Software testing is a critical phase in the software development lifecycle. It ensures that thesoftware product is reliable, functional, and meets the desired requirements. Traditionally, manual testing has been the standard approach. However, with the advancement of technology, automated testing has emerged as a powerful alternative.
| This white paper explores the Return on Investment (ROI) of software automation testing processes, comparing it with manual testing, and highlighting key areas such as risk, cost, and return. | – Time Delays – Efficiency Loss – Bug Fixing – Downtime – Human Resources – Trust and Credibility – Regulatory Compliance – ROI Comparison |
Time Delays
Manual testing is often time-consuming, especially for large and complex projects. Each test case must be executed manually, and results must be recorded. This can lead to significant time delays, especially during regression testing.
Automated testing, on the other hand, can execute tests much faster. Once the automated scripts are created, they can be run repeatedly without human intervention. This significantly reduces time delays and accelerates the software development lifecycle.
ReplicTest automates testing (re)execution but has also a unique process to automate test scenario’s script generations. Indeed, ReplicTest can record end-user or machine activities in various environments, such as green screen, web, interactive, batch, RESTful APIs, or network requests with a simple start/end click. The recording will automatically generate a script encapsulating all I/O data and processes of your entire test scenario. This script is immediately ready “as-is” to be replayed or it can be customized.
Efficiency Loss
Manual testing can be prone to human errors. Testers may miss critical bugs or inconsistencies, leading to reduced efficiency. Automated testing eliminates this risk by executing tests consistently and accurately.
Automated tests can also be run in parallel, allowing for more comprehensive testing in a shorter amount of time. This leads to increased efficiency and faster feedback loops.
Added to efficiency, the key points of capability regarding ReplicTest are as follows:
- Automated Script Generation: With the capability to record end-user or machine activities, this feature automates & speeds up the creation of test scripts, minimizing manual efforts and errors while ensuring that the tests are accurate and consistent.
- Automated Database Encapsulation: Helps simulate real-world environments, making it easier to replicate data conditions without impacting live systems.
- Concurrent Process Encapsulation (multi-job): This feature encompasses multiple jobs processes, especially efficient for Web app testing.
- Multi-platform Processes Encapsulation: All test scenarios running on the IBM i can be integrated but also extensions or test scenarios running on other platforms.
- Shrink Data: Creation of data subset with only the database records effectively used by the test case. Enable & Increase tests replay frequency with a considerable reduction in turnaround times. This reduces data storage costs and speeds up test cycle times.
- Code Coverage & CC Merging: Ensures thorough test coverage by verifying that all code paths are tested, reducing risks of undetected bugs.
- Automation & batching of interactive processes as well: The capability to re-process in batch interactive processes is a fundamental milestone to a complete automation and true TestOps or DevOps operations.
- Resiliency to UI or DB changes: Maintenance of recorded test scenarios reduced to micro-element changes or reference only, not necessitating re-creation of script test. This safeguards the cumulative capitalization of your test scenarios.
- Workload Testing: Ensure efficient scalability with differentiated, real-world parallel testing stress simulations and avoid server downtime.
- Rich Dashboard: Rich and dynamic dashboards on testing outcomes, to ease managers and decision-makers working life, and to better manage the whole testing life cycle in real time.
- AI continuous workflow integration: Capability to feed or test AI processes in a continuous workflow, this enables AI training models automation.
Bug Fixing
Finding and fixing bugs early in the development process is crucial. Manual testing may not catch all bugs, especially those that occur under specific conditions or edge cases.
Automated testing can run a larger number of tests in a short time, increasing the likelihood of finding bugs. This allows for quicker bug fixing and reduces the risk of releasing software with critical issues.
ReplicTest logs many information and meta data in more than 40 comprehensive files, from files or objects used to call stack or code coverages, from object differences to I/O mismatches with rich & interactive reporting and dashboard. This enables a quick introspection of the environment, of the flow, the variables and data to understand and fix the bug asap.
Downtime
Software downtime can be costly, especially for businesses that rely on their software for critical operations. Workload and hardware capacity planning that are not properly tested can lead to unexpected downtime.
Automated testing, that includes different scales of magnitude in terms of number of parallel users connections and processes, helps to ensure that software is thoroughly tested before release, reducing the risk of downtime. By identifying the hardware requirement and fixing bugs early, automated testing can prevent costly downtime incidents.
ReplicTest ensures effective scalability testing with differentiated parallel testing. For example, for an insurance company whose application is exposed on the cloud, you can test the workload if 10,000 (or 50k etc.) people are connected and requesting a quote at the same time like real cases. This enables a precise and secure configuration for the hardware requirement that otherwise would be only a guess.
Human Resources
Manual testing requires a significant amount of human resources. Testers must spend hours executing test cases and recording results. This can be expensive and time-consuming.
Automated testing reduces the need for human resources in repetitive testing tasks. While it requires an initial investment, for the cost of the possible tool(s), in setting up the automation framework and creating scripts, it significantly reduces ongoing human resource costs.
With ReplicTest, the initial investment is basically represented by the product licence cost only. No further cost for framework and script generation is required.
The framework setting of the automation and scripts creation is already integrated and done by the tool ReplicTest itself, as the end-user would only have to press a start/end button to record a test-scenario from which a script is automatically generated and ready for replay at any time.
Compared to manual testing the time saved, in using ReplicTest, is more than 80%.
As an average, programmers spend from 30% to 60% of their time doing testing and for QA people this is their core activity, they are full testers. According to the size of your activity, the ROI of ReplicTest is usually tangible between 4 to 8 months.
Trust and Credibility
Releasing software with bugs can damage a company’s reputation and erode customer trust. Thorough testing is essential to ensure that the software is reliable and meets customer expectations.
Automated testing provides comprehensive test coverage, increasing the confidence in the software’s quality. This builds trust and credibility with customers, leading to long-term business success.
ReplicTest, with its features, enables a concrete risk reduction and uses itself to be auto-tested as well.
Regulatory Compliance
Many industries have strict regulatory requirements for software testing and validation. Manual testing may not always provide the level of documentation and traceability required for compliance.
Automated testing can generate detailed reports and logs, providing evidence of testing activities and results. This makes it easier to demonstrate compliance with regulatory requirements.
ReplicTest integrates a high level of customizable traceability logging and reporting.
ROI Comparison
Below is a table comparing the cost of manual and truly automated testing with respect to the key points discussed.
| Hidden & Direct Costs Activities | Manual Testing | Truly Automated Testing |
| Time Delays | High | Low |
| Efficiency Loss | High | Low |
| Bug Fixing | High | Moderate |
| Downtime | High Risk | Low Risk |
| Human Resources | High Cost | Lower Cost |
| Trust and Credibility | High | Moderate |
| Regulatory Compliance | High | Moderate |
Business case with ReplicTest, with a projection for a medium company that has the following assets:
- 1M budget for IT (The IT budget typically includes spending on development, testing, infrastructure, software tools, licenses, support, and maintenance).
- 2 to 4 programmers, 1 to 2 QA testers:
- Programmers usually spend from 30% to 60% of their time in testing.
- For QA people testing is their core activity where a true automation will save them at least 80% of their time.
- Average overall estimated cost for 3 to 6 peoples: 200k
| Hidden & Direct Costs Activities | Manual Testing | Truly Automated Testing | Cost Gap | Cost Gap % (on IT Budget) |
| Time delays | 70,000.00 | 0.00 | 70,000.00 | 7.00% |
| Efficiency Loss | 50,000.00 | 0.00 | 50,000.00 | 5.00% |
| Bug Fixing | 150,000.00 | 25,000.00 | 125,000.00 | 12.50% |
| Downtime | 150,000.00 | 25,000.00 | 125,000.00 | 12.50% |
| Human Resources | 200,000.00 | 65,000.00 | 135,000.00 | 13.50% |
| Trust and Credibility | 12,000.00 | 0.00 | 12,000.00 | 1.20% |
| Regulatory Compliance | 50,000.00 | 0.00 | 50,000.00 | 5.00% |
| Total costs: | 682,000.00 | 115,000.00 | 567,000.00 | 56.70% |
As highlighted in the table, testing activities executed with a truly automated tool, like ReplicTest, can significantly lower the costs in respect of the whole IT budget. In this business case total costs of automated tests represent only 10% of the IT budget, while manual testing requires nearly 70% of the IT budget.
The most significant benefits are realized in human resources, reduced downtime, and bug fixes, however time delays, efficiency and compliance are also relevant.
The potential savings on overall IT expenditure are more than 55%, more than half a million in our case.
This shows that implementing a truly automated testing tool becomes a strategic asset to stay competitive also on budget optimization.
In conclusion, full automation of the testing cycle offers significant ROI in the long run and in the short run as well with ReplicTest. By reducing time delays, increasing efficiency, improving bug fixing, and minimizing downtime, automated testing helps businesses to deliver high-quality software, build trust with customers, and ensure regulatory compliance. This means risk reduction with a faster Time To Market and resources optimization, while becoming future-proof and more competitive.
Product page: https://www.polverinipartners.com/replictest/
Contact: info@polverinipartners.com
