Understanding Robotic Process Automation: Key Insights for QA Teams
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Chapter 1: Introduction to Robotic Process Automation
What does Robotic Process Automation (RPA) mean, and why is it crucial for contemporary QA teams? This article delves into the necessity of RPA for these teams.
RPA refers to an automation technology that integrates robotics with artificial intelligence (AI). It is hailed as the future of automation testing, offering a unique approach with numerous benefits. Unlike traditional automation, which relies on test automation tools like QARA Enterprise, Katalon Studio, and Ranorex, RPA employs intelligent AI capabilities to analyze user behavior across applications. This technology is recognized for its extensive functionalities and is considered the next big step in automation.
Section 1.1: What is RPA?
Robotic Process Automation is a business process automation technology that utilizes software robots or AI to streamline various business operations. In conventional workflow automation tools, a software developer outlines a series of actions to automate tasks and connects them to the back-end framework via internal application programming interfaces (APIs) or a specific scripting language. Conversely, RPA systems generate a list of actions by observing users navigate the application's graphical user interface (GUI), allowing direct automation of these tasks within the GUI. This capability significantly lowers the entry barriers for automation in systems lacking APIs.
Subsection 1.1.1: RPA vs. Traditional Automation
Section 1.2: The Unique Features of RPA
RPA tools bear similarities to graphical user interface testing tools in their underlying technology. They automate user interactions with the GUI by replicating a sequence of demonstrated user behaviors. However, RPA tools stand apart by facilitating data management across different applications—for instance, processing an invoice received via email, extracting the relevant information, and entering it into a financial system.
Chapter 2: Essential Facts About RPA
One of the most compelling aspects of RPA is its minimal demand on QA teams compared to traditional automation technologies, which typically require scripting test steps. RPA intelligently automates the execution of test cases by observing QA professionals as they navigate the standard user interface (GUI). This innovative technology is more sophisticated than the GUI testing methodologies currently employed by QA teams, boasting enhanced capabilities.
Experts noted that RPA emerged as one of the easiest new technologies to implement in 2020, though considerations regarding scalability remain critical during its implementation. Essentially, RPA utilizes "modeling" robots to replicate the test steps performed by QA experts. The potential of RPA for future applications is indeed exciting.
RPA enables systems to log into websites and applications similarly to human users, alongside the ability to send and receive emails autonomously. According to Gartner, a remarkable 72% of organizations are projected to adopt RPA in various capacities within the next two years. In 2018, RPA was recognized as the fastest-growing enterprise software technology, and its prominence continues to rise. Experts predict that by the end of 2020, RPA will be a dominant force in the digital landscape, with cloud migration and semantic computing serving as the foundational elements for its implementation.
In summary, these insights on Robotic Process Automation highlight its intelligent capabilities and vast potential for the future. RPA promises to unlock numerous opportunities that we may not yet fully comprehend.