Want to hear what some of the world’s most talented testers think about the changing face of software and software testing? Then come to the Conference of the Association for Software Testing (CAST), where you’ll also get a chance to talk with these testers and explore your own thoughts and ideas.
CAST is put together by testers, for testers (and those interested in testing). This year, it takes place in Madison, Wisconsin, August 26-28. The presenters are among the best practitioners from around the globe, and many attendees travel thousands of miles specifically for this conference. eBay will have a strong presence, including a keynote by Quality Engineering Director Jon Bach and a track presentation by Ilari Henrik Aegerter, manager of quality engineering in Europe.
Unlike many testing conferences, at CAST a third of each presentation is reserved for a “threaded” question-and-answer session, in which the audience uses colored cards to indicate new questions or questions related to the current thread. With this format, you can satisfy your curiosity, raise doubts, and make presenters defend their positions. That includes the keynote speakers. The conference also includes a test lab where you can get hands-on and try out ideas you might have heard about, see how other testers test, and share your own experience. You’ll find testers hanging out in the hallways having in-depth discussions and challenging each other to demonstrate their testing skills. Everything about the environment is designed to support testers who want to excel at their craft.
The theme for CAST 2013 is “Old Lessons applied and new lessons learned: advancing the practice and building a foundation for the future.” The technology we work with changes at a rapid pace. Some testing practices stand the test of time; others become obsolete and irrelevant as the technology changes around them.
If this conference sounds like something you’d like to be a part of, then I urge you to register.
http://www.associationforsoftwaretesting.org/conference/cast-2013
I’d love to see you there.
– Ben Kelly, eBay EUQE team and a content chair for CAST 2013