Work Product (Artifact): Test Automation Architecture
This artifact specifies various test automation design and implementation elements that embody the fundamental characteristics of the test automation software system.
Purpose
  • To provide a means of reasoning about, managing, and communicating the fundamental characteristics of the test-automation software system.
Relationships
RolesResponsible: Modified By:
Input ToMandatory:
  • None
Optional: External:
  • None
Output From
Description
Main Description

The Test Automation Architecture provides a comprehensive architectural overview of the test-automation system, using a number of different architectural views to depict different aspects of the system. It serves as a means of reasoning about, managing and communicating the fundamental characteristics and features of the test-automation software system. It provides a governing focus for the test-automation software that enables the required system to be realized in respect to key aspects such as: maintainability, extensibility, reliability, concurrency, distribution, security and recovery.

Brief Outline

See the Artifact: Software Architecture Document for an example outline of the areas that should be covered by the Test Automation Architecture.

Properties
Optional
PlannedYes
Tailoring
Representation OptionsUML Representation:

Some aspects of the Test Automation Architecture can optionally be described using a UML model, stereotyped as <<test automation architecture>>. 

Where available, you may be able to make use of some part of the existing Test Automation Architectures with little need to tailor them. However, usually each project requires some variation in approach, techniques, and tools, which ultimately affects the Test Automation Architecture itself. In many cases, tailoring or creating an appropriate Test Automation Architecture will occur during the Elaboration phase, and will be fine-tuned and extended with each subsequent iteration in both the Construction and Transition phases.

For the definition of Test Automation Architecture, we recommend using a single source that maintains an outline description of the main characteristics of the architecture. Note: you should avoid excessive and unnecessary detail in the architectural description.

Optionally the Test Automation Architecture can be enclosed within the Software Architecture Document, either described in its own section or as a set of concerns detailed throughout.

As an alternative to formal documentation, you might choose to simply record this information as a set of informal architectural notes accompanied by a minimal set of explanatory diagrams, possibly maintained on a white-board readily visible to the test team.



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