Test automation is an essential tool in today's software development environments. It increases testing efficiency and makes test procedures reliably repeatable.This book provides a complete overview of how to design test automation processes and integrate them into your organization or existing projects. It details functional and technical strategies and goes into detail on the relevant concepts and best practices. The book's main focus is on functional system testing.Topics covered: - An introduction to test automation- Objectives and success factors- Preparing for test automation- Introduction to generic test automation architectures- Design and development of a test automation solution- Risks and contingencies during deployment- Metrics and reporting- Transitioning manual testing to an automated environment- Verifying a test automation solution- Continuous improvementThe appendix contains an overview of software quality characteristics according to the ISO 25010 standard, and lists potential test automation applications within this context. It also provides an introduction to load and performance testing, and a sample catalog of criteria for selecting test automation tools. This book is fully compliant with the ISTQB(R) syllabus and, with its many explanatory examples, is equally suitable for preparation for certification, as a concise reference book for anyone who wants to acquire this essential skill, or for university-level study.