How Automated Testing Tools Allow Companies to Reduce IT Department Costs?
Software testing improves your app’s quality and helps eliminate bugs before the product hits the market. But tests take time and effort, often prolonging the software’s release. It is why many developers skip at least some tests to stay on schedule.
That was before testing automation tools hit the market and offered revolutionary solutions in software testing, which made it faster. But are they smart investments from the perspective of finances? The short answer is yes, and this guide focuses on how automated testing tools help companies reduce IT department costs!
The Critical Difference Between Automated and Manual Testing
Before we dive into their advantages, let’s talk about how automated testing tools work. For starters, the crucial word is “automation.” Automated tests don’t require human involvement during their execution. It’s an important difference and a step forward compared to manual testing.
Automated testing tools are specialized software solutions that allow the creation of automatic tests. These are advanced programs, such as Selenium or TestRigor. Although the best automation tools offer intuitive interfaces, a learning curve and coding knowledge are recommended. A human engineer needs to prepare for the test, but that’s where their participation ends. The computer executes the necessary analysis and notifies about test completion.
How Automated Testing Tools Allow Companies to Save on IT Department Costs?
Depending on the software development company or product, you can automate up to 80% of all tests conducted during the project. But why should companies consider switching to automation? Here are the advantages of automatic tests, with a special focus on the financial perspective!
Identify Bugs Early with Unit Tests
A software developer has two main goals – releasing the product on time and ensuring it meets user expectations. The latter includes eliminating as many bugs as possible before the release. Automated unit tests assist in identifying problems and fixing them in an early development phase. You can create tests to analyze a particular feature and look for bugs. To further streamline the software development process, some companies opt to hire a CTO as a service, which provides them with access to high-level technical expertise and strategic guidance without having to commit to a full-time CTO hire.
Once identified, the developers can iron out the issues before proceeding with other development stages. It minimizes the risk of huge bugs appearing down the road. That’ll help avoid additional work on fixing issues days before the release, ensuring you meet the targeted date and deliver a high-quality app.
Create a Test Once, but Run It Unlimited Times
Automated testing has a huge replay value. Imagine human testers need to check a feature to determine bugs and then again to confirm the developers removed them. An automated test created for a specific purpose can be run unlimited times. And with minor changes, it might even be usable on other projects.
That increases productivity since there’s no need for human testers to waste time performing the same check multiple times. Instead, the software does the testing, and they are free to work on more important tasks.
Cover Huge Amounts of Data at a Fast Pace
Automated tests are a wise choice when you need to cover vast data amounts. Even if it’s a one-time test, it could still be done faster than having human testers on the task.
Computers are capable of processing large data amounts per second. They don’t require monitoring, meaning they can test without anyone in the office. It ensures the testing can go on 24/7, which guarantees developers get the feedback as quickly as possible.
Remove the Risk of a Human Error
Even the most dedicated human tester might make an error during the testing process. The analysis might be detailed or tiring, and it’s easy to miss an important detail. But if you use automated tests, you eliminate the risk of human error. As long as you set the test correctly, the computer will perform the necessary analyses flawlessly. That increases the results’ reliability, ensuring you don’t miss a potentially big bug in the code.
Free the Engineers to Work on Other Tasks
The machine handles automated testing, which allows engineers to work on other tasks. It’s a huge way for companies to maximize the IT department’s productivity. Automated tests help stay on course with the schedule without investing in hiring more personnel or paying overtime. Engineers don’t “waste time” on software testing but work on other critical project tasks.
Final Thoughts – Automated Testing Tools Can Be the Best Long-Term Decision
The initial investment in automated testing tools can be significant, especially for a small company. But if you look in the long run, you’ll realize it’s a wise financial decision. For starters, you’ll speed up the feedback cycle. Developers would receive test results quickly, allowing them to detect and fix bugs early in the development.
Thanks to automated testing, you can perform more tests in a shorter timeframe. You remove the risk of human error to maximize result reliability. It helps stay on track with the schedule and create better products. Thanks to that, you can increase the overall company’s revenue. And finally, the computers will perform the tests, freeing up the engineers for other tasks. That ensures you enhance the IT department’s productivity without hiring additional personnel. While the preliminary investment may also be significant, it’s a clever financial choice in the long run. To learn more about how automated testing tools can benefit your company, reach out to the Andersen team.
