1. Confidential
GUI Automation
When it adds value
Rev PA1 2011-12-07 1

2. Introduction
 GUI automation can be difficult to achieve success with for
many reasons; difficult test design being one of those
reasons [1][3]
 GUI can bring value, but it is easy to get wrong and the value
it brings is often overrated [3]
 It can often be replaced by more effective API testing [5]
 Is there a niche for UI automation?

3. Record & Play
 With a Record-and-Play framework the Tester can execute a
test cases and record it using an automation tool
 The script created can then be used to rerun the test case
automatically
 This type of automation tool generates test cases with very
bad design that have high maintenance cost and low re-
usebility
 However if the tool is used in the right way, it can be a
powerful complement to a tester’s arsenal

4. Key Factors to Success
 Understand that this is not the way to create a large test suit
used for regression testing
 This is a complement to the tester during manual testing – see
it more as tool-supported testing, than automated testing
 It must be extremely easy to use – this is more important than
any other functionality of the tool – if it is not easy, then it will
only be a burden and the tester will not use it
 It should be as integrated as possible in the product – Google
has integrated record-and-play in Chrome [2]

5. Empower the Tester with Tool Support
 By giving the tester this tool it enables a whole new range of
manual tests that would have been tedious or impossible to
execute otherwise
 Stress testing
 Duration testing
 Aging tests
 But it cannot be stated enough that the key success factor
here is ease of use of the GUI automation tool

6. When to use GUI vs. API automation?
 If the test cases are going to live on and be re-used and
maintained, GUI automation is often not the best solution
 If the test is not going to be re-used or maintained, and the GUI
automation tool lets the tester create automated test cases at
very low cost, then GUI automation is an option
 Always think about if it is actually cheaper to just do it
manually – for example low priority test cases that will only
be executed once in a small project that will not be re-used in
the future

7. Conclusion
 There is value in GUI automation – just not in how it has often
been used in the past
 Don’t think of it as test automation, think of it as tool support
for empowering the manual tester
 Ease-of-use; don’t underestimate the value of an easy to use
and well integrated GUI automation tool
 Re-use and Maintenance are the biggest problems with GUI
automation – GUI automation is valuable these pitfalls can be
avoided
 Don’t use GUI automation for creating large regression suites

8. Reference
[1] GUI Schmooey
http://angryweasel.com/blog/?p=7
[2] RPF – Google’s Record and Playback Framework
http://googletesting.blogspot.com/2011/11/rpf-googles-record-playback-framework.html
[3] It’s (probably) a Design Problem
http://angryweasel.com/blog/?p=342
[4] Design for GUI Automation
http://angryweasel.com/blog/?p=332
[5] API Testing – How can it help
http://www.testingmentor.com/imtesty/2011/12/01/api-testinghow-can-it-help/