Manual vs. Automation Testing: Things to Know

 

Software Testers happen to be individuals committed to ensuring the overall quality of a software. This quality is assessed not only in terms of functionality, but also in terms of scalability, reliability, usability, portability and re-usability. Now, this software testing procedure can be performed in a Manual as well as in an automated fashion. Consequently, the question of Manual Testing vs. Automation Testing has evolved as a significant point of debate wherein experts argue over the viability of each method for conducting different kinds of tests.

In this blog, we will look at the issue of Manual vs. Automation Testing by considering the pros and cons of each method, evaluating the differences between the two as well as by digging into the utility of each method for different types of tests.

What is Manual Testing?

Advantages and Disadvantages of Manual Testing

What is Automation Testing?

Advantages and Disadvantages of Automation Testing

Manual vs. Automation Testing: Comparison

Automation vs. Manual Testing: When to Automate

Manual Testing vs. Automation Testing: When to Go with Manual Testing

Scenarios providing for Manual as well as Automation Testing

Conclusion

What is Manual Testing?

Manual Testing involves the testing of software products manually, before they are released into the market. It entails the involvement of human resources as testers or QA Analysts who are responsible for manually executing test cases and in the process, finding bugs and defects in the software being developed. This method of testing is carried out without the usage of Test Automation Tools. 

Advantages and Disadvantages of Manual Testing

Ø  Advantages:

·         Manual execution of test cases provides for the possibility of handling complex test scenarios

·         This method is often opted for short life cycle products

·         In terms of Manual vs. Automation Testing, the former is cheaper than the latter, at least in terms of initial investment

·         It can be used for all kinds of applications

·         Testers do not necessarily need to possess knowledge of Automation Tools

·         Lowers the risk for false negatives, thus significantly reducing the burden of the DevOps team who do not need to continuously check whether the reported error is true or false

Ø  Disadvantages:

·         Time-consuming and can become a significant bottleneck as there is mounting pressure for faster release of software products

·         It provides for far less test coverage as compared to Automation Testing. Manual Testing covers only a certain number of OS permutations and devices

·         In terms of Manual Testing vs. Automation Testing, the former is less reliable than the latter as being manually conducted by humans, there is always a greater chance for mistakes and errors

What is Automation Testing?

Tester writes test scripts or codes with the help of appropriate Automation Testing Tools which helps validate the software and automate the process of test execution. These pre-scripted tests developed by the tester are made to run in an automatic fashion and eventually compare the actual results with the expected ones. The proximity or divergence of the results helps in determining the quality of the product.

Automation Testing Training helps in the automatic execution of repetitive tasks without human intervention. It seeks to enhance the effectiveness, coverage and efficiency of Software Testing. 

Advantages and Disadvantages of Automation Testing

Ø  Advantages:

·          It facilitates more testing in less time

·         In terms of Manual vs. Automation Testing, the latter is cheaper in the long run, considering the ROI possible

·         As Automation Testing lessens human involvement, it increases reliability

·         It is versatile and provides for reusability as test cases can be recorded

·         It provides for greater test coverage

Ø  Disadvantages:

·         The initial cost of conducting Automation Testing is high

·         It requires the testers to possess knowledge of Test Automation Tools

·         Suitable for simpler, more repetitive tasks

·         It is not possible without knowledge of Programming Languages

·         Automated Testing does not provide for Random Testing

Manual vs. Automation Testing: Comparison

Basis	Manual Testing	Automation Testing
Definition	Testing is performed manually by a QA Analyst in order to assess functionality of product as per customer requirement.	After initial manual creation of test scripts, test cases are executed automatically with help of Automation Testing Tools.
Execution Time	Time-consuming due to high processing time	Faster, with more testing in less time
Efficiency of Tests	Less efficient with greater possibility for mistakes and errors. Hence less reliable	Greater efficiency and more reliability due to execution of tests with the help of tools and scripts
Investment	Initial investment is less. However, ROI in the long run is lower as compared to Automation Testing	Initial investment is more. However, ROI in the long run is higher as compared to Manual Testing
Test Coverage	Limited test coverage. It is difficult to test the application on different OS platforms and browsers	Greater test coverage. Provides for testing on different OS platforms as well as browsers
Exploratory Testing	Possible	Does not provide for random testing
Parallel Testing	Manual testing can be undertaken simultaneously; however, this would entail the need to increase the number of individuals required to conduct the test	Tests can be executed simultaneously across different browsers and OS platforms, seamlessly
Knowledge of Programming Languages	Not required	Required
UI Change	Small changes in elements like the ID, Class and so on; does not disrupt Manual Testing	Even the smallest of change in the UI of the Application Under Test, would necessitate the need to modify the test scripts accordingly
Framework	Does not make use of frameworks, but can rely upon checklists, processes and guidelines for drafting test cases	Makes use of frameworks like Hybrid, Keyword and Data Drive
Report Generation	Testers need to draw up reports by recording their findings	Tools can be used for automatic generation of test reports

 

Automation vs. Manual Testing: When to Automate

The increasing significance of Automation Testing does not indicate the end of Manual Testing. While indulging in the matter of Manual vs. Automation Testing, it is important to remember that the viability of each method is dependent upon a number of factors, especially on the nature of the test to be conducted. 

Ø  Automation Testing works best when:

·         Situations which require frequent testing or involve the execution of repetitive tasks

·         Test cases which involve testing of large volumes of data

·         Situations which require parallel testing or tests which cannot be performed manually

·         where there is possibility of human error

·         It is preferred for non-functional testing as well as when tests need to be executed on different browsers and different environments

·         Automation Testing can be opted for testing the stable parts of an application

One of the significant points of discussion in the matter of Manual vs. Automation Testing, is the type of tests which is preferred to be conducted under each method. On the basis of the scenarios identified above, let us look at some of the tests which are preferred to be conducted in an automated fashion alone.

Ø  Regression Testing

Automation Testing is preferred for these kinds of tests as it involves the testing of repetitive tasks and there are frequent code changes.

Ø  Performance Testing

This type of testing is used for evaluating the stability, scalability and/or speed attributes of the application under test.

Ø  Load Testing

This type of testing is used for determining whether an application can handle a certain number of transactions (load). Thus, it checks the behavior of the product under normal as well as peak conditions.

Manual Testing vs. Automation Testing: When to Go with Manual Testing

In this section, we will look at scenarios and tests which are best to be conducted in a manual fashion.

Ø  Manual Testing works best when:

·         It is required to test those areas of the applications which change continuously

·         It is suitable for projects which are in the initial stage of development

·         Manual Testing is preferred when Ad-hoc or Exploratory Testing needs to be performed or when the test case is not automatable

·         Writing test scripts for short term projects can be a time-consuming activity. In such cases, Manual Testing is preferred

On the basis of the scenarios identified above, let us look at some of the tests which are preferred to be conducted in a manual fashion alone.

Ø  Ad-hoc Testing

These are unplanned tests which fall under the category of informal testing. Usually, when testers possess significant knowledge of the application under test, they can randomly test them without following any definite guideline and procedure.

• Ø  Exploratory Testing

Under this category, the requirements of the test are not spelled out in sufficient detail. Thus, testers merely rely on their skills in testing and exploring the functionalities of the application.

• Ø  Usability Testing

This testing is used for determining how the product would be perceived and received by the end-user. Determining this user-friendliness is only possible with the help of a tester who can understand the mind-set of a consumer.

Scenarios providing for Manual as well as Automation Testing

There are a number of test scenarios wherein testing is possible through any of the two methods. Let us look at some of them. 

• Ø  Acceptance Testing

Also known as pre-production testing, it is performed by testers along with the end-users who determine the feasibility of a product in terms of its need.

• Ø  System Testing

It is the way of determining whether the application is working as per the requirements specified.

• Ø  Integration Testing

It tests the interface between two software units and links different modules to check how they work together.

• Ø  Unit Testing

Also known as Component or Module Testing, it is conducted to test a single module or an individual unit in terms of its functionality.

Conclusion

 The increasing significance of Automation Testing, by no means imply that Manual Testing has become redundant. There are a number of scenarios wherein Automation Testing is not possible. Moreover, test scripts are developed as well as automation tools are designed by humans alone and thus human intervention cannot be sidelined completely. Thus, the choice of a particular testing method would largely be dependent upon the requirements of the project at hand as well as the budget. For more information visit Syntax Technologies.