Software testing has acquired a new significance in today’s quickly changing digital environment, going beyond ensuring product quality to profoundly impact businesses. Anne Marie Charrett, a renowned testing evangelist and author of the ‘Quality Coach Book’, recently sat down with the LambdaTest team to share valuable insights on testing’s role in digital transformation and the importance of quality coaching at EuroStar 2023 held in Antwerp, Belgium.

During our conversation with Anne Marie, one point stood out clearly: quality is a responsibility shared by everyone, including leadership.”Senior leaders must actively participate in quality discussions and make them a crucial component of efforts to implement digital transformation,” she said. Companies can avoid considering quality as an afterthought by incorporating the appropriate stakeholders early on.

“Quality is everyone’s responsibility, and that includes leadership. Leaders are responsible for making decisions about quality and creating a space for conversations about quality all the time.”

Anne Marie also emphasized the importance of utilizing present-day technology, especially automation. By enabling teams to have fruitful talks about enhancing code quality and reducing manual processes, automation not only improves quality but also fosters collaboration.

“There’s so much value we can get from tools and automation. It helps engineers connect and have conversations about improving quality at a code level.”

A quality coach, in Anne Marie’s opinion, is essential in helping teams accept responsibility for their own quality. They point out gaps, provide guidance and insights, and enable teams to embrace test automation. They also provide continuing support.

“The role of a quality coach is to help the team see how to move forward in quality improvement. They facilitate the identification of gaps and support the team in solving those problems.”

Anne strongly feels when it comes to KPIs in testing, certain metrics like test coverage and team engagement are really valuable. Further she believes that looking at a diversity of metrics ensures a better team performance and faster quality checks.

This insightful interview with Anne Marie sheds light on the vital role of testing in digital transformation, the strategic implementation of automation, the significance of non-functional testing, and the responsibilities of a quality coach. Her expertise and experiences provide valuable guidance for professionals seeking to enhance their understanding and practices in these areas.

Watch the video to hear the full interview and unlock the secrets to drive successful digital transformation through effective testing and quality coaching.