Test Automation - Getting the right thinking

Prepared during talk for Riga Test Automation Club meetup
http://www.meetup.com/Riga-Test-Automation-Club/events/220682533/

The goal of presentation was to approach test automation concept from various viewpoints, rather than automated scripts itself:
- Business goals
- Automate whole VS Automate parts
- Automated testing VS Automating testing
- Automation opportunities
- Automation as Activity Vs Automation as Sub-project
- Application layers automation
- Automation interface

Transcript

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3. page 3 ..still based on real experience 
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8. page 8 Automation Tester 80 level
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10. page 10 Test Automation suite Have fun!
11. page 11 You are now responsible for our test automation suite! OK! Test Automation suite
12. page 12 Test Automation suite
13. page 13 PM
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26. 26 Truncate DB tables Upload initial data Deploy application Analyze test output Verify if defect is already known Compare with previous output Launch test suite Select tests for run Configure test machines
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28. Improved build verification testing (smoke testing) Improved regression testing Multi-platform compatibility and configuration testing Improved execution of mundane tests Improved focus on advanced test issues Testing what manual testing can't accomplish (security testing, memory leaks) Ability to reproduce software defects Enhancement of system expertise (To decrease dependence on the functional experts of specific area) After hours "lights-out" testing Improved performance testing Improved stress and endurance testing Quality measurements and test optimization Improved system development lifecycle Improved documentation and traceability Distributed workload and concurrency testing 28
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36. page 36 Implementing Automated Software Testing: How to Save Time and Lower Costs While Raising Quality, Elfriede Dustin, Thom Garrett , Bernie Gau, Publication Date: March 14, 2009
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41. page 41 Questions?
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43. “This book fills a huge gap in our knowledge of software testing. It does an excellent job describing how test automation differs from other test activities, and clearly lays out what kind of skills and knowledge are needed to automate tests. The book is essential reading for students of testing and a bible for practitioners.” —Jeff Offutt, Professor of Software Engineering, George Mason University
44. ..in Experiences of Test Automation, they reveal test automation at work in a wide spectrum of organizations and projects, from complex government systems to medical devices, SAP business process development to Android mobile apps and cloud migrations. This book addresses both management and technical issues, describing failures and successes, brilliant ideas and disastrous decisions and, above all, offers specific lessons you can use.