Communication is the key to managing the stakeholders. Many times, not enough efforts are made to communicate clear details, status, risks on the ongoing projects. On the other hand, not everyone can detail every important aspect or gauge what’s important to communicate without being subjective and setting aside all emotions during communication.&nbsp;



Usually, Engineering teams are focused on their work and do not put a lot of emphasis on communication and highlighting the risks with all the data. Even when they do, the usual sentences will be ‘should be able to complete on time’, ‘too many bugs’, ‘not ready’, &#8216;looks good’ which are all subjective in nature and do not really convey the information that helps in making a decision. Often there are assumptions that communication happened or that everyone knows all the details. This leads to management being in the dark on important aspects.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://testsigma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Untitled-1.png" alt="George Bernard Shaw Quote" class="wp-image-16688" width="329" height="242"/></figure></div>



One way of ensuring <a href="https://www.chanty.com/blog/guide-on-effective-communication/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">smooth communication</a> is to have proper data to represent the status and risks.



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#Metrics_in_SDLC">1 Metrics in SDLC</a></li><li><a href="#When_and_when_not_to_use_Metrics_in_SDLC">2 When and when not to use Metrics in SDLC</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="metrics-in-sdlc">Metrics in SDLC</h2>



Metrics are pure data. They show you numbers without emotions which is the most important factor in analyzing the data. The real problem, in SDLC, starts when these metrics are considered as a single source of truth or when they are taken up as absolute measures or when used inappropriately.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" width="1024" height="358" src="https://testsigma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/imgonline-com-ua-twotoone-XPcvwEhd3Kcm.jpg" alt="Goodhart's law" class="wp-image-16693"/></figure>



A few notable points on metrics:



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Metrics are indicators of current or past conditions&#8211;they are not THE truth. The proper initial response to any metric anomaly is to investigate, not act.</li><li>The more a quantitative metric is visible and used to make important decisions, the more it will be gamed.</li><li>Be careful what you measure because that is what you are going to get. You should measure things, but understand when to make them as targets.&nbsp;</li><li>Vanity metrics makes you feel good, they cannot be used for decision making.</li></ul>



Also Know: <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/v-model-in-software-development-life-cycle/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">V model in SDLC</a>



<h2 id="when-and-when-not-to-use-metrics-in-sdlc">When and when not to use Metrics in SDLC</h2>



There are some metrics that are absolutely useful while there are others that are mostly misleading or distracting, more of a Vanity metrics or that can be easily gamed. In other words, not well thought of. Every Manager, every leader at some point goes through the process of picking a wrong metric, getting carried away with the same.&nbsp;



Always ask questions before you pick a metric:



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Will they be gamed?</li><li>Are we choosing Vanity metrics?</li><li>Do we need to use this metric as a measure?</li><li>Do we need to publish this metric?</li></ul>



Learn More: <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/entry-and-exit-criteria/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Entry and Exit In SDLC</a>



Take for example &#8211; ‘Zero technical debt’ as a Metric &#8211; this means all bugs identified, during the SDLC, should be fixed and cannot be left in the backlog. If we start measuring teams on this metric, the whole focus will be on fixing every bug even if it’s from a feature that no customer has been using,&nbsp; even in cases when it’s impacting the new features and so the customer adoption.&nbsp;



There are a few metrics that we should watch silently, during the SDLC, to understand how the team is doing, to understand what needs to be improved in our process. If you upfront publish these metrics as measures, they will eventually be gamed.&nbsp;

Metrics in SDLC: Let the Truth Prevail

How does Testsigma support the Shift Left approach?

Shift Left Approach | How Does Testsigma Streamline Software Testing?

We&#8217;re sure you&#8217;ve heard your DevOps team often talk about test orchestration. This testing approach has quickly become a crucial element of test automation because it streamlines the automation process. 



For agile teams, applying test orchestration to their testing strategy is quite rewarding as it accelerates testing and offers a holistic view of the testing process. 



In this post, we&#8217;ll discuss test orchestration in-depth and understand the benefits you can reap with its implementation.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/yzkHXdD5Mb59CxFF7wUlFKGIaMmbvWZOl-TOXfhccY4i1w1T3sOXqClV2BE9geAPNlgsW_Z2s7h4rzgvt6kWdZaCrNzAF678RTXGLCq3gn6NKDHczn3GuxG5M_JQho1G5X3P-9sJ=s0" alt="Testsigma - Test automation platform" width="400"/><figcaption>Source: <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://phoenixnap.com/blog/orchestration-vs-automation" target="_blank">PhoenixNap</a></figcaption></figure></div>



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#What_is_Test_Orchestration">1 What is Test Orchestration?</a></li><li><a href="#What_are_the_Benefits_of_Test_Orchestration">2 What are the Benefits of Test Orchestration?</a></li><li><a href="#What_is_the_Difference_Between_Test_Automation_and_Test_Orchestration">3 What is the Difference Between Test Automation and Test Orchestration?</a></li><li><a href="#Is_Test_Orchestration_the_Future_of_QA">4 Is Test Orchestration the Future of QA? </a></li><li><a href="#Orchestrate_Your_Tests_Use_Inbuilt_Integrations_for_a_Successful_Test_Automation">5 Orchestrate Your Tests &amp; Use Inbuilt Integrations for a Successful Test Automation</a></li><li><a href="#Implement_Test_Orchestration_with_Testsigma">6 Implement Test Orchestration with Testsigma</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="what-is-test-orchestration">What is Test Orchestration?</h2>



In simple words, test orchestration refers to a series of automation tasks that you schedule in a linear order. You can execute your tests consecutively, and you&#8217;re in control of deciding their order. 



Often regarded as the building blocks of automated testing — the whole point of test orchestration is to optimize the test strategy on a holistic level. 



With test orchestration, you can grab insights into the big picture of your deployment, which fosters transparency and helps your team plan and modify the test strategy.&nbsp;



Besides, it offers you the flexibility to test a software or certain features of a software repeatedly during the development stages. This helps detect and fix errors as and when they occur. In test orchestration, you can execute multiple automated tests as a part of the testing workflow.



<h2 id="what-are-the-benefits-of-test-orchestration">What are the Benefits of Test Orchestration?</h2>



The core goal of test automation is to achieve faster time-to-market and streamline automated testing tasks along with manual or repetitive tasks. Let&#8217;s understand more of its advantages.&nbsp;



1. Optimized test process: Test orchestration gives you the ultimate control over planning your test automation strategy, including your test schedules. You can also leverage various tools such as automated testing tools, project management tools, DevOps tools, etc., to achieve overall efficiency.Using these tools and a roadmap for your testing strategy — you can progress your development cycles for an optimized and flexible test process. 



2. Customization:  The best part about test orchestration is its flexibility to customize your test strategy based on your budget and goals. For instance, say you want to prioritize specific areas of your test, you can go ahead and schedule those in combination with other tests. Just so you know, test orchestration can function with little to no human intervention — which means, if you have a minimal budget for resources, you can opt for test orchestration.



3. 100% continuous testing: For agile and DevOps teams, this is a blessing in disguise. With test orchestration, you can test 24&#215;7 and also schedule tests as per your convenience. While you can automate monotonous or repetitive tasks, you can also run the same tests multiple times from the start to the end. This heightens your test efficiency and fits into your CI/CD pipeline.



Check Out: <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/devops-orchestration/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DevOps Orchestration</a><gwmw style="display:none;">



4. More transparency: We&#8217;ve already established that test orchestration lets you look at the big picture. Developers, testers, and product managers can work in tandem in understanding the journey of the product. From knowing its timelines and progress to monitoring its errors and release timelines — test orchestration offers a comprehensive picture of the entire testing stage.&nbsp;



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/dy3ubXI4HV2UhbhvB-G4Q2QJUOIK3DiLWQN1BiZL1IU63hCGOBfOvXovQ4zVBgqJd-Y4odgE67ozqr9F1sDxVrOEd64nRrho9R1DC5NwIj4uwo4357d8ESpKdqDpaBGLlY_PzVTI=s0" alt="Test Orchestration:" width="400"/><figcaption>Source: <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://twitter.com/theaiinstitute/status/1168869421554851840" target="_blank">ProfessorBob.ai</a></figcaption></figure></div>



5. Data-driven: If you implement the right tools for test orchestration, you can foster a data-driven culture in your testing strategy. You can fetch extensive data on your test performance and plan your test strategy.



<h2 id="what-is-the-difference-between-test-automation-and-test-orchestration">What is the Difference Between Test Automation and Test Orchestration?</h2>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/g5FrUsofuk_47gWKIyozek7OWw2eJS-mrMytJ7VC3T-HiKauby2DPATlXU02P0lEmoaPsPNVREh9GgkmED6FK4HAtrJY8pJiCzwYBWlO-VD_7xr-JBvqfl0FVaak6OSuq8_NGCZm=s0" alt="Test Orchestration" width="400"/><figcaption>Source: <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.bmc.com/blogs/it-orchestration-vs-automation-whats-the-difference/#" target="_blank">BMC</a></figcaption></figure></div>



The difference between test automation and test orchestration is perhaps the most discussed aspect of test orchestration. While both vary, test automation can generate solid results when test orchestration is introduced into your test strategy. 



Usually, there is a lot of confusion between test orchestration and test automation, but here&#8217;s the difference: test automation is the process of automating a task, while test orchestration is the act of scheduling or putting those automated tasks in a well-defined order. 



One automates tests; the other strategize the order of tests and decides which tasks should be tested and in what sequence. In a nutshell — test orchestration brings an order to <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/automated-testing" target="_blank">test automation</a>.&nbsp;



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/U65op9rR_yNi6OP-03m5aBvSzJZCy8VUHMYoyh8v6KrRAJQI4bfphHWYiVyGSB3B4t2GzBSbrvwtqBLCa_h5E_Kdx6EbnMWRenkEFCQA9_Lss0-40Vm9YHsLiMXLMGPBj-fyM8qh=s0" alt="Test Orchestration:" width="400"/><figcaption>Photo by<a href="https://unsplash.com/@gwundrig?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow"> Manuel Nägeli</a> on<a href="https://unsplash.com/s/photos/orchestra?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow"> Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure></div>



To understand better, let&#8217;s take an example. Orchestration is a word derived from the orchestra. As you know, a musical orchestra involves multiple pieces of equipment and musicians; a maestro leads the orchestra, and all of them come together in composing a symphony. 



Similarly, test orchestration gathers numerous tests and automation tools (bug management, analytics, project management) to help craft reliable software.



<h2 id="is-test-orchestration-the-future-of-qa">Is Test Orchestration the Future of QA? </h2>



Yes, absolutely! With technology advancement and more businesses embracing digital transformation — speed and high-quality software are of the essence. With tech orchestration, a business can accelerate its testing process, therefore, expediting development too. 



Feedback cycles will surely get shorter, and as and when you scale, you can formulate a solid testing strategy with orchestration. However, you&#8217;ll need the right automated tool to introduce test orchestration into your organization.&nbsp;



<h2 id="orchestrate-your-tests-use-inbuilt-integrations-for-a-successful-test-automation">Orchestrate Your Tests &amp; Use Inbuilt Integrations for a Successful Test Automation</h2>



Successful implementation of test orchestration requires more than just a skilled team. If you give your skilled team an all-encompassing tool for performing the test orchestration, they can explore the best possibilities. 



An ideal tool will let you customize based on your evolving project requirements. Besides, it should support various test management, bug management, CI/CD integrations to help orchestrate a solid test strategy.&nbsp;



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/6U9S6Pgenq450GR2oV3hB0LVHkApR4flETXSrZ30COcQQBE2smXyVyiWCoaNKscJ5gRnlhGWsFn5PIwsGHj3oYSNuO25IuTFcOrf_eQjCb3iZO75lqwEuJIVeOsNjzmRx2IQJ6qO=s0" alt="Test Orchestration" width="400"/><figcaption>Source: Testsigma</figcaption></figure></div>



<h2 id="implement-test-orchestration-with-testsigma">Implement Test Orchestration with Testsigma</h2>



<a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/" target="_blank">Testsigma</a> is an AI-powered automation testing tool that supports multiple integrations and goes beyond just automation with all the features it has to offer. Let&#8217;s explore them:



1. Test Data Management: Testsigma comes with a superior test data management system that lets you generate test data using its simple UI. You can test your software against various data combinations; also, you can write custom functions for custom requirements or import data (from any format) onto the platform for a truly data-driven culture.&nbsp;



2. Test Prioritization: Testsigma lets you prioritize your tests based on your requirement. This is a cloud-based platform that runs 24&#215;7 — so you can schedule your test cases, which are executed without any human intrusion.&nbsp;



3. Bug management: Testsigma goes beyond record-and-play. Its AI capabilities maintain 70% of the tests, and they automatically fix flakiness. This tool takes screenshots and maintains logs of bugs; it&#8217;s also intelligent enough to identify error-prone areas based on past bug patterns. 



All the crashes and bugs are reported via email, Slack, or any communication platform. It also generates exhaustive reports on bugs to help you fix them before production.&nbsp;



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/AIln0FsZVykWaN-sOfn0e246FVReJEMOlrozplY1Gwh0d6TTs76Qm97z-L62UdAeBp7uNB_7C9OKYGxYc0IRgLEC80pcFXYsSJAS7hgHjcywaGDHhmHnySuJBj9a0JbeSsVuDe2R=s0" alt="Test Orchestration" width="400"/></figure></div>



4. Results dashboard: Using Testsigma&#8217;s inbuilt results dashboard, you can gather test results and execution trends after every test run. It also fetches a detailed report on how well tests are performing in multiple environments.&nbsp;



Apart from these features — Testsigma is a codeless testing platform that lets you write test scripts in simple English. It supports parallel test executions, and you can run hundreds of tests concurrently in multiple environments. 



Plus, it comes with thousands of real devices and OS-browser combinations for you to run tests on. You can utilize this end-to-end testing platform to plan, prioritize, strategize, and orchestrate all your tests from one place.&nbsp;



Interested in trying it out?&nbsp;



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Test Orchestration: What is it?

The Shift Left testing approach is not a new term. Across the globe, more and more organizations are shifting left for various reasons. It&#8217;s also regarded as a culture as it allows businesses to instil collaborative work efforts and launch products into the market faster. 



This testing approach expedites testing and helps detect bugs in the early stages of development. For teams with a heavy focus on faster time to market and continuous integrations — Shift Left is the way forward. 



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#But_First_What8217s_Shift_Left_Testingnbsp">1 But, First, What&#8217;s Shift Left Testing?&nbsp;</a></li><li><a href="#Benefits_of_Shift_Left">2 Benefits of Shift Left</a></li><li><a href="#Shift_Left_Testing_Best_Testing_Tools_That_Can_Help">3 Shift Left Testing: Best Testing Tools That Can Help</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="but-first-what-s-shift-left-testing">But, First, What&#8217;s Shift Left Testing?&nbsp; </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/gjL7fPNWZUfmOolXekkqFYDxNNHPJa6_hCc4ukqZ6K-vrcnldMABclKTP3q7kfg6ycr3E20nNoMLP5Rdp0pikZV9kO2cufGT7Ma7NFFfgsXy5GFS0CjS7bwdAEMDuZ5bP29_4oU4" alt="What's Shift Left Testing?"/></figure>



Source: <a href="https://www.techarcis.com/shift-left-testing-explained-by-sunil-sehgal-of-techarcis-2/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Tech Arcis</a> 



<a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/how-to-choose-a-tool-when-shift-left-testing-is-your-requirement/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shift Left is a testing</a> approach where testing begins right from the software development phase. Testers work in tandem with developers and product managers in this testing process to focus on the overall efficiency of the product. 



Since the team works towards a common goal, Shift Left allows teams to shift the testing process left during a project timeline and test whenever required to detect and deal with any concerns or bugs in the early phases. With this, you are not just cutting down risks but also time and costs. 



Besides, with the growth of CI and CD, it makes more sense to test out the features or any aspects of the software rather than waiting for the final stages. 



<h2 id="benefits-of-shift-left">Benefits of Shift Left</h2>



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Faster time to market as testing happens from the development phase itself.</li><li>Increased test efficiency.</li><li>Low-cost affair as you can detect and fix bugs in the initial stages.</li><li>It facilitates developers and testers to come together and work as a team; testers don&#8217;t have to work in isolation any longer.</li><li>You&#8217;ll have more control over your project schedule and delivery timelines, as Shift Left also enables transparency.</li></ul>



<h2 id="shift-left-testing-best-testing-tools-that-can-help">Shift Left Testing: Best Testing Tools That Can Help </h2>



Without the right testing tools, we cannot fully achieve any desired testing approach. In this post, we&#8217;ll discuss the testing tools for adopting <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.bmc.com/blogs/what-is-shift-left-shift-left-testing-explained/" target="_blank">Shift Left</a> and why you should choose them.&nbsp;



Before we proceed, check out our post: <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/blog/test-automation-tool-ready-for-shift-left/" target="_blank">is your automation testing tool Shift Left ready?</a>



1. <a href="https://testsigma.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)"> Testsigma:</a> Testsigma is an AI-powered <a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">automation testing</a> tool that supports the Shift Left approach. The benefit of using Testsigma is it allows you to write test cases right from the design phase. So, whether your features are conclusive or not — you can start working on your testing approach even without the availability of the application or software.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/S6mOeE_G4Nlb5N2W-2rmTmWDJMkF73mSkeuGBTNmgMLI7RJgsG9gAIAmbiBw0BDHCh5uOlkdd2vJfhNCkGN0aqHwpaC_cjPdlm3sS5vrYfejVLHVvmbHnG-C45O6WKlp6BFC1UIU" alt="testsigma"/></figure>



Source: Testsigma 



You can write your test scripts in simple English as it&#8217;s a codeless testing tool; your test scripts are translated into code by its NLP capabilities. It supports CI/CD integrations with tools such as Bamboo, Jenkins, GitLab, CircleCI, and so on. 



Besides, it&#8217;s a cloud-based tool that aids remote team collaboration, which is highly crucial for Shift Left. Since the cloud is up and running 24&#215;7, your teams can access the application from any location, any time. 



Plus, it comes with thousands of real-time devices on its cloud, with various OS-browser combinations for you to run tests on.



Highlights



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Supports in-sprint test automation.</li><li>Parallel test execution: you can prioritize and schedule tests in multiple environments.</li><li>Testsigma reports bugs and crashes via communication platforms like Slack, Teams, email, etc., for teams to collaborate and fix.</li><li>Since it&#8217;s cloud-based, you can collaborate and review along with the team.</li><li>It comes with highly customizable reports and an analytics dashboard so you can track and enhance your test and team performance.</li></ul>



Price: Quite affordable; it begins at $99 



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<pre class="wp-block-code"><code>2. SauceLabs:<a aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://saucelabs.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> </a>Sauce Labs is a cloud-based automation testing tool that supports Shift-Left. This low-code testing tool comes with a Screener that seamlessly integrates visual testing into functional testing workflows. </code></pre>



You can start testing from the design phase itself; Sauce Labs lets you test individual UI components for faster testing, and this also cuts down feedback cycles. You can also gain frontend performance insights much before the software goes live.&nbsp; 



Sauce Labs emphasizes in-sprint testing to focus on the entire software journey and product efficiency and calls itself a customer-centric product. Apart from real devices, it comes with emulators and iOS simulators in its cloud.&nbsp;



Highlights



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>You can perform in-sprint testing.</li><li>Supports parallel testing on its cloud</li><li>You can detect any UI bugs using its Automated Visual Testing feature; it has an extended debugging feature that offers browser console logs, screenshots.</li><li>It&#8217;s cloud-based; your teams can access your product from anywhere, any time, and work in collaboration.</li><li>It&#8217;s equipped with an analytics and reports dashboard that offers real-time test performance results; you can monitor team development and user activity to obtain actionable insights.</li></ul>



<pre class="wp-block-code"><code>Price: It has three types of plans, and the pricing depends on the number of parallel tests you choose. You can check here: https://saucelabs.com/pricing
</code></pre>



3. TestLeft: As the name suggests, SmartBear&#8217;s TestLift is specifically made for Shift Left testing. With this tool, you can start testing right from the design phase; as soon as the UI features are ready, you can automate your tests. 



It supports Visual Studio and Java IDEs such as IntelliJ and Eclipse and lets you develop apps from within the IDE, itself. Besides, it can be integrated with CI/CD tools, and it supports behaviour-driven development.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/HtAcJLV8eL8NKO5Ux3VD1VimrrFT84NFpdnr85723q2SX7aYEwZOKFyykmaTgtxkkRiD6hcxR0g6Ef_jcDajyLeDZn5DiXM_sq42TcUS9-dWAp3nJq-_y_q7TDscafySm_M86YAT" alt="testleft"/></figure>



Source: TestLeft 



Highlights



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Supports in-sprint test automation.</li><li>You can perform parallel test execution.&nbsp;</li><li>It captures full-page snapshots and shares in-depth test logs and errors for quick debugging.</li><li>TestLeft has to be installed on your local machine. You can check out the specifications for it here: https://smartbear.com/product/testleft/specifications/</li><li>It comes with reports and an analytics dashboard that generates performance and tests analysis reports; you can share these with your teams or any stakeholders.</li></ul>



Price: $1,259/year



4. Ranorex Studio Great for beginners and experienced testers — Ranorex is a codeless test automation tool that supports Shift Left. It can be easily integrated with a range of DevOps tools, and it supports tech stacks such as .NET, C#, HTML5, Java, etc. 



With Ranorex, you can start testing GUI elements as soon as they&#8217;re ready or even user code modules. You can add your Ranorex tests to the CI/CD pipeline too.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/TSlSkyUR0ezROVTIunM1iglusZsE7q6McquywRsjQMlR4pXVRt1dxfQhK3JMGQyMGMOi3zSCd1ZX7_vXzhH2yMU2kvgibyz-8SZrbmFUrPOEpm2SmhAFTEqSWMY5a7FaQJBXutXc" alt="Ranorex"/></figure>



Source: Ranorex



Highlights



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>It supports in-sprint testing.</li><li>You can run tests simultaneously on physical servers, virtual servers, or Selenium grids.</li><li>Ranorex reports bugs via screenshots and logs. It comes with an in-built image comparison feature that helps you detect UI errors quickly.</li><li>It&#8217;s a cloud-based tool that offers a remote working functionality called Ranorex Remote for teams to collaborate and work from anywhere.</li><li>It comes with customizable analytics and a reports dashboard that lets you analyze test results via an XML-based test run report.</li></ul>



Price: It&#8217;s expensive; it begins at $3,590. 



5. Katalon: Katalon Studio is a test automation tool that is particularly built for continuous testing. It can be seamlessly integrated with a range of CI/CD tools, and you can start testing from day one with all the ready-made templates, test case libraries, keywords, and object repositories that Katalon has to offer. 



Although it&#8217;s a codeless testing tool that&#8217;s great for beginners, it offers extensive script extension and customization for experts. Using Katalon, you can test with little knowledge of the app. 



With its JIRA integration, anyone on the team (no technical skills required) can fetch requirements from Jira to BDD files, which are integrated into Katalon Studio already.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/HlcEGZ76MpHZVQC2c8CGVMBW2RGU0LqgdjUfFnplU0zyWDKffyN_YBi3BgGDMHpSESXTIAuR66vwP2tXOVy2AjhHZpUAX5rhXjvqK0ymTkJpD6AEIwvh_PltrT8MUlTRtXy_Nn0h" alt="katalon"/></figure>



Source: Katalon&nbsp;



Highlights



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Katalon lets you run tests on multiple devices, browsers, and environments simultaneously.</li><li>It comes with a superior debugger that accelerates ad hoc inspection and catches bugs, errors, etc., easily.</li><li>While it&#8217;s cloud-based, it can also also be accessed via local machines; remote teams can access the software on the cloud from any geographical location.</li><li>Its analytics and reports dashboard makes status reports and performance reports with a visual demonstration of test runs, crashes, and performance.</li></ul>



Price: $599 upwards for a year



Those were the five best tools that can help you adopt Shift Left culture in your organization. Let us know which one caught your interest.

Shift Left Testing Some tools that can help

Shift Left Testing: Some tools that can help

In this article, we will focus on what NLP is all about and how it is useful for Smart Test Automation. 



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#What_is_NLP">1 What is NLP?</a></li><li><a href="#Smart_Test_Automation">2 Smart Test Automation</a></li><li><a href="#What_does_NLP_with_Smart_Test_Automation_look_like">3 What does NLP with Smart Test Automation look like?</a></li><li><a href="#Why_NLP_for_smart_test_automation">4 Why NLP for smart test automation?</a></li><li><a href="#Tools_that_use_NLP_for_Smart_Test_Automation">5 Tools that use NLP for Smart Test Automation</a></li><li><a href="#When_not_to_use_NLP">6 When not to use NLP</a></li><li><a href="#Conclusion">7 Conclusion</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="what-is-nlp">What is NLP?</h2>



Natural Language Processing (NLP) refers to a branch of Computer Science, or in more simple words, let us say it refers to a branch of Artificial Intelligence (AI).



It is a process with which computers are able to understand the text and the spoken words in the same way as human beings can.



NLP describes the process of making the interaction between human languages and computers possible.



This technology has been around for years and is now being used by several people on a daily basis. We all must have come across NLP in some way or the other in our daily lives.



Alexa, the Amazon voice service is an example of a solution based on NLP. Siri, the voice assistant by Apple and Google Assistant also use this technology.



Some other examples of NLP include:



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Spell Check</li><li>Voice text messaging</li><li>Spam filters</li><li>Autocomplete</li></ul>



<h2 id="smart-test-automation">Smart Test Automation</h2>



The world is changing very quickly and we must be ready to change with it. Big will not beat the small anymore. It&#8217;s actually the fast beating the slow.



In recent years, there have been a lot of changes happening in the testing world too. Earlier, the testing was done manually, which was a slow and time-consuming process. But, today we are using more <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/automated-testing" target="_blank">automation</a> techniques to test better. 



We are opting for such a change in order to get better quality faster which would help in delivering a better product at a greater speed. In short, we are now looking for smarter solutions. Smart is something that has intelligence.



Let me explain with a simple example. Earlier we were using cell phones which typically were used for texting and making calls. Then came the era of smartphones which drastically changed the usage of phones. The Smartphone was just another mini computer.



So, Test automation can be called smart when it lets you do something better while you put in less effort.&nbsp;&nbsp;



For example, to explain better, we can say going scriptless could be a feature of&nbsp; ‘Smart test automation’ if it lets your team automate your tests faster.&nbsp; 



Organizations need smart test platforms that are self-aware and self-adaptive to support throughout the complete application life cycle. Smart test automation platform needs to carry test automation along with performance, security and compatibility testing needs



Let&#8217;s move forward with a few more additional features that would boost test automation.



1. Smart Element locators 



Smart Test Automation tools like Testsigma helps the testers in easy test maintenance with smart element locators (also known as UI identifiers) by employing a dynamic locator strategy. It ensures that the functional tests stay strong even if the product undergoes some structural changes.



2. Modifications with Redo



With Record and PlayBack tools, easy editing of recorded tests is not possible.



If there is even a slight change in the application flow, the tester needs to re-record the test steps from the beginning. This is again a time-consuming process.&nbsp;



Modifications can be easily done when it comes to NLP-based test scripts. Testers can easily add the test steps at the beginning, end, or anywhere between without a redo.



3. Conditional waiting



Wait commands are essential for executing test scripts and help identify and resolve issues related to time lag.



NLP based test automation tool, Testsigma has a set of Conditional Wait statements which helps to add waits based on user-defined conditions:



<pre class="wp-block-code"><code>Wait until the current page is loaded completely
Wait until the element ui identifier is clickable
Wait until the element ui identifier is selected
Wait until the element ui identifier is visible etc.</code></pre>



4. Conditional flow and control structures



Control flow or flow of control is blocks of code we create to control the direction we take through the code. It is common in programs to take a different direction based on the data. 



Let&#8217;s take the example of a login screen. If the credentials provided i.e., username and password are valid, we log them in. If not valid, we don’t. This is defined as flow control.



Imagine the same set of features available in a tool without the added complexity.



With Testsigma, you can either loop on a whole Test Case with a set of parameters(data-driven approach) or loop on a subset of Test Steps. This is very useful if we want to simply repeat a step multiple times with/without an available Test Data set.



5. Cross Browser Support



With Smart Test Automation tools like TestSigma, automated tests can be run on thousands of real Device/OS/Browser versions combo and also local physical devices.



<h2 id="what-does-nlp-with-smart-test-automation-look-like">What does NLP with Smart Test Automation look like?</h2>



Using NLP in Smart Test Automation, the tests are carried out in natural understandable language. The use of NLP in test automation minimizes the test creation time. It is done in a format that is intuitively easy for anyone to quickly adapt and use.



There are several tools like TestSigma that use simple plain English to automate tests. The changing UI elements are maintained by AI.



NLP-based tests can accommodate changes anytime and can easily be edited(if required). NLP makes it easier to automate all of your test cases and tightly integrates them with your dynamic delivery pipeline while optimizing the user experience.



<h2 id="why-nlp-for-smart-test-automation">Why NLP for smart test automation?</h2>



There are many benefits that can be gained by using NLP for Smart Test automation.



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Low Learning Curve. Since the tests are written in natural language, it is not mandatory for a tester or anyone from the team to have programming knowledge in order to go through it.</li> <li>Since the test cases are created in natural language which does not need to be learnt. The time spent on test creation is reduced.</li> <li>And similarly, the test cases become easier to maintain as well.</li></ul>



<h2 id="tools-that-use-nlp-for-smart-test-automation">Tools that use NLP for Smart Test Automation</h2>



Tools like <a href="https://testsigma.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Testsigma</a> use NLP in Test Automation in a way that complex automation can be done easily in plain natural language that can be understood by all. With a minimum or no amount of training, complex automated tests can be written with no coding involved



In addition to plain natural language test creation, Testsigma also offers some additional features that make your test automation smart. These features include:



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Possible Failure Detection – Affected Test Cases</li><li>Test Management Capabilities(Requirements, Test Suites, Test Case priorities etc)</li><li>Automatic Bug Reporting(JIRA)</li><li>Shared Object Repository</li><li>State Management</li> </ul>



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Another such example of a smart test automation tool is ‘<a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.indiumsoftware.com/uphorix-platform/" target="_blank">uphorix</a>’. 



Features include:&nbsp;



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Low code automation</li><li>Intelligent scripting</li><li>Swift compatibility</li><li>Native Test Data generator</li></ul>



<h2 id="when-not-to-use-nlp">When not to use NLP</h2>



There are some disadvantages to the use of NLP in test automation:



NLP should not be used in scenarios where your project requirements are not fulfilled by all the functionalities the tool can offer via NLP. In such cases check if customization is allowed in other languages. Or go for another tool that lets you automate according to your project requirements



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



From cars that drive themselves to the minuscule devices that can detect cancer cells to a neural network that can help spot Covid-19 in chest x-rays and many other ways, AI is transforming our world and everything in it.



In such circumstances, can testing and QA stay away from its virtues? There is plenty of scope in this field with some use cases like built-in intelligence in tools and IDEs, prepackaged content to be delivered. 



The extensive usage of Natural Language Processing to auto-generate smart, interactive, self-healing test suites is merely the prelude and the path ahead is propitious.

Smart Test Automation using NLP What you should know

Smart Test Automation using NLP: What you should know?

“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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<ts-linktext-value>Selenium vs Scriptless Test Automation</ts-linktext-value>
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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

<a href="https://www.marketquest.biz/report/88124/global-automation-testing-market-2021-by-company-regions-type-and-application-forecast-to-2026" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">MarketQuest</a> (2021) predicts automation testing to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 9.8% for the next five years. Globally, organizations across banking, retail, automotive, healthcare, etc., amongst others will embark on automation. 



That brings us to the crux of our conversation — codeless test automation. What is it, and why do we need it? In the past, it was always important for testers to learn to code and keep updating their skills for performing automation tests. 



In all honesty, it wasn&#8217;t always practical or simple, but with codeless test automation &#8211; test automation that does not require learning to code &#8211; testers can now focus on what&#8217;s crucial: shipping efficient products. Also, teams with agile or DevOps culture are more collaborative, and testing isn&#8217;t a tester&#8217;s responsibility alone; developers, product managers, testers work together in ensuring a high-quality product. 



For such a work environment, codeless automation testing is of great value. Before we explore codeless automation testing in detail, we recommend reading: <a aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/blog/software-testing-trends-2021-what-can-we-expect/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Software Testing Trends </a>



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#Advantages_of_Codeless_Test_Automation">1 Advantages of Codeless Test Automation</a></li><li><a href="#Additional_Advantages_of_Using_Tools_for_Codeless_Test_Automation">2 Additional Advantages of Using Tools for Codeless Test Automation</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="advantages-of-codeless-test-automation">Advantages of Codeless Test Automation</h2>



If you&#8217;ve been wondering whether to make that shift to a codeless test automation tool, allow us to dig deeper and explain their advantages.&nbsp; 



Time-saving: Primary and yet the best advantage of using codeless automation testing is it is time-saving. As testers don&#8217;t have to spend their time coding or <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/automated-functional-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">learning</a> to code — you can start with codeless testing from day one.



Speed: One of the best advantages of moving to codeless automation testing is the speed at which you can manage your development pace. Codeless automation testing, by default, offers a user-friendly interface that lets testers learn it quickly. 



Since there is no need to write any piece of code — testers can write test cases that are often aided by AI, therefore enhancing both performance and the speed of testing.



For instance, <a aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Testsigma</a> — a codeless automation testing tool lets you write automated tests at 5x speed. All you&#8217;ve got to do is write tests in simple English. Another tool, <a href="https://www.perfecto.io/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Perfecto</a>, supports parallel test execution, and you can run several tests in multiple environments. 



Almost all codeless test automation tools offer parallel test execution, which significantly reduces time and effort because you can perform multiple tests in multiple environments.



Simple to <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/ux-testing-ux-lessons-learned-from-my-real-life-experiences-part-1/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">learn: Codeless automation testing</a> is user-friendly. What we mean is, you can start automating your projects right from the day you sign up for the tool. Testers can take a quick product tour, configure, and start testing. 



High-quality: Codeless test automation enables faster feedback cycles and faster time to market as it reduces the software development time. Since you&#8217;ll execute tests at a rapid pace in a highly controlled environment, you&#8217;re more in control when it comes to efficiency. 



That said, faster feedback will always lead to fewer bugs or errors — so, you&#8217;re shipping high-quality apps or websites.&nbsp;



Also Know: <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/why-test-automation-tools-are-important-for-new-work-style/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Importance of test automation tools</a><gwmw style="display:none;"><gwmw style="display:none;"></gwmw></gwmw>



<h2 id="additional-advantages-of-using-tools-for-codeless-test-automation">Additional Advantages of Using Tools for Codeless Test Automation</h2>



Most codeless automation testing tools come with features such as AI, scalability, amongst a few others that give these tools an extra edge. Let’s take a look at some of the best advantages of using codeless test automation tools.



CI/CD Integrations fit like a glove: For teams with agile and DevOps culture — codeless automation testing tools are of major advantage. You can expedite testing and plan your product launches faster. CI/CD integration ensures all the changes or updates are regularly made.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-AwYt8Yqw5-PsVs_qj14EvXa_nzfk8K-Ui74WRmexBkDUYyqGBURZ-NEGunWP6vmVi_cbF2uywhVd9C3QKdj5THvQeeHPD-_zb8pfQZMoCWrHQZILwfbdk0VcuNZpQjirxq5mHE4" alt="Advantages of Codeless Test Automation Tools"/></figure>







Plus, if there are any bugs, they can be caught in earlier stages. Tools like <a aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Testsigma</a>, <a href="https://www.leapwork.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Leapwork</a>, <a href="https://www.ranorex.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Ranorex Studio</a> offer CI/CD integrations with tools such as Bamboo, Jenkin, CircleCI, etc.



Scalability is a pro-point: If you ask any tester out there, they&#8217;ll tell you how taxing it is to upgrade a traditional automation testing tool. For instance, if you were to upgrade or maintain the Selenium grids, it&#8217;s not only expensive but also less efficient. Besides, it&#8217;s not scalable. 



However, most codeless automation testing tools are cloud-based. They&#8217;re quite scalable, and you can scale a cloud up or down based on your project requirement. 



Larger automation scope: With codeless automation testing, the automation scope is high. Codeless <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/can-ai-driven-test-automation-enhance-test-automation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">automation testing</a> tools are designed to test multiple apps from the same platform.



 For instance, you can perform tests on mobile apps (iOS, Android, native, and hybrid), desktop apps, web apps, virtual apps, etc., simultaneously.&nbsp; 







As we test various interfaces within these apps, we can increase the scope of test automation from one app to multiple apps based on our requirements. Apart from scaling the testing process, you can evaluate risk areas with a codeless testing platform and test them thoroughly.



Fewer efforts on regression testing: Regression testing is time-consuming, and it&#8217;s best to automate it. As per <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://theqalead.com/topics/2020-software-testing-trends-qa-technologies-data-statistics/" target="_blank">QA Lead</a>, around 78% of organizations globally automate their regression testing. 



Since regression testing is monotonous and repetitive, QA engineers can significantly decrease their efforts and focus on other aspects of testing such as exploratory or acceptance testing. 



Codeless automation testing tools like <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/" target="_blank">Testsigma</a> and <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.leapwork.com/" target="_blank">Leapwork</a> enable you to write regression tests in plain English. Besides, you can run regression tests parallelly with other tests or even schedule them based on your project priority. 



To know more about how to automate regression testing effectively, read this <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/how-to-best-automate-regression-testing-effectively/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">article</a>. 



AI saves the day: Codeless automation testing tools come integrated with AI or ML. As per <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/blog/software-testing-trends-2021-what-can-we-expect/" target="_blank">Software testing trends</a> for 2021, at least 38% of global organizations have introduced AI or ML in their testing efforts. The growth is staggeringly high because AI or ML combines human intelligence and computer intelligence to accelerate development, reduce errors, and automatically handle processes. 



<a href="https://www.mabl.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Mabl</a> — a codeless testing tool is powered by AI, which helps auto-heal; it quickly identifies even the most minute changes. With this tool, you can test modern frameworks like VueJs, React, and Angular too.&nbsp;







<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/XCKkjmaSKXQehyqjuu6_TdJ9klPzYNnhHJlQnMiUAtNREMBSQdpbPmEka7C9-fknIhe82cC9ii4Gd41nHuFsEjerDvegedC0ZU392Wf6C6JIzJAuyBlaPzmlewCldERXwr9yDBxD" alt="Mabl"/></figure>



In <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/" target="_blank">Testsigma</a>, AI manages 70% of test cases and gets rid of flakiness after every update or build. You&#8217;re building efficient products — just the way you planned. 



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Real-time reports &amp; analytics: A thumb rule when picking a codeless automation testing tool is to go for one that offers customizable reports and analytics dashboard. From tracking the progress and performance of your test suites to monitoring team progress — these dashboards come in handy. Discovering bugs or false negatives is also possible with reports and analytics dashboards. 



Besides, most tools suggest <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/working-from-home-tips-and-tricks-for-the-testing-community/">tips on improving productivity </a>or test case scenarios, which are quite beneficial. Most of these tools come with a superior bug management system. Every time they spot flakiness, bugs, or error patterns, they&#8217;ll notify the teams so you can fix them pronto.&nbsp; 



Built-in Integrations: Most codeless automation testing tools come with built-in integrations that make life easier. Equipped with test management tools, project templates, communications, test-case libraries, object repositories, etc., — a lot can be performed from one platform. No additional set-ups or configurations are required.&nbsp; 



Test reusability: A sustainable form of testing includes test reusability. It&#8217;s cost-effective, time-saving, and a sensible way forward. Most codeless testing tools support reusing test steps across projects; in fact, they support reusing test steps within various versions of operating systems too. 



These tools are generally intelligent enough to prioritize test case reusability and suggest or automatically manage and update test cases to reduce manual efforts. Some common steps or test cases can be increased into the test flows later, making it a flexible process. 



It all happens on the cloud: Cloud-based tools are the future, and if you&#8217;re not shifting to them, you&#8217;re not fully embracing digital transformation. Most codeless automation testing tools are cloud-based, due to to which your maintenance costs are cheap — no need to maintain and upgrade physical tools or systems. 



A cloud is secure and scalable — you&#8217;re more in control as you get to decide what and how much to use. If your project requirement has changed, you can scale up or down based on that requirement. You pay for what you use. Cloud is also up and running 24*7, and remote teams can access it from anywhere, any time. 



Some cloud-based automation testing tools come with real devices that you can start testing on. You can fetch real-time reports and get a fair idea of how your end users may interact with your product.&nbsp; 



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/dyPu782zDMjcN1GeEVSvMCtZjlKSoU2R7kz523bPexenLMl4rbh3PaDgbuucZAGe7_BjvFQckOxciXNkHhxjAhDLUHuJJu2wD7fIomWAFntGdukik5_f4jz4QKvJxiiAMoK5xRMX" alt="Testsigma"/></figure>



Those are some of the best benefits a codeless automation testing tool can offer. If you are looking for one, we recommend checking out Testsigma. Our automation testing tool comes with thousands of real-time devices with various browsers and OS combinations in its cloud. 



Offering end-to-end testing solutions, Testsigma follows shift-left and supports data-driven testing. In addition, we offer a fully loaded test lab for you to manage your test executions better, and if you&#8217;re keen on plugging in your devices for testing, you can do that too.&nbsp; 



Don&#8217;t just take our word for it, though — try it out yourself. Testsigma is giving away a 21-day free trial. Sign up <a href="https://testsigma.com/signup" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">here</a>.

Advantages of using codeless test automation tool An exhaustive list

Benefits of Codeless Test Automation Tools – An Exhaustive list

How to speed up your software releases cycles with Testsigma

Software Release Life Cycle – How to Speed Up With Testsigma

<a href="https://adevait.com/blog/remote-work/adopting-agile-the-latest-reports-about-the-popular-mindset" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Most software development organizations now follow agile scrum methodology.</a> In most cases, they divide their work in sprints &#8211; a repeatable fixed time-box during which all tasks for a deliverable are planned and executed. After each sprint, the target is to complete as many planned tasks as possible and come up with a deliverable.  



A user story is the smallest unit of work in an agile framework. A user story is further divided into tasks to be taken up in a sprint. A recommended approach for considering a user story complete is when the corresponding feature that was being developed, is tested and automated too. 



When all of these activities for a story are planned for a sprint, the test automation comes to be known as ‘insprint test automation’.



As is obvious, the basic need for successful implementation of in-sprint test automation is speed. So, you also need to look for an appropriate tool that will help you achieve it. When looking for a tool for insprint test automation, you need to make sure that most of the features in your tool let you achieve your <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/automated-testing" target="_blank">test automation</a> results quickly and efficiently.



Ability to create test cases quickly: When test automation is implemented, the activity where a majority of the time is spent in test case creation or automation of test cases. Hence, the most crucial feature to look for is &#8211; how your tool enables you in speedy test case creation. 



The best way to ascertain this is to give a tool a try and automate a few end-to-end test cases or the type of test cases that you need to automate. This will help you to ascertain the usability of the tool and its compatibility with your team members. If you have a team that is trained in some tool already, then you might want to choose that same tool. In case, you are building a team from scratch and you want a tool that does not require much training, then you should go for a tool that lets you and your team create test cases easily.



Support for speedy test execution: There is no point in having a good number of automated test cases that take a lot of time to execute. If infrastructure is a bottleneck then your focus should be on executing high-priority test cases first and then the other ones later. 



But if the infrastructure is not an issue then you should use a tool (for insprint test automation) that can offer you speedy test execution as a feature. A couple of&nbsp; features that can help you there are &#8211;&nbsp; schedule test runs, parallel test execution, and good infrastructure (that is where cloud-based tools help),&nbsp;



Support for shift test:&nbsp; Shift left means that you are able to start automation of test cases even before development is completed. For insprint test automation, this is a blessing because it means testers can automate the test cases while developers work on development. It helps meet the goals of insprint test automation better.&nbsp;



Support for quick reviews: Quality is not just the responsibility of a tester. But, it is the responsibility of the whole team. So, it makes sense to get all the automated test cases reviewed by the team or stakeholders. 



This ensures that the automated test cases cover all important requirements and are created to satisfy all testing needs. When more perspectives are involved, it also means more thorough testing.&nbsp;



Thus, having a tool that allows other team members (even non-technical ones if possible) to review the test cases and provide them input will prove beneficial.



Easy and swift test case maintenance: The need for maintenance of already automated test cases comes up when features/functionalities in your application change. And that is why the second-most time-taking activity during test automation is test maintenance.&nbsp;



Thus, to meet the requirement of insprint test automation, it is essential to choose a tool that comes with features that make test maintenance easy.



Some features that you should be looking for easy maintenance are:



1. Self-heal: Certain tools come with features to automatically heal your test cases in case of minor changes in your application, like in XPath of elements. This feature certainly can help you to save a great amount of time.



2. Easy readability: Of course, the test cases will be easy to maintain for anyone if they are easy to read too. Here, it’s important to follow certain standard practices for test case creation to enhance readability. Focusing on this feature, certain tools are available that let you automate test cases in simple English for example, our own tool Testsigma. When test cases are written in simple English they give your test case readability a real boost.



3. Easy to understand for new team members: If you choose a tool that also has a big <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/automated-functional-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">learning</a> curve, then it might not be easy to understand for new team members. In such cases, you can choose to hire people who are already trained in the tools you use or you can choose to use a tool that has a low learning curve.



4. Easily editable: This is more to do with the UI, when you are working on a test case for maintenance, the major work is done during editing it. So, the IDE in use for test case creation should be easy to use and navigate for editing.



5. Easy and Quick to debug: Easy maintenance is only possible if the test cases are easy to debug. Some IDEs support step-by-step debugging while some others let you take screenshots/video recordings of the failures. If your application is majorly UI-based then having a video recording available for failures would be a good feature to have.



 Good Support team or a good, supportive, responsive community: Having dealt with test creation and maintenance, the next feature your tool needs is a good support team or a good, supportive, responsive community. Think about it, what if you are in the process of automating a test case, all set to meet your sprint deadlines and suddenly you see your test case failing without any understandable reason. 



You go to the support of your tool or its community and ask a question. But then you don’t get an immediate response. You wait till the end of the sprint but you don’t get a solution and the sprint ends without marking the story complete. 



That means you were not able to meet your insprint test automation targets too. Thus, a good support team can be the deciding factor for the success of your insprint test automation. Of course, after you have taken care of the aspects of test case creation and maintenance on time.



 Easy integration with different tools that you already use: Software development teams can end up using a variety of tools to achieve success in the highly competitive markets today. It also means that there could be multiple tools being used for multiple tasks that are performed during the SDLC. 



Insprint test automation is usually implemented by teams that would have already implemented CI/CD and bug reporting tools. Thus, the support of integrating your tool into all these tools can make a big difference in the ease of achieving the results of insprint test automation. 



Thus, when you go about choosing a tool to implement insprint test automation, do check out the tools that can be easily integrated with it.



Easy and Quick to Track: Sometimes while you are making changes, some bad commits go into your test automation code too.So, a tool that comes with a feature for tracking these changes would also make it easy to rectify any errors on time and would help achieve insprint test automation better. Another important feature for good tracking is good reporting, so you need a tool that will provide you with useful reports on time.&nbsp;



Support for future enhancements: The world of technology is fast-paced, and new technologies and techniques are introduced frequently.If by any chance, you decide to update any of the technology stacks you use for development, you should be sure that your test automation tool of choice would support it. An obvious need to be ready for the future isn’t it?



Easy and Quick to set up: This might not be directly related to insprint test automation, but quick setup does let you save time and Start other activities sooner. This is one aspect that you can look at while choosing a tool for test automation. 



<h2 id="in-sprint-test-automation-with-testsigma">In-sprint test automation with Testsigma</h2>



<a href="https://testsigma.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Testsigma, a cloud-based test automation platform for web and mobile apps</a> is specifically designed to help you achieve insprint test automation with ease.&nbsp;



Some Testsigma features that help you are:



1. Test case creation is done in simple English2. Parallel test execution that can be scheduled. Supports integration with multiple cloud device labs with thousands of real devices and browsers for exhaustive cross-browser testing.3. Cloud that can be scaled up and down according to your testing needs.4. Supports Shift left5. Features for easy maintenance like self-heal and reporting affected resources before they make your test cases fail.6. Support review and collaboration with the complete team7. Very Easy to Learn8. Supports integration with most of CI/CD and bug reporting tools9. Highly customizable reporting10. 24&#215;7 support team11. Platform agnostic &#8211; lets you automate for web, iOS, and Android from the same place.12. Cloud-based, hence you need to just signup and start automating.



Very affordable. You can check the pricing here: <a href="https://testsigma.com/pricing">https://testsigma.com/pricing</a>



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Insprint Test Automation what features should your automation tool have

Insprint Test Automation – what features should your automation tool have?

It’s very common to have a handful of issues when deploying a software change to production because you are replacing a working version of your software or application with the one having the desired changes. Your testing team might have thoroughly tested the new version of the software, but still, the doubt of whether it will work as intended or not is always there.



So, let’s peek into some of the worthy methods that you can incorporate to reduce the risk of missing bugs before deploying to production.



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#Automating_as_much_as_you_can">1 Automating as much as you can</a></li><li><a href="#Deploying_the_same_way_all_the_time">2 Deploying the same way all the time</a></li><li><a href="#Deploying_in_small_batches">3 Deploying in small batches</a></li><li><a href="#Setting_a_clear_protocol_for_deploying_to_production">4 Setting a clear protocol for deploying to production</a></li><li><a href="#Controlling_the_impact_of_testing_on_users">5 Controlling the impact of testing on users</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="h-automating-as-much-as-you-can">Automating as much as you can</h2>



It is always better to keep the mundane repeatable tasks for computers as they are better at dealing with them as compared to humans. With automation, you need not worry about missing any steps while deploying a change, such as creating a folder or giving permissions to some of the files.&nbsp;



All you have to do is, invest some hours in creating a script and just run the script again when you want to deploy a change. With a range of automation tools at your disposal, such as <a href="https://testsigma.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Testsigma</a>, <a href="https://www.jenkins.io/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Jenkins (opens in a new tab)">Jenkins</a>, <a href="https://www.terraform.io/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Terraform (opens in a new tab)">Terraform</a>, etc., you can have all your scripts in version control, which keeps everyone updated regarding the change, when it was applied, and the reason why it changed in both deployment and infrastructure pipelines.



With automation, deployments become a seamless, smooth affair where you can easily move forward and backwards without any hassles. Deploying and reverting a deployment becomes as easy as clicking a button and can be done even by non-technical people.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-deploying-the-same-way-all-the-time">Deploying the same way all the time</h2>



If you want to avoid any unfavourable surprises in the real environment, you need to deploy the same way all the time. In order to achieve this, you need testing environments similar to production. 



This does not mean that you need the same data everywhere as it can be expensive and associated with several security-related risks.&nbsp; It simply means that your configuration in <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/test-environment/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">testing environments </a>should replicate the production environment in every possible way.



Also, this method proves to be cost-effective because, during deployment, surprises are kept to a minimum and thus reduces the risk of leaving out bugs in production too.



<h2 id="h-deploying-in-small-batches">Deploying in small batches</h2>



Deploying in small batches reduces the time to get feedback on the changes and makes it easy to mitigate the key issues on time. But the thing which is of top concern is how small should your deployment batches be, and what should be the frequency of deploying them. 



The solution is &#8211; You should treat deployment like coding. Do not wait for it to be complete. &nbsp;As soon as you have something which is ready to be deployed, do it.



By increasing the number of times you deploy, you can accelerate the feedback process. When you keep deploying the changes frequently, you don’t have to wait until you have a lot of changes to deploy. As a result, it will be easier to find or locate what’s wrong and will help reduce the risk of <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/a-testers-guide-to-deal-with-missed-bugs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">missing bugs</a> in production.



<h2 id="h-setting-a-clear-protocol-for-deploying-to-production">Setting a clear protocol for deploying to production</h2>



Before you begin deployment, you must know answers to some of the key questions such as are all the features complete and functional as expected, are you rolling out the features all at once or in pieces, do users need to manually update the software or make any change from their side.



It is crucial to set a clear protocol for deploying to production in order to reduce the risk. The deployment protocol should include –&nbsp;



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>&nbsp;Ensuring that features’ definition of done is met</li><li>The feature works according to the documentation</li><li>All feature functionalities should have been thoroughly tested. If some part needs manual testing then that should be done before deployment.</li></ul>



In addition to these, it should include every other check that your code should pass through before it is considered safe to be deployed to production. The protocol helps ensure that only the working code and complete features are getting deployed to production and bugs are being kept to a minimum.



<h2 id="h-controlling-the-impact-of-testing-on-users">Controlling the impact of testing on users</h2>



Users are the lifeblood of organizations, especially SaaS-based products. So, their experience should be the topmost concern for organizations. The testing that you do in production should not break the production environment.



Here are a few ways to control the impact of testing on users –



<ul><li>Using <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/canary-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Canary testing</a>, which includes introducing a small amount of code change and see if it is working as expected</li><li>Controlled test flights to visualize how users interact with the changes made in the UI</li><li>Synthetic users for capturing metrics that give an idea of what the real users would experience while executing specific actions in your product without any need for the real users to go through those user paths</li><li>Scheduled maintenance window – Before conducting load tests on the production system, you can notify the users that the system would be down for some time. This way, users will be able to plan their tasks and can avoid a bad experience.</li></ul>



Without users, there is no usage, no business, and no revenue. Hence it is crucial to properly control the impact of testing on users. By now, you might be aware of the risks involved in the deployment process. It is crucial to deploy new code to fix the issues and introduce new features to keep your customers happy and hooked to your product. By following the guidelines mentioned above, you can significantly avoid the most common risks involved in the deployment.



Testsigma, a comprehensive, cloud-based, <a href="https://testsigma.com/ai-driven-test-automation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AI-driven test automation tool</a>, allows organizations to implement continuous deployment in DevOps.&nbsp; Every code commit can pass through the automated testing phase and then automatically gets released into the production environment. It saves a significant amount of time and effort. Get into the groove of easy and smooth deployment with Testsigma without compromising on the quality and security of your software.



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How to reduce the risk of missing bugs before deploying on production?