Mid-LevelQA Methodology & Strategy
How do you decide what to automate and what to keep manual?
- automation ROI
- test strategy
- manual vs automated
Answer it first, then compare. Nothing here is saved or scored.
Model answer
Automate: repetitive regression tests, data-driven tests with many input combinations, smoke tests for CI, cross-browser/device matrix testing. Keep manual: exploratory testing, usability evaluation, visual design review, one-time tests for a specific release, tests for rapidly changing features (automation can't keep up). The ROI calculation: if a test will run more than 5 times and the automation cost is less than 5× the manual cost, automate it. Don't automate everything, some tests are cheaper to run manually forever.
What interviewers listen for
- Risk-based prioritisationYou can defend skipping coverage on a path because the risk maths supports it.
- Test design fluencyYou apply equivalence partitioning and decision tables to concrete inputs in real time.
- Metric judgmentYou distinguish between metrics that drive learning and metrics that drive theatre.
- Strategy under constraintYou can produce a defensible plan when the team has half the time and twice the scope.