Axe

 

The key to effective Test Automation

  • Enables non-technical staff to rapidly deploy automation systems
  • Makes effective use of automated test tools that may have become "Shelf ware"
  • Easy integration with most utilities and tools using XML infrastructure
  • Modular and re-usable table layout encourages best practice and re-use
  • Rapid Return on Investment (ROI) proven by efficiency gains and increased use of expensive automation tools

 

 

 

 

The reputation of Test Automation has been tarnished by the inefficiency and difficulty in deploying capture/replay techniques used by most automation tools.

The alternative has, until recently, been to deploy scripting approaches that require highly skilled operators and have proved to be both difficult and expensive to maintain.

Axe can now provide an alternative that can be rapidly deployed by non-technical staff, with the minimum of training and with maximum effect.

Why use Axe?
Test Automation - correctly applied - will significantly reduce the cost of testing. The perceived major drawback of applying automation is a delayed return on investment due to the cost and time of implementation.

The requirement for highly trained automation specialists and for deployment of costly Test Management Tools means that increased cost of start-up and initial implementation, combined with the need for constant updating to cope with new functionality, has often meant that ROI calculations showed that several iterations are required before payback is achieved. Even with the proven efficiencies that automation can bring, this delayed payback has discouraged many businesses from implementing Test Automation.

In some cases, the difficulty of producing, applying and maintaining automated scripts has led to a reduction in the use of expensive tools and of them being relegated to the status of Shelf ware.

The use of Axe from Odin Technology will ensure that non-technical testers and business users can easily create and extend automated tests, allowing full use and benefit from automation to be obtained.

What is Axe?
Axe is a new generation of frameworks for automated testing. It combines a proven testing methodology, a table driven interface for extreme ease of use, full integration into all major Test Execution and Test Management Tools and extended reporting functions to provide easy-to-understand business centric reports.

The Axe testing process provides:

  • Management
  • Full integration with leading Test Management Tools
    • Mercury -TestDirector
    • t-Plan - t-Plan Professional
    • nFocus -tPalette
    • Bespoke integration into other tools
  • Create test runs and import results easily
  • Self-contained sample test systems and support libraries supplied for each tool
    Design
  • Testers design tests in Microsoft Excel for easy implementation
  • Ability to build business focussed tests in minutes
  • Modular and re-usable table layout encourages best practice and extensive re-use
  • Supports dynamic data only available at system runtime
  • Supports error recovery

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Build

  • Provides central location for effective management
  • Project creation wizard aids the building of new projects automatically
  • Summary and full diagnostic information is created together with test coverage statistics enabling issues to be quickly identified

 

 

 

Execute

  • One button execution selects test tool and runs scripts
  • Full integration with Test Execution Tools
    • Mercury - WinRunner
    • IBM Rational - Robot
    • CLR Software - CLRScript
    • Bespoke test harnesses and integrations

 

 

 

 

Analyse

  • Axe is based on XML architecture so all reports are XML based for ease of portability and customisation
  • JPEG based screen capture enables simple error and screen verification
  • Intuitive, dynamic HTML view of results provides easy drill down access to all captured test information and results
  • Ability to drill down through test runs to single test steps and view screenshots automatically captured during execution

 

 

 

 

Features

  • Fully featured User Interface supports script building
  • Tool-independent results analysis
  • Works in all environments supported by scriptable test tools
  • Full integration with Test Management Software and Test Execution Software

 

 

 

Effective Automation
The cost of investment in Testing Tools is significant. The time taken to implement Test Strategies is equally significant. The use of enabling technologies from SIM/SQS, coupled with knowledge and experience of applying automation to generate cost and time reductions, dramatically reduces the time to deploy effective automation and achieve ROI.

The selection of the most effective technology and its efficient application ensure that resources are applied in the best and most effective way - providing significantly reduced costs and elapsed time of implementation.

Download the Axe