Which of the following is NOT an advantage of test automation?

Question

Options

• AThe ability to perform tests which would be difficult or impossible to execute manually
• BThe ability to run more tests in less time and therefore to make it possible to run them more often
• CThe ability to find more defects with the same tests, compared to executing the same test
• DThe ability to enable a better use of skilled testers by freeing them from repetitive and boring

• A
  2% (1)
• B
  2% (1)
• C
  91% (42)
• D
  4% (2)

Explanation

Option C is the NOT an advantage because automated tests execute the same predefined scripts every time - they cannot discover more defects from the same test than a manual run of that same test would. In fact, this is related to the "pesticide paradox": repeating identical tests over time tends to find fewer new defects, not more.

Options A, B, and D describe genuine automation advantages and are therefore wrong choices for this question:

• A is a real advantage - automation enables tests that are impractical manually, like running thousands of simultaneous virtual users in a load test.
• B is a real advantage - automated suites execute far faster than manual testers, enabling frequent regression runs in CI/CD pipelines.
• D is a real advantage - by automating repetitive regression tests, skilled testers are freed to do exploratory testing and higher-value work.

Memory tip: Think of automation as a robot repeating the same checklist - it's fast, tireless, and consistent, but it can only check what it was programmed to check. It won't suddenly find more bugs in a test it already knows; that's the job of a human tester adding new tests.

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