Imagine a world where no one had a name. Instead of John Doe, you would know “the 185lb, long black haired, 5-foot-11 guy that lives on the corner of 43rd and 5th.” What happened if that guy got a crew cut? To his close friends, he would now be “the 185lb, short black haired, 5-foot-11 guy that lives on the corner of 43rd and 5th.” But not-so-close acquaintances, ex-girlfriends, the florist, cabbie, and the IRS would all know him as his former name. Few would know this new guy. There would be confusion when one group tries to talk to the other about this guy. What happened if he gained a few pounds, too, and moved over to 54th? No one would know who he was, anymore.
That’s why we have names. They are a constant in a dynamic life. They are the dependable value that gives the world security when all else changes. If John dyed his hair blue, moved to Phoenix, and got a sunburn, people would still know who he is. He’s John Doe.
ID attributes do for web objects what names do for humanity. In a world where static web sites are the ones your 12-year-old makes on Geocities, automated QA tools need a little help. Do you have a link to your favorite news site? Today, your automated tool can find that link to <a href=”http://www.cnn.com”>CNN.com</a>, but tomorrow’s <a href=”http://www.msnbc.com”>MSNBC</a> link is lost; the tool is still looking for CNN. So, give the link an ID. That’s its John Doe. The tool can find your link whether it is <a id=”favNewsLink” href=”http://www.cnn.com”>, <a id=”favNewsLink” href=”http://www.msnbc.com”>, or any other link that floats your boat. All it has to do is look for the name. favNewsLink. John Doe.
Be nice to your automated tools: give your web objects a name. Rename your ‘Comments’ link to ‘Feedback’? John Doe. Change your image of your dog to an image of your cat? John Doe. Multilingual site with translated text? John Doe. It will help you automate your QA process, and you will spend less time retooling your automation scripts and more time downing that Corona. Just don’t forget the lime.
Happy Cinco de Mayo.
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