QA Talks

Sirisha Peyyeti, Head, ESG(Digital Engineering Services) joins Coruzant Technologies for the Digital Executive podcast. She shares her success in her career with having a passion and wonderment for the new technology, but having great empathy with the customer to find the right solution for them.

Even today, the most common debate amongst science nerds is on the topic, “Thomas Edison vs Nikola Tesla”. Who was the better inventor? Who was the most brilliant? Who was the most forward-thinking? Who had the biggest impact? and so on. From their starkly different personalities to their lasting legacies, they have made a huge impact on the evolution of modern science. Well, this mini-podcast is all about how their differing styles may have a huge impact on the future of machine learning. Let's check it out.

In this episode, Srini Atreya(Chief Data Scientist, Cigniti) brings in a statistical flavour to the conversation on ‘Uncertainty & Risk',  where he evaluates the Understanding Uncertainty's take on the distinguished psychologist Daryl Bem's experiments and de-codes the most commonly misunderstood statistical procedure called significance testing. It's time to tune in and find more!

In this episode, Srini Atreya(Chief Data Scientist, Cigniti) explores the two fundamental concepts of Applied Statistics – Uncertainty & Risk, where he discusses these concepts in-depth to bring a holistic picture and also, clear a few misconceptions people have. As data scientists who happen to influence organizations and societal decision-making, it is imperative to understand these concepts from different vantage points. Want to know – What are the odds that your new idea will succeed? What will the return to you be if it succeeds? Tune in and find all your answers!

How can you get started with AI/ML? Should you take up a large project or find smaller opportunities to hone your processes and people? Should you build internal capability or call for external help? Do you need ‘big data' for AI projects? This needs to be a part of IT or the business org? In this episode, Srinivas Atreya (Chief Data Scientist, Cigniti) explores some of these most asked questions of the industry and gives suggestions/opinions in his unique style. Tune in and find all your answers!

The pandemic transformed much of our world, but perhaps no sector has been more impacted than Healthcare.  And none of the massive strides the industry has made in delivering better digital healthcare experiences would be possible without the ability to remain agile.  To find out how the Agile framework is transforming healthcare, today we're speaking with Blake Hill , Head of QA, DevOps & Agile Transformation at a leading Healthcare enterprise, and Sachin Srivastava , Vice President - Delivery at Cigniti Technologies .  Join us as we discuss: Why transparency (and metrics) are the keys to an agile approach Why buy-in must come from the top How automation keeps teams agile    To hear this episode, and many more like it, subscribe to “QA Talks”. Just search for QA Talks in your favorite podcast player.

Niche financial services providers, insulated by their groups, haven't seen the need to innovate and deal with cloud migration as the next big step like the digital pioneers in fintech. But through the digital transformation, those niche providers are realizing quickly that the time to adapt is now. We speak with Avik Ganguly, Director, DevOps and Quality Engineering at London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), about cloud migration, the digital transformation, keeping up with customer demands, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on innovation. Joining Avik to share further cloud migration insights is Nanda Padmaraju, President at Cigniti. In this episode, he explains: Differentiators from the customer's point of view in regards to the digital transformation & industries adapting to the cloud How the digital transformation has helped enterprises meet customer demands Managing the migration & addressing performance to the cloud while maintaining business as usual Overlooked challenges, learning curves, & achieving continuous validation during the migration to the cloud This post is based on a Cigniti QA Talks podcast with Avik Ganguly. The guest's LinkedIn Profile can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/avikganguly01/. To hear this episode, and many more like it, you can subscribe to “QA Talks”. Just search for QA Talks in your favorite podcast player.

For most people, the transition to 5G networks is just a speed boost like any of its predecessors, promising faster streaming or downloads. But those are table stakes. 5G is changing everything. And if you're unprepared, you'll be left in the dust. If you don't want that to happen in your organization, you would do well to listen to today's guests Jason Inskeep , Head of the 5G Center of Excellence at AT&T, and Chris Manuel , Vice President at Cigniti, experts in 5G and the seismic paradigm shift — comparable to home internet — it represents. In this episode, they discuss: -Why spectrum democratization matters -The shifting skills required for QA in a 5G landscape -Why 5G, like the internet before it, will reward early adopters and leave others behind

Digital transformation is about a whole lot more than just automating paper processes. It's about the culture, the processes, the principles and, yes… The strategies. And there is no one better to discuss digital transformation strategies than today's guest, Anil Roy, Vice President, Digital Transformation, Strategy & Solutions at Ricoh USA. In this episode, he explains: -Why connected data and systems are the key to answering customer needs -How enterprise needs to view digital transformation -The role of quality assurance in digital transformation This post is based on a QA Talks podcast with Anil Roy. The guest's LinkedIn Profile can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anilroy. To hear this episode, and many more like it, you can subscribe to “QA Talks”. Just search for QA Talks in your favorite podcast player.

Not too long ago, DevOps fundamentally altered the way we approach digital transformation. Now, DesignOps is utilizing similar principles on the design side, and the results are just as transformative. Today’s guest, Rahul Avasthy, Lead - Digital Transformation & Experience at Abbott, is a pioneer in the world of DesignOps. He joins us in the latest QA Talks to share how the innovative approaches of DesignOps and Atomic Design can help your digital transformation succeed. What we talk about: What DesignOps is and why it is key to digital transformation The 5 pillars to build KPIs upon The Atomic Design mindset and why it is so powerful This post is based on a QA Talks podcast with Rahul Avasthy, Lead - Digital Transformation & Experience at Abbott. To hear this episode, and many more like it, you can subscribe to QA Talks here. Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for QA Talks in your favorite podcast player.

These days, product development life cycles begin with quality engineering. And that means having not only the right skill sets, but also the right mind sets on your team. Because quality is everyone’s responsibility. In the latest QA Talks, we’re speaking with Dilhan Manawadu, Director, Head of Agile Delivery, Technology Quality Engineering & BT Studio at Sysco, and our very own Pradeep Govindasamy, President and CTO at Cigniti Technologies, about the role that quality engineering plays in digital transformation. What we talked about: - How automation is guiding digital transformation in the F&B sector - Why it’s smart to put a quality engineer at the beginning of the product development lifecycle - The most important skill sets needed to build a solid quality engineering practice This post is based on a QA Talks podcast with Pradeep Govindasamy and Dilhan Manawadu. To hear this episode, and many more like it, you can subscribe to QA Talks here.Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for QA Talks in your favorite podcast player.

Enterprise solutions don't fail because of technology. They fail due to change management, due to not listening to end users. This failure exacerbates the gap between a business and its customers. Where are the pitfalls in the bridge over the gap between what do you customers need and what technology teams deliver? In this episode of QATalks, host Logan Lyles is joined by Dr. Anke Sax, European Digital Leader of the Year 2020, and Rob LaVelle, EMEA Sales Skills Coach and Trainer at LogMeIn. Logan, Anke, and Rob discuss … The 2 gaps in digital transformation Balancing technical capabilities with organizational goals Characteristics of successful change management Aligning quality engineering business with organizational needs This post is based on a QATalks podcast with Dr. Anke Sax and Rob LaVelle. To hear this episode and many more like it, you can subscribe to QATalks here or on Apple Podcasts.

In 2020 the buzzword became “pivot…” For CIOs that meant figuring out how to pivot to a remote environment and examining if they had the analytics to change their business model, channels, and markets as the world began to change at a faster rate.  As COVID-19 accelerates digital agendas and amplifies challenges, industry leaders will continue to have to have conversations around adaptation. In this episode of QATalks, host Logan Lyles is joined by Martha Heller, CEO at Heller Search Associates, and Pradeep Govindasamy, CTO & President at Cigniti Technologies. The trio discusses…  The immediate impacts of COVID-19 on CIOs. 3 phases of CIO priority: security, analytics, and digital agendas.  Remote workforce challenges related to cybersecurity and product quality.  The CIO staffing crisis and the democratization of IT. This post is based on a QATalks podcast with Dhanushka Ranganath. To hear this episode, and many more like it, you can subscribe to QATalks here or on Apple Podcasts.

Eliminate the weakest links and the biggest vulnerabilities.  But if you focus on security, can you also run fast? Yes, but to do so, you have to address security on two levels. That's what we heard from Aimee Bechtle, head of devops & cloud, S&P Global, market intelligence division, and Kalyanarao Konda, president at Cigniti Technologies. Aimee and Kalyanarao joined today’s show to talk about: Balancing speed, compliance, and security in highly regulated environments Trends in the evolution of devops The rise of microservices This post is based on a QA Talks podcast with Aimee Bechtle and Kalyanarao Konda. To hear this episode, and many more like it, you can subscribe to QA Talks here. If you don’t use iTunes, you can listen here.

Your car starts making a funny noise so you bring it into the mechanic. To your dismay, the auto shop doesn’t have an expert on funny noises. With little confidence, the front desk worker tells you they can still fix it… maybe. Not really the experience you want from an “expert,” right? In this episode of QATalks, host Logan Lyles is joined by Brian Benn, CIO at Atlanta Housing Authority, and Pradeep Govindasamy, CTO & President at Cigniti Technologies. The trio discusses…  How to corral your company’s data to create a single source of truth The steps needed to establish your company as a subject matter expert How data supports the customer experience Why/how to base your IT tactics in your company’s overarching mission This post is based on a QATalks podcast with Dhanushka Ranganath. To hear this episode, and many more like it, you can subscribe to QATalks here or on Apple Podcasts.

We can’t afford to put off digital transformation any longer.  But in this new world of COVID-19… Doing things differently means doubling down on fundamentals.  So says Dhanushka Ranganath, former National Manager for Application and Testing Services at NEC Australia.  He came on today’s show to explain: Why fundamentals are more important now than ever before How everything comes down to people, process and technology Why Quality Engineers need to be a jack of all trades This post is based on a QA Talks podcast with Dhanushka Ranganath. To hear this episode, and many more like it, you can subscribe to QA Talks here. If you don’t use iTunes, you can listen here.

Digital transformation has been a long time coming… But, thanks to COVID-19, it’s no longer a choice. Moving to digital has become a matter of survival. But before you rush into anything, you should hear what today’s guests, Walt Carter and Pradeep Govindasamy, have to say.  Walt is Chief Digital Officer & CIO at Homestar Financial Corporation and — in case you’re new to the show — Pradeep is CTO & President at Cigniti Technologies.  Between the two of them, there is an enormous amount of expertise and experience in this area.  In today’s episode, Walt and Pradeep discuss: How COVID-19 is accelerating digital transformation Why transparency and openness are vital Why the biggest obstacle to change is organizational buy-in This post is based on a QA Talks podcast with Walt Carter and Pradeep Govindasamy. To hear this episode, and many more like it, you can subscribe to QA Talks here. If you don’t use iTunes, you can listen here.

Digital transformation has disrupted every industry. And that makes DevOps more than a “nice to have…” It makes it the core of your QA. To talk about why, I caught up with Pradeep Govindasamy, President and CTO at Cigniti Technologies, and Jermaine Oldham, VP of Engineering & Technology at J.B. Hunt Transport Services. We discussed: Why failing fast is the best thing you can do Why shifts in IT are putting DevOps on top The 5 most important metrics in DevOps This post is based on a QA Talks podcast with Pradeep Govindasamy and Jermaine Oldham. To hear this episode, and many more like it, you can subscribe to QA Talks here. If you don’t use iTunes, you can listen here.  

If you’ve ever started a new job, you know how the first few months go.  You meet as many people as you can, you learn as much as you can, and you really take some time to soak in as much information as possible before you start trying to make any drastic changes.  It typically sounds something like this:  “The CEO is taking 90 days to do a listening tour, to get to know as many people as possible before they get to work.” Or  “”We’re not trying to boil the ocean. Let’s set some realistic goals and spend the next 100 days digesting all of the information.”  Gary Brantley did things a little differently. He was a guest on the QA Talks podcast recently and talked all about:  The 5-5-5 principle and how he brought it to the City of Atlanta How he took the team paperless in a week and a half Why sometimes shutting systems down is the best thing you can do operationally This post is based on a QA Talks podcast with Gary Brantley of The City of Atlanta. To hear this episode, and many more like it, you can subscribe here. If you don’t use Apple Podcasts, you can find all our episodes here.

I’m not sure anyone needs to be reminded that the world has changed. We’re reminded nonstop.  It seems there is only one news story now. One political issue. One concern the world over. And it’s changed everything. The question is — will you change with it? Well, if you’re in the financial sector, it’s no longer optional. On our show today, we have two guests — Ritesh Jain and Nanda Padmaraju — to explain why digital transformation has moved off the to-do list to become a top priority for financial brands.  And they should know. Ritesh is COO, CTO, and Global Head of Digital Technology at HSBC, while Nanda is Senior Vice President at Cigniti. They explained: Why digital transformation is no longer optional How crises breed opportunity Why the changes are here to stay

With all the craziness going on in the world today, the question has to be asked:  How do QA leaders navigate the current landscape? There are a lot of uncertainties in the world, and even without that uncertainty, we live in a business market that never stops changing.  So how do we navigate those shifts?  The key, according to Dr. David A. Bishop, is three-fold:  Agility, flexibility, & leanness Dr. Bishop was a guest on the QA Talks podcast recently and shared all about:  What makes an Agile leader The key test metrics to focus on in an Agile environment today The cultural shift in Agile development This post is based on a QA Talks podcast with Dr. David A Bishop of Agile Worx. To hear this episode, and many more like it, you can subscribe here. If you don’t use Apple Podcasts, you can find all our episodes here.

Agile and DevOps have transformed the way enterprise functions today. But it’s not always smooth sailing. Especially for managers. We sat down to chat with Mark Bland, Sr. Global Test Manager at Premier Farnell, about all things agile. What we talked about: The 3 characteristics of agile leadership Strategies for testing and automation How to get a 30% jump start Best practices on how to get the right mix of automation and manual testing This post is based on a QA Talks podcast with Mark Bland of Premier Farnell. To hear this episode, and many more like it, you can subscribe here. If you don’t use Apple Podcasts, you can find all our episodes here.

Some buzzwords are hot for a reason: Artificial intelligence, machine learning, and a new one — retaining tech talent. We had a chance to sit down with Kevin Pyles, Director of QA at Domo, to talk about some of the hottest topics in QA.  What we talked about: The role of AI in QA and whether we’ll all be out of a job in the near future How having tester dashboards answers basically every question execs could ask Engineers hop from company to company looking for vision, not a bigger paycheck This post is based on a QA Talks podcast with Kevin Pyles of Domo. To hear this episode, and many more like it, you can subscribe here. If you don’t use Apple Podcasts, you can find all our episodes here.

This episode we are joined by two incredible guests: Nanda Padmaraju, Senior Vice President at Cigniti Technologies, and Paul Trotter, Deputy Chief Technology Officer at Atom Bank. We talked about the importance of QA in digital and cloud businesses and how that is changing the game in the financial industry.  What we talked about: Digital technology allows for banks to remain flexible Embracing digital transformation provides increased QA Digital technology lets organizations have both quality and speed. Check out this resource that was mentioned: Thought Machine To listen to this show, find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and our website.

There’s no such thing as a 100% bug-free product. Just having a QA team doesn’t automatically shield you from bugs. Quality needs to be a culture that permeates the whole company, not just one little afterthought department. On this episode of QA Talks, we interview Priyanka Halder, the senior manager of quality engineering at GoodRx. What we talked about: Why Priyanka loves working with startups Quality engineering vs. bug tolerance 3 steps to building a QA team from scratch Benefits of crowd testing How to achieve seamless functioning To hear this episode, and many more like it, you can subscribe here.    

A lot of times, people assume that moving from quality assurance to quality engineering is just a name change. That’s not the case at all. Recently on an episode of QA Talks, we were joined by Melissa Tondi, a quality engineering leader with nearly 20 years of experience in the QA/QE space, to talk about the modernization of quality. What we talked about: The exact difference between QA and QE How to know when a company is really ready for quality testing What a modernized quality assistance looks like Major pitfalls and benchmarks in QA modenrization This post is based on a podcast interview with Melissa Tondi. To hear this episode, and many more like it, you can subscribe to QA Talks.  

Everyone loves their silos. What they don’t love is training their replacements. This makes people resistant to QA transformation, to say the least. Today we're joined by Edmund Tan, Director of Quality Assurance and Support, to discuss quality assurance and technology in the hospitality sector. “The quality engineering group basically puts themselves in the mindset of the end user,” Edmund said.

Every company is under the gun these days. The software development life cycle has sped up to a breakneck speed, one that is growing increasingly difficult to keep up with. With so many releases happening simultaneously, it’s more crucial than ever to have a solid plan in place, and this is where a good quality DevOps plan will come in to place, allowing your team to streamline the work so that you can continue to deliver at the pace demanded by the market. But what are the biggest challenges when implementing devops in your organization? How does it transform the software testing industry, and what are the benefits gained by embracing it? Chris DeGonia, Director of QA at International SOS, was a guest on the QA Talks podcast recently and had some very valuable thoughts on the topic.

QA Talks inaugural episode with Pradeep Govindasamy, Chief Technology Officer and President of Cigniti Technologies.  Pradeep is also the head of the North America West Business Unit. Pradeep is an industry thought leader in software testing with over 15 years of experience. He has strong expertise in setting up Testing Centers of Excellence around Test management, Automation, Mobility, SOA and Functional testing. He established more than 20+ teams of 500-member size. He possesses unique experience around Quality Engineering and has done extensive business development in driving the offerings around Mobility, Digital Commerce, SOA, and Automation. He has been the key champion in setting up several niche skill practices for testing services. 

Nanda is a Senior Vice-President, Cigniti and head of the ROW (Rest of World) Business Unit, Nanda is going to be a co-host of this show. Nanda is a results-oriented leader with proven success in pursuing and managing multi-year, multimillion-dollar IT Testing service deals across diversified and financial service sectors. He is adept at building long term client relationships and alliance partnerships. His IT consulting experience includes ERP implementations in challenging, fast-paced and varied enterprise verticals. Specialities include Enterprise Sales and Account Management, Revenue and ROI enhancing strategy and implementation, Team building and training.

We visit today with Kalyana Rao Konda, President, Cigniti and head of the North America East Business Unit, Kalyana is going to be a co-host of this show. Kalyana has spent a lot of time seeking to understand client expectations, feedback, new requirements and road maps. He is a strong proponent of IP led testing services and has a pending patent in the area of intelligent test scenario generation to accelerate software test life cycles. He also acts as a Technical advisor to customers helping them realize optimal return on investment on their long-term QA initiatives.