Common Element Automation: The Key to Scalable, Stable Software Testing

In the rapidly evolving world of software development and quality assurance, common element automation has become a cornerstone for teams seeking efficiency, stability, and scalability in their testing processes. Whether you're automating web, desktop, mobile, or legacy applications, the ability to reliably automate interactions with common UI elements—such as buttons, dropdowns, tables, and textboxes—can make or break your test automation strategy.

This article explores what common element automation is, why it matters, its benefits and challenges, and how platforms like TestResults.io are revolutionizing the way teams approach element automation in modern, regulated, and cloud-native environments.

What Is Common Element Automation?

Common element automation refers to the practice of designing automated tests that can reliably interact with standard UI components (e.g., buttons, dropdowns, tables, text fields) across different applications and platforms. Instead of writing one-off scripts for each element or application, common element automation focuses on creating reusable, maintainable automation components that work seamlessly regardless of technology stack or UI changes.

Examples of Common Elements:

• Buttons (submit, cancel, next)
• Dropdowns and selection lists
• Textboxes and input fields
• Tables and grids
• Checkboxes and radio buttons

By standardizing how these elements are identified and interacted with, teams can dramatically reduce test creation time, maintenance costs, and the risk of flaky tests.

Quick Definition:
Common element automation is the process of automating interactions with frequently used UI elements in a way that is reusable, stable, and technology-agnostic.

Why Is Common Element Automation Essential?

The modern software landscape is more complex than ever: applications span web, mobile, desktop, and embedded devices, and user interfaces can change frequently. Without a strategy for common element automation, teams face:

• High maintenance costs due to frequent UI updates.
• Test instability and flakiness when element locators break.
• Duplicated effort across test scripts and teams.
• Difficulty scaling automation across platforms and environments.

Adopting common element automation solves these challenges by enabling:

• Reusable test components that work across multiple applications.
• Robustness against UI changes, reducing false positives/negatives.
• Faster onboarding for new testers and developers.
• Easier integration with CI/CD pipelines and cloud environments.

The Benefits of Common Element Automation

Implementing a robust common element automation strategy brings tangible benefits:

1. Time and Cost Savings

   • Reduces redundant scripting for similar elements.
   • Cuts down maintenance when UIs change.
   • Frees up QA resources for higher-value tasks.
2. Improved Test Stability

   • Less flakiness thanks to resilient element identification.
   • Automated verification of element interaction and outcomes.
   • Fewer false positives and negatives in test results.
3. Scalability Across Platforms

   • Technology-agnostic approaches work on web, desktop, mobile, and even legacy systems.
   • Supports parallel execution and cloud-native scaling.
   • Enables comprehensive test coverage for modern enterprise applications.

For more on tackling test instability, see Overcoming flakiness in UI testing.

Challenges in Common Element Automation—and How to Overcome Them

Despite its advantages, common element automation presents unique challenges:

• Handling UI Changes and Dynamic Elements

  • UIs evolve, element locators change, and dynamic content can break scripts.
  • Solution: Use visual testing engines and AI-driven recognition to identify elements based on appearance and context, not just code.
• Cross-Technology and Cross-Device Automation

  • Automating across web, desktop, and mobile often requires different tools and approaches.
  • Solution: Adopt technology-agnostic platforms (like TestResults.io) that support multiple environments out of the box.
• Avoiding Flakiness

  • Flaky tests undermine trust in automation and slow down releases.
  • Solution: Implement robust element identification and automated verification at every step.

For a deeper dive on why some AI approaches fall short, read Why AI doesn’t work for element detection in software testing.

Approaches and Tools for Common Element Automation

There are several strategies and tools for automating common elements:

• Code-Based Automation:
  Frameworks like Selenium or Appium require manual locator management and scripting for each technology.
• No-Code/Low-Code Platforms:
  Allow testers and business analysts to automate without deep programming knowledge, often with drag-and-drop interfaces.
• Visual Testing Engines:
  Platforms like TestResults.io use advanced image recognition and character recognition to automate UI interactions as a human would—regardless of underlying technology. This approach enables:

  • Technology-agnostic automation (works on legacy and modern apps)
  • Minimal maintenance even when UIs change
  • Zero-intrusion for regulated environments
• Cloud-Native Solutions:
  Offer on-demand scalability, parallel execution, and easy integration with CI/CD, making it possible to run large test suites efficiently.

For more on integrating automation into your workflow, see Implementing test automation in DevOps processes.

Best Practices for Implementing Common Element Automation

To maximize the value of common element automation, follow these best practices:

• Design Reusable Components:
  Create modular automation blocks for each element type (e.g., button click, table validation).
• Use Technology-Agnostic Identification:
  Prefer visual or context-based identification over hard-coded locators.
• Automate Verification, Not Just Interaction:
  Always check that the expected outcome occurs after interacting with an element.
• Integrate with CI/CD and Reporting:
  Ensure your automation can run unattended and results are captured in comprehensive reports.
• Prioritize Maintainability:
  Regularly review and refactor your automation assets to keep them robust and up-to-date.

Real-World Use Cases: How TestResults.io Empowers Common Element Automation

TestResults.io sets itself apart by providing a cloud-native, technology-agnostic platform that excels at common element automation:

• Supports Any Application:
  Automate web, desktop, mobile, and even 35-year-old HOST applications with the same approach.
• Visual Testing Engine:
  Uses image and advanced character recognition to identify and interact with elements just like a human tester—no need for intrusive hooks or technology-specific locators.
• Regulated Environments Ready:
  With zero-intrusion and full traceability, TestResults.io is the platform of choice for healthcare, finance, and other regulated industries.
• Scalable and Maintainable:
  Spin up environments on-demand, run tests in parallel, and manage everything from a unified cloud dashboard.
• Quantifiable Benefits:
  Save up to 97% of setup time, 95% of infrastructure costs, and 80% of execution costs.

Conclusion: Automate Smarter, Not Harder

Common element automation is no longer optional—it's essential for modern, scalable, and stable software testing. By adopting technology-agnostic, visual, and cloud-native approaches, teams can future-proof their automation, reduce maintenance, and deliver higher-quality software, faster.

Ready to take the next step? Explore more about test automation trends for 2025 and discover how TestResults.io can transform your QA strategy.