Multiplying the Odds

It used to be a lot easier to build a software testing career. That was yesterday when the expectations about testing were shared across the industry. Of course, there were variations. Not every workplace had a dedicated team of skilled testers, and not every piece of software was tested with the same degree of rigour. But, most software creators and integrators agreed that all software needed to be tested before release by highly skilled testers.

Now, we continually devise different ways to create and implement software and embrace sophisticated tools to assist every stage of the process. There is no longer a robust dominant paradigm of software testing. Our expectations of how to test, when to test, who should test—even whether we need to test at all—keep changing with new methods and technology.

How we deal with this exciting and ever-changing world has major implications for every tester and indeed for the world: in the value we can bring to projects and teams, how we manage our careers, how we train up-and-coming testers, and what skills we learn and teach.

How will you multiply your odds of thriving as a software tester? Join Fiona Charles to explore the possibilities in this world of many paradigms.