Systems | Development | Analytics | API | Testing

In this session, Jon Hagar explores how AI is reshaping software engineering and testing, emphasizing the vital role of prompt engineering in staying relevant and effective. From traditional software testing to using AI for testing AI systems, and even enhancing test tools and support environments, prompt engineering is emerging as a critical skill. Jon will dive into what prompt engineering entails, its applications in testing, and the key actions testers can take to adapt to this evolving landscape.

In a world of rapid technological evolution, QA leaders must not only adapt but also lead the way in embracing emerging trends like AI and automation. In this session, David Ingraham explores how the future of QA leadership is being shaped by these advancements and what it takes to stay competitive in the ever-changing landscape of software testing. He highlights the critical technical and leadership skills needed to navigate the next 12–18 months successfully.

Code review is a critical stage in the test automation lifecycle, yet many teams struggle with inconsistencies in their processes. In this session, Mesut Durukal shares his experience leading a team where reviewers had differing approaches—some overly strict, others too lenient—leading to inefficiencies and frustration. Using real-world examples, both good and bad, Mesut will illustrate how his team tackled these challenges and created a balanced, impactful code review process.

In this session, Gomathi Ramalingam sheds light on the critical role of exploratory testing in navigating the complexities of blockchain systems. With its intricate architecture and high-stakes environment, blockchain demands a testing approach that goes beyond traditional methods. Gomathi will discuss the benefits of exploratory testing, specific techniques tailored for blockchain, and why organizations in the blockchain space must prioritize this approach to ensure robust and secure systems.

In this session, Ashwini Lalit delves into how Quality Engineering teams can leverage a data-driven approach to Value Stream Mapping (VSM) to achieve quality excellence. Traditional workflows often mask inefficiencies and bottlenecks behind agile ceremonies and feel-good optics, making it challenging to gauge the true readiness of release deliverables. By combining VSM with agile principles and DevOps tools, Ashwini demonstrates how to visualize workflows holistically, streamline production releases, and transition from reactive to proactive quality processes.

In this session, Gil Zilberfeld highlights a critical challenge in test automation—the creation of "Frankenstein tests." These tests combine programming languages, frameworks, and domain-specific languages into a mishmash that is difficult to read, interpret, and maintain. While this approach may seem functional initially, it often leads to complex, fragile tests that become a burden as projects evolve. Gil emphasizes the importance of addressing this issue to prevent the "monster" of unmanageable tests from overwhelming your testing strategy.

In an era increasingly driven by artificial intelligence, ensuring ethical development and testing practices is more crucial than ever. In this thought-provoking session, Gaurav Khurana will explore the core principles of Responsible AI, including transparency, accountability, fairness, and privacy. These principles act as a foundation for building trust, mitigating algorithmic biases, and ensuring responsible data usage, ultimately fostering an AI ecosystem that prioritizes human welfare and respects privacy rights.

In this session, Harish Pandalangatt will explore the fundamentals of Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) and their pivotal role in centralizing and unifying customer data from various sources. He will emphasize the importance of testing these platforms to ensure that data is accurately captured, processed, and used to drive personalized marketing strategies and business insights. The session will also introduce Tealium, a leading CDP platform, showcasing how it streamlines customer data management and enhances marketing effectiveness.

In this session, James Massa, Senior Executive Director of Software Engineering and Architecture at JPMorgan Chase, dives into the critical elements of mastering LLM (Large Language Model) chatbot testing. As AI-driven chatbots take center stage in user interactions, even the slightest flaw in testing can result in significant, high-profile failures. James will guide you through the cutting-edge techniques used to rigorously test these advanced systems, ensuring optimal performance while helping you avoid common pitfalls that could derail your chatbot’s success.

In this session, Ajay Balamurgadas addresses a common challenge in test automation: the over-prioritization of UI testing at the expense of API testing. While many teams understand the importance of APIs, they often focus on UI automation, resulting in fragile, hard-to-maintain test suites. This approach leads to wasted resources and diminishing returns, as UI tests become increasingly difficult to manage as the product evolves. Ajay explains how this cycle is reinforced by ineffective metrics that measure the quantity of tests rather than their impact, keeping teams "busy being busy" without driving real value.