Company
Date Published
Author
Jenna Roering
Word count
1790
Language
English
Hacker News points
None

Summary

Running tests generates a significant amount of data about test performance, run time, job history, errors, and failures, which can be challenging to analyze, according to Capgemini's 2020 Continuous Testing Report. Engineering teams spend 44% of their time generating, exploring, and managing test data, equivalent to 17.6 hours per team member every week. To uncover meaningful insights in the shortest period of time, a defensible strategy and best-of-breed tools are necessary. Historically, identifying and ranking issues is time-consuming due to their complex nature and high volume of test data. Leveraging test data and insights can help ensure a strategic approach to software development, resulting in operational efficiencies and testing effectiveness. Using video and screenshot log data can enhance the ability to receive contextual details about test errors without reproducing them manually. Analyzing flaky tests thoroughly using historical data, logs, outputs, trends, and error and exception data can reduce their occurrence. Comprehensive test data analysis can help streamline issue detection and triage of pervasive errors. Creating dashboards that provide an overview of metrics such as test execution, failures, pass-rate percentages, and overall test coverage can help leadership make informed decisions. Exposing test data to external teams can increase visibility and ensure information is easily accessible. Regularly defining, tracking, and reporting on key metrics around test and team performance is crucial for aligning work with organizational outcomes and proving return on investment. Using data-driven dashboards can guide regular follow-ups and check-ins, measuring performance, team productivity, areas of improvement, and issue identification. Bringing additional sources together to get a more holistic view can help align testing strategy and decision-making with user experience data. Harnessing the power of test data is about making informed decisions, driving productivity, and ensuring software reliability and quality.