The Future of the Software Testing Profession

The world of testers and test managers—like most professions—continues to evolve. Some say the more things change, the more things stay the same; others say that testing as a profession is dying. These divergent views raise compelling questions. Are we approaching the era of minimal defects in which testing is diminished? Or is testing on the brink of becoming the most important aspect of software development as the risk of failure grows exponentially? What role will testers play on development teams? What critical skills will testers need in the future? After taking a hard look at where testing has been, Mike Sowers presents his and others’ views of the key drivers that are shaping the future role of software testers and test leaders. Mike explores how testing is impacted by technology (cloud, mobile, wearables), process (development and testing methodologies), and innovation. He then shares observations on and recommendations for staying competent, competitive, and relevant as a results-driven dev/test team member in your organization.