Mobile app test automation has become a crucial practice for QA engineers, developers, and product managers. It ensures apps are bug-free, reliable, and provide a seamless user experience across devices.
However, automation isn’t a guaranteed success- common mistakes can derail progress, increase costs, and compromise app quality.
This guide dives into five prevalent mistakes in mobile app test automation and how to avoid them, helping you save time, reduce errors, and optimise the performance of your mobile app.
Mistake #1: Not Defining Clear Test Objectives
Effective test automation begins with a purpose. Without clear objectives driving the process, teams can waste resources on poorly targeted efforts, leading to missed bugs and inefficient coverage.
Why It’s a Problem
When goals are vague, teams often over-test in some areas while neglecting others. This can result in both wasted time and critical issues slipping through before launch.
Best Practices for Setting Clear Objectives
- Identify key app functionalities that must work flawlessly (e.g., user login, payment gateways).
- Define measurable goals, such as achieving 95% coverage on crucial test cases.
- Collaborate with stakeholders (product managers and developers) to prioritise test objectives aligned with user needs.
Clear objectives act as the foundation of your test automation strategy, ensuring focus and efficiency from the outset.
Mistake #2: Automating Everything Without Prioritisation
The idea that “every test should be automated” is one of the most common misconceptions among QA teams. While automation is powerful, it isn’t the right solution for every case.
Why It’s a Problem
Over-automation can lead to unnecessary complexity, higher maintenance costs, and neglected manual testing where it truly matters—like exploratory testing.
How to Prioritise Test Automation
- Focus on repetitive, time-consuming test cases that frequently need execution (e.g., regression tests).
- Automate scenarios that involve complex calculations or are prone to human error.
- Use manual testing for cases requiring creative problem-solving, UI feedback, or one-off scenarios.
By automating selectively, you’ll maximise ROI on your test automation efforts and maintain a balanced QA process.
Mistake #3: Ignoring Cross-Platform Compatibility
Mobile apps are accessed via a wide variety of devices, operating systems, and screen sizes. Neglecting cross-platform testing is a critical error that can alienate users and damage your app’s reputation.
Why It’s a Problem
A feature that works perfectly on one device may look distorted- or fail entirely- on another. If you don’t test thoroughly, your app could receive poor reviews and lose users.
How to Master Cross-Platform Testing
- Use tools like BrowserStack or Sauce Labs that offer access to multiple device and OS combinations in virtual environments.
- Identify the most-used device-OS combinations in your target region and prioritise testing for them.
- Incorporate responsive design testing to ensure your UI works across varying screen sizes and resolutions.
Consistently testing for compatibility ensures a seamless experience for all users, no matter what device they’re on
Mistake #4: Poor Maintenance of Test Scripts
Test automation isn’t a “set it and forget it” process. Test scripts need regular updates and maintenance to remain effective and deliver accurate results.
Why It’s a Problem
Outdated scripts introduce unreliable test results and can lead to false positives or negatives, wasting time on debugging that could have been avoided.
Best Practices for Maintenance
- Update test scripts with every app release or feature update.
- Use version control systems (e.g., Git) to track changes and maintain accountability within teams.
- Regularly refactor test scripts for efficiency—for instance, eliminate duplicate code.
- Implement fail-proof automation frameworks, such as keyword-driven or data-driven frameworks, to make updates seamless.
Well-maintained scripts keep your test suite running smoothly and your results trustworthy.
Mistake #5: Neglecting Real-World Testing Scenarios
While emulators and simulators are valuable for early-stage testing, they can only approximate the actual behaviours of real users on physical devices. Relying solely on them is a significant oversight.
Why It’s a Problem
Real-world elements like network latency, varying battery performance, or hardware-specific quirks are impossible to replicate in an emulator. Neglecting real-device testing can leave critical bugs undetected.
Strategies for Real-World Testing
- Allocate part of your testing budget to real-device testing services like Testevolve, Kobiton or AWS Device Farm.
- Conduct tests under varying network conditions, such as 3G, 4G, and offline mode, to simulate real use cases.
- Test for interruptions like phone calls, notifications, or background processes while using the app.
Integrating real-world scenarios into your automation process ensures a robust app ready for today’s demanding users.
Elevate Your Test Automation Strategy
By recognising and avoiding these common mistakes, QA engineers, developers, and product managers can streamline their mobile app test automation and deliver high-quality apps to market faster.
Remember, successful automation isn’t about testing everything- it’s about testing the right things, the right way.
Start optimising your testing strategy today for better results tomorrow.
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