The recent Romanian Testing Conference (RTC2023) provided an exceptional platform for professionals in the field of quality engineering to gather and exchange valuable insights. Aaron Ingram and Christian Bratosin-Brodel, Sagittarius’ Engineering team members, attended the conference and were inspired by renowned speakers and thought leaders. In this blog, we will highlight the key takeaways from the meeting and the impactful sessions led by these inspiring individuals.
Aaron found the keynote speech by Vernon Richards particularly enlightening. Vernon is a Quality Coach & Tester that helps organisations, teams & individuals understand the relationship between quality & testing to help them build better products & deliver more effective services. In his talk, Vernon emphasised that the role of a Quality Engineer involves a wide range of responsibilities beyond the job description, often referred to as “glue work.”
Aaron resonated with the concept of glue work, which encompasses the tasks that keep a team and project moving forward, even if they are not explicitly assigned to anyone.
Additionally, Aaron appreciated Richards’ insights on “quiet quitting” and the importance of leaders actively avoiding it.
Another session that stood out for Aaron was Josefine Schaefer’s talk on demystifying web accessibility. As someone deeply interested in this topic, Aaron found it gratifying to see web accessibility being highlighted and promoted. He gained valuable insights into new tips, tricks, and tools for testing accessibility, which he can now apply in his work.
Moreover, Anssi Lehtelas’ session on failing in tests resonated strongly with Aaron. Lehtelas openly discussed his and others’ biggest failures and emphasised the importance of managing oneself during such moments. Aaron learned that making mistakes is a natural part of being a tester as long as one learns from them and uses them to improve.
Christian reflects on the Romanian Testing Conference as an incredible opportunity to expand his knowledge and expertise in quality engineering.
Like Aaron, Christian was particularly impressed by Vernon Richards’ session, which focused on the positive aspects of testing rather than solely on the associated risks. Richards emphasised the significance of sales and marketing skills for quality engineers to communicate the value of testing to stakeholders effectively. This session broadened Christian’s understanding of the multifaceted nature of quality engineering and inspired new approaches within Sagittarius.
Another captivating speaker, Daniel Billing, urged attendees to embrace the unpredictability of testing. Christian learned that testing should not be rigidly scripted but approached as an exploration.
Quality is the journey, and business outcomes are the ultimate destination. Daniel Billing’s discourse on security testing emphasised the need for security testers to possess both an attacker’s and a defender’s mindset. Christian now recognises the critical role of exploration in successful security testing and has gained valuable insights into confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Alexandru Morosan’s session on team collaboration and the pitfalls of working in isolation impacted Christian. Morosan highlighted the importance of teamwork in complex workflows and introduced the concept of user story mapping.
Christian resonated with focusing on outcomes rather than output, and Sagittarius has since adopted this approach. The step-by-step guide to user story mapping has become an integral part of their testing process, enhancing efficiency and agility.
In conclusion, the Romanian Testing Conference was a significant event for our Engineering team. It provided valuable insights that further strengthened our extensive knowledge of Quality Engineering. As a result, we are continuously innovating and improving our services to meet the evolving needs of our clients.
The conference held particular significance for our Web Accessibility and Security testing services. If you’re interested in learning more about these services or any other ways we can enhance the quality of your website, we are happy to provide a demo and discuss your specific needs. Feel free to contact us to see how we can help you achieve excellence in your digital endeavours.
