AutomationSTAR

Test Automation Conference Europe

AutomationSTAR

Recommended Talks for New Automation Developers

This selection of recommended talks has been compiled by Chris Loder, Programme Chair of the 2023 AutomationSTAR Conference in Berlin, 20-21 November.

Hi again, everyone!  After my last blog post about what I as an “advanced automator” would attend, I was asked to write another from the perspective of someone who is fresh and new to this wonderful world we are all lucky to be a part of called test automation.  I will also add the same caveat that I did in my last post, if I don’t mention a particular talk, it doesn’t take anything away from it as ALL of the talks on the program are AWESOME!!!

Newbie Chris’s Hypothetical Agenda for AutomationSTAR 2023.

Day 1

  • Tutorial: As a programmer at heart, but a newbie to automation, I would probably choose Andy Knight’s tutorial Awesome Web Testing with Playwright.  But if I didn’t have the programming background, I’d probably be attending Anne Kramer’s tutorial Getting Started with Visual Test Design for Automation.
  • Keynote Number 1: For this, I’d rush into the hall for the Keynote to get a good seat and ensure I don’t miss anything.  Janna is a great speaker and I look forward to her keynote Streamlining Your CI/CD Pipeline with Test Automation.
  • Lunch: First thing for conference newcomers to know, it’s all about the food!! Be sure to enjoy some lunch to get fueled up for the great afternoon ahead! And it’s a great opportunity to network with fellow attendees and to take a moment to visit some of the great vendors that are present in the expo hall.
  • First Track Session: Just like I mentioned in my advanced agenda, I would be interested in attending Sophie Küster’s talk The Impostor’s Guide to Tooting Your Own Horn.  Who of us hasn’t felt like an impostor at some point in our careers.  But if I wasn’t’ feeling up for some soft skills instruction, I would then most likely choose to attend Gunesh Patil’s talk Behold MBT: A Guide To Improved Coverage, Collaboration, Mindset & You.
  • Break: Like the program says, mix and mingle in the Expo Hall.  Grab a snack and a drink and do a little more networking.  And don’t forget those vendors!
  • Second Track Session: As always, it’s hard to decide.  But since AI is all the rage these days, I would most likely attend Marek Lof’s talk Do We Automate Everything for AI Testing!? But if my programmer side is winning on this day, I would then probably be attending Christoph Wolf’s talk Unit Testing for Test Automation Engineers.
  • Expo Party: Who wouldn’t want to enjoy “bites, beers and games!” ?  This is another great opportunity for meeting new people and doing some excellent networking.  And this takes place in the Expo Hall, so all of the vendors will be there for you to see demos and learn about their various services and tools and answer any questions you may have. Oh, and did I mention the bites and beers?  Don’t worry, there are non-alcoholic options as well. (Yes, I know I copied this from my other blog post, but I honestly couldn’t think of a better way to put it. 😊)

Day 2

  • Morning Keynote: Again, be sure to get there early and get a great seat.  Ryan Volker is a great speaker and his talk with Bastian Schürmann about their team’s journey from Confusion to Clarity is not to be missed!
  • Day 2 Track Session 1: Like I mentioned in my previous blog post, my inner 8 year old that dreamed of going to space would be attending Andrew Brown’s talk Apollo 13 and the Dangers of Automation Bias.
  • Break: Grab a coffee and a snack and continue to build up my network.  Or take time to visit some of the vendors if I haven’t already had a chance.
  • Day 2 Track Session 2: As a new automation developer, Andrew Knight’s talk What Framework should I use for Web Testing? would be where I’d go.
  • Lunch: Remember I mentioned the food?  Yeah, more of it today for lunch!  And of course, networking as always.  These connections you make today could benefit you for years to come. 
  • Day 2 track Session 3: Like I said in my advanced blog post, it’s all the rage.  So my new automation self would be attending Geosley Andrades’ talk Unlocking New Possibilities in Test Automation with Chat GPT.
  • Break: Just like in the morning, it’s a great chance to meet some new people while getting a beverage and a snack.  Oh, and be sure to check out the vendors while there since this is the last chance to do so.
  • Lightning talks: Several speakers, each with 5 minutes to share a mini keynote!  Sign me up!!  Always a great opportunity to hear a little something on several topics in one go.
  • Final Keynote: Be sure to get every last minute from the conference and be front and center for Marie Cruz’s keynote about “intersectionality”.  It’s going to be great!
  • Closing remarks: This is where that program chair guy Chris gets up and closes out the conference.  I hear he’s a great speaker, so I better not miss that! 😉

As I mentioned previously, this is just one combination of talks and everyone’s journey will be different. Whichever path you choose, there is a wealth of knowledge to be gained at AutomationSTAR 2023 and I hope to see you there!

Regards,

Chris

Chris Loder – AutomationSTAR 2023 Programme Chair

6 Essential Test Scenarios Using Postman Flows

This blog has been compiled by Beth Marshall, who will be at AutomationSTAR 20-21 Nov. 2023 in Berlin, showing you how to use Flows, Postman’s latest beta feature for low/no code API workflow development and testing.

TL:DR Use the links below to see a video on each Flow:-

📃1. Schema Testing
🔐2. Security Testing
🧑‍🏭3. Workflow Testing
🚫4. Negative Testing
🏃5. Performance Testing
✅6. Positive Testing

I recently volunteered at Testbash. A huge draw for me was meeting the wonderfully talented Julia Pottinger who, with the backstage support of her QA partner Orane Findley wowed the attendees with her characteristically clear and simple explanation of “Next Level API Automation”.

Julia’s talk included the following slide, which detailed 6 important high level scenarios to consider when performing API tests. I thought it might be good to show examples of how, you can execute tests in all 6 areas using Postman Flows.

Scenario #1 Schema Testing

As JSON parsing seems to be done on a field by field basis in Flows, it doesn’t currently seem possible to extract the entire schema from the response body in order to compare it with a stored value (correct me if I’m wrong folks!). However, if you want a visualisation that your schema test stored within the tests tab of your request has worked, then here is a good way to do that.

Scenario #2 Security Testing

You can use the create data block to add different data sets to run against a request. I walk through a very aesthetically pleasing example here. 😻

Scenario #3: Workflow Testing

As highlighted by Julia Pottinger, testing an end to end workflow through API calls is often essential. Think about it logically, how do you know if a delete call has worked if you don’t then check the data isn’t then available?

Using Flows to test workflows is a major use case for this Postman feature, because you can see exactly what’s happening. Here is an example workflow test using Postman Flows.

Scenario #4: Negative Testing

Here I cover 2 different but connected scenarios:-
1. You want to verify the status code and message (e.g. 400 Bad Request)
2. You want to verify a string within the error response (e.g. “the length must be 3-18 characters”

An added bonus is generating test data within Flows using both lists and records, which although might not be ideal for large test data sets, would be very handy for smaller ones such as testing what happens if 3 different invalid inputs are entered for the same request.

Scenario #5: Performance Testing

So we know that scaled and in-depth performance testing is one of the few things that Postman isn’t really built for. Although Flows is no exception to that, if its cheap and cheerful performance testing you’re after (say, executing the same scenario 10 times and checking the response time is under a certain threshold) then that is absolutely doable.

Scenario #6: Positive Testing

Last but certainly not least – time for the happy path! 🙌

In this example, I show how it is possible to execute 6 endpoints at the same time, and apply the same conditional logic to all of them to check:-
* status code is 200
* response body value is correct (“status: UP”)

This gives a really clear indicator when running a health check against several different API’s at the same time. Which is one of the huge benefits of using Flows.

And that’s it! I hope that structuring this post around Julia’s essential test scenario’s made sense to you, and that you were inspired to try Postman Flows next time you are looking to test your API.

Til next time! 👋

What’s Next?

Join Beth at for her workshop on using Postman flows. Connect with 350+ automators at AutomationSTAR 2023.

Recommended Talks for Advanced Automation Developers

This selection of recommended talks has been compiled by Chris Loder, Programme Chair of the 2023 AutomationSTAR Conference in Berlin, 20-21 November.

Hi everyone,  I have been asked by some of the more advanced automation developers as to what tracks and tutorials I’d recommend for them at AutomationSTAR 2023.  While I hate to choose one talk over another talk, as I feel there is always something to be learned from even the most intro of talks, and as a more advanced automation developer myself, I decided to take the “What would Chris attend if given the chance?” approach. So, here is what I came up with.  And please note, that this is not meant to take away from any talks that are not mentioned as they are ALL AWESOME!!!

Chris Loder recommended talks for advanced automation developers

Chris’ Hypothetical Agenda for AutomationSTAR 2023

Day 1 – Monday 20th November
  • Tutorial: Since I can’t really take my own talk (but I would if I could since it is for more advanced developers, especially those who are building their own frameworks) and since I am entrenched in my own custom-built framework and toolset, I would most likely attend Exploring BDD Automation Patterns with Gáspár Nagy and Seb Rose. 
  • Keynote: Of course, the Keynotes are always great, and I can’t wait to introduce Janna Loeffler to you all as our first keynote speaker. She’ll be showing us how Streamline our CI/CD Pipeline with Test Automation.
  • Lunch: A great chance to get fueled up for the awesome afternoon ahead as well as meet some new folks while enjoying an amazing lunch.
  • First track session:  While I am inclined to attend Programme Team member Sophie Küster’s talk about Tooting your Own Horn as I know it will be great (and don’t we all experience a little impostor syndrome from time to time?) I would most likely end up in the Automated Lighthouse Reporting with WebDriverIO as that is something that is new to me and since my UI framework is built on Webdriver, learning something new that I could add to it would be fantastic!
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  • Break:  Get out there and enjoy a beverage and a snack while networking and meeting lots of great new people!  And take the opportunity to check out the vendors!
  • Second Track Session: This one would most likely have to be Unit Testing for Test Automation Engineers from Christoph Wolf.  Since I am guilty of not having much in the way of Unit Tests in my own automation framework, I think this would be a great way for me to learn about some best practices and how to approach adding them in to it.
  • EXPO Party: Who wouldn’t want to enjoy bites, beers and games!  This is another great opportunity for meeting new people and doing some excellent networking.  And this takes place in the EXPO Hall, so all of the vendors will be there for you to see demos and learn about their various services and tools and answer any questions you may have. Oh, and did I mention the bites and beers?  Don’t worry, there will be non-alcoholic options as well.
Day 2 – Tuesday 21st November

These are my recommendations for the advanced automators among you:

  • Keynote number 2 This is one I wouldn’t miss.  I met Ryan Volker at EuroSTAR 2018 where he delivered an amazing talk. I can’t wait to hear him and Bastian Schürmann speak about the journey their team took on their way to automation. 
  • Tuesday track session 1: This one I am torn.  My inner 8 year old who dreamed of going to space would really like to attend the Apollo 13 and the Dangers of Automation Bias talk from Andrew Brown, but since my knowledge of performance testing is quite limited, I might lean towards hearing Emilia Lendzion-Barszcz deliver her talk Performance Testing is not only API.
  • Break: Just like Monday, it’s a great chance to meet some new people while getting a beverage and a snack.  Oh, and be sure to check out the vendors while there.
  • Tuesday track session2:  This is another track slot that has me torn.  As a manager myself, I would really like to attend Janna Loeffler’s talk Congratulations! You’re a Leader! Now What?! and learn some great tips on what to do now that I am in charge of my team.  But the chance to learn about bots and how we can use them is also a huge draw for me in Marcel Veselka’s talk Autonomous Testing: Introduce Testing Bots and Boost your Efficiency is possibly where I end up.
  • Lunch: Enjoys some food and great company back in the Vendor EXPO hall and get ready for our afternoon!
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  • Tuesday track session 3: It’s all the rage.  It’s the shiny new thing.  It’s the new kid on the block everyone wants to play with. It is none other than ChatGPT!   This session will see me enjoying Unlocking New Possibilities in Test Automation with ChatGPT with Geosley Andrades.
  • Break: Just like in the morning, it’s a great chance to meet some new people while getting a beverage and a snack.  Oh, and be sure to check out the vendors while there since this is the last chance to do so.
  • Lightning talks: This is a great opportunity to hear from several speakers who will deliver a mini keynote of 5 minutes or less.  It is a lot of fun and I am looking forward to hearing the clap of thunder when someone inevitably runs long!
  • Final Keynote: Marie Cruz will be closing us out for speakers and her talk about “intersectionaliy” is one not to be missed.
  • Closing remarks: Sadly, all good things must come to an end. I will be closing out the conference with you all.

As I mentioned previously, this is just one combination of talks and everyone’s journey will be different. Whichever path you choose, there is a wealth of knowledge to be gained at AutomationSTAR 2023 and I hope to see you there!

Regards,

Chris

Chris Loder – AutomationSTAR 2023 Programme Chair

The 2023 Lineup is LIVE

It’s here! The AutomationSTAR 2023 programme is LIVE. Are you looking for a blast of test automation inspiration?

We’ve got 2 whole days of headline keynotes, training tutorials, technical track talks, and plenty of opportunity to meet new people in the awesome test automation community.

The 2023 Programme Team, Chris Loder (Canada), John Kent (UK), and Sophie Küster (Germany) have put together a phenomenal line-up.  Get in on the action at Europe’s fastest growing test automation conference.

Check out the talks and secure your place today!

See Programme

3 Keynote Talks

Our 4 keynote speakers are delivering an inspiring dose of knowledge and insights.  Marie Cruz shares her experiences on getting started in tech, and what it was like for her as a member of a minority group in the industry. Ryan Volker and Bastian Schurmann will give you new ideas to continue advancing your test automation framework, and overcome unanticipated headwind; while Janna delves into the vital role of test automation in CI/CD pipelines, and show you techniques for balancing fast feedback. Notebooks at the ready!

4 Half Day Tutorials

2 days of intensive training from leading experts: learn how to use Playwright to automate end-to-end tests, see the importance of using test automation patterns, get the keys to a successful test automation framework, learn how investing in your automation can pay off massively, and lots more.

17 Track Talks & 2 Workshops

The AutomationSTAR track talks and workshops are filled with actionable learnings to advance your test automation projects. What does the Apollo 13 spacecraft disaster have in common with various automation problems in DevOps, CI/CD, and agile? What are the shortfalls faced by freeform UI apps when comes to Visual Testing? What’s the best open source test frameworks for automating web UI tests? What if we applied the Shift-Left approach to performance tests? Get answers to these questions and LOTS more.

We hope you like the programme, and see you in Berlin!

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A huge welcome to our first AutomationSTAR 2023 sponsors – join them in Berlin, Nov 20-21.

Our AutomationSTAR EXPO packages are bursting with opportunities for you to speak directly to the test automation community, and help solve their problems with your tools and services. Download our EXPO brochure now, or chat to Clare from our EXPO team.