Deloitte released the findings of its “2023 Quality Engineering Trends Report,” which reflects a survey of over 100 global executives on the ways technology advances, AI and new market demands are transforming the discipline of quality engineering (QE). The survey found that 10 key trends, representing a confluence of external market forces and internal accelerators, are driving a “tailwind” of growth and revolutionizing the way quality engineering is approached, leading to enhanced efficiency, accuracy and productivity across various industries.
This report offers technology executives and QE leaders a fresh perspective on the factors that go into meeting a familiar challenge in unfamiliar times: spend, innovation, the post pandemic trajectory and the use of resources to identify and leverage new opportunities. Despite these pressures, however, the familiar core objectives remain: quality of service, quality of outcome and efficiency of delivery.
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“While tools and techniques continue to rapidly evolve, quality delivery — with greater efficiency and effectiveness — is always the focus,” said Rohit Pereira, principal and quality engineering practice leader, Deloitte Consulting LLP. “New technologies like the metaverse, 5G, AI and machine learning are transformational, and it’s important to capitalize on these advances now to enable predictive analytics, employ intelligent automation and further your quality delivery goals.”
The 10 key trends Deloitte identified in the report include five external forces and five internal ones. The report offers a broad outlook that examines each trend, as well as the broader proliferation of artificial intelligence in quality engineering.
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Key findings: market forces driving change
- Mainstreaming the metaverse: The future is already here.New metaverse use cases make it possible for organizations to transcend the physical barriers that used to limit digital interactions, presenting a unique opportunity to refine their QE strategies and execution.
- Unlocking the power of 5G computing: New 5G and IoT testing solutions are creating greater visibility, faster time-to-market and optimized 5G revenue streams — a game changer for QE leaders.
- Optimizing supply chain networks: As functional silos become obsolete, QE organizations can build resilience by using leading-edge tech to enable the shift from traditional linear models to connected, digital supply networks.
- Scaling with as-a-service subscriptions: SaaS models need QE to introduce adjusted data-driven, analytically based test models to assess customer conversion rates and lifetime value.
- Keeping up with specialized devices: Intelligent products with embedded devices are pervasive in the marketplace. As ecosystem complexity increases, QE should enable an environment to test embedded software and firmware across devices.
Key findings: QE growth accelerators
- Nurturing AI/ML: No longer a buzzword, AI/ML is moving to the core of the testing delivery life cycle to enable the next generation of intelligent and autonomous digital testers.
- Leading through disruption: Driven in part by pandemic needs, the QE market is reforming, offering new opportunities for employees and new efficiency plays.
- Engineering chaos: Instead of avoiding it, engineering chaos through sound QE strategies and experiments can help enhance stability, application performance and resiliency. Chaos engineering is a concept gaining traction among larger enterprises.
- Evolving test data management: As data and its sources multiply and deadlines contract, it’s critical to preserve security, keep data meaningful and eliminate biases.
- Reimagining test strategies: Enhanced software practices are helping organizations support process industrialization with more efficient and effective testing strategies.
A call for realignment
The QE leaders that Deloitte surveyed globally shared a sense that the post-pandemic era marks a shift, likely permanent, in the ways organizations do business and promote quality. Leaders will need to pivot their strategies to help organizations respond to the shifting market forces at play. “The investments organizations make today to win in each technology paradigm shift will be key to delivering positive and high-quality outcomes to their end customers and stakeholders,” Pereira said. “It’s a mindset shift: When you have the right thinking, training and standards in place, you’re positioned to win in the quality game longer term and deliver QE insights that improve supply chains, expand customer bases and drive expansion.”
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