Customer Reviews

Automated Testing Handbook

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

When this slender book was first published mainstream software test automation was like the weather - everyone talked about it, but nobody seemed to be doing anything about it. The author is a pioneer in software test automation, and wisely wrote a book that still has something valid to say seven years after it was first published.

What you'll get from this book is a clear and complete description of key characteristics and features to look for in an automated test suite. Although one would think that every test group has been automated by now, that is sadly not the case, and this book will give you the foundation for the business case for implementation.

Parts that I especially like (and which every test manager should read) deal with the critical success factors for test management, including maintaining a test dictionary, managing the testing artifact library, and change and version control. These functions are essential to any well run test organization, regardless of whether the organization is automated or using manual methods. However, the emphasis on them reinforce your case for automation because manual methods are more prone to errors and are significantly more labor intensive.

I also like the clear explanation of the test automation process and the elements and activities that are associated. If you mentally compare your testing organization against this process you will get many ideas for improvements, as well as form a vision for an encompassing testing process - even if it will remain manual. The final part of the book deals with defect tracking, metrics and reporting. This material describes best practices in both manual and automated organizations, and is as valid today as it was when this book was first written seven years ago.

While there are more modern books on the subject, they go too far into details for readers who need to quickly get up to speed on the key points. This book does that. When you're ready for a more in-depth book I recommend "Automated Software Testing: Introduction, Management, and Performance" by Elfriede Dustin, Jeff Rashka and John Paul.

In 1996 when this was published, the information may have been quite useful. Today, 10 years later, the information contained within is all over the web in various forms and more up-to-date.

If you decide to obtain a copy what you'll acquire is information as in depth as a slide presentation, in book form, with some verbiage behind the bullets. It'll take you about 20-30 minutes to go through the book. If you're in the testing field, you'll know 70% of the material and will have heard the remaining 30%.

So why 1 star? Suffice to say, I am disappointed with my purchase. The only positive attribute of this work are the topics are collected in a central point making a nice checklist for researching topics. I simply wish I had spent my money on an item that provided more substanance.