The growth of automation testing in today’s software development organizations is changing the way we test applications. Software development practices have matured over the last thirty years to include all forms of testing in order to verify software quality. In the last ten years, there has been a huge spike in the adoption of automated tests, effectively replacing some manual testing practices and supplementing traditional testing activities. Many parts of the software development industry, however, are wary of replacing manual testing with automated testing. Not only is there often a lack of confidence in the automation tests, but some also see automated testing as fragile, unmaintainable, and, ultimately, something with a low return on investment. Max believes that by employing mature software development techniques, we can achieve robust, maintainable tests that deliver confidence in the application under test.

The cognitive skills of testing are being threatened by two major forces: the assumption that automation can replace all other forms of testing, and the acceptance of lower quality by consumers. You might be feeling like you’re living on an eroding island, but there is a way to adapt and even thrive using your testing skills. Your project still needs to have someone who will question assumptions, examine design, create experiments, analyze data, and report meaningful metrics. It needs your social skill to connect teams who work in silos, bring customer insights to light, and track risks that no one seems to make time to think about. For twenty-two years, Jon was a tester, test manager, test trainer, and test consultant. Now he’s a senior program manager and uses his testing skills differently. What’s your experience? Jon will ask you a few questions via an anonymous polling app and show the results during the session.

How much testing is really enough? Given resources, budget, and time, the goal of comprehensive testing seems impossible to achieve. It’s time to rethink your test strategy and start innovating.

Has the rise in test automation resulted in product releases of lesser quality? Besides adopting more comprehensive automated scripting, there are process and organizational dynamics to consider.