Pitfalls and strategies in automated testing

According to popular mythology, people with little programming experience can use GUI-level regression test tools to quickly and competently create extensive black box test suites that are easy to maintain. Though some efforts to use these tools have been successful, several have failed miserably. This was the focus of a two-day meeting at which 13 experienced testers discussed patterns of success and failure in GUI-based automation. The author integrates highlights of The Los Altos Workshop on Software Testing with his other testing experiences