Robot Framework At Kone: Giving Back To The Test Automation Community

Did you know that KONE is part of the Robot Framework Foundation? (Me neither!).

One of the cool things about working in testing in KONE is the fact that you get to not only develop testing frameworks within KONE, but you get to also contribute to the wider test automation community.

Katri Ordning sits down with us to lift the lid on KONE’s approach to test automation...

My name is Katri Ordning, and I am Program Manager (Testing and Quality) here at KONE.

I’d like to give you a brief intro on how our journey towards test automation all began, and what we have learned during the past ten years when it comes to adopting the Robot Framework.

It’s been almost a decade since our journey to test automation using the Robot Framework technology started.

The initial spark? All it needed was one of our development teams speaking up about needing a more agile direction when it came to software development and testing practices, and the rest is history!

To cut a long story short, today we are proud members of the Robot Framework Foundation and our testing on the embedded software side is industry-leading on a global scale.

I’m not afraid to say that the journey to automating testing at KONE was by no means easy.

But it has taught us a lot, and I’m happy we started the journey a long time ago now.

Let me list the key lessons we gleaned from choosing Robot Framework as our core tech:

1. Firstly, we learned how to scale new technology in our massive global organization (a challenge in itself).
2. Secondly, we learned how to convince internal stakeholders that they needed to invest in test automation. We became good at making a convincing business case by showcasing the cost and resource efficiency of the technology, as well as its safety merits.
3. Thirdly, we amassed a huge amount of marvelous external partners so that we could build the necessary competencies together: it was all about learning through collaboration! Most importantly, we got a good grip of how to develop and use the tool effectively.

Today, ten years later, we can proudly say we have one of the best embedded test automation solutions in the world.

But the development doesn’t stop here: were still on a journey!

As you probably know, the increased importance of cloud, IoT, big data, data analysis and many other new and fancy technologies has also been felt here at KONE.

We’re keen on using test automation in all of those areas, as well as taking test automation to the same high standards that we have attained on the embedded software side.

A lot has been done already, but there is always room for improvement and new innovations. Currently, we would like to take simulation/emulation to the next level together with the cloud solutions we use in our test automation solutions.

It was high time that KONE gave back to the test automation community, so we’re excited to say that we have now joined the Robot Framework Foundation; we want to thank the Foundation for the opportunity it has given us. Learn more about the Foundation here!

Would you like to hear more about test automation at KONE and our journey with Robot Framework? Do you have questions about what being part of the Foundation entails? Feel free to contact me on LinkedIn: Katri Ordning. I’m always ready to have a chat about things related to test automation!

Next, read more details about our Hyvinkää site where our biggest testing lab is located!

Background on the writer:

Katri Ordning
Program Manager, Testing and Quality

• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
• Started professional testing career 13 year ago - several roles at Nokia Networks, everything from Test Engineer to leader of global System Testing team
• Joined KONE in 2012 after her friend told her about a potentially suitable for me and it was! Katri joined KONE as Test Manager, leading centralized Test Automation team at KONE.
• She was devoted for test automation and wanted to give her contribution to scale test automation in wider use in KONE software department.
• Eight years later test automation is widely used at KONE and the story continues.

Robot Framework

• A generic open source automation framework used by test automation professionals all around the world. It can be used for test automation and robotic process automation (RPA).