Systems | Development | Analytics | API | Testing

October 2024

What is the European Accessibility Act: Sauce Labs and Deque Set the Record Straight

Hosted By: Rachael Yomtoob, Product Owner - axe DevTools Mobile, Deque Marcus Merrell, Principal Technical Advisor, Sauce Labs Jason Baum, Senior Director, Developer Marketing. Sauce Labs Background: The European Accessibility Act (EAA), a law that defines accessibility requirements, takes effect on June 28, 2025. According to the EU, EAA will make life easier for the roughly 87 million people living with disabilities–almost one in five Europeans. Seen by many as a landmark law, the time to meet compliance is running out.

Why Slowing Down Can Lead to Better Products

Balancing speed and quality isn’t just about product development—it’s about shaping the future of your business. @Evelyn Coleman shares why the limitations on development speed are actually a blessing. Moving too fast without gathering feedback can send your product down the wrong path. It’s the balance between velocity and quality that helps teams gather the insights they need to build something truly impactful.

Fail Fast, Build Better

Is it better to launch fast or wait for perfection? @Saurabh Shanbhag explains the "fail fast" strategy, where teams quickly release imperfect products to get real customer feedback and improve. Instead of taking years to perfect, they launch in months, see what works, and adjust from there. This approach helps companies adapt, find market fit, and build better products based on actual user insights.

Building Reliable Systems in an Unpredictable World

Can engineers ever guarantee that nothing will break? @Saurabh Shanbhag explains why unexpected failures are always possible in today’s interconnected tech world. The key is to control what you can and collaborate to build resilient systems. Here’s how to approach it: Watch this episode of Test Case Scenario to learn more about building reliable systems.

Teamwork Drives Early Bug Detection

Is catching bugs before production really possible? @Saurabh Shanbhag from @DoorDash shares insights on how minimizing bugs is a team effort and not just the responsibility of engineers or QA testers. Collaboration across roles is key to ensuring product reliability. Here’s how teams can prevent issues before launch: Watch this episode of Test Case Scenario to learn more about bug prevention strategies that actually work.

Building Reliable Software Systems with DoorDash's Saurabh Shanbhag

How do you ensure your software system is reliable from design to deployment? In this episode of Test Case Scenario, Jason Baum and Evelyn Coleman sit down with Saurabh Shanbhag, Software Engineer at DoorDash, to discuss the best approaches for preventing bugs and building reliable systems. Saurabh draws on his experience from Amazon, Uber, and DoorDash to explain how teams can focus on strong initial design, thorough testing, and smart monitoring to keep systems running smoothly.

A $200,000 Black Friday Mistake You Can Avoid

Your partners can make or break critical moments. @Marcus Merrell shares a story about a Black Friday mishap that cost $200,000 due to a partner’s system failure. Customers faced errors with no clear alternatives, leaving them frustrated and the business scrambling. It raises an important question: Are you prepared for when things go wrong, or are you leaving your users stranded without options? It’s not just about the tech—it’s about how you build trust and ensure your users feel supported, no matter what.

Testing Decisions Impact Customer Loyalty

Your testing choices impact customer relationships. @Marcus Merrel shares a story about a teammate being unable to pay a simple bridge toll online—Safari, Chrome, incognito mode, nothing worked. No chat support, no phone number. His only option? Wait for a collection letter to arrive in the mail. That’s so frustrating. But what stands out most is the bigger question: Are your users forced to stay because they have no choice, or are you actively earning their loyalty by providing a seamless, supportive experience?

Black Friday Tip for Software Testers

Testers, how can you prepare for Black Friday? @MarcusMerrell suggests running real practice drills. Build an environment as close to production as possible and simulate an outage with your team to see how prepared you really are. These drills help reveal issues in your response process that you might not realize until it’s too late. By practicing in a realistic environment, your teams get more confidence handling real-world outages.

The End of Manual-Only Testing

Is manual testing enough to keep up with the speed of modern development? @Allen Loew from Progressive Leasing explains that while there’s still a place for manual testing in specific cases, automation is becoming a necessity. Automation helps teams maintain the velocity required to meet deadlines. As projects grow in complexity and size, automation is essential to manage large volumes of tests and data efficiently.

Boosting Release Confidence: Scalable and Secure Testing to Prepare for the Holidays

Delivering high-quality digital experiences during the holiday season is crucial, with 30% of annual revenue on the line. Developers need scalable, secure, and compliant infrastructure to ensure smooth releases and easy software testing. However, over 60% of developers admit to releasing untested code to meet deadlines, risking bugs and jeopardizing customer experience and revenue. Listen to the discussion about how to mitigate risk, catch bugs earlier, and test securely at scale in preparation for a busy holiday season.

The Ultimate Black Friday Testing Playbook with Progressive Leasing's Allen Loew

In an industry where speed is everything, manual testing alone may not cut it. In this episode, Jason Baum and Marcus Merrell are joined by Allen Loew, Principal Quality Engineer at Progressive Leasing, to discuss the changing roles of testers and why automation is no longer optional. Allen shares his experiences with the transition from manual to automated testing, offering insights on the best balance between the two approaches. You'll also hear about the value of exploratory testing, the impact of automation on scalability, and how QA teams can thrive by embracing new tools and practices.

Sauce Labs Community Office Hours - Testing Frameworks - Choosing One That Works for Your Team

Testing Frameworks – How to Choose One That Works for You and Your Team Struggling to pick the right testing framework? In this pre-recorded session of Sauce Labs Office Hours, join Diego Molina, Developer Advocate, as he breaks down the key factors to consider when selecting a testing framework for your team. Learn how to evaluate frameworks based on your project needs, team size, and tech stack to make the best choice for efficient and reliable test automation.

How To Comply with the European Accessibility Act

Complying with the European Accessibility Act (EAA) isn’t just about meeting regulations—it’s about building better products for everyone. @AmyJune Hineline and @Marcus Merrell offer key tips for achieving EAA compliance: Watch the latest episode of Test Case Scenario for practical tips on making your products accessible and compliant with the EAA.

Sauce Labs Community Office Hours - Intro to Mobile Testing with Emulators and Simulators

Office Hours: Intro to Mobile Testing with Emulators and Simulators Want to optimize your mobile testing strategy? Join us for this pre-recorded session of Sauce Labs Open Office Hours, featuring developer advocate Titus Fortner as he takes a deep dive into mobile testing using emulators and simulators on Sauce Labs. Learn the best practices for mobile test automation and how to effectively balance speed, cost, and reliability in your testing workflows.

Why Accessibility Training Deserves Equal Time in Professional Development

Accessibility training isn’t an optional add-on—it’s an essential part of professional development. @AmyJuneHineline explains why accessibility should be prioritized just like learning new programming standards: Watch the latest episode of Test Case Scenario to learn why making accessibility training a priority is crucial for all development teams.

The True Cost of Accessibility Education in Tech

Building accessible products isn’t just about compliance—it’s about education. @AmyJuneHineline explains how the biggest challenge for companies is teaching teams to prioritize accessibility from the start. It’s not just about following guidelines; it’s about making accessibility part of your development culture through proper training and clear standards. Invest in education now to ensure your teams are prepared for the future of accessibility.

How Accessibility Creates Loyal Users

Think accessibility doesn’t impact loyalty? @AmyJuneHineline says it’s just the opposite—when disabled users find accessible websites, they keep coming back. But if they find barriers, they leave for good. Here's why accessibility drives customer loyalty: Learn how making your digital products accessible can build lasting customer relationships on the latest episode of Test Case Scenario.

Sauce Labs Community Office Hours - Parallel Execution 101

Office Hours: Parallel Test Execution 101 Is your test suite taking too long to run? Discover how parallel test execution can dramatically speed up your automation cycles in this pre-recorded session from our Sauce Labs Community Office Hours. Join Titus Fortner, Developer Advocate, as he walks you through the ins and outs of running tests in parallel and optimizing your CI/CD pipeline for efficiency.

Navigating the European Accessibility Act and Compliance with Linux Foundation's AmyJune Hineline

What does accessibility mean for your business, and how can you prepare for the upcoming changes? In this episode, Jason Baum and Marcus Merrell are joined by AmyJune Hineline from the Linux Foundation to discuss the upcoming European Accessibility Act and how it will shape the future of digital products. With the deadline approaching in 2025, they cover what steps companies should take to ensure their platforms are accessible to everyone.