Automated testing and manual testing are two (2) different QA testing approaches with the same essential goal, which is to test every aspect of the software, website, application, or tech product and ensure its quality before it is deployed for end use.
When to use either of the two (2) depends on the nature of the test object, available resources, and project timeline. Here are considerations that show when to use each one:
For Automated Testing:
- When you need to run the same tests multiple times.
- When your tech project is large or complex and needs to cover a diverse range of test scenarios.
- When there are load and performance tests to simulate high load and high stress.
- When there is an integration test to check whether your project can interact smoothly with different components and modules.
For Manual Testing:
- When exploratory tests are conducted to uncover defects.
- When you want to ensure the usability, user experience, and user interface aspects of your software or application.
- When you want to conduct a user acceptance test (UAT) for end-users to validate your tech product.
- When you want to do early tests while your product does not have the automation infrastructure or is unstable.