Automated Solutions: Improving the Efficiency of Software Testing

The rapid innovation and fierce competition that rule the IT world today force companies to develop the highest quality software using minimal cost at a timely base. This demand has placed a major responsibility on the area of software testing and validation. Testing the software for accuracy and functionality is usually the final frontier in the SDLC process before releasing new or modified software to the end user. Validating that the software performs according to design specifications is time consuming, labor intensive and expensive, with costs that can equal 50%75% of the total development expense. When a project is behind schedule, often testing is the area to be blamed. There is an obvious need for testing solutions that will reduce the necessary time required to ensure the quality and accuracy of software. This paper examines several methods available for increasing the efficiency of software testing and validation via automation.