Automated User Acceptance Testing for Non-Programmers

1. 1
Red7 :|: software development
AUTOMATING UAT
WEB TESTING
Automated User Acceptance Testing
for Non-Programmers
robertGrupe, CISSP, CSSLP, PE, PMP
tags :|: web testing, User Acceptance Testing, UAT, quality assurance, QA, product
management, selenium
© Copyright 2013-04 Robert Grupe. All rights reserved.

2. Red7 :|: software development
UAT Challenges
• Regression testing
• Retesting of previous functionality to ensure new functionality has not
introduced new, unintended issues
• Becomes increasingly time consuming and costly as your product
evolves
• Most enterprise IT automated test tools are built around
automating Microsoft Internet Explorer
• Difficulties for non-IT skilled staff
• Available methods
• Programming in VBA (through Excel or other Office app)
• Software testing frameworks
• Programs used by IT Testers to design, manage, and run their tests
• Requires
• Knowledge of how to program Internet Explorer
• Knowledge of HTML and Document Object elements
• Knowledge of programming languages (VBA, Java, etc.)
© Copyright 2013-04 Robert Grupe. All rights reserved.

3. Red7 :|: software development
Manual vs. Automation Considerations
• Manual
• A’s
• Don’t need much prep time – can just look at requirements and begin testing
• Person can easily adapt to frequent changes
• D’s
• Business users don’t like to develop the level of details that are required for good tests
• Knowledge retention
• if manual scripts not detailed enough, not easy just to rerun the same test months later
• Automation Strengths
• A’s
• Speed of script execution faster than human (reduce time and/or staffing)
• Repeated, no variation
• Tester doesn’t need to be a SME because testing objectives are defined in the script
• Great for reproducing issues and verifying bug fixes
• D’s
• Time required to design & development scripts
• Testing tool knowledgeable person required to initiate testing, monitor progress, and
provide corrections any required corrections.
© Copyright 2013-04 Robert Grupe. All rights reserved.

4. Red7 :|: software development
Solution: Solenium IDE plug-in
• A’s
• Free ($0) software download for web browser add-on
• Provides easy Record & Replay of user actions
• Can check for text and elements on screen
• Available for Windows, Mac, Linux
• Simple branching and looping available as a further add-on
• Cases can be exported to Java, C#, Python, Perl, PHP, Ruby
• VBA @ https://code.google.com/p/selenium-vba/
• D’s
• Only works with Mozilla Firefox
• Visual appearance differences between IE and Firefox HTML engines
• Not usually an issue for functional testing
© Copyright 2013-04 Robert Grupe. All rights reserved.

5. Red7 :|: software development
Demo
© Copyright 2013-04 Robert Grupe. All rights reserved.

6. Red7 :|: software development
Automation Steps
• Identify requirements and validation testing criteria
• Test Requirements from: Product Requirements, Product User
Stories, Expected Design Elements
• Outline Test Case
• Word or Excel sequence of steps
• Identify any required data (logons, entered values, text or screen
elements that will need to be validated, etc.)
• Create the Test Case draft
• If there is a current version of the application that can be used,
Record an application walk though
• Verify and fix test case draft as needed (remove accidents, add element
validations, etc.)
• OR Write in HTML (‘Selanese’ instructions)
• After software released, run test & fix any script errors
© Copyright 2013-04 Robert Grupe. All rights reserved.

7. Red7 :|: software development
Cost
• If you can download and use Firefox add-ons on your
business computer
• Free ($0)
• If you IT department won’t allow you to install Firefox add-
ons…
• ~ $25/month/tester for Hosted Virtual Desktop,
• http://virtualdesktoponline.com/hosted-desktop/ , others
© Copyright 2013-04 Robert Grupe. All rights reserved.

8. Red7 :|: software development
Recommendation
• Quick Start Now: Record Your Testing Sessions
• How
• Anytime you begin a test, simply click the record button.
• Then when you are done, save the results.
• Why
• Verify useful in reviewing with others, if a suspected issue is discovered
• Script can be replayed to show others what you did and what happened
• Speeds retesting to verify issue resolution
• Can be used for regression test draft for the next release.
• Scenarios can be used in step-through mode for sales and training
demonstrations
© Copyright 2013-04 Robert Grupe. All rights reserved.

9. Red7 :|: software development
Finis
• This Presentation & Further Resources
• www.red7managementsolutions.com
• Questions, suggestions, & requests
• Robert Grupe, CISSP, CSSLP, PE, PMP
• robert.grupe@red7managementsolutions.com
• +1.636.236.8434
© Copyright 2013-04 Robert Grupe. All rights reserved.