What the new TestRail Quality Report reveals about trends and challenges
Quality assurance in software development is constantly evolving: New technologies, more complex systems, and increasing demands shape the daily work of QA professionals worldwide. To make these developments more tangible, the Software Testing and Quality Report – Fourth Edition exciting insights into current trends and challenges.
The report is based on 2,751 responses from QA experts, test engineers, analysts, and leads from medium-sized to large companies worldwide. The report highlights three key topics:
- QA processes, teams & benchmarks
- Testing tools & technologies
- Challenges, priorities & KPIs
New additions include a focus on compliance, security, AI, the QA job market , and continuous learning.
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Key findings
1. Automation Gap
Teams are aiming for 63% test automation next year (currently around 40% ). Hurdles such as flaky tests (26%) , UI changes ( 45% ), and a lack of skills are slowing progress.
2. Shift-Left is gaining momentum
39% of teams integrate QA earlier into the SDLC (Shift-Left) – which correlates strongly with satisfactory quality.
3. CI/CD & automation pay off
86% of teams with solid CI/CD pipelines deliver faster; 71% experience fewer errors in the live system.
4. Complexity instead of resource scarcity
The biggest challenges are E2E testing in integrated systems (33%, +10% since 2023), the development of automated tests (32%) and late QA involvement (32%).
Interpretation of the results
The report shows that QA is evolving ,not revolutionizing. People remain central drivers, even though tools, automation, and CI/CD contribute to modernization. Balancing speed and quality remains the daily business.
Key Takeaways
- Automation doesn't happen by itself. Think about architecture and skill development early on.
- Shift-Left = efficiency + bug reduction. QA belongs at the start.
- CI/CD pay-off: Speed + quality improvement.
- The tool landscape remains heterogeneous. Integration via Jira/Selenium/Jenkins is relevant.
- AI is nice to have, but not yet a game-changer. Focus on self-healing and test generation.
- Non-functional testing + security + compliance = new QA hotspot.
