With AI rapidly transforming how we build and test software, it’s easy to focus on tools and automation. The promise is alluring – faster delivery and fewer bugs. But lasting impact demands more than outsourcing everything to an LLM; it calls for clarity, intent, and adaptability.

For those of us working in testing and quality, the AI wave brings both opportunities and headaches. We’ll explore how testing, automation, and quality are evolving in the age of AI – what’s shifting, what’s staying the same, and why we sometimes need to look backwards to move forwards.

Drawing loosely from “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance” (a book about fixing bikes but also fixing thinking) and the work of W. Edwards Deming (the statistician and management thinker who taught us that quality is everyone’s responsibility) this talk offers a philosophical but practical take on working well with both humans and machines.

We won’t cover which AI testing tool is best this week, but we will talk about the mindset and practices that’ll matter no matter what tools come and go. There are no silver bullets here – just a few reflections on navigating change, staying thoughtful, and making AI your exoskeleton, not your overlord.

This keynote tackles one of the biggest leadership challenges in today’s era of AI and automation – shifting an organisation’s culture from resisting change to embracing it. Drawing on my experience leading large-scale transformation programmes – from modernising health systems to guiding consulting teams through digital change – I’ll share practical strategies for cultivating a resilient, future-ready culture.

The talk offers a fresh perspective by reframing employee resistance as an opportunity to build resilience – the ability to adapt, grow, and thrive in a rapidly evolving environment. Senior leaders will gain insights into how empathetic leadership, clear communication, and inclusive change practices can turn fear and uncertainty into energy and innovation.

Featuring both global and ANZ-specific examples, this keynote highlights that the success or failure of any technology transformation hinges on people and culture – and shows leaders how to foster an organisation that is not just ready for change, but ready to lead it.

In 2025, the complexity and volume of test data in software development are at an all-time high, making effective Test Data Management (TDM) crucial. Factors such as Rapid Technological Advancements, Shift to Cloud Computing, AI-Powered Development and Data Privacy and Compliance, these factors collectively contribute to the heightened complexity and volume of data in software development in 2025 This presentation explores the pivotal role TDM plays in maintaining software quality and ensuring compliance with ever-evolving data privacy regulations.

The takeaways of the presentation are the following:

• Importance of Test Data Management
• Legacy Modernization – managing data consistency and quality of legacy applications
• Managing Data Complexity – organizing test data
• Shift-Left Testing – integration of TDM early to improve quality
• AI and Automation – tools that can be used
• Data Privacy and Compliance – ensures that test data is compliant with evolving data privacy regulations
• Data-First Security – ensuring that sensitive data is protected during the testing process
• Practical Implementation – how organization can adapt on the changes and personal experience

At the end of the presentation, I should be able to give insights on the present and the future of TDM and how we can adapt on these changes.

Over the past 40+ years, we’ve seen the importance and growth of test automation – but also the potential downfalls that come with it when implemented badly. Now, the emerging trend is on AI – and everyone either wants to get their hands on it, do something with it, or is worried about it. In this talk, you’ll learn about what we’ve been seeing out there with AI, and what AI really means for the testing industry.

• A look-back at Testing Trends
• Automation – Expectations VS Reality
• What is AI, really?
• AI’s Impact on the Testing Industry – the way that we test, and what we test with

Test automation is evolving rapidly, but are we truly leveraging its potential? This talk dives into the latest trends in frameworks, cloud-based automation, and scripting techniques. We’ll explore practical ways to integrate automated testing seamlessly into DevOps and Agile workflows, ensuring efficiency and scalability. Plus, we’ll critically assess how effective your current automation scripts are and uncover strategies to optimize them for better ROI. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned tester, this session offers actionable insights to elevate your automation game.

• Latest Trends in Test Automation: Insights into emerging frameworks, cloud solutions, and scripting innovations.
• Practical DevOps Integration: Proven strategies to align automated testing with DevOps and Agile processes.
• Automation Effectiveness: Tools and techniques to evaluate and improve the efficiency of your test scripts.
• Actionable Best Practices: Real-world tips to enhance scalability, maintainability, and ROI in test automation.

Test automation tools evolve, but your test suite shouldn’t have to. Clean architecture in test automation enables seamless switching between automation tools—such as Selenium and Playwright—without requiring you to rewrite your tests. This session will showcase how the architecture decouples test logic from automation frameworks, providing flexibility to adapt to new tools while maintaining test stability and reliability. Discover how you can future-proof your test automation strategy, reduce maintenance overhead, and stay ahead in an ever-changing testing landscape.

• Switch Tools Without Rewriting Tests – Clean architecture test framework allows seamless migration between automation tools like Selenium and Playwright without modifying existing test cases.
• Future-Proof Your Test Automation – Adapt to new technologies and project requirements without being locked into a specific framework.
• Reduce Maintenance Overhead – Minimise technical debt and save time by keeping your test suite stable and reusable across different tools.
• Enhance Test Reliability & Flexibility – Decouple test logic from automation frameworks to ensure consistency and maintainability.
• Maximise Efficiency & Scalability – Focus on delivering quality software while the framework architecture handles the complexities of tool transitions.

Come explore the world of digital channels and let’s dig in beyond the basics of playwright to help elevate the standards of our web applications. Let’s learn how to help make our web applications more testable and accessible as well as developing quickly and accurately even when faced with incomplete API or backend requirements

An accomplished leader, excels in Agile implementation, organizational transformation, and project management. With expertise in PMO design, mergers, and IT strategies, he has driven core banking and business automation projects. A guest lecturer and elected president, he champions mentorship, change management, and customer-centric solutions with a strategic, commercial outlook.

Raj Uppadhyay is a seasoned testing professional with 19+ years in IT, specializing in Software Quality, Test Architecture, and Test Management. He has expertise in automation frameworks, CI/CD, and DevOps tools. A certified CSTE, MCTS, and CSM, Raj has led large-scale projects, ensuring high-quality software delivery across multiple domains.

Technology leader with expertise in quality engineering, software development, and architecture. Experienced in leading large-scale transformations, AI/ML-driven quality engineering, and agile adoption. Proven ability to drive enterprise automation, test automation, and architecture governance while empowering teams, enhancing organizational maturity, and delivering high-impact, value-driven technology solutions.