In an era where technology drives success, the role of software testing can hardly be overstated. As the demand for rigorous testing grows, its importance in the business context is more evident than ever.
In this interview, we sit down with two of our experts from Sixsentix Switzerland, Tomas Mitrovic and Daniel Gonzalez, who bring extensive experience in test consulting, built and perfected through years of working with renowned global clients. They share their insights on the evolving role of testing, the impact of new technologies, and the importance of building strong client relationships.
Join us to find out more about how testing is bridging the gap between business needs and technological innovations.
1. Why do businesses need testing today? And which industries do you think will be the most in need of testing in the years to come?
Tomas: Businesses today need testing to ensure the quality, reliability, and security of their products and services as well as to mitigate the overall risks. Testing is crucial to identify and fix issues before they reach customers, preventing frustration, damage to the reputation, and negative financial impact.
This especially applies to industries like healthcare, finance, and autonomous vehicles as well as IoT with regards to smart buildings or smart cities. And this also goes for every highly regulated business.
Daniel: Businesses need testing because of the high demands of the current market in terms of speed and quality. Testing is crucial to confirm that what you’re delivering is exactly what is expected from the software, and without issues, in order to prevent potential damage to the reputation and financial losses.
If we compare the need for testing in different fields, I’d say that it’s most needed in highly regulated environments where a software issue may really do serious damage, such as aviation, automotive, or healthcare. These products should be approved and certified even before they are launched. They are under strong regulations, they have to be compliant with numerous standards, and you need to prove that you have tested each requirement.
Test Consultant
Sixsentix Switzerland
Testing is crucial to confirm that what you’re delivering is exactly what is expected from the software, and without issues, in order to prevent potential damage to the reputation and financial losses.
2. Which technologies are you the most excited about at this moment, both in general and when it comes to testing?
Daniel: I wouldn’t single out just one technology, as it’s usually a specific combination of technologies that makes them particularly valuable.
I’m excited about technologies that present unique testing challenges, especially high-tech products beyond typical web applications. For instance, I find IoT devices, which integrate physical and virtual environments, particularly interesting. And they can incorporate a broad range of different technologies, such as AI or data analytics.
Smart home devices like cloud-connected home appliances showcase how technological evolution makes testing more exciting and complex. All this makes these technologies particularly challenging for testing, and figuring them out is what I find really appealing.
Tomas: For me, methodology comes first, and the job of technology is to enable and support a certain methodology. For instance, advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning are exciting, but to gain the highest benefits, it must be very precisely defined which problems we want to solve, and where it really makes sense to apply AI and ML, and that’s why I think methodology is always the first step.
Specifically for testing, there are some interesting use cases, for example, big data analytics for determining the most at-risk processes, or predictive analytics for analyzing the changes in order to generate specific test cases to avoid side effects. Finally, creating models, in terms of the BYOM (bring your own model) practices for testing purposes in specific business areas, could be very valuable.
3. And how much trust do you have in AI? Do you think the hype is a bit exaggerated, or is it justified?
Daniel: AI is now a huge trend, with everyone adding it to their products, or claiming that they added it, often just to sell them. This reminds me of when automation started some 20 years ago; it was said to replace testers but ended up as simply another tool for testing.
AI offers powerful resources for testing, but we can't rely entirely on it. The human brain's capacity for contextual understanding can't be replaced by AI, at least not yet. That being said, AI can, of course, support testers in a lot of ways. It can substantially improve efficiency and speed up delivery, but it’s important not to get carried away by the hype.
I’ll give you an example. When ChatGPT 4.0 was released recently, after only two days, LinkedIn was full of "experts" claiming it would change everything. It had been on the market for two days, and the hype about it changing the world was already there.
Tomas: Also, we need to ask: What does AI mean and how does it work? AI relies on trained models, not some standalone intelligence. Training these models is a demanding and comprehensive process. While general models like ChatGPT exist, specific applications require tailored training.
There's a big hype around AI, similar to past trends like big data analytics. It promised a lot, but its actual implementation in business intelligence has often been lacking, and the same could happen with AI and predictive analytics. Of course, AI truly has immense potential and will be very influential and helpful, but won't magically solve all the problems.
4. What is the biggest misperception about testing among professionals in the IT sector? Is the perception of testing changing lately?
Daniel: Some companies perceive testing as a delay. When you open a bug, the developers may feel attacked because it's like someone is telling them that their work is not done well. It’s almost like, “We’ve done our job, and now they are going to stop the release just because they found a silly thing.”
There was also a perception that testing is just random clicking around the app without a strategic approach or critical thinking. This may have been the case for some closed and static systems back in the day, but not anymore. Today, you have software communicating with each other, with complex flows inside and complex business interfaces. So, you need to have a set of skills to understand the product, understand the business, and then the technology behind it. You cannot test without having proper background knowledge, just like with any other product. This perception has changed lately, but we still have a long way to go.
Tomas: A common misperception is that testing is a reactive process that happens at the end of development or is succinctly imposed on the Agile delivery teams with the “built-in quality” approach.
Testing should be integrated throughout the entire lifecycle over several test levels, both technology-facing and business-facing. I’ve also noticed the lack of understanding of the real return of proper testing to be a part of this misperception.
5. In terms of the evolution of methodological approaches to testing, which trend do you find the most promising? Are there any that you find detrimental?
Tomas: At Sixsentix, we emphasize both a business-facing and a technology-facing approach. Technology-facing testing should answer the core question, “Did we build the system right?”. And the business-facing testing answers the question, “Did we build the right system?”.
Now, the shift towards Agile development necessitates adaptable testing approaches. Trends like continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) with automated testing are definitely becoming crucial. However, some Agile frameworks focus too much on rapid development, neglecting the fact that we should zoom out to be able to critically assess whether new features add real business value.
Effective quality assurance should bridge the gap between business objectives and IT, critically evaluating whether a system genuinely fulfills business requirements. This methodological thinking helps avoid the pitfalls of developing quickly without meaningful impact. But for best results, it’s also vital to include testers early in the delivery lifecycle and not disregard the importance of balance between manual and automated testing.
Test Consultant
Sixsentix Switzerland
Effective quality assurance should bridge the gap between business objectives and IT, critically evaluating whether a system genuinely fulfills business requirements. This methodological thinking helps avoid the pitfalls of developing quickly without meaningful impact.
Daniel: Agile methodology has revolutionized development by providing speed and quick feedback. And for me, it has been a kind of game-changer in how development is done compared to 15-20 years ago. However, it sometimes neglects the importance of testing, especially when companies try to follow some Agile frameworks too strictly and blindly.
While Agile promotes the idea that teams handle everything, it's unrealistic to expect team members to excel in everything, from development to end-to-end testing. Here, testing is often overlooked, because it doesn’t build new features and doesn’t speed up delivery. And in some frameworks, quality is perceived as naturally built-in, as it just happens out of nowhere. In reality, specialized roles, like testers, are crucial because their expertise can't be matched by developers with minimal testing experience.
Developers want to build and deliver features, and testers want to ensure that the features are working fine and according to specifications. It’s a different mindset. The focus should be on integrating quality within teams while recognizing the distinct skills required for different roles.
Test Consultant
Sixsentix Switzerland
Developers want to build and deliver features and testers want to ensure that the features are working fine and according to specifications. It’s a different mindset. The focus should be on integrating quality within teams while recognizing the distinct skills required for different roles.
6. What do you think is Sixsentix’s key asset in the rapidly evolving industry?
Daniel: I believe our key asset is the capacity to adapt and to be flexible and respond to demands. We don’t just focus on technology-facing aspects; we also consider the entire business context. By understanding the product's purpose and business case, we prioritize risks and focus testing where it truly matters.
This approach ensures that we create value for our clients through open communication and by challenging them when necessary. Our success lies in building strong, transparent client relationships and ensuring that our efforts align with their business goals.
Test Consultant
Sixsentix Switzerland
We don’t just focus on technology-facing aspects; we also consider the entire business context. By understanding the product's purpose and business case, we prioritize risks and focus testing where it truly matters.
Tomas: Again, we go back to the methodology. Sixsentix's key asset is our comprehensive methodological approach, emphasizing both technology-facing and business-facing testing.
Our primary focus is what the product should do, and we prioritize testing areas that matter, regardless of the underlying system. This adaptability and focus on business goals set us apart.
Also, the modern business environment often involves complex app integrations, making it less about expertise in a single application and more about understanding and handling the entire application ecosystem. We go beyond market demands for specific domain knowledge because our critical thinking and holistic methodology allow us to effectively cover critical business risks on virtually any application or domain.
Test Consultant
Sixsentix Switzerland
We go beyond market demands for specific domain knowledge because our critical thinking and holistic methodology allow us to effectively cover critical business risks on virtually any application or domain.
7. How do you think success should be measured in testing? Which metrics/outcomes do you find the most relevant?
Tomas: For me, and for us as a company, there’s a strong focus on mitigating critical business risks, so risk coverage is very important. In combination with a good detection rate and execution rate, it can be a useful metric.
But it’s crucial that testing is not there only to find issues, it’s also there to show what works properly, to give confidence. This can sometimes be a bit harder to explain. When clients see a “green” report with no issues, that often draws little attention. But this is exactly the point – we covered the risk areas for you, and this way, you can be sure that things are working as they should.
It’s also difficult to show the potentially bad effects of the bugs we have discovered and highlighted in time, but this would be a good way to point out some key benefits of testing. To come back to AI and predictive analytics, this is where these technologies could help - to demonstrate the potential financial and reputational impact of detected bugs. We could show stakeholders how we protect their interests and exactly how much money they have saved by catching the bug before going into production.
Daniel: I agree that, especially in our methodology, risk coverage is an important metric. We focus on risk assessments, identifying risk areas, and communicating what we are covering.
But success isn't just about delivering a project; it's also about how we get there. Building a trusting relationship with the client is key. Can we tell them we're heading in the wrong direction, and they'll listen? Of course, we need to show we understand the client’s needs, as this helps build this kind of trust.
This day-to-day relationship ensures that if something goes wrong, the client understands our efforts and supports finding solutions constructively. This is more valuable to me than having zero bugs in production and it goes back to the confidence that Tomas mentioned. It's about creating a safety net through trust and collaboration, making it easier to achieve a successful product.
8. What’s usually the hardest thing for the clients to understand about testing? And what’s the thing that makes them the happiest?
Daniel: Usually, they are aware that they need some testing, but they’re not sure about the scope and the scale. So when we lay out a comprehensive testing plan, they’re often surprised, as they expect just “a couple of guys clicking around.” But this was testing 30 years ago, the market and the technologies have changed so much, so proper testing is much more complex and demanding.
It’s tricky because what we offer is not tangible, we’re not developing new features. It’s also hard to say we make them “happy” because we are usually bearers of bad news. But they appreciate that we can provide critical insights that help them understand their processes, improve them substantially, and ultimately build a better product.
Tomas: I agree that “happy” may not be the right word, it’s hard to make them happy when your job is to find issues. But you can get them to be more confident. When the client knows, “Okay, I have a partner here,” and this partner takes care of their business risks and quality in general in a transparent and efficient way, this helps build confidence.
Clients might misunderstand the complexity of thorough testing, the time it takes, and its associated costs. So setting clear expectations and building trust is crucial. It’s important that they see they have someone who’s close by, and who protects their business with a reliable methodology. It’s not just the value of what we deliver, but the value of this relationship that lets them sleep well at night.
Test Consultant
Sixsentix Switzerland
When the client knows “okay, I have a partner here”, and this partner takes care of their business risks and quality in general, in a transparent and efficient way, this helps build confidence.
9. Can you remember a moment in your career that made you think, “This is why I love my job”?
Tomas: Again, we try to find problems and deal with problems every day, so some kind of “happiness” may not be what I expect from the test consultant job. But being confronted with these problems on a daily basis gives me drive and motivation. Sometimes, I even enjoy the challenge and frustration because it pushes me to do better.
Daniel: The word “love” may be a bit much. As Tomas said, the testers are always looking for and confronting the problems, and that can be exhausting sometimes.
But I enjoy discovering new products and exploring them, figuring out how we can test them or build something around them. If I had been in another field, I might’ve not had the chance to discover such a wide range of products. So this job gives you a great chance to discover new things, and if you’re curious, it can indeed make you a little bit happier.
10. And finally, if you weren’t a test consultant, what would you be?
Tomas: I’d be distilling spirits.
Daniel: Something in aviation, a pilot or a controller.
And hopefully, in that reality, you wouldn’t be working together. Thank you, Tomas and Daniel, for some great insights you shared with us today!