This is one of those nebulous questions, the answer to which must start with "It depends." What are the testing requirements of the application/system being tested: does it demand functional testing, performance testing, or both, or more? The choice of tools depends initially on that answer, then other factors come into play: budget, knowledge of staff, preferences for in-house versus third-party test tool development, etc. Once you decide on the scope and level of test automation, you can start looking for automation solutions. Here are some guidelines: • “Scriptless” representation of automated tests: testers should be able to visualize each step of the business process and view and edit test cases intuitively • Integrated data tables: testers should have the ability to pump large volumes of data through the system quickly, manipulate the data sets, perform calculations, and quickly create hundreds of test iterations and permutations with minimal effort • Clear, concise reporting: reports should provide specifics about where application failures occurred and what test data was used; provide application screen shots for every step to highlight any discrepancies; and provide detailed explanations of each verification point’s pass and failure • Integration with requirements coverage and defect management tools One more thing to consider: getting good results from using test tools still depends on having effective and consistent QA processes in place. ****************************************************** The requirement is based on many factors, but obviously it has to be raised by the QA Head and approved by Management for procurement. The justification of requirement is based on it need, usefulness and utilization. The defining factors could be: Average number of running/upcoming projects at any moment of time Number of testers in the team Testing Strategy, Plan and Scope Higher no. of projects and less no. of testers with a definite strategy/plan/scope in place will place higher chances of need of the tool. But keep in mind that one tool does not fit for all testing needs Similarly one tool does not fit all organizations/Projects. Know about  what you need perfectly, requirements.

This is one of those nebulous questions, the answer to which must start with "It depends." What are the testing requirements of the application/system being tested: does it demand functional testing, performance testing, or both, or more? The choice of tools depends initially on that answer, then other factors come into play: budget, knowledge of staff, preferences for in-house versus third-party test tool development, etc. Once you decide on the scope and level of test automation, you can start looking for automation solutions. Here are some guidelines: • “Scriptless” representation of automated tests: testers should be able to visualize each step of the business process and view and edit test cases intuitively • Integrated data tables: testers should have the ability to pump large volumes of data through the system quickly, manipulate the data sets, perform calculations, and quickly create hundreds of test iterations and permutations with minimal effort • Clear, concise reporting: reports should provide specifics about where application failures occurred and what test data was used; provide application screen shots for every step to highlight any discrepancies; and provide detailed explanations of each verification point’s pass and failure • Integration with requirements coverage and defect management tools One more thing to consider: getting good results from using test tools still depends on having effective and consistent QA processes in place. ****************************************************** The requirement is based on many factors, but obviously it has to be raised by the QA Head and approved by Management for procurement. The justification of requirement is based on it need, usefulness and utilization. The defining factors could be: Average number of running/upcoming projects at any moment of time Number of testers in the team Testing Strategy, Plan and Scope Higher no. of projects and less no. of testers with a definite strategy/plan/scope in place will place higher chances of need of the tool. But keep in mind that one tool does not fit for all testing needs Similarly one tool does not fit all organizations/Projects. Know about  what you need perfectly, requirements.