Quality Meanderings
Some thoughts going through my mind as we head into CAST 2025 Season
- By Gwen Iarussi (AST President and Long Time Member)
It’s safe to say that I’ve been testing and working with technology systems and teams since before DevOps was even a word and way before AI was anything more than an apocalyptic human ending concept portrayed by genocidal androids in movies portraying a far off future that seems so very different from the one we are living in today (and in some cases, with much better style).
I've watched our industry evolve from manual test scripts in basic spreadsheets (and random doodles on my notepad) to sophisticated automation frameworks. I've seen the rise and fall of countless methodologies, tools, and "revolutionary" approaches to quality… some of which have changed outcomes, others not so much.
Today, much of the challenge is in being able to differentiate the innovations / evolutions that have actual value from the marketing fluff, buzzwords and catchy trends that get smattered around tech threads across cyberspace.
What's happening now in the technology delivery spaces isn't just another trend that’s going to go away… It's an existential moment for our profession.
Are YOU ready?
Because right now… my “spidey senses” are telling me that, as an industry, we aren’t looking so great… and the number of “Open to Work” banners flying around there right now is evidence of a few telling, and very difficult truths we need to come to terms with:
1. Quality strategies, practices aren’t keeping up with the rest of the delivery shifts and evolution… which means our value to organizations is decreasing.
2. Automation is no longer a nice to have, it’s an imperative
3. You can no longer afford to NOT understand the technologies / systems you are testing (even if you aren’t a programmer)
4. The lines between dev, testing, ops, and infrastructure are more blurry than ever… and cross functional disciplines are at the core of strategies that are adding the most value today
5. We’ve never been able to test everything… and we’re able to test a whole lot less now so our testing has to get smarter… not harder.
(I’m sure there are a few more to consider but we’ll stick with these for now ;D)
The Professional Impact
Testers who thrive in the next decade will be those who can combine technical capabilities with strategic quality thinking. We're seeing the profession split into two paths:
- Technical Quality Engineers building automation frameworks, designing test architectures, and integrating quality into deployment pipelines.
- Strategic Quality Leaders focusing on risk assessment, quality culture development, and cross-functional collaboration.
Both paths require abandoning the traditional “Tester” roles and embracing quality engineering as a core discipline… and both paths are going to require every single one of us to really consider what is next for us, whether we are truly committed about our craft, and if so, then we’ve got some serious work to do to take our skills to the next level.
One thing is for sure… The quality (R)Evolution isn’t coming… it’s here, today… The question isn't whether your organization will adopt these next gen practices, but whether we’ll be positioned to lead the transformation or be left behind by it.
Have you considered which group will you be in?
CAST 2025 EVENT UPDATES!
Important Dates:
August 1: Last day to reserve CAST 2025 discounted accommodations
August 25-27: CAST!!!
July kicked off some incredible previews of the conference to come as we held several live stream events on the following topics:
UPCOMING LIVE STREAM EVENTS
The “intellectual appetizers” for CAST 2025 keep on coming in August with the following planned topics over the next couple of weeks…
This Wednesday (8/13 @ 7:30 PM ET): The Specialized Areas of Testing
Next Tuesday (8/19): Live from ‘Silicon Slopes’ Utah
CAST 2025 Had Gone Virtual!
Yup, we’ve decided that with the challenges of this year, it’s critical for us to try and get this information out to as many of our community members as possible…
That means that we’ve opened up a brand new conference attendance option allowing you to attend right from your desk!
This offer is to members only… if you’ve been wanting to attend but couldn’t make the trip happen this year… this is your moment!
Get out there and register for Virtual CAST today!
Our Newest Sponsor LogiGear
We are pleased to announce our latest CAST 2025 sponsor LogiGear.
LogiGear is a software testing services and solutions company specializing in test automation, quality assurance consulting, and testing tools. They provide end-to-end QA services including test strategy development, automation framework design, and offshore testing teams, while also developing TestArchitect—their flagship no-code test automation platform that enables teams to create automated tests using natural language without scripting.
Early access to TestArchitect opened August 1st:
We are two weeks out and wow are we more excited than ever… Have you secured your spot yet?
CAST 2025 Sponsors
Innovators
Collaborators
Advocates
CAST 2025 SPONSORSHIP
We are still looking for sponsor / vendor partners to share their services / tools at the event.
Our aim has always been to keep CAST a practitioner-led conference where testers share real experiences and practical insights.
Sponsors have the valuable opportunity to connect with real quality practitioners and leaders and demo their latest offerings while gaining critical insights on the real problems that need to be solved… It’s a great opportunity for collaboration and learning from both perspectives.
If you are interested in learning more please reach out to us at CAST@associationforsoftwaretesting.org
Caffeinated Quality
Monthly Virtual Roundtable Discussions
Calling all testers and quality enthusiasts! Join us each month for a lively virtual roundtable where you can share challenges, swap ideas, and explore real-world solutions. This is a safe space for constructive debate, collaboration, innovation, and out-of-the-box thinking. Bring your toughest questions, boldest insights, and a willingness to learn—and let’s tackle the future of testing together!
In August all eyes are on CAST 2025 as we take Caffeinated Quality live to give you some teasers of the upcoming event w/ some of our sponsors and speakers.
RECENT RECORDINGS
July 8, 2025 TOPIC: “How is AI Changing Quality in 2025?” w/ special guest Olivia Gambelin (CAST 2025 Keynote Speaker)
August 6, 2025 TOPIC: The Rise of AI Test Tooling
UPCOMING TOPICS:
This Wednesday (8/13): The Specialized Areas of Testing
Next Tuesday (8/19): Live from ‘Silicon Slopes’ Utah
AST BOARD ELECTIONS - Elections Open Next Week!
We put the call out and wow did you all answer… we now have
13 nominees to consider for this year’s election to the AST board. We’re in the process of having them answer a few questions we’ll be sharing with all of you to help you get to know each one and what they hope to bring and then we’ll be opening up elections next week! Be on the lookout for announcements related to nominee information and the call for participation in the election… we’ll announce the new board in Salt Lake City at our CAST 2025 event.
AST BOARD ELECTION PROCESS & DETAILS
August “Just Posted” Roles in The AST Board Network
Click the link to see the curated list of open roles posted in the last week that are part of the AST Board network