Test automation is not just a bunch of automated scripts to be written and handed off. The scripting process, though important, is just an inner layer embedded deep within the whole. There are several more layers that are important in showcasing the true value of the automated scripts. You need to understand all layers.

In the quest for writing good code and delivering the right thing to customers, developers have several challenges. But most of them can be boiled down to two main problems: discovering the real scope, and how to do the work. Interestingly, they’re very similar to the problems faced by testers and others in non-dev roles.

Requirements only go so far in identifying areas to test. Sometimes testers are given no information at all, leaving it up to them to determine what to test. Don’t accept the need to indiscriminately test with no clear understanding. Your testing should be targeted, and these techniques will help focus your test effort.