The testing community has a love and hate relationship with events. On one hand it is a great opportunity to exchange knowledge, be up to date with the newest tools and techniques and just learn about the latest breakthroughs. On the other, there is one factor we all would rather escape from - human interaction. In the end though it is not that bad. If there is one group we all feel relatively well with, it is the fellow nerds. It ain't that bad - trust me.
Each software tester will benefit from attending a quality assurance conference, there is no doubt about that. This is why we have created a shortlist of conferences in 2023 and 2024 especially for you.
Software testing conferences in 2023
Let's pretend for a moment that we are a travel agency and use one of the most famous buzzwords in that industry - LAST MINUTE! These are the events you can attend in 2023. Some of them are not only last minute, they are "last second".
TESTCON EUROPE
- Type: online and offline
- Date: Oct 24-27 2023
- Location: Vilnius, Lithuania
The biggest software testing and QA conference in Europe is just around the corner. Maybe you will not be able to find a cheap flight so late, but it will definitely be worth the effort and costs. You can choose one of eight workshops every day. You are either free to roam or choose one of the 4 prepared paths. The list of keynote speakers includes Rolf Molich - the Vice President of UXPA or Rik Marselis - a top software testing author and coach.
It is a great place to improve your testing skills in the following topics: Test Management, Testing Techniques and Methodologies, Test Automation, Performance Testing, Testing the Internet of Things (IoT), Testing Metrics, Agile Testing and many more.
AGILE TESTING DAYS
- Type: online and offline
- Date: Nov 13-16 2023
- Location: Potsdam, Germany
A great international conference on software testing that starts with (yoga and coffee and then) a bang - "10 x software testing" keynote talk from Kristel Kruustuk. We wrote about her in our "whom to follow" article. This is a great opportunity to meet her and take as much as possible from her vast expertise.
As the title of the conference states, the focus is on agile testing and the best practices from that aspect. 4 days of the event are full of workshops on the most common testing problems and other testing fields. What is very nice about Agile Testing Days, is the fact that it shows software engineers not only the knowledge aspect but also the wellbeing. Every day has a break for fresh air or yoga or something else that will pull your bottom away from the chair.
AUTOMATION STAR
- Type: offline
- Date: Nov 20-21 2023
- Location: Berlin, Germany
It is a good idea to remain in Germany a few days more and participate in Automation Star conference as well. Even though it is not the cheapest event in the world (a 1,5 day ticket costs the same as 4 days on TestCon) it is definitely worthwhile.
You will not only learn from quality assurance professionals but also you can take a dive into the world of test managers. The workshops and talks during Automation star vary from software testing and quality assurance, through management up to soft skills.
If you are a fan of space and movies, you will love the "Apollo 13 and the Danger of Automation Bias" by Andrew Brown. He will present what does the Apollo 13 spacecraft disaster have in common with various automation problems within our DevOps, CI/CD, and agile developments? The content is divided into smaller and quicker chunks. Automation star is prepared by the Eurostar Conference brand - true moguls in the industry.
UCAAT - User Conference on Advanced Automated Testing
- Type: offline
- Date: Nov 14-16 2023
- Location: Timisoara, Romania
The biggest Romanian testing conference will take place for the 10th time already. The UCAAT 2023 theme is focused on maximizing the benefits and outcomes of automated testing. It is a great place for upcoming test automation professionals who not necessarily have vast resources to attend such events. The reason for it - UCAAT is a free event.
As always - it focuses on the latest testing trends, but the fact it is hosted by the Polytechnic Timisoara University gives it a bit of a science zing among other testing conferences 2023. It is a great opportunity to bring the European testing community together with lecturers from different universities.
Test automation events for QA engineers in 2024
First let's play with the Arkham's razor (kids don't try this at home). You can easily add those events we listed for 2023 to your 2024 calendar whether you attend online or onsite. If you are new to the event industry do understand that the topics and speakers change every year. It makes such events worth attending for testing professionals on yearly basis.
Secondly we have prepared a list of quality conferences you can attend next year. They cover various testing topics including quality assurance and software development as well.
Test” (TestMu)
- Type: online
- Date: Aug 22-24 2024
By the community and for the community - this is the crucial take from the events' website. In 2023 they hosted over 30 sessions for 20K attendees. The opening note was presented by Joe Colantonio (we covered him multiple times as well).
Amazingly you can still watch all sessions from 2023. The testing experts covered many topics including mobile testing, automation testing and exploratory testing. Fortunately, you can assess whether participating in this conference will be beneficial for you.
Software Quality Days
- Type: offline
- Date: Apr 24-25 2024
- Location: Vienna, Austria
This event has already established itself on the QA landscape. They might not have the same reach as TestMu (which is undoable for a stationary event) they do lure approx. 170 companies yearly. What is definitely their asset is the way that the visitor can use one of 5 prepared tracks during the event. Some are more tool oriented, others will have a more scientific approach to general testing.
The guiding topic for 2024 will be "Software Quality as a Foundation for Security". And also if you haven't ever visited Vienna, do not hesitate to do so. I'm sorry other host cities, but Vienna is the real deal! Attending conferences is a great excuse for sightseeing!
Test Automation Days 2024
- Type: offline
- Date: May 29-30 2024
- Location: Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Over the past ten years, Test Automation Days has established itself as the primary gathering for the global test automation community. This two-day conference offers a rich array of cutting-edge presentations, interactive workshops, and hands-on learning opportunities.
Explore the latest methods and testing tools, connect with professionals in the field of software testing, and gain insights from top experts in test automation worldwide. You can expect topics on testing in DevOps, security testing, and continuous testing from the best software testing professionals and automation experts.
Nordic Testing Days
- Type: offline
- Date: Jun 5-7 2024
- Location: Tallin, Estonia
Nordic Testing Days is an annual conference originally designed for software testers. Nevertheless, in recent years, we've expanded our scope to include all IT specialists. In essence, anyone interested in exploring testing practices and making contributions to enhance the software development process and quality is welcome.
We believe this approach will lead to a broader spectrum of learning opportunities for all. This event is voluntarily set up by QA community members and is a great opportunity for software developers to take a look on the other side of the court.
Conclusion
There are many more events than those we covered. Disclaimer - we do not have any marketing deals with any of them, we just strongly believe those are worth your time. We did not cover the best upcoming, smaller events.
If you heard of good software testing conferences happening across your neighbourhood, do let us know in the comments.
Happy (automated) testing!
