by Co-founder and Chief Solutions Architect at PractiTest Test Management. Founder and President of OnlineTestConf.
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As we look to 2023, it’s clear that the field of software testing is on the cusp of significant change. With the rapid pace of technological advancement and the increasing complexity of software development, the way we test software is also evolving. In addition, the mass layoffs of employees that characterize 2022 can influence your organization’s quality control work, surprisingly for the better. In this article, I’ll take a closer look at some of the key changes we can expect to see in software testing in 2023 and how they will shape the way we ensure software quality.
market condition
The significant layoffs that occurred in 2022 across all industries due to the economic downturn are a big factor in changing the world of software testing. According to the Forbes layoffs tracker, around 125,000 employees were laid off in the 2022 layoff rounds by more than 120 major companies in sectors such as technology, banking and manufacturers. Although it may seem only negative at first, it can also represent a good opportunity for companies to strengthen their knowledge and hire new qualified employees. Companies now have access to a larger pool of potential candidates with proven experience. This will allow companies to hire QA testers with skills that suit their needs, unlike in 2022 when the number of applicants was substantially lower.
digital transformation
In 2023, digital transformation will continue to significantly impact the software testing field. Companies in traditional industries that previously did not need software testing are now investing in in-house testing teams as they undertake digital transformation projects. Despite not having dedicated development teams, these organizations still need to perform complex and thorough user acceptance testing for their enterprise applications. To accomplish this, they are utilizing a variety of team members and business users to test from an end-user perspective in real-world scenarios.
Not just a tester’s job
In recent years, companies have been breaking away from the traditional structure of large QA teams and moving towards multidisciplinary teams that include a variety of team members such as testers, developers, and business users. This concept is not new, but as we move towards more agile and especially DevOps approaches in software development, it will become increasingly important in 2023. Developers can test software elements and their own code from the ground up, identifying and resolving errors early in the development process. Business users, on the other hand, bring valuable information about how the software will be used in real-world scenarios, providing important feedback on the user experience. The unique perspectives and skills brought by different team members help ensure that the software meets the needs of all stakeholders through comprehensive testing efforts.
More and better automation
Automation has become an integral part of QA processes as it allows companies to efficiently cover more software in less time. In 2023, we should anticipate that automation will occupy an even greater percentage of our software test coverage. According to MarketsandMarkets, the Test Automation market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 16.4% during 2022-2027. Therefore, it requires organizations to invest more resources in their automation infrastructure. This mainly converges to hiring technical testers who will be responsible for writing and maintaining your company’s automation work. Their technical expertise ensures that automation processes are effective and accurate, which will save you valuable time and allow you to deliver more reliable software.
test in production
The final aspect that will become increasingly important in 2023 is production testing. As organizations continue to adopt DevOps methodologies, they are looking to release as quickly as possible, pushing software testing efforts to the right side of the deployment boundary. Testing in production allows teams to test and troubleshoot in a live environment, reduce the need for rework, and deploy new changes faster. Teams that use testing in production regularly include dedicated metrics as part of their quality metrics and measurement process.
In short, these are my predictions for 2023 in the software testing industry. I look forward to seeing what the year will be like for all players in the industry. Others invested in this future should keep an eye on these trends as they grow and evolve throughout the year.
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