In this episode, Paul Grizzaffi, a senior principal automation architect at Nerdery, discusses his role and how he guides teams to effectively promote test automation and quality.

We'll explore the importance of aligning testing and automation with each client's unique business goals and how Paul identifies and addresses their pain points. Paul also shares valuable insights into avoiding common pitfalls, such as excessive tests and data dependency, and the significance of treating automation projects like software projects through continual and periodic evaluations. We touch on the current state of AI in testing, its potential applications, and the critical need for human oversight.

Discover how to help your teams make informed decisions about automation tools, evaluate opportunity costs, and stress the importance of quality over quantity in testing, all of which are directly relevant to your work in software development and automation.

Welcome to episode 500 of the TestGuild Automation Podcast! Today, we're diving deep into contract testing with our expert speakers, Marie Cruz and Lewis Prescott. Listen in to discover the challenges and innovative solutions for introducing contract testing for public and third-party APIs, where control is often limited.

Marie and Lewis share their insights on the provider-driven and bidirectional contract testing approaches, emphasizing the importance of human communication between teams alongside automated tests.

We also take a sneak peek into their book, "Contract Testing in Action," packed with practical guidance and now available with a special 40% discount until August 24th.

Whether you're dealing with web, mobile, GraphQL, or event-driven services, this episode covers implementing contract testing across different types, integrating it into your CI pipeline, and the strategic shift from traditional integration tests to contract tests for early and reliable feedback.

Join us as we uncover the intricacies of contract testing, tools like Pact and PactFlow, and the best practices for making it part of your development workflow. Take advantage of valuable insights and real-world examples from two of the industry's leading experts, and learn how to elevate your testing strategy to ensure seamless, bug-free software releases.

Welcome to the TestGuild Automation Podcast! In this episode, our host, Joe Colantonio, engages in a fascinating conversation with Benjamin Bischoff, an experienced software developer and test automation engineer.

Benjamin illuminates his preference for Karate UI testing and the evolution of his Selenium-based framework, emphasizing the need to use the right tool for the job. From JUnit 5 to Selenium BiDi, Benjamin provides valuable lessons on upgrading frameworks to enhance performance and efficiency.

The discussion also touches on critical evaluation of tools, the fallacy of the one-size-fits-all approach, and the significance of continuous learning in automation endeavors. Importantly, Benjamin shares practical and actionable tips on maintaining a sustainable test framework and leveraging existing knowledge for successful rewrites.

In this episode, your host, Joe Colantonio, speaks with Robin Gupta to explore the crucial balance between automation and quality in test practices. Join us as we discuss the importance of meaningful conversations and detailed assessments before deciding on automation tools like Selenium, Playwright, or Cypress. We'll also delve into the basics of Selenium, the challenges for beginners, and the benefits of open-source versus vendor solutions.

Robin also shares his knowledge of advanced techniques, including shadow DOM and the nuanced debate over page objects. We'll explore why essential open-source solutions can save you from reinventing the wheel and how to scale and distribute tests effectively.

You'll also hear about Robin's new book on Selenium WebDriver for test automation, designed to be an approachable guide for beginners.

Don't miss out on key tips such as the "crawl, walk, run, fly" approach and continuous improvement strategies.

Today, we delve into the nuanced art of hiring software testers in an era where remote work challenges traditional recruitment norms. We'll explore Paul's insights on the crucial skills for testers, the evolving landscape of automation in testing, and the critical importance of honesty and skill demonstration in hiring practices.

Paul will also share some thought-provoking experiences and challenges in verifying candidates' identities and capabilities in virtual environments. Whether you are looking to hire or aiming to position yourself as an invaluable testing professional, this episode is packed with valuable advice and anecdotes from the front lines of software testing recruitment.

Don't miss out on these expert tips to elevate your hiring strategy or advance your testing career.

In today's episode, we're thrilled to have Tobias Müller, a software development veteran and an expert in autonomous software testing. With over a decade of experience in the field, Tobias brings a wealth of knowledge, especially from his work with TestResults IO, where he delves into the AI-driven aspects of testing.

Join us as Tobias debunks common myths surrounding autonomous software testing. He clarifies the often misunderstood differences between automated and autonomous testing and expresses a healthy skepticism about the current capabilities of fully autonomous tools. Despite the challenges, Tobias sees a promising future where autonomous testing could significantly ease the testing process by harnessing vast data pools and sophisticated learning models.

We delve into the dynamic nature of the testing landscape. We advocate for a synergy between human proficiency and AI to enhance testing efficiency without completely replacing the human element. We delve into the potential and limitations of AI in testing, underlining the crucial role of human oversight in decision-making processes.

Be one of the first to discover how to automate non-automatable applications: https://links.testguild.com/Z6PFe

Today, Dan Belcher, co-founder of Mabl and a former product manager for monitoring and logging at Google, joins us as we explore the cutting-edge intersection of AI and mobile test automation.

We'll delve into the growing trend of AI testing in business and discuss the critical switch from deterministic to non-deterministic testing protocols when dealing with AI language models.

Get ready for an exciting announcement as Dan unveils the launch of Mabl for mobile. This groundbreaking tool will empower practitioners to validate their iOS and Android apps with unprecedented efficacy, revolutionizing how we approach mobile testing.

Plus, we'll tackle the pressing questions about the shift from custom frameworks to vendor-based solutions, the increasing need for testing from the user's perspective, and the potential roles AI could play in optimizing the end-user experience.

So, charge up your headphones and prepare for a deep dive into how AI's ability to understand context reshapes test automation.

To see AI with Mobile in action, make sure to check out now: https://links.testguild.com/ul45X

Welcome to the TestGuild Automation Podcast! I'm your host, Joe Colantonio, and Jon Robinson, chief storyteller at Nekst IT, ready to delve deep into the automation testing world. In today's episode, "The Four Phases of Automation Testing Mastery," we'll debunk the myth that automation is a cure-all solution and explore the intricacies and careful planning needed to succeed in test automation.

Join us as we discuss practical strategic approaches including the 4-phase model—Discovery, Design, Develop, Deliver—and the importance of a maturity model to ensure your automation aligns with CI/CD integration. We'll highlight how automation serves as the backbone for regression testing, providing substantial long-term benefits and how pushing it later in the development process can minimize rework and costs.

We'll tackle the challenges of test management in an agile world, and Jon will share his insights on the importance of storytelling in QA and how it can revolutionize how we test and communicate the value of our work. Expect actionable tips on avoiding common pitfalls and why focusing on real-world impacts and user perspectives can significantly improve your automation efforts.

Prepare to elevate your testing strategy and learn why quality should be the focus rather than just hitting metrics. Tune in as we explore practical insights and real-life experiences that will empower you to enhance the success of your automation testing projects!