TestExpo 2018

The program offered two "superpower" tracks to choose from QA Innovation and Automation. QA innovation track focused on applying new technology to testing and Automation track into how test automation contributes to making testing more efficient.

You can’t have it all, so focus!

You're bound to miss several great presentations from the track you're not attending but it didn't prevent anybody from enjoying the ones they chose. It was also easy to change the track on the fly based on own interest as the schedule was well planned to facilitate this. Some of their lessons are laid out here:

Sogeti Nederland's Michiel Boreel started with an interesting look into the pursuit of digital happiness and how technology will impact us. The rise of the machines is obvious as AlphaGo (the machine that plays the Chinese Go game) has beaten the best human players, Boreel described. The digital transformation may be possible due to technology but is always financially feasible and socially desirable? Not all characteristics that bring happiness such as empathy are considered when designing e.g. system architectures.

Idean's lead service designer Matias Vaara continued from where Boreel finished, namely from service design for humans in the age of AI. He outlined how AI can add safety to vehicles, coach you when you're taking pictures or help keep your house tidy with a robot vacuum cleaner.

Test automation reduces testing time

Markus Rantanen from UPM Finance described how a seven-month test automation project with over 800 scripts has led to a considerable cut in regression test time. Now UPM, a company operating in the forest industry, can test more often and more efficiently. Great job by in-house experts in a globally operating company. Was the project worth it? Yes! Think of the cost of stopped operations/hour. And the project stayed on budget.

It was interesting to hear about continuous testing by Ingo Philipp of Austrian Tricentis. His example showed how you by identifying customer’s needs can bring value. He emphasized applying risk levels, virtualizing environments to ensure environmental stability and using multiple agents to reduce testing time.

Use your strengths (a tip from a pro athlete)

After so many interesting presentations (I just got started above!) and discussions with clients and colleagues it was time to end the day with an interview with a former top athlete. Olympic champion, cross country skier Virpi Sarasvuo was interviewed by former Finland skiing coach Reijo Jylhä on what separates the best from the rest. Sarasvuo pointed out the necessity to focus on the things that you can affect and using your strengths when striving for excellence.

The day was amazing and presentations gave a lot of new ideas. Meeting old and new colleagues were fun. A lot of participants had been attending TestExpo the year before so it is a guarantee of useful content and a well-organized event.

See you in TestExpo 2019!