Myths, cognitive biases and mental sets in QA

4th December 2024
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Vitaly Sharovatov's profile
Vitaly Sharovatov

developer advocate

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Talk Description

In Quality Assurance, we’re often surrounded by myths, mental sets, and cognitive biases that shape how we think and work — sometimes without us even realizing it. 

In this talk, I'll focus on some common myths in QA, like the belief that quality is only the tester’s responsibility or that more testing automatically leads to better quality. I will also explore how mental sets — such as the idea that everything should be automated or sticking to familiar ways of working — can hold us back in terms of quality improvement.

I believe the only way to break free from these constraints is by diving into solid theories (because there’s nothing more practical than a good theory) and applying rational decision-making. 

I'll show how frameworks like ISO standards and concepts like Goodhart’s Law can guide us. 

By using the scientific method, we can overcome these myths and biases, leading to better decisions and, ultimately, better quality.

By the end of this session, you'll be able to:

  • Understand and question some of the prevalent myths in QA that might be limiting your team’s effectiveness
  • Identify how mental sets can reduce innovation and adaptability in your QA processes
  • Learn about biases like authority bias and groupthink, and how they influence your decisions
  • Discover the practical value of theoretical frameworks and how they can improve your QA practices
Qase
Qase
Qase is a modern test management platform built by testers, for testers. 

Users love our intuitive UI and powerful features, including test case management, defect management, test plans, test runs with informative reports, a rich API, and webhooks, as well as dozens of integrations with popular apps. 
developer advocate
As a quality enthusiast, I believe that people should take pride in their work and companies should aim to produce high-quality products. I have spent the last 23 years in IT, focusing on engineering, management and mentorship. I am also a huge animal lover and have saved and raised more than 50 cats and dogs.
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