Let’s start with technologies. Virtual reality makes a difference in multiple industries. Automotive front-runners use it to conduct engineering reviews of a vehicle and spot flaws before spending huge sums on manufacturing; healthcare professionals learn how to operate by applying VR-based apps; police officers conduct simulations to train personnel briskly make critical decisions. No wonder the global market size of AR/VR is forecasted to reach in 2028. $250 billion Another technology that is also gaining momentum ― By 2030, the number of delivered units will boost by tenfold and comprise . With their help, aerospace organizations create parts for plane interiors or elements for satellites, medical institutions make organ replicas, and even the food industry utilizes it to print meals for gourmets! 3D printing. 21.5 million So, no surprise that companies constantly contribute to staying current with emerging trends and infuse them into their roadmaps to efficiently attain set objectives. However, to function as intended, software solutions with such complex technologies at the core require proper QA and testing support. To build an effective testing strategy in the year ahead, I suggest considering the top 7 industry trends, which I’ll focus on in the two parts of the article. So, let’s cut to the chase. Trend 1. Stick to sustainable quality engineering Delivering tech at speed and within budget isn’t the only business objective anymore. Today, companies are making a big step towards wasting fewer resources by ensuring higher quality from the get-go, in other words ― green quality engineering. According to the World Quality Report, 2022-23 (WQR), which interviewed 1,750 IT executives, the most vivid advantages of following this practice are: better brand image, enhanced consumer and supplier loyalty, improved total revenue, and refined customer satisfaction. Although organizations test for energy and resource effectiveness, usability, performance efficiency, modularity, and reusability, only 54% of them possess accurately defined sustainability requirements. Currently, companies consider that the best ways to improve their resource usage are, for instance, cloud technology for test environments, optimized test data, performance testing, and test automation. And these are for sure good options. In addition to these measures, organizations can: to ensure high software quality from the early SDLC stages, make it a shared responsibility, and prevent defects rather than fix them. Focus more on shift-left testing Gauge environmental impacts due to configuring software performance monitoring solutions. to set up a more resource-intensive way of implementing the application. Push forward sustainability since the design stage Trend 2. Support emerging technologies with quality engineering Emerging technologies play a vital role in driving operational efficiencies as they create smarter systems that can improve performance across any industry. Just have a look: already today, nanotechnology helps us design materials with outstanding, self-healing capabilities; quantum computing development brings us closer to performing data processing at skyrocketed speed; the present-day work on green hydrogen will help us reach net zero gas emissions in the future. Isn’t that great? According to , we’ll witness the rise of... Gartner sustainable technology that possess the characteristics of an app, a platform, and an ecosystem superapps cloud platforms. My thoughts are also that will continue to stay a prominent trend in the years to come. However, it’s vital to first fully understand it, and only then gradually delegate responsibilities to this technology. artificial intelligence (AI) While the WQR states that in the years to come, organizations will bet on such pivotal technologies as blockchain and Web 3.0, digital twins, 3D printing, quantum computing, and the metaverse. The report also shows that the interviewed companies expect that these novel trends will help them reach seamless user experience (66%), significantly enhance test environment and data management (61%), and speed up processes without compromising software quality (59%). Considering the overall complexity of these evolving solutions, are required to cope with modern software development effectively: blockchain, cybersecurity, cloud computing, embedded systems, big data and analytics, AI/ML, and telecommunications. specific skills In addition, without a well-thought-out strategy for ensuring the quality of IT products with these tech novelties at the core, organizations confront cybersecurity threats, grow slowly, and struggle to attain business needs. To prevent that from happening and release top-tier software, it’s possible for companies to: Focus on proficient in decentralization and other high-priority dimensions. engaging high-skilled QA engineers Make to infuse security practices from the earliest development stages. a shift to DevSecOps Design to ensure successful implementation. a detailed quality engineering strategy Trend 3. Briskly reach business objectives with test automation The organizations surveyed by the WQR mentioned (48%), (47%), (46%), and (45%). that test automation positively impacts development requirements functional testing integration testing The WQR also states that it is still challenging for companies to set up automated workflows because of insufficient efforts spent on designing a fit-for-purpose strategy and the lack of its integration into the development process. Because of these factors, they attain the expected benefits only half the time. To increase the efficiency of automated testing, try to concentrate on the following high-priority steps: who know your business well and possess vast technical, communication, and organizational skills. Hire seasoned test automation experts Carefully considering the scope, tooling, environment, test data, etc., to make it successful. plan the implementation strategy Build a test automation approach beginning at to obtain value as early as possible. the requirements development phase Systematically to promptly change or configure them according to the project situation. make sure that tools and frameworks are efficient Consider the plans related to for years to come, for instance, the integration with third-party services or the expansion of supported platforms. It will help optimize testing efforts from the get-go and simplify the usage of automated workflows. further product development Trend 4. Measure and manage the value outcomes No matter what innovations you’d like to introduce or trends to follow, I suggest keeping in mind that their application must be appropriate and beneficial. And here’s when value stream management is of help for quality assurance. The WQR respondents marked that their QA activities aim to attain (49%), (45%), and (42%). business assurance and ensure end-user experience support all team members to achieve higher quality protect brand image and QA automation To improve QA function within Agile or DevOps projects, almost every time, the majority of the surveyed companies apply which I find highly effective. This is the process of analyzing work and information flows to determine the most and least valuable items and further adjust the workflows to optimize product delivery and meet end-user expectations. a value stream mapping technique, While doing so, organizations stick to such significant principles as relying on quality engineering to improve each stream (66%), gauging each stream’s value (62%), enhancing their contribution (59%). To provide better control over the value of the software development process, companies may: Rely on so that each team member can monitor progress in real time, identify areas for improvement, and make quick, well-considered decisions. value dashboards Make sure that all project stakeholders of quality assurance activities. are aware of business objectives and define the expected outcome specific to each project and verify that software testing results are linked to these indicators. Determine value indicators Please find out more about other impactful QA trends that will shape the industry and help generate greater value for your customers in Part 2 of the article.