German Testing Day, a podcast partner from the very beginning, is the focus of this episode. Klaus Moritzen and Thomas Rinke, two veterans of the conference, provide insights into the beginnings, philosophy and development of the event. Founded as an independent conference, German Testing Day aims to deliver practical and innovative content. The conference has expanded from one day to one and a half days and offers keynotes with social relevance in addition to technical presentations. There is a particular focus on the community concept and networking. The future of the German Testing Day envisages a stronger presence during the year and the promotion of participants to speakers.
We once had an article by a Finnish children’s book author who explained software testing to children using the metaphor that software errors were like dragons in the Middle Ages. Things like that. You can say that’s not professional, but you have to do something like that sometimes.” - Klaus Moritzen, Thomas Rinke
Klaus Moritzen holds a doctorate in computer science and joined Siemens Healthcare in 1994, where he led teams for configuration management, software testing and software integration in the development of platform software for medical imaging devices. He has been process manager for verification and validation since 2009 and has organized an annual conference for software testing at Siemens Healthineers since 2010. He is also active in retired conferences, including the German Testing Day and the QA Day.
Thomas Rinke is a software engineer specializing in software testing. In the course of the agile transition, he became a software engineer and has since worked as a software tester with a focus on cross-system end-to-end testing. At the German Testing Day, he developed from participant to Conference Board member and finally to Conference Board Chair.
Highlights of this episode:
The German Testing Day, a special conference in the field of software testing, offers a platform for the exchange of knowledge and experience. With topics ranging from test automation to artificial intelligence and a strong community orientation, the event strives to highlight current trends and contribute to the further development of the tester community.
Today I had the pleasure of delving deeper into the world of German Testing Day, a conference that is not only a meeting place for software testing enthusiasts, but also a source of inspiration. The history of German Testing Day dates back to 2011, inspired by similar events in Switzerland and the Netherlands. What began as a simple idea has developed into a platform that emphasizes independence and community spirit. As a partner from the very beginning, German Testing Day has a special significance for our podcast.
Thomas Rinke and Klaus Moritzen, two veterans of the conference, shared their insights into the genesis and initial challenges. The foundation was based on the desire for independence from commercial interests and a strong community orientation. A nominated conference board made this vision a reality. What makes German Testing Day special is its ability to adapt and evolve - be it through the board taking over the organization or by introducing innovative formats such as Lightning Talks or Open Space Sessions.
Over the years, the German Testing Day has not only increased in terms of the number of participants - from around 200 visitors at the beginning to a peak of 450 before the pandemic - but has also expanded in terms of format. Having grown from a single day to one and a half days, it now even offers an evening event. This development is also reflected in the variety of topics, from classic areas such as test data management to modern aspects such as AI in software testing.
The selection process for contributions is strict and multi-stage, with a focus on practical relevance, degree of innovation and benefits for the user. It is interesting to observe trends over the years. For example, it has been shown that topics relating to AI are becoming increasingly important. But ‘classics’ such as test automation also remain relevant. The aim is always to create a balanced program that covers a wide range of aspects of testing and contributes to the further development of the tester community.
A key element of the German Testing Day is the strong sense of community. Through workshops, lean coffees and open space sessions, not only is knowledge shared, but an active exchange is also encouraged. In addition, the organization aims to offer further events throughout the year in order to maintain contact with the community and facilitate continuous dialogue. This underlines the conference’s claim to not only be an annual highlight, but also to promote a lively community.
Plans are already being made for how the German Testing Day can be developed further - from more events during the year to encouraging former participants to appear as speakers themselves. The vision revolves around continuing to make the format attractive and establishing it as a platform for innovations in the field of software testing. The call goes out to everyone: anyone with exciting topics or innovative ideas should not hesitate to submit them to the next Call for Papers.