A PAGE TALKS ABOUT (FINDING YOUR BEST FIT: A GUIDE TO CHOOSING AUTOMATION TOOLS AND SOLUTIONS FOR LEARNING AND MASTERY)

MY EXPERIENCE: WRITING AND SPEAKING

The PAGE TALKS ABOUT column features the story titled ‘FINDING YOUR BEST FIT: A GUIDE TO CHOOSING AUTOMATION TOOLS / SOLUTIONS FOR LEARNING AND MASTERY’ within the section ‘Empowering the Workforce’ aligning with one of the primary objectives of the @rewirebyautomation channel.

I formulated this story based on my firsthand experience and observations at the ground level within the Workforce area, particularly focusing on the QA Professionals and the gaps that exist or were overlooked in the Automation line. I intend to present this story to bring attention to these gaps and provide a pathway for professionals who are truly considering the Automation line as their next career move, especially in light of the ongoing technological advancements across all fields.

_The PAGE DISCUSSES THE COLUMN with the topic “FINDING YOUR BEST FIT: A GUIDE TO CHOOSING AUTOMATION TOOLS / SOLUTIONS FOR LEARNING AND MASTERY.” _This topic is particularly beneficial for professionals who are embarking on their Test Automation Journey, transitioning from Functional to Automation roles, or seeking guidance to optimize their ongoing Automation Journey.

As a prerequisite, I would emphasize that readers first explore the story titled ‘Empowering Mid-Career Professionals: Shift from Functional Roles to Automation Excellence.’ This story provides a platform for better understanding and enables quick ramp-up.

Please refer to the video below for the voiceover from my YouTube Channel ‘@rewirebyautomation’ AND a story published on this platform.

A SHIFT FROM FUNCTIONAL ROLES TO AUTOMATION EXCELLENCE

The objective of this story is to guide readers in choosing automation tools and solutions for learning and mastery, especially considering the vast array of tools and technologies available. This column provides insights to support individuals in the workforce to adopt a Best Fit strategy for initiating, resuming, or enhancing their Test Automation Journey.

In this context, I have developed the _“AAA” _model, which is categorized into three phases: _“Approach” “Action” and “Adopt” _ tailored to address the Training along with business needs. While _“Action” and “Adopt” _have been addressed in the preceding topic _“Empowering Mid-Career Professionals” _ this story focuses on the _“Approach” _phase. It aims to educate the workforce on selecting tools for learning, intending to yield favorable results throughout the journey.

The Best Fit Approach is encompassing two lanes: the _“Platform” _lane and the _“Tools & Technology” _lane. These two aspects are paramount for comprehending and implementing a strategic approach towards systematic and result-oriented learning.

One must conduct a comprehensive consultation regarding the requirements and the availability of tools, considering factors such as customer demands for specific tools and technologies, organizational skill development programs, and one’s area of interest in Tools and Technology. Therefore, Platforms and Tools & Technology collectively play a significant role in selecting tools for learning and achieving long-term results.

Refer to the Approach _(Go To Strategy) _provided in the below image

The “Platform” lane provides details about understanding the landscape of applications spread across various platforms that serve different business operations.

Refer to the “Platform Overview” as mentioned in the below image

Among the various application platforms provided, Web, Mobile, ERP, and Web Services are considered the most essential, as they encompass a wide range of industries. Therefore, selecting the appropriate platform for learning is crucial, based on the specific needs you are currently encountering.

In the image above, each platform is mapped to either a commercial or open-source solution. This serves as the initial step in understanding the comparison between commercial and open-source options and their compatibility with different platforms.

Once we gain a good understanding of the platforms within the scope of learning, it becomes easier to proceed to the next step, which is wholly focused on Tools and Technology.

Tools & Technology, focused on the “Automation Landscape” primarily comprises the most essential components that form part of the “Test Automation Life Cycle” such as _“Automation Development Tools” “IDEs” “CI Platforms” and “Version Management Platforms”. _Additionally, the landscape integrates enterprise platforms such as “Cloud Solutions” and “Test Management” to establish a high-scale test infrastructure that fulfills all testing needs of the enterprise.

The next step involves the workforce focusing more on the ‘Tools Fitment’ tailored to the requirements falling within the ‘Test Automation Life Cycle.’ The ‘Automation Development’ and ‘Execution’ phases are particularly critical and fundamental to the life cycle. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure the right fitment from the available ‘Tools Stack.’ A deep understanding of the fitment would lead to better and quicker results in this journey.

Refer to the image below that illustrates the “Automation Landscape”

Refer to the image below that outlines the _“Tools Fitment” _according to a phases

Throughout this entire journey, deciding to choose a tool for learning depends on various factors. These include understanding the landscape of platforms, the landscape of Tools and Technology, and whether the tool is Commercial or Opensource, depending on the platforms. Additionally, it is essential to assess one’s capabilities. Individuals should understand where they stand in categories such as being interested in learning to “Code” along with the tool or preferring a “Tool” without coding. These two categories play a significant role in determining the “Area of Interest” which is crucial for making the next part of the journey successful.

In addition to the factors mentioned above, the workforce must consider the needs and direction of the customers, as well as the organization’s plans for enabling skill development among the workforce.

The Tools & Technology landscape is categorized into three components: “Model Based”, “No Code / Low Code” and “Code-Based”. This classification provides valuable insights into the nature of the tool's capability, enabling individuals to align their interests with the needs of customers, organizations, and themselves. It guides the initiation of a learning journey to acquire further skills to achieve desired results, pave the path for Automation Enablement, and enhance skills to adopt multiple Tools and Technologies.

Understanding and categorizing tools into _“Model Based”, “No Code / Low Code,” and “Code Based” _are essential steps in selecting the right Tool Technology that suits one’s area of interest and can align with long-term needs rather than just short-term ones.

The table below summarizes the information to provide _‘At A Glance’ _insight for matching platforms with suitable categories of tools or open-source solutions, with examples.

Another well-known platform in the field is where all modernized applications are integrated with the delivery and energize the DevOps Model technically, known as “Continuous Integration” Platforms. Two famous platforms in this category are “Jenkins” and “Azure DevOps” which can be considered as platforms to learn and adopt for their functions in the Test Automation Life Cycle.

Version Control Management plays a vital role in technical solutions development, delivery, and deployment, providing code repository and version management. In addition to the tool stack, it is essential to understand the importance of Version Platforms, their applicability, and usage in various domains. At first glance, we may encounter the following two Version Platforms, widely used by most customers, with broad integrations in the tool ecosystem.

Furthermore, another integrated component that plays a vital role in the delivery of Opensource projects is known as “Build Tools”. Two prominent Java-based components, “Gradle” and “Maven”, are key players in the open-source ecosystem. They play a major role in compiling and building applications, integrating with CI tools, and deploying solutions on various platforms.

Finally, Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) serve as platforms for every open-source solution, providing various built-in features for coders and seamless third-party integrations. These features make the platform user-friendly for working on open-source solutions. Most IDE vendors offer Community Editions with limited features, making the environment easy to adopt for learners focusing on Opensource technologies.

Refer to the image below that outlines the IDEs

In Summary, Based on the above approach, which focuses on “Platforms” and “Tools” one should concentrate on specific tool stacks in both the _“Commercial” and “Opensource” _lines. This holistic approach aims to emerge as a “Full Stack Automation Engineer”.

Please refer to the images below for a high-level path to becoming a Full-Stack Automation Engineer, which I will cover in detail in upcoming stories.

Please refer to the images below for a high-level path to becoming a Full-Stack Automation Engineer, which I will cover in detail in upcoming stories.

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Please refer to the video below that presents the story on the @rewirebyautomation YouTube Channel._

Finally, the ‘A PAGE TALKS ABOUT’ column from the @rewirebyautomation channel concludes this story to support QA Professionals. As a pipeline story, I will soon publish ‘How to become Full Stack Automation Engineer’ which aims to provide valuable insights to QA Professionals.

With this, _@reWireByAutomation _is signing off!