Test estimation for Selenium automation

Nowadays, Test Estimation is not limited to the manual testing process, estimation techniques are being applied to test automation also. Also, Selenium gaining popularity is making test estimation a must nowadays before automating an application. I will list down some factors which should be taken into consideration while estimating a Selenium project.

1. Scope of the project

Scope means identifying the correct and appropriate test cases for automation. Break your application in small modules and then to submodules and analyze each of the sub-modules to come up with the appropriate test cases for automation.

2. The complexity of the application

If an application has 300 – 500 test cases to automate, it can be considered as a small-sized application. If the test cases are over 1200, it can be termed as complex. You have to also keep in mind the different checkpoints and verification points for your test case. A test case can have more than 1 checkpoint but will have necessarily only 1 verification point. In case you have more than 1 verification point, the Test case should be bifurcated into separate test cases.

3. Use of supporting tools/technologies

Selenium alone is not sufficient to complete the automation. Selenium (Web driver) will only help in scripting the test case, but tasks like reporting of the result, tracking of logs, taking screenshots and storing them in a location, etc.

To achieve these separate tools are required that will be integrated with your framework.

4. Implementing the Framework

It is the most important part because If your framework is well planned, maintenance and enhancement become easier especially when you are working in an Agile environment.

• Identify the input (that is how data is to be sent in the application) and output (report of test result) of the suite.
• Implement the reporting feature, for example in some excel file or using any tool like ReportNG.
• Implement logger in your framework.
• Implementing build tools like Ant, Maven, Gradle if you are working in java.
• Implement the unit test framework For example Junit or TestNG.

5. Environment set up

Environment set up deals with the following things:-

• Setting up the code in the test environment(URL, browsers, etc)
• Establishing the frequency of running the scripts like when and which test scripts should run and in which order.
• Creating excel files for entering the test data in the application.
• Creating property files to track the environments and credentials.

6. Coding/scripting and Review

Before you start writing your tests scripts, 2 things should be done:

• Test cases should be prepared.
• The framework should be ready.

Identify different functions that your application performs. It can be a simple action like clicking, entering text or a complex action like connecting to a database. Pick one test case at a time, and identify what all action that particular test case does and estimate time accordingly for each test case.

Reviews should be the last part here, it can be done by a peer or a developer as it can decrease testing efforts and time.