German Testing Day

Since 2011, the German Testing Day has grown from 200 to 450 participants - without the backing of large tool manufacturers or consulting firms. The recipe for success: an independent conference board of end users, consistent practical relevance and the courage to use unconventional formats such as keynotes by company founders or children learning software testing. Nevertheless, important topics such as security testing or modern UX approaches remain underrepresented - an opportunity for all those who want to share their experiences.

Podcast Episode: German Testing Day

The German Testing Day, a podcast partner from the very beginning, is the focus of this episode. Klaus Moritzen and Thomas Rinke, two veterans of the conference, provide insights into the beginnings, philosophy and development of the event. Founded as an independent conference, German Testing Day aims to deliver practical and innovative content. The conference has expanded from one day to one and a half days and offers keynotes with social relevance in addition to technical presentations. There is a particular focus on the community concept and networking. The future of the German Testing Day envisages a stronger presence during the year and the promotion of participants to speakers.

• Klaus Moritzen, Thomas Rinke

Klaus Moritzen is a Dr. Ing. in computer science and joined Siemens Healthcare in 1994, where he led teams for configuration management, software testing and software integration in the development of platform software for medical imaging devices. He has been process manager for verification and validation since 2009 and has organized an annual conference for software testing at Siemens Healthineers since 2010. He is also active in retired conferences, including the German Testing Day and the QA Day.

Thomas Rinke is a software engineer specializing in software testing. In the course of the agile transition, he became a software engineer and has since worked as a software tester with a focus on cross-system end-to-end testing. At the German Testing Day, he developed from participant to Conference Board member and finally to Conference Board Chair.

Highlights der Episode

• German Testing Day has been completely independent since 2011 - only end users on the board, no tool providers
• Keynotes deliberately deal with social topics instead of just testing in order to think outside the box
• Half of the participants are new every year - activating returners is the big challenge
• Two-stage selection process: Abstract is checked for practical experience, only then the complete slides are checked for storytelling
• Security testing and modern UX topics are underrepresented - this is exactly where new speakers are needed

The German Testing Day: A journey through innovation and community

The German Testing Day, a special conference in the field of software testing, offers a platform for the exchange of knowledge and experience. With topics ranging from test automation to artificial intelligence and a strong community orientation, the event strives to highlight current trends and contribute to the further development of the tester community.

Welcome to the German Testing Day

Today I had the pleasure of delving deeper into the world of German Testing Day, a conference that is not only a meeting place for software testing enthusiasts, but also a source of inspiration. The history of German Testing Day dates back to 2011, inspired by similar events in Switzerland and the Netherlands. What began as a simple idea has developed into a platform that emphasizes independence and community spirit. As a partner from the very beginning, German Testing Day has a special significance for our podcast.

The beginnings and the vision behind the event

Thomas Rinke and Klaus Moritzen, two veterans of the conference, shared their insights into the genesis and initial challenges. The foundation was based on the desire for independence from commercial interests and a strong community orientation. A nominated conference board made this vision a reality. What makes German Testing Day special is its ability to adapt and evolve - be it through the board taking over the organization or by introducing innovative formats such as Lightning Talks or Open Space Sessions.

Development and transformation

Over the years, the German Testing Day has not only increased in terms of the number of participants - from around 200 visitors at the beginning to a peak of 450 before the pandemic - but has also expanded in terms of format. Having grown from a single day to one and a half days, it now even offers an evening event. This development is also reflected in the variety of topics, from classic areas such as test data management to modern aspects such as AI in software testing.

The selection processes and trends

The selection process for contributions is strict and multi-stage, with a focus on practical relevance, degree of innovation and benefits for the user. It is interesting to observe trends over the years. For example, it has been shown that topics relating to AI are becoming increasingly important. But ‘classics’ such as test automation also remain relevant. The aim is always to create a balanced program that covers a wide range of aspects of testing and contributes to the further development of the tester community.

Networking and community building

A key element of the German Testing Day is the strong sense of community. Through workshops, lean coffees and open space sessions, not only is knowledge shared, but an active exchange is also encouraged. In addition, the organization aims to offer further events throughout the year in order to maintain contact with the community and facilitate continuous dialogue. This underlines the conference’s claim to not only be an annual highlight, but also to promote a lively community.

A look into the future

Plans are already being made for how the German Testing Day can be developed further - from more events during the year to encouraging former participants to appear as speakers themselves. The vision revolves around continuing to make the format attractive and establishing it as a platform for innovations in the field of software testing. The call goes out to everyone: anyone with exciting topics or innovative ideas should not hesitate to submit them to the next Call for Papers.