Keynote

The Automationist’s Gambit

Maaret Pyhäjärvi

13:00-14:00 CEST Thursday 30th Sept

In exploratory testing, we intertwine design and execution, and learn between tests in a way that changes the next test we perform for more impactful testing. This learning requires agency, a human connection between the two tasks with power of making decisions in the moment.

In this talk, we extend agency from a person making decisions about design and execution of tests to making these decisions about use of automation. When we enter exploratory testing with programming skills, test automation becomes a way of documenting our testing and extending our reach. We can’t explore well without automating; we can’t automate well without exploring. And we need to learn between the tests in a way that changes the next test we perform.

When we no longer split work into two people by separating test design and execution nor manual and automated, what does sharing the exploratory testing work in teams with continuous delivery, continuous integration and DevOps look like? What new skills do we need in social software testing to work together, and what new skills do we need to be able to make good choices for short and long term on where we apply automation?

Opening the game with an automationist’s gambit is a good option for solid foundation of testing. We need to talk about the impact of opening to the middle and end game of testing a product as well as building a career with testing emphasis.

The skills the future of the testing craft requires have already shifted. Good testing includes exploring with automation as well as without, intertwined.