we will discuss them from the perspective of software errors. These are the errors that also need attention during the testing phase.



We can divide the errors during software development into two sections for easy understanding:



<ol><li>Software errors</li><li>Testing errors</li></ol>



Let’s understand each of them in detail below.



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#Software_errors">1 Software errors</a></li><li><a href="#Testing_errors">2 Testing errors</a></li><li><a href="#Conclusion">3 Conclusion</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="software-errors">Software errors</h2>



User interface errors



The user interface of an application comprises functionality, intuitive use, messages, page redirects, ease of use, ease of remembering the UI, etc. A few of the errors which can be faced due to a poorly designed UI are: 



i. Functional errors



They are functionality related issues or errors. These software errors are usually uncovered during functionality testing, mostly can be present as: 



Difficult/ confusing functionality: If the user is unable to understand or perform a function on the application, then it should change. The UI is meant to be intuitive and easy for the user.&nbsp; 



Non-performance of the intended function: The software is unable to perform the function as intended, then this is an error.&nbsp;



Example: An e-commerce website is unable to process the payment part. Then such a website is of no use to the customer, and this is a functional error. 



Incorrect manuals and user guides: They should not boast about the application and should clearly and concisely mention what the application does. This will eradicate the chances of a misled user, who is unable to perform a task successfully on the application. These errors are caught during software documentation testing.&nbsp; 



ii. Information/ content related errors: These errors can cause wrong information to be conveyed to the users. These errors come up during the UI testing of a software application.



On-screen information for users: The information which is required by the user should be available on the application screen itself. A user will not want to consult the user guide for every other function. 



Showing activity during long tasks: The application should display the activity/progress bar when a long task is being executed. Otherwise, the user will assume that the screen got frozen.&nbsp;



For example, a user has submitted a form, and the progress bar is showing no progress or activity then the user will get confused if the form has been submitted successfully or not. He may think that the software got stuck and a system restart is needed.



Spelling mistakes: You may think that wrong spellings are not a big deal, but they are. They look unprofessional and leave a bad impression of the application. 



Precise messages: The error/ dialog boxes should have short and crisp messages, no one wants to read long verbose messages while performing a task.



Dialog box layout: There should be consistency in the layout, capitalization, style, spacing, buttons, etc. of the dialog boxes.&nbsp;



iii. Wrong redirection



The redirection of the links on the website should be thoroughly checked. It will leave a really bad impression if the user clicks are redirected to an unintended page. Example: The user clicks on the ‘home’ icon and she stays on the same page, additionally there are no other links to move back to the home page. This is a really bad UI error.



Error handling



Failure to handle errors appropriately may result in absurd results, which we certainly want to avoid. We can anticipate and correct an error by using the below conditions:



Overflow condition



It occurs when the arithmetic calculation results in a value that is way too large for the software program to handle.



Example: divide by zero, multiplication of 2 large numbers, etc. 



Error condition



The impossible values should be identified and removed from the program, otherwise, they will result in error conditions.&nbsp;



Example: A program performs a task when the value of the boolean variable is ‘True’ and another task when the value of the boolean variable is ‘False’. 



But when ‘NULL’ is passed the behaviour of the program is unknown, hence we should make sure that the boolean variable has value either ‘True’ or ‘False’, nothing else. Also, if there is a condition when NULL is the outcome, it should be handled gracefully.



Error flags



Programmers usually pass an ‘Error Flag’ in the function to keep track of the success or failure of the function. It is advisable to always check this value of the flag before using the returned value from the function. Otherwise, it may result in the processing of garbage data and erroneous results.



Hardware error



We focus on software so much that we forget about the hardware failures. If the hardware gets disconnected or stops working then we cannot expect correct output from the software.&nbsp;



Example: Printers and other hardware devices return bits of information that something is not right. 



Calculation errors



Software programs after performing a calculation may fetch wrong results, for any of the below reasons:



Incorrect logic: This can happen when a wrong formula is used for calculation. Another example is when there is a typo error by a programmer and the whole logic changes due to a change in formula/operation.



Incorrect arithmetic operator order: Precedence of the operators should be kept in mind while dealing with arithmetic operators. 



Example: 2+5*4, the result of this will vary according to the operator precedence. Programmers may assume that the operation will execute from left to right and the answer will be 28. However, multiplication has higher precedence and it will be executed first, so the result is 22. 



Truncation and round-off errors: When dealing with floating numbers, the value may get truncated or rounded-off and will lead to precision errors.



Control flow errors



Control flow decides where the program’s control will move next, this is described using the control statements. Control flow-related errors may arise when the flow of the program is changed abruptly.



Example: Stack overflow error, exception handling issues, blocking/unblocking the interrupts in the program.



<h2 id="testing-errors">Testing errors</h2>



This section explains the possible errors a tester can make during the software testing process. We can never catch all the possible bugs in the program, there will always be a few which will be left undetected. 



However, we always look forward to achieving as much test coverage as possible so that the maximum number of bugs are detected and fixed.&nbsp;



Still, we may face the below-mentioned errors while performing software testing.



i. Data handling errors



The test data file contains bad data, and you weren’t aware of it during the testing process. The test results received will be awkward and concerning, and it becomes difficult to find the root cause of the error in this case. 



ii.&nbsp;Verification of fixes



&nbsp;Usually, the developers fix only the issues which are mentioned in the defect report. It is the responsibility of the tester to test related functionalities as well, to make sure nothing else is broken.



Example: A field value consisting of the customer&#8217;s name was accepting blank values, although the field is mandatory. The developer has fixed it, during testing the field is not accepting blank values, but it is accepting numeric values now. 



Such instances happen and the tester should use her vigilance while testing. Therefore, regression testing is so important after defect fixes.



iii.&nbsp;Hardware issues



These are the testing issues posed due to wrong/unavailable hardware.



Example: While reading a file, the file is corrupted and we receive a&nbsp; ‘Resource not available’ error. Now, this hardware issue is affecting the testing process indirectly. 



Another example can be when we are sending data through Connect: Direct channel and the network is not working properly, in this case, the data transfer will not happen and we will not be able to test end-to-end.



iv.&nbsp;SSL certificate issues



During testing – if the website does not have a valid SSL certificate we may receive an SSL certificate error. In this case, we can accept the risk and continue for testing purposes. But, on production – a valid SSL certificate is a must. So, you can buy a valid&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cheapsslshop.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SSL certificate from CheapSSLShop</a>.



v.&nbsp;Defect slippage



This is the most daunting error a tester may commit, but it happens! It may happen due to any of the below reasons:



<ol><li>Correct expected results not known</li><li>Inattentiveness</li><li>Difficult test steps</li></ol>



vi. Bug reporting



The bugs need to be found out, reported, fixed, and verified, every step holds its value. We should report the bug with proper evidence, reports, and steps to reproduce. The report should be correct and if it has huge data then highlight the wrong results for readability.



vii. Automation related errors



Incorrect element locator: If the Xpath, id, name, etc. used in the automation script are incorrect, then it would result in wrong test script steps. The script will not find the required element and eventually will fail.



Automation tools like <a href="https://testsigma.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Testsigma</a>, provide a Chrome extension to automatically detect the <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/element-locators-automated-testing/#:~:text=An%20element%20locator%20is%20what,it%20needs%20to%20interact%20with." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">locator of an element</a> with just a click. Thus, these errors can be easily avoided. 



Iframe: When the selected element is in a different frame, we will receive an error- ‘element not found’ even by using the correct locator. So, to resolve this we need to shift the control to the iframe, where the element is located. Testsigma makes it easy to switch the iframe and windows, to read the documentation visit <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://support.testsigma.com/support/solutions/articles/32000028123-how-to-identify-and-handle-iframes" target="_blank">here</a>. 



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Wait time: It is important to use the correct wait time for every element in test scripts. Since, if the element is not visible after the wait time elapsed, the test script will fail.



viii. API testing



NULL entries



When the API is tested for expected inputs they work fine, but sometimes there are NULL values sent in the fields. Then during integration testing, such NULL values cause trouble. Hence, the API should be tested for NULL values as well, with appropriate error messages being sent to the application. 



Invalid API responses



The field size of the partner application and the API should be the same otherwise the API response will be counted as invalid.



Caching errors



Data like images are usually cached on the partner application. However, if real-time data is cached then this results in erroneous results.



Coding practices



Standard coding practices should be followed by the programmers, else the non-standard coding practices will result in errors. Example: returning NULL values as output.



<h2 id="conclusion">Conclusion</h2>



During testing, if we ensure proper test coverage then we can eliminate critical and major defects effectively. A quality application/software is imperative for business growth and user acquisition. Therefore, the testing should work on understanding the business requirements thoroughly and writing test cases accordingly.&nbsp;



More test cases do not mean better testing, we require good requirement coverage for effective testing. Additionally, there should be good risk coverage so that the business’s important features are tested in-depth. Proper bug reporting, defect retest, regression tests, verification of fixes, etc. all are important steps towards high-quality software. 



PC: <a href="https://unsplash.com/@emilep?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Emile Perron</a>

Software Testing Errors to look out for (with examples)

Testsigma Blog

Pragya Yadav