Simplify test maintenance

Test maintenance is an integral aspect of test automation. Test maintenance is the process of fixing tests so they stay up to date with code changes. It is also important to update your automation framework infrastructure if there are any changes to the tools or third-party libraries that you use. Staying aware of these changes, especially in agile mode, is a big part of test maintenance, particularly when you handle regression testing. Moreover, to meet the demands of each sprint, many companies run their automated tests through continuous integration and continuous delivery. It’s important to include testing after each commit as part of your CI/CD pipeline to help your team identify and resolve issues more quickly.

Test maintenance is important because tests can become outdated or no longer accurately retrieve the expected results. Keeping tests up-to-date ensures that they are reliable and valid measures of the intended content.

Some examples of test maintenance activities include:
- Reviewing and updating test questions to ensure they are still relevant and accurate
- Adding or removing test questions based on changes in the content area being measured
- Adjusting the difficulty level of the test based on changes in the content area or the test-taking population
- Reviewing and updating the test scoring rubric
- Evaluating the reliability and validity of the test to ensure it is still a reliable measure of the intended skills or knowledge.

Some best practices for test maintenance include:
- Regularly reviewing and updating the test to ensure it remains relevant and accurate
- Involving subject matter experts in the test maintenance process
- Ensuring the test scoring rubric is clear and consistent
- Evaluating the reliability and validity of the test regularly to ensure it is a reliable measure of the intended skills or knowledge
- Keeping detailed documentation of all test maintenance activities.