Will Automated Testing Replace Manual Software Testing in Future?

Software testing is, in a way, the pillar of success when it comes to software development. The testing procedure starts even before the developmental test, with the help of the feasibility testing process to check the plausibility of the software and ends with the beta test which is done after the whole developmental life cycle has been completed.

As the importance of software testing in the software development life cycle becomes more and more evident, the myths related to the same topic are clearing up. In this age of technology, everything is being automated. Manual processes are being replaced by automation and it is a huge myth which states that manual testing of software will be replaced by the automated testing procedure in the near future. However, it is very obvious that both manual and automated testing procedures hold their importance in the software testing life cycle.

But before we get into the replacement myth, let us get a fair idea of what actually automated and manual testing are. Automated testing of software is nothing but a method by which certain coded scripts will check the software for the performance and bugs which were fitted in the code. Manual testing on the other hand comprises of a lot more than just conducting some tests. It also deals with planning the whole process and documentations of the available results.

Companies providing automated testing services may come up with certain written codes which test your software in a mechanical manner. But it also helps in saving time and money. In cases like regression testing where you check the integration of existing system with newly added features or smoke testing where you perform basic level testing of the software, automated testing is a boon. Automated testing should be conducted anywhere which requires same kind of scripting just to see whether the system is performing as per requirement. This will save the hassle of performing step by step manual testing of the system.

But manual testing has its own importance. The primary job of a manual tester is to create the testing plan so that maximum test coverage is achieved in order to provide the customers with as bug free software as possible. There are certain parts of the software which simply can’t be tested without the manual testing procedure. They are as follows:

1. Functional Testing.
2. Usability Testing.
3. Requirements Analysis.
4. Tacit Test Procedures.
5. Domain Testing (or data testing).
6. Risk Testing.
7. Sympathetic Testing.
8. Lateral Thinking.
9. Bug Investigation.
10. Perspective/Prospective.
11. Consistency Oracles.
12. Playing.
13. Claims Testing.
14. Galumphing.

These are just the tests that have to be done in the manual process. Apart from this, manual testing also has to record and analyse the testing results for future use of the same.

After weighing the scenario, it is pretty obvious that although automated testing procedures have made a marked progress, it will never be able to completely abolish the manual testing procedure as automated testing lacks one major thing that appears to be a huge advantage of the manual testing and that is brain. The trick lies in balancing the two kinds of testing and rip the advantages of both ultimately gaining a super good software as a result.

Mindfire Solutions has the largest number of certified QA testing professionals in India and has been providing quality software testing services since the last 15 years. If you would like to avail our expert testing services just send in your query to sales at Mindfire Solutions dot com.