Accelerating the Pace of Software Development Through Automated Testing
FinTech Innovators Need to Modernize Their Software Development
Rapid changes in the payments industry are requiring FinTech innovators to modernize software development processes in order to deliver more efficient and secure means of payments for buyers and suppliers. This places severe demands on software organizations to expand both the volume and quality of product delivered. For Paymerang, automated testing has been a critical enabler in this transformation.
When Paymerang was founded in 2010, we were offering a single product along the Procure-to-Pay value chain–payment automation–and relying non-traditional “scrum-fall-ban” development methodologies.
Since then, we have shifted to Lean/Agile Methodologies and DevOps (DevSecOps) in order to significantly expand our velocity.
Shifting methods enables greater features and functionality within core products.
Since making the shift within our core products we are able to offer greater features such as: better security around payments and authentication, new payment methods, such as straight-through-processing, and new products, such as invoice automation and receivables automation.
Given the mission critical nature of each enhancement, Paymerang also made a shift to automated testing.
Automated Functional Tests look at the Paymerang system as a “Black Box”. Functional tests check that the system functions as required by the business. Functional Tests do not target how functionality is delivered – thus the “black box”. Paymerang’s Functional Tests utilize browser-drivers such as Selenium to mimic a user in our app performance any number of tasks.
Automated Functional Testing allows Paymerang to quickly release both product improvements and new products with confidence that our security, user experience and system functionality will continue to deliver without disruption to the product nor other delivery staff. Automated Functional Testing also enables other automation, such as Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery. Failed tests quickly identify where and when an issue is introduced.
We utilize gated check-ins so as to keep our environments working while also giving detailed feedback to our application delivery staff.
Three best practices to consider as one moves to CI / CD
- Automated Functional Testing
- Gated Check-ins to major repository branches
- Test Data Provisioning
The dynamic nature of Paymerang’s business requires constant innovation in both the ways that business payments are made and the means of securing these payments. Automated testing is becoming an essential practice in the FinTech space as organizations increase their velocity and quality control.
In part two of this blog, we will cover best practices in test data provisioning for automated testing.
