2024 Trends of Quality Engineering and Testing

In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, the significance of quality engineering and testing cannot be emphasized enough. We need to recognize the pivotal role these processes play in ensuring the quality, reliability, and security of software. As we stand on the brink of 2024, let's explore ten trends that are set to shape the future of quality engineering and testing.

1. The Rise of "Full-Stack" Quality Engineers

In the era of agile and DevOps, quality engineers are no longer siloed entities but indispensable collaborators in the entire development process. A blend of technical proficiency, cross-functional skills, and soft skills is now essential. Quality engineers must investigate risks using manual, exploratory, and automated techniques, fostering collaboration with both technical and business stakeholders from project initiation.

2. Expansion of Quality Engineering Roles Beyond Test Delivery

Roles like release train engineer and quality orchestrator are emerging, reflecting the need for testers to deeply understand the development process. A T-shaped model of expertise, encompassing a strong foundation in one area and a broad understanding of related domains, is becoming the hallmark of successful quality engineers.

3. Sustainability as a New Quality Characteristic

As organizations focus on environmental, social, and economic impacts, sustainability becomes a crucial quality characteristic. Designing, building, and operating environmentally friendly software is a trend gaining momentum as businesses strive to reduce their carbon footprint and create positive societal and economic impacts.

4. Testability and Observability as Integral Quality Characteristics

In the DevOps era, testability and observability are pivotal for the smooth and safe delivery of software. With the rise of complex, distributed systems, ensuring adaptability, monitoring, and measurement become paramount. Designing-in testability supports early and frequent testing, enabling informed decision-making.

5. Growing Demand for Accessibility Testing

Accessibility testing is gaining prominence with the surge in mobile-first development and web-based applications. Organizations are recognizing the critical role of making applications accessible to users with diverse needs. The inclusion of accessibility requirements in non-functional testing, supported by automation and tooling, is becoming a standard practice.

6. Emphasis on Non-Functional Risks in Modern Delivery Methodologies

Agile methodologies are evolving, with a growing emphasis on non-functional testing, including usability, performance, and security. Operability and infrastructure testing, particularly in cloud environments, are expected to witness increased focus, ensuring scalability, performance, security, and more.

7. Continued Shift towards Whole Team Responsibility for Quality

In agile and DevOps environments, the entire development team is increasingly responsible for software quality. Testers are transitioning from executing tests in isolation to becoming quality coaches, mentors, and collaborators within the development team, promoting testability and critical thinking.

8. Continuous Testing in CI/CD Models

As organizations migrate to the cloud, the use of Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) tools and Infrastructure as Code (IaC) is on the rise. Embedding testing into deployment pipelines using CI/CD streamlines processes, reduces costs, and accelerates software delivery.

9. Expanding Use of AI and ML in Test Data Provisioning

The complexity of testing large systems necessitates advanced solutions. AI and ML are increasingly employed to automate the generation and management of test data, addressing challenges associated with data volume and complexity while ensuring compliance with data protection regulations.

10. The Impact of Emerging Technologies on Quality Risks and Testing

The rapid growth of technologies like blockchain, cryptocurrencies, virtual and augmented reality, and the metaverse presents new opportunities and challenges. Organizations must proactively address the quality risks associated with these technologies, investing in the development of skills and capabilities to formulate effective test strategies and approaches.

As we navigate the dynamic landscape of quality engineering and testing in 2024, staying abreast of these trends will be key to delivering software that not only meets but exceeds user expectations. The journey towards software excellence continues, and the future promises exciting developments for quality professionals. Let's embrace the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.