RPA Robot UI Test Generation for Faster Failure Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
RPA scripts are fragile and require manual modification when UI changes occur, and testing is slow and challenging due to different development teams and complex test environment setup.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for generating sets of tests that encapsulate only UI interactions, allowing teams to identify and address UI issues independently, using a computer-implemented approach to derive and execute contract tests for RPA robots.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If RPA scripts interact with UI controls, then automation capability is improved, but script fragility increases when UI changes occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the testing process by separating UI interaction testing from other system interactions. It extracts only UI-related commands from RPA scripts and generates dedicated UI tests, isolating the fragility issue to a specific test subset that can be maintained independently when UI changes occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary analysis of RPA scripts to identify and extract UI interaction commands before full execution. By pre-processing scripts to separate UI commands from other system interactions, it prepares targeted UI tests that can be run independently and updated when UI changes are detected.
2Reliability
If complete RPA scripts are tested in real time, then comprehensive validation is achieved, but testing speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the test execution into segmented phases: UI interaction tests are separated from other system interaction tests. This allows UI-specific tests to be executed quickly and independently, providing fast feedback on UI changes without requiring full end-to-end system testing for every validation cycle.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial testing by executing only the UI-related portion of RPA scripts during UI validation phases. This partial action provides sufficient feedback for UI development and maintenance without the overhead of complete system testing, achieving adequate validation speed for UI-specific changes.
3Reliability
If RPA testing includes interactions with multiple systems, then system integration validation is improved, but test environment complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments test environments by creating separate UI-focused test environments that only require the target UI application, excluding dependencies on databases, email servers, and other external systems. This segmentation reduces test environment complexity while maintaining validation effectiveness for UI interactions.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, computer program product, and computer system for testing of robotic process automation robots that interact with user interfaces. The method includes obtaining analysis of commands in a robotic process automation script to determine interaction of the commands with one or more user interface applications. The method includes extracting a list of commands that interact with user interface controls and grouping the commands by user interface application. The method then generates a set of tests for each user interface application, with the set of tests including the commands for user interface control interactions and assertions of a state of each user interface control interacted with. The method provides a set of tests for a robot for each user interface application.