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February 18, 2005
When To Use a Record-Playback Tool
As I previously stated, record-playback tools have some serious limitations. But that doesn't mean they should never be used. Here are some cases where they can add value:
These tools boast about their ease of use and how quickly a non-technical person can generate an automated test script. The person can just record a scenario and then play it back automatically.
Unless the automation strategy involves some use of design patterns it's going to be very difficult to maintain new automated tests. What's most likely to happen is the automated testing resource will need to re-record test scenarios whenever the application changes. As long as this happens relatively infrequently, it could be a manageable cost.
Posted by Misha Rybalov at February 18, 2005 12:08 PM