STAREAST 2025 - QA Engineer
Customize your STAREAST 2025 experience with sessions covering QA engineering.
Monday, April 28
Testing from the Inside: Unit Testing Edition
Do you want to take your testing and/or development skills to the next level? Are you working in an agile team where you are trying to shift-left so that your organization can reap the full benefits of testing earlier? In software testing, you're generally taught to think outside the box, from a user's perspective. However, sometimes great ideas can be sparked from inside the box, by looking at the underlying code and using that knowledge to identify various ways to break the software. Join Tariq King as he walks through the fundamentals of program-based testing so that you can find bugs...
Stop Guessing and Start Planning with Better Behavior Discovery
NewAre you tired of working on user stories that seem to be missing vital details for testing? Are you frustrated with being left out of vital design conversations? Or are you fed up with sizing estimates that never turn out to be true to reality? Then it’s time to stop guessing your way through product development and start planning it with better behavior discovery. In this tutorial, we will learn how three vital roles – business, development, testing – can collaborate on what features to build and test through the structured activities of story mapping and example mapping. We will practice...
Getting Started with AI-Driven Automation
AI has been rapidly changing the way we approach software testing. Traditional test automation is time-consuming to create and breaks down easily in the presence of change. Thankfully, AI is helping testing teams create less procedural, more resilient tests that are able to self-heal in the presence of modern, rapidly changing, highly dynamic production systems. This sounds great, but you may be asking yourself: How do I get started? What additional skills do I need to learn? What tools are available for me to start using, right now? Join Dionny Santiago as he breaks down different AI...
Formulating Tests that Just Make Sense with Gherkin
NewHave you ever been assigned a test case whose steps just didn’t make sense? Perhaps you’ve even been so guilty as to write such a test! Writing clear, concise functional tests can be challenging, but it’s not impossible if we maintain a behavior-driven mindset. In this tutorial, we will learn how to break down complicated behaviors into runnable, repeatable test cases using the Gherkin language. We will frame tests using classic “Given-When-Then” scenarios that follow the Arrange-Act-Assert pattern. Through group exercises, we will hone our linguistic prowess to write expressive scenarios...
Tuesday, April 29
A Quality Engineering Introduction to AI and Machine Learning
Although there are several controversies and misunderstandings surrounding AI and machine learning, one thing is apparent — people have quality concerns about the safety, reliability, and trustworthiness of these types of systems. Not only are ML-based systems shrouded in mystery due to their largely black-box nature, they also tend to be unpredictable since they can adapt and learn new things at runtime. Validating ML systems is challenging and requires a cross-section of knowledge, skills, and experience from areas such as mathematics, data science, software engineering, cyber-security,...
Crafting Metrics that Drive DevOps and QA Excellence
When delivering high-quality software at speed, metrics are pivotal in driving informed decisions and continuous improvement. However, not all metrics are created equal. Misguided Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) can lead to confusion inefficiency, and even undermine your DevOps and QA transformation efforts. In this session, we’ll combine the power of DORA metrics with practical strategies to craft metrics that redefine how your organization measures success. Drawing on real-world experience, we’ll discuss the purpose of metrics and learn how to determine the true purpose of QA and...
Wednesday, April 30
Heuristics to Help You Design, Build, and Choose Test Tools
How well do we design and acquire our tools? Drawing on compelling evidence gathered from a series of interviews, workshops, surveys, and case studies with industry gurus and hands-on practitioners, we’re diving deep into a set of heuristics. Each one is a gateway to discovery, backed by explanations and enriched with engaging exploratory activities based on solid research. As an attendee, you will gain access to resources that can help enable critical thinking and reflection about tools and the problems they solve. We will see how sometimes heuristics can pinpoint when a tool might...
AI/ML SDET: A Title Change or a New Role?
Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Software Development Engineer in Test. What a title! But what does that person even do? Are they using AI/ML to test software? Are they testing AI or ML? This isn’t just a title change for a software tester, this is really a mind shift and tool change. What if you don’t even have a UI in which to test your product? What if you don’t ship a UI or even a product? The world of software is changing with advancements in AI/ML and it is time to make sure we level up our testing abilities to match the revolution. Join Kevin as he walks you through his...
Test Automation Tune-Up with Cypress: Fixing Common Pitfalls and Boosting Efficiency
Sluggish tests, flakiness, and maintenance headaches can be signs of test automation anti-patterns creeping into your codebase. In this session, Anna Patterson will identify the most common pitfalls developers and testers encounter in Cypress—such as excessive reliance on UI interactions, hard-coded waits, unstable test data, and lack of isolation. She will break down how these issues impact your test reliability and offer actionable strategies to overcome them. By the end of the talk, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge to optimize your test suite for speed, stability, and long-term...
Panel - Revolutionizing Test Automation: The Impact of Generative AI on Quality Engineering
As Generative AI rapidly reshapes how we work, its impact on quality engineering and more specifically test automation is profound. Join our panel of AI and testing experts as they dive into how Gen AI is transforming testing practices, from creating smarter automation frameworks to redefining manual testing roles. Explore cutting-edge tools, discuss the challenges of integrating AI into test strategies, and debate the ethical implications of AI-driven quality engineering. This thought-provoking session will be driven by your questions and thus provide actionable insights, inspire...
Thursday, May 1
Redefining Quality: Empowering Autonomous Teams for SaaS Excellence
Traditional roles within software development teams are being redefined in today’s fast-paced world of cloud platforms and Software as a Service (SaaS). The rise of DevOps has blurred the boundaries between development and operations, emphasizing speed, agility, and continuous delivery. Amid this transformation, the debate about whether to have a separate QA team is becoming increasingly irrelevant. Instead, the focus should shift to building autonomous, cross-functional teams equipped with the skills and ownership required to deliver high-quality SaaS products efficiently. Ronit...
Leadership in Software Quality: Insights and Strategies from Industry Experts
Are you navigating the challenges of leadership in the ever-evolving software quality industry? Join this dynamic panel discussion featuring seasoned leaders who will share their expertise, experiences, and actionable advice. This session is designed for professionals at all levels, from aspiring leaders to seasoned managers, seeking to enhance their leadership capabilities. The panelists bring diverse perspectives on fostering innovation, maintaining quality in fast-paced environments, building high-performing teams, and leading through change. Attendees will gain practical insights into...
Friday, May 2
Balancing AI Innovations with Fundamental QA Principles
The pressure to adopt new technologies like AI and automation without a strong foundation in core QA principles is fraught with risk. Jumping into AI without understanding how to best leverage AI within QA for business success can cause quality issues. But lagging behind your competitors when it comes to utilizing AI can result in loss of market share. Join Igor Dorovskikh as he guides QA leaders on creating a balanced approach that integrates the use of AI capabilities within essential QA fundamentals. You'll learn how to define and implement these core principles, identify the pitfalls...