Efficient processes are an evergreen demand in any business, and process automation roles are known to drive efficiency. In the software development arena, QA automation development saves time and ensures accuracy offering far better quality.
Years ago, multiple software engineers had to run tests manually. Many of these tests were repetitive. Eventually, this role was transformed or reduced to one or two engineers who would automate the process. This saved on human resources and time while boosting accuracy.
Today, QA automation development is a pillar of the software development process, and hiring a resource for this specialist role has rigid requirements.
A QA automation developer is a skilled individual who creates automated testing software to handle recurring tasks. This automation development speeds up procedures, identifies bugs, and provides continuous feedback. Looking for a developer with this expertise means that the prospect would need to possess command over all technologies required.
Today’s customers demand a seamless software user experience. Businesses must adapt, develop, and deliver sustainable customer-centric solutions. To ensure this, companies realize the importance of software testing and quality assurance (QA) even at the early stages of the software development life cycle.
Early adoption is the easiest, most cost-effective way of ensuring accelerated software delivery cycles, minimizing time-to-market while producing high-quality software products. It’s noteworthy to mention that 47 percent of businesses believe testing is the number one cause for delays, albeit a necessary delay.
Aligning QA with Customer Expectations
The quality of your app or website must match or exceed the expectations of the key stakeholders. It’s certainly worth asking questions and exploring every aspect of software usage, such as: Is the product suitable for your customer's requirements? Will it be compatible with all of your customers' browsers, networks, and mobile devices? Are the product specifications understood and incorporated specifically into the product? There are many more questions that can be added, and QA experts are the ones who will need to answer them.
Conceptualizing QA Automation
The primary aim of QA automation is to simulate a user operating a web application, completing a form, or link selection. Consider a small series of automated tests that run as a practical check before the code is integrated into the main codebase; this is just to make sure the new changes do not interfere with anything in the app.
The idea of an automated testing procedure is a good practice when you need to produce features for multiple stages of an app that operate repetitively. You get an initial look at how useful a repeatedly produced feature would operate before it is implemented.
Automated tests require a significant initial investment, but it pays off when the testing process is optimized to achieve rapid execution. Such tests are also reusable and conveniently implemented on a wide variety of devices. Understandably, to create the tests, you need QA Automation developers.
The primary advantage of QA automation is its swiftness. Since traditional software development models isolate the coding and testing processes, it takes more time for developers to identify issues and change direction to solve them.
When utilizing QA automation, testing can take place more often, making it easier to reveal problems and reply to user criticism. Separate parts can be tested one at a time, and upgrades can be pushed out without having to go back to the concept stage.
Automated testing is best incorporated into the development strategy from the beginning to assist your team with predicting problems and writing better code.
In addition, automated testing takes less time and resources than manual quality assurance testing. You can easily hire a QA automation developer to write and execute the program instead of paying someone to run each test separately.
Why You Need a QA Automation Developer for Your Website or App Project
Creating scripts and designing automation environments for repeated tests are the main responsibilities of QA Automation developers. They develop, assess, and launch successful test automation solutions using various automation tools. Their aim is to use as little code as possible to automate as much of the testing process as possible. This allows them to simplify testing, which would otherwise take up a significant amount of research time.
To build and design test cases more effectively, QA automation developers use testing frameworks, which are collections of best practices and techniques. Test automation code is reusable, maintainable, and reliable thanks to an organized system that decreases maintenance costs and testing efforts.
The Main Challenges When Hiring QA Automation Developers
You will acknowledge that finding highly qualified professionals is difficult. There are numerous issues to which you can fall victim along the way. The best way to recruit a QA Automation developer is to have a thorough understanding of the requisite skillset, as well as some of the other factors mentioned below.
QA Automation Developer Responsibilities
QA Automation developers create scripts that run testing functions automatically to write, design, and execute automated tests. They also optimize test coverage for the system's most important features, prioritize test scenarios and develop implementation plans to execute them and write details for automated processes such as test plans, test procedures, and test cases. Building test automation systems, logging and documenting bugs in the bug monitoring system, and establishing continuous integration are some of the other things they do.
Competencies to Look for in a QA Automation Developer?
A QA automation developer must possess a solid understanding of automation-oriented software testing, its main ideas, and processes. Knowledge of the whole bug life cycle, different testing levels, methods, and types, is a must, along with awareness of test estimation techniques with a capacity to work in an agile environment.
A QA automation developer must also demonstrate the ability for critical thinking and analytical skills to scrutinize bug reports and prioritize essential tests, make daily status reports, prioritize and estimate task execution. The right candidate must be an excellent communicator with collaboration skills to work with project team members, customers, and stakeholders, as well as working closely with the development team.
Programming skills are always important, too, including coding, basic SQL knowledge to obtain data for tests, XML, general web development skills, and web services. A good QA automation developer must have a strong grasp on commonly used computer languages required for various automation testing technologies, such as Python, Java, Ruby, С++, Perl, PHP, and C#
QA Automation Development and their Toolsets
There are major quality control tools required for organizing and managing all phases of the software testing process, including preparing, conducting tests, and monitoring defects, as well as producing and storing test reports and linking them to release specifications (Micro Focus Quality Center, TestDirector, Test Manager, TestLink). An automation developer must be proficient with these, as well as BugZilla, Mantis, IBM Rational ClearQuest, and other defect tracking tools to track the defects found in the application and produce bug reports.
Every QA automation developer must be capable of producing substantial sets of test cases to subsequently import them into TMTs, MS Excel, or Test Studio. Additionally, automation should know how to use project management software such as Jira, Redmine, YouTrack, and Backlog.
Moreover, the use of SQL clients for linking to databases and API testing tools such as Postman, SoapUI, and Katalon for automated checks are a must. The prospect must also know about IDEs for writing code (VSCode, Visual Studio, and IntelliJ IDEA) and automation testing tools such as Selenium, TestComplete, Katalon Studio, and Ranorex.
Moreover, building complex automation frameworks from the ground up as well as using ready-made automation frameworks, e.g., Serenity BDD, a Java-based framework, or developer-centric Cypress, is mandatory. There are also integration tools that are required, such as Jenkins, TeamCity, Bamboo, and similar ones that an automation developer must know about.
Also, knowing about android and iOS mobile automation testing tools and cross-platform ones, as well as API testing tools, REST Assured, RestSharp, and jMeter, are a must.
Tests a QA Automation Developer Should Know
The types of QA tests you will need to run will be determined by the software you are developing and your process models. Internal software built using the waterfall model may require less complicated testing than a cloud app that relies on continuous integration. Some of the tests a QA automation developer must be proficient with include: Unit tests, Integration tests, Smoke tests, Functional tests, End-to-end tests, Performance tests, and Regression tests.
Questions to Ask QA Automation Developer Candidates
The interview questions listed below will help you get to know your candidates better in specific aspects. They are broad questions that would be appropriate for any QA Automation developer role, and you can tailor them to your particular project needs.
How do you know how much testing a piece of software requires?
A candidate is expected to outline and explain a standard approach that they use and why.
How do you define exit criteria in QA testing?
When you pose this question, you are looking for candidates to explain how different exit criteria may apply at different stages of development.
Which Quality Assurance verification methods do you employ?
Good candidates will discuss not only review, evaluation, and user testing processes in the context of QA but also when and why they would execute each one during a development project.
What Quality Assurance tools can you use and why?
If you mentioned specific QA tools in your job requirements because your software group uses them, you would need to assess the candidate's familiarity with them.
What part do you see yourself playing in dealing with problems in production processes?
With reference to issues arising in production environments, strong candidates will recognize their role and demonstrate a commitment to providing answers.
A short Note on Cost Factors
Developing and testing an app or a website is typically an expensive and time-consuming process. It could take anywhere from 600 to over 800 hours to create, depending on a variety of factors such as complexity, technology, platforms, and a few others. Out of the total development time, roughly 20 to 40 percent may be spent on testing. Costs can range from $50 per hour to more than $120 per hour, depending on where your developers are based.
Remuneration of a QA Automation developer
Often, the main cost factor in project testing is the salary of a developer. As per a recent Developer Survey, the average salary of an in-house QA Automation developer is over $105,000 per annum (that comes to over $8,750 per month). A more specialized and experienced resource would cost even more!
Rent and associated expenses
Contemplate the expense of renting office space as well as the costs of services like power, water, gas, and internet. To utilize an in-house QA Automation developer, you will require specialized computer hardware and software, all of which have a high cost.
Expense and Time of the Recruitment Process
Recruiting full-time workers is a time-consuming and exhausting process that involves many steps, such as asking for applications, evaluating CVs, and conducting interviews.
Development Company vs. Freelance QA Automation Developer
A critical choice to make before starting your project is whether to hire a reputable company specialized in QA Automation services or to work with (conceivably several) freelance QA Automation developers. As previously stated, mobile app development or website development is a complex process, so hiring a specialized company makes more sense.
Such a company would have a large number of technical specialists on hand, such as QA Automation developers with a range of expertise and experience. It would offer additional services such as data protection and backup, quick turnaround, and long-term support for your app or website.
Where Can You Find QA Automation Developers
Competition for QA Automation developers is on the rise as software development escalates in both popularity and quality requirements. Discovering a suitable match can lead to great results for both the business and the candidate. Below are potential places for locating and hiring talented QA Automation developers.
Developer communities like Topcoder, StickyMinds, and DEV are possible starting points. The profiles here, lamentably, have not been substantiated and seem to provide controversial information. The next place to look may be freelance networks like Fiverr and Upwork. However, while these are good for working with single freelancers on a one-off basis, they are less apt for hiring a dedicated QA Automation developer.
Another option is specialized QA Automation companies like Cubix. These offer an effective and tailored process for quality testing, as well as development, of your app or website. They can help you utilize QA Automation developers with the necessary skills and experience for your project, all without the problems of in-house hiring.
Can You Find a Proper QA Automation Company Online?
Specific niche websites collate lists of service providers based on parameters such as previous client reviews and technical expertise. These carefully curated lists make it simple to locate dependable, technical competence. Companies providing QA Automation services may be found on websites like Clutch.co, Topdevelopers.co, Goodfirms.co, and LinkedIn.
Ready to Automate Your Testing?
Automated testing enables teams to perform recurring tasks more precisely and quickly, identify bugs more precisely and quickly, provide ongoing feedback, and deploy test coverage. As a result, businesses that incorporate automated testing into their quality assurance processes save a substantial amount of time, financial resources, and human capital.
By following the directions and advice given above, you can choose a QA Automation provider that fits your needs. Partnership with such a company will help to match your vision with a QA Automation developer's expertise and will ultimately make QA testing of your app or website straightforward and cost-effective, minus potential hiccups. Happy testing!
