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Checklist · Test Automation

Test Automation Launch Checklist for 2026

Test automation is the backbone of continuous delivery. This checklist guides you through planning, tooling and scaling your test suite in 2026. [launch guides](/resources/launch-guides) provide deeper dives into each phase.

9 checklist items Updated from migrated LaunchTry SEO content

Phase 01

Foundation

3 tasks
  • c1
    high2-3 days

    Define goals and KPIs (Test Automation)

    Define what success looks like: code coverage percentage, critical path automation ratio, and cycle-time reduction. Align engineering and QA leadership on targets.

  • c2
    medium1 week

    Identify target audience (Test Automation)

    Map your test landscape: unit, integration and end-to-end gaps. Identify which user journeys are under-tested and carry the highest regression risk.

  • c3
    medium1 week

    Audit current state (Test Automation)

    Assess your current test infrastructure—language, CI/CD platform, flakiness rate. Note technical debt blocking faster automation.

Phase 02

Execution

3 tasks
  • c4
    medium1 week

    Prioritize high-impact tasks (Test Automation)

    Prioritize automation ROI: high-touch manual tests first, then APIs, then UI. Avoid low-value automation that creates busywork.

  • c5
    critical1 day

    Assign owners and deadlines (Test Automation)

    Assign test automation owners to critical features. Set clear sprints and handoff criteria to prevent orphaned tests.

  • c6
    critical1 day

    Set up tracking (Test Automation)

    Wire up Slack or Jira alerts for flaky tests. Log all failures to distinguish real bugs from environment issues.

Phase 03

Launch & Review

3 tasks
  • c7
    medium1 week

    Ship and verify (Test Automation)

    Run full suite daily. Verify automation catches bugs before QA. Fix flakes ruthlessly—they erode trust fast.

  • c8
    medium1 week

    Measure against KPIs (Test Automation)

    Track metrics: pass rate, execution time, code coverage trend. Share wins with engineers to build momentum.

  • c9
    critical1 day

    Iterate on results (Test Automation)

    Fold in new tests as features ship. Retire obsolete assertions. Refactor common patterns into helpers for maintainability.

Pro tips

  • Tackle critical items first
  • Review the checklist weekly
  • Adapt phases to your test automation context