Beyond the Stepping Stone: Exploring the Art, Power and Future of Testing
We’ve all been there. You open your favourite app, and instead of seamlessly working, it just… doesn’t. Maybe it crashes, maybe it refuses to load. Frustrating, right? That’s where testing comes in. But testing is more than just finding bugs—it’s about preventing issues long before they mess with your day!
In a world where automation and AI are transforming every aspect of software development, testing plays a crucial role in ensuring quality, inclusivity, and innovation are baked into the process from the very start. Testing isn’t an afterthought—it’s a driving force that ensures the products we rely on are functional, accessible, robust, and user-friendly.
In the wider tech industry, testing often doesn’t get the recognition or support it deserves. It’s time we start talking more about testing as a viable career option, recognising its value, and giving testers the support they need to thrive.
"Testing isn’t just a box to tick—it’s creative, strategic, and collaborative, helping shape the success of every product."
Testing: More Than Bug-Finding
Without testing embedded throughout the development process, we risk building products that exclude users, break under pressure, or don’t live up to their potential. Testing isn’t just about functionality—it’s about safeguarding the experiences that users trust and rely on every day.
"Testing goes beyond catching bugs—it ensures quality at every level," from predicting how users will interact with a product to ensuring it performs across devices, accessibility needs, and conditions. What would happen if testers were included from day one? How would our products change if testing was integrated into the process from the start, working alongside designers, product owners, business analysts, and developers to prevent problems before they arise?
Testing as a Destination, Not Just a Stepping Stone
"Why don’t you just become a developer?" is a question I’ve been asked many times, and I’m sure it’s something many testers hear, especially once they start working with automation. While it’s true that many people may move into different roles—whether before or after testing—testing itself is a valuable destination.
Testing is a career in its own right, full of creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration. Testers don’t just find bugs—they act as partners with developers, offering insights that ensure quality across the entire development lifecycle. Learning to code didn’t only allow me to automate tests—it improved my ability to understand the products we were building and why bugs happen. I wasn’t just finding flaws—I was collaborating with developers to understand root causes and improve how we built products in the first place.
That’s the beauty of testing: it allows you to connect with the whole team, solve complex problems, and be at the center of product quality. Testing offers diverse opportunities for growth, whether in automation, performance testing, security testing, or leadership.
"Testing isn’t just a stepping stone; it’s a destination where innovation and creativity thrive."
The Power of Automation: From a Week-Long Regression Cycle to 2 Days
When I first started with test automation, I was learning and building a framework from scratch on my own. I had to figure out how to use Selenium without much guidance. But the effort paid off. What used to be a week-long regression cycle of repetitive, manual tests shrank down to two days. I was amazed by how much time automation saved us, but more importantly, how it allowed us to focus on other aspects of product quality.
I didn’t have best practices to guide me, but I had the space to explore—an opportunity that allowed me to learn a new skill while helping the team I was working in. The results were immediate: a manual regression cycle that used to take a full week was reduced to just two days by automating web-based UI tests.
When I moved companies, I continued to grow and learn from other test engineers, realising that testing shouldn’t stop at the UI level. I learned how testing could be implemented across component, integration, and API levels, forming the backbone of a robust testing strategy.
"Automation didn’t just speed up our process; it gave us the ability to test more creatively and think strategically."
Taking Manual Testers Along the Journey
As the industry embraces automation, it’s important to remember that manual testing still has its place. Some of the greatest insights come from a deep understanding of user experience, accessibility, and exploratory testing—knowing how people interact with products in the real world.
"Manual testers shouldn’t be left to sink or swim as automation takes over—their expertise remains invaluable."
Shifting Left: Bringing Testing into Every Stage
Shifting testing left means involving testers early in the process. This approach brings more value than testing at the end, transforming the role of testers into active participants from the very start. It changes testing from a last-minute check to a proactive, integral part of development.
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When testers are involved in planning, design, and requirements analysis, their insights prevent issues from occurring rather than identifying them at the end. By bringing a testing mindset to all stages of development, teams can improve quality, catch potential issues early, and create more efficient and reliable products.
"Shifting testing left means bringing testers in early, transforming testing from a last-minute check to an integral part of development."
AI, DEI, and the Future of Testing
AI is already having an impact on testing in ways that were unthinkable just a few years ago. It’s helping testers solve problems faster and even predict potential issues before they appear. AI tools allow testers to ask smarter questions and be more strategic about their tests.
But as AI’s role in testing grows, so does the responsibility to ensure that AI-driven systems are inclusive, ethical, and accessible. AI helps shape how we test, but testers are needed to shape how AI behaves. What if AI could help us build more accessible products? What if it could spot biases and push us toward more inclusive solutions?
"Testers are needed to shape how AI behaves, ensuring that AI-driven systems are inclusive, ethical, and accessible."
Testing Education: A Responsibility for Universities, Educators, and Employers
"The disparity between developers and testers is often striking." While there are multiple, well-established pathways into software development, testing doesn’t benefit from the same visibility or structured learning opportunities.
For those entering the tech industry, testing should be presented as an option. Testing offers diverse opportunities for growth, technical expertise, and leadership, and it should be introduced early as a legitimate and rewarding career path. Unfortunately, testing education is often limited, leaving many unaware of the opportunities available within the field. We need to make testing a core part of tech education.
The Value of Testing: Why It Matters for Companies and Teams
The value of testing extends beyond just ensuring a product works. Testers play a crucial role in making sure technology is accessible, user-friendly, and delivers on its promises. Shifting testing left—involving testers earlier in the process—brings far more value than testing at the end.
When testing is properly valued, the return on investment is significant—not just in time saved but in product quality and user satisfaction. Moreover, by valuing testing and offering career opportunities with proper training, mentorship, and support, companies can attract a more diverse pool of testers.
"Greater diversity means better representation of user needs and, ultimately, better products."
Clear Takeaways for Action:
A Call to Action: Let’s Build the Future of Testing Together
The future of testing is about more than finding bugs—it’s about shaping the future of technology. Testing ensures that products are functional, safe, inclusive, and user-centered, and it plays a crucial role in ensuring the quality of everything we build.
But for testing to thrive, the wider tech industry must step up. We need to provide training, mentorship, and career opportunities for testers so that they can contribute to their full potential. Let’s work together to build better technology by making testing a priority.
What’s Your Take?
How have you seen testing evolve in your career? What more can be done to ensure testing is seen as vital to the tech ecosystem? How has AI changed your testing workflow? Do you think AI will continue to redefine how we test, or is there more to learn?
Data & AI People Lead at Avanade UK & Ireland
2moExcellent article Marian, couldn't agree more. Seems a long time since the early regression framework days 🙂