Chapter 23: Automating Analysis and Test

Automation can improve the efficiency of some quality activities and is a necessity for implementing others. While a greater degree of automation can never substitute for a rational, well-organized quality process, considerations of what can and should be automated play an important part in devising and incrementally improving a process that makes the best use of human resources. This chapter discusses some of the ways that automation can be employed, as well as its costs and limitations, and the maturity of the required technology. The focus is not on choosing one particular set of "best" tools for all times and situations, but on a continuing rational process of identifying and deploying automation to best effect as the organization, process, and available technology evolve.

Required Background

• 
  

  
  Chapter 20
  

  
  

  Some knowledge about planning and monitoring, though not strictly required, can be useful to understand the need for automated management support.

  
  


• 
  

  
  Chapter 17
  

  
  

  Some knowledge about execution and scaffolding is useful to appreciate the impact of tools for scaffolding generation and test execution.

  
  


• 
  

  
  Chapter 19
  

  
  

  Some knowledge about program analysis is useful to understand the need to automate analysis techniques.