Over my career in IT and Testing, I have been responsible for a number of test automation projects. For some, I did the actual work. For others, I supervised the people doing the building of the tools but provided my input in how the goals should be accomplished.
I will talk about a lot of business practices that I have learned are helpful in driving the success of the project as well as your business in general.
Prior to starting the planning process, there are a number of things that need to be done, people who need to be involved and data that needs to be gathered. I will also discuss Change Management techniques that will help you move your project from inception to completion with higher chances of success.
Once the pre-planning phase is complete, you should be ready to jump into the planning process. I will present a number of best practices and things to consider when moving forward with your project including Test Frameworks, Tool selection and the Proof(s) of Concept.
Lastly, when you are ready to put your team to work and give them marching orders, I will discuss some general Best Practices for Test Automation projects to keep in mind when you move into the Development phase of the project.