Implementation of a test automation framework to improve software quality of multi-platform products

Abstract

Commercial software development for multi-platform products places is challenging and often conflicting goals of short release schedules, limited resources and rigorous testing across supported platforms demanding an automation solution to cover testing of multiple platforms.

This study documents the implementation of a multi-platform test automation framework with the goal of improving software quality. The implementation covers three generations of the framework. The first generation is successful in introducing automation to the testing process but uncovers many of the challenges. The second implementation applies the lessons learned in the first one producing an effective framework for multi-platform testing based on applying a layer which abstracts platform details from test case development. The third generation improves upon the implementation by introducing better mechanisms of software reuse and an object oriented approach to test case design.

An analysis of the solution shows that the automation was successful in its goal of improving software quality by reducing the effort required to test on multiple platforms and identifying platform specific defects early in the development process.