Designing a Smart QA StrategyWith increasingly complex and sophisticated technologies being used in testing, quality has to become a smart activity. A smart QA strategy is both about building smart models and making smart choices. We must keep in mind the balance between manual and automated solutions and which are needed to accomplish our goals.
Agile and DevOps Bring the Focus Back on QualityAs companies move to agile and DevOps, silos are coming down and there is more interaction and collaboration among teams. Quality is also becoming everyone's responsibility for the entire software development lifecycle. Quality is more than just testing: Consider a quality value stream along the overall value chain.
Lessons Learned (and Unlearned) at STARCANADA 2018With a week full of sessions, tutorials, training classes, and events, the STARCANADA software testing conference had plenty of takeaways. Some highlights: what jobs will look like in the future with AI, why testers should lead efforts to make quality everyone's responsibility, and the importance of unlearning.
How Testers Can Use Docker to Shift Left and Automate DeploymentsDocker has several advantages over virtual machines: It’s easier to deal with, starts up faster, and requires fewer resources. Using Docker also can give testers more confidence in their releases. Developers use the same environment that will be used in production, which streamlines code delivery and shifts QA left.
Engaging Developers in Unit TestingUnit testing is key for driving early defect identification, but organizations and teams continue to be challenged when it comes to designing and implementing unit tests. Realizing a culture of sound unit testing is often more a leadership challenge than a developer one. Here's how to instill a culture of unit testing.
What's in the Summer 2018 Issue of Better Software MagazineFor twenty years now, Better Software magazine has published articles offering helpful tips and techniques for those in the software industry. The new issue celebrates those two decades of knowledge-sharing—and, of course, gives you more ideas. Articles this issue focus on leadership and software quality.
Testing the Tester: Building a High-Impact QA TeamTeams don’t always understand the impact their roles have on the business outcome, so their lack of focus can affect software quality and lead to an array of disasters. You can help your existing testers become a high-performing QA team focused on goals. Here’s what you can do to transform how your QA team functions.
A Definition of Done for DevSecOpsIn DevOps, we have a software delivery pipeline that checks, deploys, and tests every build. The goal is to produce a viable candidate for production, so we have to look at many different aspects of quality, including security. To be sure we hit all the crucial marks, we should have a definition of done for DevSecOps.
