World Quality Day

World Quality Day provides an opportunity to take a look at the development of software quality and the changes in software testing over the last 20 years. Whereas in the past, testing often took place in isolation and under simple conditions, today quality is at the center of software development. The introduction of agile methods has accelerated this change, as they demand continuous improvements in quality. An exciting outlook shows that artificial intelligence in particular could greatly shape and expand testing in the future. Today is a good time to recognize the importance of quality throughout the development process.

Podcast episode for World Quality Day

In this episode, we celebrate World Quality Day! I share my thoughts on the evolution of software quality and how testing has changed over the last 20 years. We used to test in dark rooms, today quality is at the center of software development. Agility has helped us to constantly improve quality. I also talk about the future of quality, especially in relation to AI and its impact on testing. Your opinions and ideas about quality and the podcast are important to me, so share them. Celebrate quality and remember how important it is to us all!

“Agility means quality. If I don’t pay attention to quality, everything will blow up in my face after the third sprint.” - Richard Seidl

Richie is an expert in software quality and agility and a passionate optimist about the future. As a consultant, coach and mentor, he supports companies on their way to more quality in software. For him, one thing is clear: if you want to create excellent software today, you need to think about the development process holistically: people, context, methods and tools - a mindset for developing potential and innovation only emerges when everything works together.

Highlights of the Episode

• 20 years of testing evolution: a look back at progress and new approaches.
• Holistic quality culture: the importance of a cross-team quality philosophy.
• AI in testing: possibilities and limitations of using AI.
• Quality measurement: Challenges in defining and measuring standards.
• Upcoming topics: Outlook on future trends in software quality.

World Quality Day and the importance of comprehensive quality awareness

World Quality Day has been celebrated since 2008 and has now been extended to an entire week - World Quality Week. This period offers an ideal opportunity to bring the topic of quality to the fore and highlight the many facets of quality management.

The role of feedback for quality improvement

Feedback plays a central role in the continuous improvement of products, services and processes. Particularly in the field of software testing, valuable feedback from users, colleagues and the community provides crucial information on how well current measures are working and where there is potential for improvement. Direct feedback from the field not only supports the improvement of specific content, but also strengthens the relevance and topicality of thematic focuses in conferences and discussions within the industry.

Change from traditional to agile testing approaches

Testing has undergone a fundamental change in recent years. Whereas in the past testing was often only carried out at the end of development, today testing is characterized by agile methods such as Scrum and Kanban. In these agile frameworks, quality assurance is integrated into the entire development process and testing is iterative and continuous. Constant regression tests and the continuous provision of high-quality results set new standards. This shift from linear processes to agile, flexible approaches represents significant progress and contributes significantly to higher product quality.

Quality as a shared responsibility in the team

In modern agile teams, quality is no longer just the responsibility of the testers. Responsibility for quality is borne collectively and affects all roles - from the product owner to the developers and testers. This holistic approach ensures that quality is considered early on in the development process. Automated processes and continuous integration pipelines facilitate quality management and promote a culture in which the topic of quality is present on a daily basis and each individual actively contributes to it.

Future topic: Artificial intelligence in testing

An exciting future topic in software testing is the use of artificial intelligence (AI). Although AI offers numerous possibilities for optimizing test scenarios and processes, it is often overrated and should not be seen as a panacea. Instead, it makes sense to control the use of AI in a targeted manner and to utilize its advantages, for example in the automated analysis of requirements or the generation of test ideas. However, in order to really exploit the potential of AI, it is necessary to develop a clear understanding of the underlying quality criteria and requirements.

The changing concept of “quality”

With the emergence of new technologies and increasing requirements, the traditional concept of quality is facing a challenge. Especially in the context of AI, conventional quality criteria such as functionality and efficiency need to be rethought and expanded. Important factors such as usability and security are becoming increasingly important. In order to develop sustainable quality standards, it will be crucial to continuously question these criteria and redefine the concept of “quality”.

Overall, World Quality Day shows how relevant and multifaceted the topic of quality is for modern software development. Comprehensive, cross-team quality awareness and the willingness to adapt to new challenges create the basis for future-oriented quality assurance.

Frequently asked questions about Agility and Quality