What is Manual Testing in the Software Development Cycle?
The world is becoming automated in more ways than one. Even software is eating itself. The fact is that companies are trying to save precious resources like time and money by minimizing unnecessary manual repetition.
This is true in all parts of business processes, and it is present in the software development lifecycle as well. For instance, manual testing of software applications like the Microsoft Suite or Twitter used to be a significant part of the process, not anymore.
Companies are turning to playwright testing to bring about more efficiency.
We can see this with applications such as Selenium testing.
Let’s find out more about Selenium, why it matters, and opportunities in this part of the software development lifecycle.
The Pre-Cursor: Manual Testing
To understand why automation is essential and the next step up, you must comprehend manual testing. Remember that manual testing is the foundation, and it is what you are automating. The idea here is to automate what you did in the past. Thus, if you do not know what you did prior, then you will not know what to automate.
Let’s demonstrate what manual testing looks like with a regular online sign-up form. A standard set up site would ask for name, email, username, password, gender, and other items. It would also have a submit button.
If one were to test this registration page out, they would follow steps such as these:
- Making sure all buttons work
- Formulating reports for each activity taken
- Validating the page
- Ensuring to take screenshots of the validation result
These transactions seem simple for one page but can be complicated for many pages. It can take many working hours and dollars.
Automating this manual testing process works by writing and executing test scripts. The program would deliver the results, as well as create and present the screenshots.
Notice how it still follows similar processes in manual testing only automated? It helps to bring speedy execution, increased accuracy, less human capital input, works with regression testing, regular implementations, and runs by itself.
What is compelling about automation is that even though it might require an initial investment, it creates continuous effective results. No one has to second-guess the process results as inputs are pre-defined and verified. Finally, automation engineers do not have to be in front of the computer screen; they can rest easy knowing that they have run the test suite.
That’s why companies turn to automation testing over manual testing to improve their processes and increase efficiency.