Gamified GUI testing with Selenium in the IntelliJ IDE: A Prototype Plugin
Giacomo Garaccione, Tommaso Fulcini, Paolo Stefanut Bodnarescul, Riccardo Coppola, Luca Ardito
TL;DR
The paper addresses GUI testing being perceived as repetitive by introducing a gamified IntelliJ IDEA plugin, GIPGUT, that leverages Selenium WebDriver. It adopts the Octalysis framework to drive tester engagement through mechanics such as profile customization, progression, unlockables, and daily tasks. A two-module architecture, comprising an in-IDE gamification layer and an external Selenium-based test runner, uses a local server and a WebDriverListener to track actions and feed an Achievement Service, with state persisted for cross-session progress. Preliminary evaluation with four participants reports high usability (SUS 93.75) and positive reception, though the small sample size limits conclusions about effectiveness.
Abstract
Software testing is a crucial phase in software development, enabling the detection of issues and defects that may arise during the development process. Addressing these issues enhances software applications' quality, reliability, user experience, and performance. Graphical User Interface (GUI) testing, one such technique, involves mimicking a regular user's interactions with an application to identify defects. However, GUI testing is often underutilized due to its perceived repetitiveness, error-proneness, and lack of immediate feedback on test quality. In recent years, gamification-incorporating game elements in non-game contexts to boost interest, motivation, and engagement-has gained traction in various fields, including software engineering and education. This paper presents GIPGUT: a prototype of a gamification plugin for IntelliJ IDEA, an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) that supports scripted GUI testing. The plugin enhances testers' engagement with typically monotonous and tedious tasks through achievements, rewards, and profile customization. A preliminary prototype evaluation was conducted with a small group of users to assess its usability and the impact of gamification on the GUI testing process. The results indicate high usability and positive reception of the gamification elements. However, due to the limited sample size of participants, further research is necessary to understand the plugin's effectiveness fully.