Automated testing

BBD’s success in the automated testing space at Vodacom is a point of pride, as a system was implemented to bring reporting time down from five days to a few hours.

We have been moving Vodacom’s testing from manual to automated, with BBD test lead Prasad Bhogi leading the team. Using his automation experience, Prasad saw the opportunity to make a truly effective change for Vodacom, by radically cutting down on reporting time.

This was a new service that we were providing, with the team involved starting off a zero-base and having to understand the necessary requirements as they emerged, and the business behind what they were implementing. It was a complicated cycle of acquiring the knowledge and then implementing it.

In terms of developing a working automation system, Prasad explains that the first step was to not only understand the product and the product language, but also what level of testing was required by the client. As we had to build a framework from scratch, the team had to understand how the solution could be tested based on the tool they wanted to use. Once this initial hybrid framework was in place, the Vodacom team could then add in their requirements and the test team could accommodate these through a new Page Object Model (POM) framework.

This process – of having to develop, receive requirements and implement – was one of Prasad’s main hurdles throughout the process, but one they more than overcame. Prasad also pointed out that despite the learning process being undertaken by both BBD and Vodacom, they maintained an excellent working relationships, so much so that Vodacom has requested the team work on other new projects now that the testing is stable.

Carla Vermeulen, a BBD tester who worked on Vodacom in the early phase, explains that “the reason automation was especially successful for Vodacom was because of the site stability”. Automation allows for increased work speed, faster defect finding, regression prevention and the ability to free up team resources. We are excited at the possibility to roll automation out to other clients, and are proud of the Vodacom team’s triumph with automation.

As to why he chose automation, Prasad explained that he is a person who likes deep dive into solutions and finds the loopholes, solutions and gaps. “Automation is the right carrier for me because it allows me the opportunity to improve myself and what I’ve done. It keeps me interested”.

Prasad is continuing his career in testing as he has the opportunity to continually grow and improve, with BBD providing the support by giving him the time and space to build his carrier and showcase his abilities.