Talk Description
In this session of The Testing Planet News, Simon Tomes is joined by Kat Obring, Philippa Jennings and Stuart Thomas where they discuss the concept of continuous quality, starting with an exploration of a community poll on whether testers want to learn about it.
The results were largely positive, with 92% expressing interest in learning more. The discussion emphasized the growing importance of continuous quality in agile and DevOps contexts, where quality is integrated throughout the entire product lifecycle, rather than just being tacked on at the end. However, there was some concern about the 8% who either disagreed or were unsure, and the panel encouraged further engagement to help clarify the concept for the uncertain audience.
The next topic covered, where people typically go to learn about continuous quality. The majority of respondents (61%) rely on blogs, videos, and books, while 23% turn to Ministry of Testing resources. They discussed these results, noting that people tend to prefer traditional learning mediums but also mentioned the emerging role of AI tools like ChatGPT, though with caution due to potential misinformation. They highlighted that continuous quality is a new and evolving concept and resources like webinars and forums are crucial for deepening understanding and facilitating discussions.
The conversation then shifted to the definition of continuous quality and who is responsible for it. When asked whether testers are responsible for continuous quality, the responses were mixed, with a majority agreeing but many acknowledging the complexity of the term. The panel discussed the differences between responsibility and accountability, with some suggesting that continuous quality should be a shared responsibility across the entire team, including leadership, while testers may play a consultative role. They concluded that defining continuous quality within each team’s context is key to its successful implementation.
By the end of this session, you'll be able to:
- Gain clarity on the concept of continuous quality and its relevance in modern software development
- Recognise various resources and methods for learning about continuous quality
- Learn practical steps for integrating continuous quality into your workflows
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