Stop Automating, Start Investigating: Slow Down 2 Speed Up

on YouTube ↗32m

" summary

Argues that indiscriminate automation fails to catch real problems and shows concrete alternatives used at Pushpay: a risk-based testing approach, shift left collaboration with product to catch missing requirements, and regular bug bashes and warming sessions. Pushpay runs ~20 deploys a day (target 25 minutes dev→live), keeps unit tests and a pre-tested component library, drops low-value scripted suites, and focuses manual investigative sessions — one rebuild led to a release where customers reported no bugs. Example: a 4,500-item dropdown exposed a design risk early.

AI-written summary · about

" chapters (15)

1. 0:00Introduction
2. 3:42Software quality problems
3. 8:45Requirements testing limits
4. 10:52Automation hammer fallacy
5. 13:20Building quality in
6. 15:09Shift left and risk testing
7. 18:25Speed versus risk balance
8. 21:42Investigation over documentation
9. 22:06Warming and peer testing
10. 23:51Bug bashes and perspectives
11. 26:42Automation as tool
12. 27:25Testing as measurement
13. 28:30Proving value to survive
14. 29:33Communication skills role
15. 30:14Closing and resources

" related talks

• 01h 03mMoving Fast - without crashingMarcus Bristol · NDC Sydney 2018
• 21mThe Essential Pillars of Automation Testing for SuccessSagar Jitendra Mahendrakar · DevConf.CZ 2025
• 45mAccelerating Software Delivery: Why Your Team Is Slowing DownEwald Verhoeven · DevConf 2023
• 23mThe Cost of Speed: Rethinking "Move Fast" in DevOpsMabrouk Mahdhi · DevOpsDays Cairo 2025
• 10mBeyond “try harder”: Effective strategies to tackle bugsAndy Weir · LDX3 London 2025
• 01h 06mDecisions, Decisions — Dan North on Trade-offs in SoftwareDaniel Terhorst-North · Build Stuff 2016
• 36m5 Ways to Boost Automation EffectivenessNikolaj Tolkaciov · TestCon Vilnius 2018
• 19mBusiness Impact Delivery Using Test AutomationEran Barlev · Appium Conference 2021