May 2020CIOAPPLICATIONS.COM8IN MY ViewQuality Engineers: How to stay relevant?BIJUBABU ARAYAKKEEL, DIRECTOR, IT QUALITY, NATIONAL LIFE GROUPhe software testing landscape is currently going through significant changes to cater to emerging and disruptive technologies in the industry. The digital advancements and subsequent changes in software development practices have reshaped the testing processes considerably as well, shifting the technologies used and redefining the skill set requirements for testing professionals.Over the years, the traditional role of a QA (Quality Analyst) has transformed into a QE (Quality Engineer) and SDET (Software Development Engineer in Test) role to enable rapid software development and quality at speed. Organizations are building or relying on internal and external training programs as the skillsets for these transformed roles are much different from traditional skills with a steep learning curve.In this article, I would like to summarize different dimensions of skills needed by testing professionals to stay relevant in the ever-changing technology landscape.Software Development MethodologySoftware Development Life Cycle (SDLC) has evolved in recent years. Huge pressure on speed to market has challenged the classic SDLC models to embrace models that facilitate faster delivery such as Agile, DevOps, and Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD).These models thrive on close collaboration with an emphasis on frequent releases and faster turnarounds. QEs should develop a deep understanding of the new SDLC models, differences in testing approaches, roles/responsibilities of stakeholders, deliverables from each phase, entry and exit criteria, etc., to effectively manage their responsibilities.ToolsOpen-source automation tools are gaining momentum because of alignment with Agile/TBijubabu Arayakkeel
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