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What are the main points that should be included in a test strategy test automation document for a particular project? I'm not looking at details but more of a high level overview.

I've found that there are not so many test strategies or approaches to the topic of test automation, and even here you can find a lot of information on the normal test strategy, but no basic high-level strategy, which surprises me.

For example I'd expect headings like this:

  1. What Is Automated Testing?
  2. Automated Testing Strategy
  3. Step 1. Choose Cases for Automated Testing
  4. Step 2. Hire an Automation Engineer or a Team
  5. Step 3. Select the Right Automation Tool
  6. Step 4. Create the Test Automation Framework
  7. Step 5. Getting Your Team Up to Speed With Automation
  8. Step 6. Setting Up the Testing Environment
  9. Step 7. Developing An Execution Plan
  10. Step 8. Writing Scripts
  11. Step 9. Reporting
  12. Step 10. Script Maintenance

Is this a reasonable expectation for a general test strategy document for a test automation project? (Assuming that details would be added to cover the specifics of a project).

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    Who is the target audience? What do they want to know? What information are they looking for? Like this is highly contextual, some organizations do not even have such a documents and their products are still great, so why would I even need such a document in the first place? Perhaps it makes sense to write it in some context, but that's what you completely left out from your question.
    – pavelsaman
    Feb 15, 2022 at 9:48
  • But that is the crux of the matter, because there are not so many test strategies or approaches to the topic of test automation, and even here you can find a lot of information on the normal test strategy, but no basic high-level strategy, which surprises me personally.
    – Mornon
    Feb 15, 2022 at 11:01

5 Answers 5

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Usually, a test strategy is defined at the system or product level and includes a discussion of all levels and types of test. It would have a discussion of unit, integration and system-level tests, automated and manual tests, testing of new features and functionality as well as regression testing, non-functional testing (especially around performance and security).

Some of the key pieces of information would be to identify who is responsible for creating, reviewing, and maintaining tests and test cases, who is responsible for selecting and executing tests, how the tests get selected for execution, when tests get executed, the environments use for testing, what information is captured from executing tests and where the information is stored, and the specific tools used to carry out the testing.

Most of this information is just as applicable to automated tests as it is to manual testing.

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  • So there is also the question of whether the test strategy should also be planned in advance in the direction of the mixed team?
    – Mornon
    Feb 15, 2022 at 11:05
  • @Mornon I don't know what you mean by that. If you have one team working on one product or project, that team defines the test strategy. If you have multiple teams, the test strategy should describe the minimum expected behaviors of all of the teams. I'd also recommend considering the test strategy to be a living document that is revised as the teams learn more and grow their capabilities.
    – Thomas Owens
    Feb 15, 2022 at 11:07
  • Hello, first of all thank you very much for your answers. Basically, we have to link different points together in the test automation. On the one hand DevOps, developers, but also testers. And I think that this must also be considered in the preliminary planning. Or am I seeing this wrong?
    – Mornon
    Feb 15, 2022 at 11:13
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    I think you're seeing it wrong. A test strategy is not a plan, but it may help guide a plan. Your edits to the question also doesn't make sense - a test strategy wouldn't talk about hiring or staffing, choosing tools (tools would already be chosen and used in your strategy), setting up environments (environments exist, you just tell which ones are used for testing), and so on.
    – Thomas Owens
    Feb 15, 2022 at 11:36
  • @ThomasOwens please elaborate on your last comment. How are testing-specific tools or environments already chosen before you have determined a strategy?
    – FDM
    Dec 31, 2022 at 7:41
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Test automation is undoubtedly the most effective way to enhance data processing capabilities, time-saving, and finally produce a robust product. But, before that, you need to plan a clear test strategy for your releases to go smoothly.

Test strategy is basically an outline for your user market, who you are testing for, tasks for testers and developers, what the users do, and all of the associated matrices.

There are several steps to formulate a stable test automation strategy. Below is the list for test automation strategy followed by automation testing services providers:

  1. Define your high business value test
  2. Identification of risks involved
  3. Comprehension of tools, technologies, and resources
  4. Reliable data
  5. Define your DevsecOps
  6. Consider your test environment
  7. More DevOps and Agile tools
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I would identify these steps in building an automated testing strategy:

  1. Setting Goals
  2. Choosing an approach
  3. Choosing a Tool
  4. Writing and Executing Tests
  5. Support and maintenance More information in this article
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I worked as a contractor for the USDA and CDC and they had templates. We had technical writers help write our own documents that hit the same notes. What you fill in is largely project dependant. Doing these first helped scope out the work and who we needed to do what.

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Test automation greatly enhances the processes, saves time and resources, and ultimately leads to higher-quality software. Though, for this we need a very clear strategy in order to make our releases smooth.

What is test automation strategy?

It is a worthwhile automation testing strategy having a result-oriented approach and is a key to success in automation testing.

Steps for test automation strategy

  1. Define what’s most important to test
  2. Identify any risks
  3. Have a clear understanding of your tools,technology, and/or resources
  4. Ensure your data is good
  5. Clear definition of your DevSecOps
  6. Considering your testing environment
  7. Tagging your tests
  8. Have an insight for testing efficiencies
  9. Accept agile tools
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