What Skills Do Successful Automation Test Engineers Need in 2019?

1. Programming Language Proficiency

Automation testers must understand at least one programming language such as C#, Python, Java, Perl, SQL, XML, HTML, or CSS, depending on the project’s tech stack. Familiarity with the language used by developers enables writing robust test scripts, improves communication, and supports deeper functional testing beyond simple unit tests.

Framework Design

Choosing the right automation framework dictates the level of coding required. Tools like SpecFlow or Cucumber allow high‑level English‑style scripts, while Selenium WebDriver, UFT, or QTP demand solid programming skills.

2. Strong Manual Testing Foundations

Even as an automation specialist, keen manual testing abilities are crucial for detecting visual issues, understanding user experience, and handling test cases that automation cannot cover.

Human Observation

Human eyes can spot UI and usability problems that scripts miss; manual testing provides the perspective needed to identify such defects.

Tests Requiring Manual Execution

Complex scenarios, gesture or touch interactions, and certain performance checks often need manual validation because automation would be costly or inaccurate.

Automation Limitations

Automation scripts are code and can contain bugs; relying solely on them may produce false positives or negatives, so occasional manual verification is essential.

3. Automation Tool Expertise

Proficiency with leading automation tools is expected in today’s fast‑paced market.

Selenium : Supports all major browsers via WebDriver; essential for web UI automation.

HP UFT (formerly QTP) : Enterprise‑grade tool for functional and regression testing; certification is valuable.

SoapUI : Open‑source solution for testing SOAP and REST APIs.

IBM Rational Functional Tester (RFT) : Supports .NET, Java, SAP, Flex, VB, Dojo for functional testing.

Appium : Open‑source framework for mobile app automation across Android, iOS, and Windows.

Apache JMeter : Primarily a performance and load testing tool, also used for API testing.

4. Business‑Domain Understanding

Automation engineers should grasp the application’s business context, including programming languages used, target platforms, database interactions, APIs, stakeholder expectations, manual testing effort, known defects, and release timelines. This knowledge guides effective test design and prioritization.

5. Tool Troubleshooting Skills

Complex automation tools can produce false failures or misinterpretations. Engineers must diagnose why a script reports errors despite correct business behavior, adjust configurations, and ensure the testing environment aligns with the application architecture.

6. Experience with Test‑Management Tools

Using test‑management platforms helps record defects, prioritize them, track test‑phase transitions, generate dashboards, and maintain traceability, while also safeguarding test data.

7. Awareness of Development Methodologies

Understanding Agile, DevOps, Scrum, and CI/CD pipelines enables testers to align with delivery schedules, participate in daily stand‑ups, and contribute to continuous improvement within the organization.

Conclusion

Mastering these skills—programming, manual testing insight, tool expertise, business knowledge, troubleshooting, test‑management, and methodology awareness—positions automation testers as high‑value assets, capable of advancing from junior roles to lead or architect positions.