STAREAST 2025 - Quality Assurance
Customize your STAREAST 2025 experience with sessions covering quality assurance for software developers or testers.
Sunday, April 27
Fundamentals of AI—ICAgile Certification (ICP-FAI)
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...
Building a QA Team from the Ground Up
At some point in your career - especially at newer companies and start ups, there might come a time when you are hired onto a development team as the very FIRST QA hire! With such an exciting opportunity, there is so much at stake. Your performance will not only depend on your testing skills, but your ability to add value to the development process AND the product! In this presentation Stephanie will go over her own experience building a QA team, and some important milestones and challenges she hit along the journey. She will talk about how to evaluate the team you are being hired into,...
SQL Server Indexing Strategies Using Query Store for Improved Performance in Retrieving Data
In the realm of database management, optimizing query performance is crucial, especially for SQL Server environments dealing with large datasets. The challenge lies in identifying and implementing effective indexing strategies that can significantly enhance data retrieval performance. During her talk, Navya will address the common issues of slow query performance and inefficient indexing, often exacerbated by the complexity of modern data systems and the dynamic nature of query patterns. To tackle this problem, she leveraged SQL Server's Query Store feature, which provides a powerful tool...
Elevating Test Leadership: Strategies for Effective Team Management and Career Growth
Mastering test leadership involves not only guiding your team through complex testing scenarios but also fostering their professional development and advancing your own career trajectory. In today’s fast-evolving tech landscape, test leaders face the challenge of balancing rigorous quality assurance with identifying the talent, development of team’s skills and career trajectories. During his tenure as Practice Head of Quality Engineering at a major tech firm, Srinivas Rao Labhani implemented a comprehensive strategy of implementing a sense of belongingness to the organization, learning...
Revolutionizing Load Testing: Our 5-Year Journey with PewPew
In Paul Burnside's organization, there was a need for a new load testing approach in the age of microservices a few years ago and the decision was made to develop a new free open-sourced tool. Join Paul, as he discusses why "virtual users" are outdated for modern service testing and how endpoint testing is the solution. The session will cover the decision to open-source and the key features and benefits including cost savings on AWS, access to raw data, customizable reports for monitoring and analysis, built with Rust for performance and a user-friendly design. Paul will demonstrate a...
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
Playwright Tips & Tricks—Why Does Microsoft's Framework Perform So Well in Testing?
This session aims to provide a comprehensive overview of Playwright, Microsoft's powerful framework for test automation. Michal will explore its core functionalities and delve into practical tips and tricks to enhance its usage. The session will begin by defining what Playwright is and highlight its key features that set it apart in the testing landscape. The session will then cover advanced usage techniques, including how to effectively utilize the Trace Viewer for generating detailed test reports and implementing concurrency in tests to boost efficiency. Furthermore, Michal will examine...
The Revolution Was Not Televised: Software QA in the Era of Streaming and Livestreaming Services
You heard about it—Netflix's Love is Blind Live event fiasco last year, Pluto's VMA's blues in LATAM, and other subpar experiences for some streaming services, both live and on-demand. How is software QA involved in those? Or, how was it NOT involved? As content production and distribution companies consolidate and grow their streaming services and peripheral activities including: user personalization, loyalty, and engagement; tailored quality assurance and testing efforts become critical to ensure a fully immersive and optimal experience. In this session, Ramy will explore how to scope,...