STARWEST 2013

STARWEST 2013 took place from 29 September to 4 October 2013 at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, California. Part of the STAR (Software Testing Analysis and Review) family organised by Software Quality Engineering and promoted as the premier event for software testers and quality assurance professionals, the week offered more than 100 learning and networking opportunities: keynotes, half and full day tutorials, concurrent sessions, bonus sessions, pre-conference training classes, the Expo and networking events including the Test Lab. Featured speakers included Jon Bach, Lee Copeland, Alan Page, James Bach, Dorothy Graham and Hans Buwalda.

Keynotes

Below find information on the featured keynotes at STARWEST 2013.

Tutorials

Begin your experience by attending half- or full-day tutorials. Please note that you must register for the tutorial(s) you want to attend as space is limited and many sell out quickly.

Concurrent Sessions

Sessions are offered on Wednesday and Thursday at the conference and do not require a pre-selection. Build your own custom learning schedule, or choose to follow one of our tracks by topic area.

Leadership Summit

The business world is changing faster than ever. Dynamic global markets are forcing organizations to adjust to meet ever-changing customer demands. Advances in technology are providing both opportunities and challenges for our software product lines. Join the conversation with your peers as experienced business executives share ways to manage quality in the face of change. Discover how seasoned leaders deal with change and learn tactics for delivering high quality software in the face of it.At the 2013 Testing & Quality Leadership Summit, program chair Jeff Payne brings together senior industry leaders—Pollyanna Pixton, Accelinova; Alan Page, Microsoft; Rob Sabourin, AmiBug.com; and Jonathan Bach, eBay—for an interactive exchange of ideas and experiences.

Bring your biggest issues and most difficult challenges to the Testing & Quality Leadership Summit where you can draw on the knowledge and experiences of these industry leaders and your fellow managers who may already have faced and solved some of your issues. You’ll hear what’s working—and not working—and have the opportunity to share your experiences and successes. The Testing & Quality Leadership Summit is a perfect opportunity for you to:

Are there differences between a great leader and a great test leader? Development can be narrowly focused but test is always much broader. Test leaders deal daily with difficult questions—Does the team understand the customer’s needs, the product’s value to the customer, and the risk tolerance of the business? How much testing is needed to make sure the customer is happy? How much testing is necessary to limit business risk to an acceptable level? Pollyanna Pixton describes how leaders can create a secure environment to challenge and communicate issues openly, connect testers with customer needs from a system’s viewpoint, and balance the risks, costs, and rewards. Collaboration with development is essential but not always easy. Pollyanna shares ideas for collaborating to innovate and streamline the development–test processes without taking ownership away from either team, while building respect for each in the process.

Pre-Conference Training

Enhance your conference experience by attending one of our pre-conference training classes. Taught by industry leaders with years of practical experience, combining training and the conference is the best way to maximize your learning experience.*NOTE: Training classes at STARWEST can also be attended without a full conference registration by visiting SQETraining.com.