Fonzi Vazquez
Table of contents

Why does modern QA Suck?

For nearly a decade, I have been working in Quality Assurance (QA), and I have observed an endemic issue in the QA community: a lack of technical expertise. While there are undoubtedly skilled QA professionals out there, many QA teams struggle with basic technical concepts and practices. In this blog post, we’ll explore the common technical skill gaps in QA, why these gaps exist, and how we can start addressing them to elevate the QA industry as a whole.

Technical skill gaps in QA:

  • Git Knowledge
  • Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) Basics
  • Google-Fu / GPT-Fu skills
  • Basic Database functionality (Relational and Non-Relational)
  • Basic Network Understanding
  • General Security
  • Report Analytics
  • CI/CD

Why do these gaps exist?

The lack of technical expertise in QA can be attributed to several factors. One possible reason is the lower pay and expectations in the QA industry compared to development roles. There is also a noticeable absence of a robust QA community, with limited local meetups and events compared to those for developers. This lack of community may contribute to the diminished motivation and drive for QA professionals to continuously improve their skills.

How can we address these gaps?

Raise industry standards: By increasing the pay for QA roles and setting higher expectations for technical skills, companies can attract more skilled professionals and motivate existing QA teams to upskill.

Foster a strong QA community: Encouraging local QA meetups, conferences, and events can help establish a supportive environment where QA professionals can network, share knowledge, and grow together.

Comprehensive training: Encourage training that covers the entire SDLC and necessary technical skills, rather than just focusing on specific tools like Selenium.

Promote a culture of continuous learning: Encourage QA professionals to stay up-to-date with the latest tools, frameworks, and technologies, and provide them with resources to do so.

Bridging the technical skill gap in QA is crucial for the industry to evolve and keep up with the rapid advancements in technology. By raising expectations, fostering a strong community, and promoting continuous learning, we can elevate QA professionals' expertise and, in turn, ensure that the products they help deliver are of the highest quality.