With the increasing demand for digital transformation, many organizations have turned to robotic process automation (RPA) and application testing to enhance their business outcomes. The COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated the need for automation in the digitalization of work. But how exactly do RPA and application testing interact, and what impact can they have on business optimization?
In this article, we’ll look into the key insights of utilizing RPA and Software Quality Automation to optimize business. We’ll begin by exploring software development trends that are shaping the RPA and testing landscape before examining the relationship between RPA and automated testing in greater detail.
Key Software Development Trends Across Organizations
- The pressure to deliver software quickly has surged, with 91% of organizations in 2021 releasing software features with a lead time of a month or less—a 26% increase from the previous year.
- Nearly half of the organizations reported that they have “industrialized and integrated software capabilities with some business alignment,” emphasizing the need for technological support to fully align with business strategies.
- 72.5% of organizations have increased their adoption of advanced testing and software development strategies, including the use of AI and automated testing.
- Software delivery management, processes, security, and automated testing emerged as top priorities for software development in the coming year.
Top Priorities in Software Development and Delivery
In 2021, about 40% of organizations described themselves as being in a “reinvention” phase due to the digital disruption caused by the pandemic and its aftermath, a significant increase from 17% in 2020. This shift has opened opportunities to leverage RPA for task automation. Meanwhile, the percentage of organizations “staying the course” dropped from 29% in 2020 to 15% in 2021. These trends underscore the significant role that RPA and testing play in helping organizations meet timelines and align with business strategies.
How RPA Benefits Software Testing
RPA offers several advantages to organizations, including:
- Enhancing the efficiency of business processes
- Reducing time spent on manual tasks
- Boosting team productivity
By integrating RPA with testing, teams can automate repetitive manual testing activities, streamline the creation of test data, report on delivery statuses, and develop test plans.
The Synergy Between Testing and RPA
Automated testing enables software testers to scale their efforts more efficiently. For example, they can use RPA to compile reports for failed test cases that require attention or to generate test data. There are also opportunities to automate across both traditional and legacy software applications using RPA and testing.
Moreover, testing and RPA are particularly valuable when managing assets required for application user interfaces (UIs). By combining these tools, teams can reduce the costs of maintaining systems and deliver results more rapidly.
Opportunities to Improve RPA Through Testing
Automated testing can address some of the challenges associated with RPA, such as its complexity, brittleness, and governance requirements. The testing industry’s extensive history provides a foundation for creating organized libraries that enhance maintenance and efficiency in RPA. Testing also helps establish a more structured framework, improving the quality of RPA and allowing users to test both the automations and the applications they support.
Optimizing Your Business Through RPA and Testing
By integrating RPA and testing, organizations can improve the quality of their testing processes and the effectiveness of their RPA efforts, building a more efficient and resilient environment. This synergy enables companies to achieve their automation, business strategy, digital transformation, and innovation goals.
Concluding Thoughts
In conclusion, the integration of Robotic Process Automation (RPA) with application testing represents a powerful synergy that can significantly enhance business outcomes. By leveraging RPA to automate repetitive testing tasks and streamline processes, organizations can boost efficiency, reduce manual effort, and improve overall productivity. This collaboration not only accelerates software delivery but also ensures higher quality and reliability in both legacy and modern applications. As businesses continue to navigate the complexities of digital transformation, the strategic combination of RPA and automated testing will be key to optimizing operations, driving innovation, and maintaining a competitive edge in an increasingly fast-paced digital landscape.