Study

## Study

How to Provide Project Estimations and Allocate Resources as an Automation Test Engineer

As an automation test engineer, project estimation and resource allocation involve a structured approach to ensure that the testing process is efficient, achievable, and aligns with project timelines. Here's how to do it:

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1. Key Steps in Estimation

1.1 Analyze Requirements

• Understand the scope and complexity of the application under test (AUT).
• Identify modules, features, or areas to be automated.
• Gather information about test data, environment setup, and tools required.

Example:

• AUT has 10 features, and 5 need automation.
• Each feature involves 20 test cases.

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1.2 Select Test Cases for Automation

• Prioritize high-priority and frequently executed test cases.
• Avoid automating non-repetitive or low ROI (Return on Investment) scenarios.

Example:

• Out of 100 test cases, select 50 for automation (e.g., smoke, regression, critical scenarios).

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1.3 Effort Estimation

Use estimation models like:

• Formula-Based Estimation:

  Total Effort = (Number of Test Cases × Time to Automate Each Test Case) + Debugging/Review Time
  

  Example:

  • Number of test cases: 50
  • Time to automate one test case: 2 hours
  • Debugging and review: 20% buffer

  Total Effort = (50 × 2) + 20% = 120 hours
  

• Work Breakdown Structure (WBS): Break tasks into smaller activities:

  • Test case creation: 1 hour per test.
  • Script review and debugging: 0.5 hours per test.
  • Test execution: 0.5 hours per test.
  • Total = (50 × 2) + buffer time.

• Historical Data: Use data from similar past projects for estimation.

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2. Resource Allocation

2.1 Identify Roles

• Assign specific tasks based on team members' skill sets.
• Example roles:
  • Test case designer
  • Automation script developer
  • Debugging and test reviewer
  • Environment setup specialist

Example:

Resource Allocation:
- Automation Engineer 1: Automates smoke and regression test cases (20 tests).
- Automation Engineer 2: Works on API and performance scripts (30 tests).
- QA Lead: Oversees debugging, reviews scripts, and ensures coverage.

2.2 Distribute Workload

• Calculate available hours for team members.
• Divide tasks evenly, considering team expertise and experience.

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3. Metrics to Track

3.1 Productivity Metrics

• Automation Coverage: Percentage of total test cases automated.

  Automation Coverage = (Automated Test Cases / Total Test Cases) × 100
  

• Script Development Speed:
  • Average time to develop one script (e.g., 2 hours per script).
• Execution Time:
  • Average time to execute automated tests.

3.2 Quality Metrics

• Defect Detection Rate: How effectively automation finds bugs.

  Defect Detection Rate = (Defects Found by Automation / Total Defects) × 100
  

• Flakiness Rate: Percentage of automated tests that fail inconsistently.

  Flakiness Rate = (Flaky Tests / Total Automated Tests) × 100
  

3.3 Cost Metrics

• Cost per Test Case: Cost of automating each test case.

  Cost = (Total Effort × Hourly Rate) / Number of Test Cases
  

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4. Tools for Estimation

• JIRA: For task tracking and effort logging.
• Test Management Tools: For tracking progress (e.g., TestRail, Zephyr).
• Automation Framework Tools: Selenium, Cypress, or Appium for script development.

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5. Risk Management

• Identify Risks:
  • Lack of resources or skill gaps.
  • Time constraints for automating large test suites.
  • Tool or environment limitations.
• Mitigation Plan:
  • Focus on high-priority scenarios first.
  • Allocate buffers for unexpected issues (20%-30%).

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6. Example Estimation

Scenario: Automating a regression suite with 100 test cases.

Activity	Effort per Test Case	Total Effort	Resources Needed
Test Case Selection	0.5 hour	50 hours	Test Lead
Script Development	2 hours	200 hours	Automation Engr
Script Review/Debugging	0.5 hour	50 hours	QA Lead
Test Execution	0.5 hour	50 hours	Test Engineer
Total Effort		350 hours

Resource Allocation:

• Automation Engineer 1: 60 test cases (120 hours).
• Automation Engineer 2: 40 test cases (80 hours).
• Test Lead: Debugging and review (50 hours).

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Final Notes

• Regularly track metrics and adjust timelines/resources as necessary.
• Use Agile sprints or milestones for iterative progress.
• Clearly communicate estimations and resource needs to stakeholders.

Would you like a detailed template or an example spreadsheet for estimation and tracking?