On October 8 and 9, 2024, we attended the AutomationStar conference in Vienna, and it was a real highlight! With around 475 participants and a varied program, the event offered in-depth insights into the latest developments in test automation. The conference included three keynotes, six tutorials, five deep dives and 21 track talks covering a wide range of topics.

Important trends such as the integration of AI and machine learning in test automation, test data management, performance and security testing as well as cloud testing were discussed. There was also a focus on test orchestration, mobile test automation, test coverage and the use of automation frameworks such as Robot Framework and Playwright. The diverse sessions and presentations enabled participants to obtain comprehensive information about current challenges and solutions in the field of automation.

TestBench and Robot Framework: Innovation through Low-Code/No-Code

As an exhibitor, we presented TestBench, in particular the seamless integration with Robot Framework and the Low-Code/No-Code approach that we pursue with it. This solution aroused great interest as it facilitates test automation through Keyword Driven Testing and promotes collaboration between automation experts and business test analysts. Our focus is on making automation more accessible and thus increasing the efficiency and quality of the entire testing process.

Award-winning web automation tutorial

A particular highlight of the conference was the tutorial on web automation with Robot Framework and Playwright given by our colleagues René Rohner and Henrik Schütte, which won the award for the best tutorial of the event. Using concrete examples and exercises, the participants were able to experience for themselves how easily and efficiently test automation can be designed with these tools. Despite the power of such automation tools, many teams encounter limitations such as lack of test management, lack of connection to requirements, lack of traceability between specification and test result, no linking of defects to test results and insufficient test planning. That’s why René and Henrik also went into TestBench, which completely solves these challenges and enables comprehensive reporting on both automated and manual tests.

Overall, AutomationStar 2024 was an extremely enriching event – both on a professional and personal level. We are already looking forward to next year!