Data driven tests

Filehelpers is a great .Net library that allows you to easily import data into your code from a number of different data sources.

I use it to data drive selenium tests, reading in all the iterations in a setup method and then using the data either through iteration or targeting rows for specific data sets.

This quick start guide is pretty all you need to get data driving your tests.

http://www.filehelpers.com/quick_start.html

Cloud testing

You might not be able to get permanent test resource into your organisation, but a relatively small one off project cost might be acceptable to your business. Several cloud based test services have gained popularity recently providing on demand testing for individual or multiple projects.

Neustar Web Performance (Formerly BrowserMob )

This is a performance test service that allows you to test your applications from various geographical locations using selenium scripts.

The interface allows you a good degree of control over the test, and gives you plenty of analytics both during and after the test.

This is a great tool for those teams with a limit budget that need high performance but can’t step up and invest in dedicated performance test environments.

UTest

UTest offers a global community of testers that are paid by the test or number of defects that they find.

With features like bug tracking and test planning, and a seemingly endless list of possible platforms on which to test, this type of service is set to become big business during 2012.