Automation Assist, Part 1: Showcase

Use automated scripts to help your team deliver a perfect showcase

The benefits of UI Test Automation extend beyond verification. In this article series, I will show you how to use automated test scripts to assist:

• Showcase
• Help Create Training Videos for staff and customers to use the app
• Test Data Generation (coming soon)

In the article “Use UI Automation to Assist Agile Showcases”, I introduced the idea and my experience. Now, I will show you how to do it.

Prerequisite

• Reliable automated test scripts for newly implemented user stories.
  For every user story, in the spirit of true Agile, there must be at least one automated end-to-end test for it. Showcase scripts will be based on them. Some might say: “we just want to use automation for showcases, like a use-once style”. However, it does not work this way. I understand the reasoning behind the above statement: the team has no confidence in maintaining automated test scripts. In that case, the team should seek external help to get test automation done properly.
  
  Developing one-time-use showcase scripts still requires effort. Without being executed many times in the CT server, the scripts themself might be wrong, out of date, or flaky.