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Advantages of Automation Framework:-

• Low cost for maintenance
• If there is change to any test case then only the test case file needs to be updated and the Driver Script and Startup script will remain the same. There’s no need to update the scripts in case of changes to the application.
• Standard scripting that will result in team consistency during test library design and prevent individuals from following their own coding standards, thus avoiding duplicate coding.
• Test Automation scripts are separated from input data store and only the input data gets manipulated whereas no modification is needed for the test scripts.
• By developing the libraries, they can be reused again and again, saving time for the entire organization/project team.
• By giving right role-based access, the standard process of Test Automation scripting can be maintained.
• Future Enhancements Support
• Ensures consistency of testing.

• Cear vision of what needs to be achieved out of this automation. It should address core questions like testing model, types of testing, which areas need to be automated etc.
• Tool identification and Recommendation process is a crucial process, as it means considering critical factors like creating a standard tool evaluation checklist, types of testing, and acquiring multiple tools to perform different types of testing.
• Framework design involves identifying requirements from multiple areas like identification of necessary utility/components, types of input data store to be communicated, communication between the systems and utility/component development, etc.
• In order to have any chance of building a sustainable solution the Test Automation Engineer will have to a close working relationship with the development or product support – if the application has been purchased by a third party vendor.

For designing a framework, various elements need to be taken into consideration. Some of them are:

• Actions to be performed
• Database Communication
• Communication with additional automation tools
• Device Communication
• Log
• Error Handlers
• Custom Messages

Based on these, Test automation framework would be designed using the following guidelines like.

• Application-independent (if possible). 
• Encapsulate the testers from the complexities of the test framework.
• Identify and abstract common functions used across multiple test scripts.
• Decouple complex business function testing from navigation, limit-testing, and other simple verification and validation activities.
• Structure scripts with minimal dependencies – Ensuring scripts executing unattended even on failures.