EuroSTAR Conference

The EuroSTAR 2024 Call for Submissions is open, and Programme Chair, Michael Bolton, is calling for the testing community to submit their talk suggestions for the 2024 programme.

In this blog post, Michael shares his changes to the 2024 track talk format.

Greetings friends,

There is one minor change to the EuroSTAR 2024 programme layout. Instead of the previous track talk timing, we’ll be going with 60-minute sessions to afford more time for presenters to tell their stories (up to 40 minutes instead of 30), and more time for discussion afterwards (up to 20 minutes instead of 15).  The goal here is to provide more time to present the idea, and in particular, more time for discussion, reflection, and alternative perspectives.

That means as a speaker, you’ll need be prepared for comments and questions. You might find that some of those questions may be challenging. That’s normal. You’ll be talking to a room full of testers!  It’s our job to learn, to notice when details are missing, to recognize inconsistencies. As testers, our work and our findings will be challenged too. Consider a presentation less as a fashion show and more like a trip to the gym.

Imagine yourself an attendee sitting in the audience. What would you like to hear (or not)? What would make you feel your time was well-spent? Share your powerful ideas, case studies and the most innovative initiatives, solutions, or projects. Be useful! The EuroSTAR audience will want actionable content – learnings they can apply or make a difference with when they get back to their jobs. What have you learned that can be useful to them? How can they apply it? Advanced sessions perform well at EuroSTAR and usually draw larger audiences.

Of course, as testers, it’s also part of our job to be respectful and helpful to people who have created things, and a conference talk is no exception. EuroSTAR has its own code of conduct. In addition, I’d like to add to that by borrowing from my colleague Ilari Henrik Aegerter: Philosopher Immanuel Kant’s Categorical Imperative offers suitable instructions on how to act: ‍“Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law”. ‍Or, if that sounds too wordy, here is a simpler general heuristic: ‍

“Always act in a manner your parents/mentor/spiritual leader would approve of”

Thanks for reading. I’ll be sharing more tips shortly and in the meantime, the EuroSTAR team have added some helpful guidelines below.

Michael

EuroSTAR 2024 Programme Chair

Every year there are hundreds of submissions so to help guide you when considering what to propose, the EuroSTAR team have gathered their top tips of what the audience have told us they want in a Track Talk.

EuroSTAR Track Talks ideally:

• Tell your stories of trials and triumphs, successes & lessons learned
• Detail the methodologies or approaches that have helped individuals and organisations
• Bring new information, emerging and/or innovative approaches or techniques
• Introduce case studies of real projects
• Show how you’ve addressed technical or non-technical pain points
• Avoid sales pitches
• Allow for discussion time – this is where a lot of the learning takes place
• Include actionable takeaways for attendees and their teams

Start your Submission

If you’re inspired to submit a track talk – or indeed, one of our other talk types – check out the Call for Speakers details.

Here are some dates to bear in mind:

• Call for Speakers deadline: 17 September 2023
• Speaker selection notification: Late November 2023
• EuroSTAR Conference: 11-14 June 2024 in Sweden

We look forward to reading your submission, and if you have any questions, please get in touch with us.

Gek Yeo is a Sap Quality Expert who joined us an the official EuroSTAr Reporter for our 2023 EuroSTAR Conference in Antwerp. In this blog Gek shares her second day experience at Europe’s biggest software testing conference.

Luckily, this time, I managed to find some time to attend the two main Thursday #EuroSTARconf 2023 keynotes. The first keynote is Maaret Pyhäjärvi ‘s keynote titled “Whose Test is It Anyway?”. One point that stood out to me was the legal or ethical aspect. Even if it is legal, is it ethical to use computer-assisted software development? I listened to my peer Maaret and could relate to her viewpoint on the GitHub Copilot.

As we move onto AI-assisted technologies, it becomes a question of how future generations will use these technologies for good or bad. The definition of what is good for one may seem bad to others. 23 years ago, I had already started with AI and used it for my projects. I always remember what my university professor said: it takes 20 years for the industry to adapt to what we wrote in our thesis. And now, the industry has embraced AI in testing. The debate on the usage of AI technologies has started to spread in our daily lives.

Regarding the key notes seen in this picture, I agree with Maaret when she said, “We are accountable.” We have responsibilities to ensure that the rules for domains, both for laymen (whom I would refer to as citizen developers) and experts, are well-defined. The testing process should belong to everyone, not just the tester or the developer. Another takeaway is on exploratory testing. I love exploratory testing. It’s not an excuse to do manual testing. In fact, Maaret highlighted the points that exploratory testing helps with automation and it brings people together, not siloed testing. I have witnessed this in action during my test release cycle with my colleagues.

I organize bug bashing events in my teams for exploratory testing so we can have fun while testing. It’s about the team and the people, not just software releases. We take pride in finding bugs before our customers do in our releases.

The second keynote I attended is titled “The Cyber Security of Smart ‘Adult’ Toys or Lack of It” by Jo Dalton. It was originally meant to be delivered by Ken Munro and Jo Dalton, but unfortunately, Ken couldn’t attend. Kudos to Jo for delivering this SFW (safe for work) keynote all by herself! I have kindly shared some pictures of the slides from this talk here. Without security experts like Jo, we would probably giggle this topic off and treat the lack of security testing in connected adult toys as the elephant in the room.

By speaking at a global conference, we become more conscious of the business needs for security testing and why we desperately need regulations for IoT (Internet of Things). Seriously, we should not let the backdoor through the backdoor happen, as Jo highlighted in her keynote. I hope that, as a QA community, more folks will speak up and contribute to security testing for IoT.

Conferences like EuroSTAR provide valuable opportunities for continuous learning, networking, and staying up-to-date with industry trends. It is important for us as testers to self love and find time to attend high-quality conferences like EuroSTAR 2023 to broaden our perspectives, share experiences, and build new friendships and connections within the IT community such with Peter Thomas, Kapil Bakshi from Karate Labs and Humza Ahmad. And it is also beneficial when employers support their employees in attending such events, as it demonstrates a commitment to their professional development and encourages skill-set improvement. I hope to see some of you in EuroSTAR 2024 again.

The EuroSTAR Conference has been running since 1993 and is the largest testing event in Europe, welcoming 1000+ software testers and QA professionals every year. Don’t forget to connect, like Gek Yeo, with the testing community at our next events.

Gek Yeo is a Sap Quality Expert who was the official reporter at the EuroSTAR Conference 2023 in Antwerp. In this blog. Gek shares her experience from Europe’s biggest software testing conference:

After a long hiatus due to the pandemic, I had the privilege of attending #EuroSTARconf 2023, my first software testing conference in person. The conference, held in the stunning venue called “A Room with a ZOO” next to the Antwerp Zoo in Belgium, provided an awe-inspiring setting to reconnect with industry professionals. In this blog post, I will share the highlights of my EuroSTAR experience, from the fascinating talks and engaging panel discussions to the vibrant atmosphere and the joy of connecting with peers from around the world.

A Captivating Setting

EuroSTAR Conference 2023 was hosted in the magnificent “A Room with a ZOO” venue, where the majestic gorilla, Matadi, served as the mascot. Beyond the conference, the venue’s commitment to nature conservation, animal welfare, and education resonated deeply with #testautomation attendees, reminding us of the importance of aligning our actions in the software industry with the preservation of our ecosystem.

Engaging Activities and Swag

Upon arrival, the EuroSTAR Conference organizers welcomed participants at the reception, offering them tote bags filled with exciting swag. Attendees could stay updated on the conference schedule and engage with fellow participants through a dedicated app. Volunteer heroes in green were readily available to assist delegates, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable experience throughout the event. The interactive booths, showcasing a wide array of test automation tools, provided an opportunity for attendees to immerse themselves in hands-on experiences and collect stamps on their passports for a chance to win a grand prize.

Inspiring Talks

The conference schedule encompassed a diverse range of talks, catering to both technical and soft skill topics. I had the pleasure of attending two impactful sessions. Andrew Brown’s talk on “How to Prevent Your Next Software Release Ending in Disaster” offered valuable insights and mitigation strategies for avoiding catastrophic outcomes. Lina Zubyte’s session on “How Minimalism Helps Build High-Quality Products” struck a chord with me as a minimalist enthusiast, emphasizing the power of simplicity in software development.

A tightly knitted QA Community

#EuroSTARconf provided a platform to connect with fellow QA professionals from all corners of the globe such as Austria, Israel, Berlin, Netherlands, Iceland and Belgium. Engaging conversations with this community of QA peers enriched my understanding of different testing practices and automation solutions. The vibrant atmosphere at the conference was fueled by the enthusiasm of attendees exploring the booths, playing games, and collecting swag, fostering a sense of camaraderie and excitement. As a volunteer reporter, I had the privilege of interviewing some of my QA peers. The popularity of talks on “Gamification” and “Why Testers are the True Rock Stars of IT” highlighted the shared interests and passion within the QA community. Stay tuned on my LinkedIn profile in the coming weeks for video clips featuring these insightful conversations.

Conclusion

EuroSTAR Conference 2023 was an exhilarating conference experience that reignited my enthusiasm for software testing. The engaging talks, vibrant atmosphere, and connections forged with fellow professionals made this event truly transformative. As we move forward, I am inspired to implement the lessons learned and continue nurturing a thriving QA community.

See Gek’s second experience blog.

The EuroSTAR Conference has been running since 1993 and is the largest testing event in Europe, welcoming 1000+ software testers and QA professionals every year. Join us at our next events.