Which of the following is a key benefit of implementing visual testing?

Implementing visual testing significantly enhances the efficiency of the testing process, which is exemplified by the ability to reduce the time spent on manual testing. Visual testing automates the comparison of visual elements in interfaces, allowing testers to quickly identify discrepancies between expected and actual appearances. This automation can minimize the need for extensive manual checks that are often time-consuming and labor-intensive, thus allowing teams to focus their time and efforts on other critical areas of development and testing.

In the context of the other potential benefits, while visual testing can indeed contribute to improvements in code quality and support design decisions by catching visual inconsistencies early, these outcomes are often indirect results of improved efficiency rather than primary benefits. Additionally, visual testing does not eliminate the need for code testing altogether; it complements traditional testing methods rather than replacing them. Therefore, the most direct and immediate advantage of implementing visual testing is its ability to streamline the manual testing phase, making the process faster and more effective.