The Pros and Cons of Automated Testing

Automated testing and manual testing each have their own set of advantages and disadvantages. In this blog, we’ll look at what automated testing is, when it’s helpful and what its drawbacks are. 

Whether it’s used for software, websites, products, or applications, automated testing uses strategies and tools to augment or minimize the role of manual testing 

Automated testing is especially helpful with highly-repetitive tasks as well as with large projects that have already been through an initial manual testing phase. Functional testing, regression testing, stress testing, performance testing, load testing and exception or negative testing can all be automated using the right frameworks and technologies.  

While it might take some time to design automated tests, they can be run quickly and effectively once they’re in place for as many cycles as necessary. Their consistency produces reliable results, eliminating human error.    

Although upfront investment is required, automated testing can save money in the long term. Typically, an automated test can do more than a manual test in the same amount of time, and defects are spotted and corrected faster—enabling a more agile approach and freeing your team to focus on other higher-level tasks.  

Another benefit to automated testing is greater transparency with results. Any team member can sign into the testing system and check the outcomes, which allows for collaboration and better communication through the testing cycle.  

One of the more obvious cons of automated testing is the expense associated with the tools necessary for automation. In addition, learning how to use the tool, developing these tests and running them can be a time-intensive process. You’ll need someone who is proficient in writing automation test scripts, so you can avoid accidentally inserting minor errors that have huge impacts on the quality of your results. 

Like any digital tool, the tools used for automated testing have their limitations. For example, most of these tools aren’t able to test for specific visual components like font size and cohesion or image color. Knowing upfront which aspects of your product need repeated testing will help you determine if automated or manual testing is the right course of action. 

Ultimately the biggest determining factor in whether you should use automated or manual testing is your goals. Depending on what you need your product to do, you may need automated testing, manual testing or a combination of both.  

Interested to learn how you can incorporate automated testing into the software development lifecycle? Sign up for a free demo.