When to automate vs manual test in Testing Fundamentals - Test Execution Compared

Test Overview

This test checks if the tester correctly decides when to use automated testing versus manual testing based on test case characteristics.

Test Code - PyTest

Testing Fundamentals

def decide_test_method(test_case):
    """Decide whether to automate or do manual testing based on test case properties."""
    if test_case['is_repetitive'] and test_case['stable_requirements'] and test_case['high_risk_area']:
        return 'Automate'
    elif test_case['requires_exploratory'] or test_case['one_time_test']:
        return 'Manual'
    else:
        return 'Manual'

# Example test cases
repetitive_test = {'is_repetitive': True, 'stable_requirements': True, 'high_risk_area': True, 'requires_exploratory': False, 'one_time_test': False}
exploratory_test = {'is_repetitive': False, 'stable_requirements': False, 'high_risk_area': False, 'requires_exploratory': True, 'one_time_test': False}
one_time_test = {'is_repetitive': False, 'stable_requirements': True, 'high_risk_area': False, 'requires_exploratory': False, 'one_time_test': True}

assert decide_test_method(repetitive_test) == 'Automate'
assert decide_test_method(exploratory_test) == 'Manual'
assert decide_test_method(one_time_test) == 'Manual'

Execution Trace - 5 Steps

Step	Action	System State	Assertion	Result
1	Test starts	Test function decide_test_method is ready to run with example test cases	-	PASS
2	Call decide_test_method with repetitive_test case	Input: {'is_repetitive': True, 'stable_requirements': True, 'high_risk_area': True, 'requires_exploratory': False, 'one_time_test': False}	Return value should be 'Automate'	PASS
3	Call decide_test_method with exploratory_test case	Input: {'is_repetitive': False, 'stable_requirements': False, 'high_risk_area': False, 'requires_exploratory': True, 'one_time_test': False}	Return value should be 'Manual'	PASS
4	Call decide_test_method with one_time_test case	Input: {'is_repetitive': False, 'stable_requirements': True, 'high_risk_area': False, 'requires_exploratory': False, 'one_time_test': True}	Return value should be 'Manual'	PASS
5	All assertions checked	All test cases returned expected results	All assert statements passed	PASS

Failure Scenario

Failing Condition: The decide_test_method returns wrong test method for any test case

Execution Trace Quiz - 3 Questions

Which test case should be automated according to the test?

A A one-time exploratory test

B A test requiring manual exploration

C A repetitive test with stable requirements and high risk

D A test with unstable requirements

Key Result

Automate tests that are repetitive, stable, and high risk to save time and reduce errors. Use manual testing for exploratory or one-time tests where human insight is needed.