In this episode of Product Driven, Matt Watson speaks with Jay Eigner, founder and CEO of JDA QA, about the critical role of Quality Assurance (QA) in software development. They discuss how developers can contribute to testing, the importance of collaboration between QA and development teams, and the need for QA to be embedded within product teams. The conversation also covers strategies for prioritizing testing, identifying what to test, and the enduring necessity of manual testing in an increasingly automated landscape.

Takeaways

QA is essential for building better products.

Developers have unique insights into testing their own code.

Collaboration between QA and developers enhances product quality.

QA should be involved early in the development process.

Understanding user functionality is key to effective testing.

Many organizations waste time testing unnecessary features.

Manual testing will always have a place in QA.

Exploratory testing helps uncover hidden issues.

Automation tools assist but cannot replace human insight.

Effective communication and curiosity drive better outcomes.



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This episode is sponsored by Full Scale:

https://fullscale.io/

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Chapters

00:00 Introduction to QA and Product Development

02:43 The Role of Developers in Testing

05:12 The Importance of QA in the Development Process

07:45 Embedding QA in Product Teams

12:27 Prioritizing Testing in Software Development

15:10 Avoiding Wasted Testing Efforts

17:07 The Future of Manual Testing

In this conversation, Matt and Ryann discuss the evolution of the Product Driven initiative at Full Scale, emphasizing the importance of bridging the gap between software development and business needs. They explore the necessity of empowering teams, adapting brand strategies to market demands, and creating unique content that addresses the challenges faced by startups and established companies alike. The discussion highlights the significance of understanding the purpose behind product development and the need for cohesive communication within teams.

Takeaways

Product Driven represents an evolution from just building software to a more holistic approach.

There is a significant gap between technical skills and business understanding in tech companies.

Empowering developers with knowledge about the product leads to better decision-making.

Brand evolution is essential as businesses grow and their audiences change.

Identifying opportunities versus distractions is crucial for founders.

Creating a unique content strategy can differentiate a brand in a crowded market.

Team culture and ownership are vital for retaining top talent.

High-quality nurturing content is necessary for engaging customers effectively.

Understanding the 'why' behind product development enhances team cohesion.

The market demands a shift from startup-focused content to broader product-driven insights.

Sound Bites

"Every company is a software company now."

"We need to teach developers to think outside the code."

"Is this a distraction or is it an opportunity?"

Chapters

00:00 The Evolution of Product Driven

03:02 Bridging the Gap: Developers and Business Needs

06:00 Empowering Teams for Better Product Development

09:14 Brand Evolution: Adapting to Market Needs

12:01 Identifying Opportunities vs. Distractions

14:59 Creating Unique Content in a Crowded Space

In this episode of the Product Driven podcast, host Matt Watson is joined by Nax, the VP of Engineering at Full Scale, to discuss one of the most significant challenges developers face—focusing too much on code and not enough on the product. The conversation highlights key insights on bridging the gap between product development and engineering to create better outcomes for developers and users.

1. Ask the Right Questions

• Developers must move beyond just coding and start asking broader questions. Understanding why something is being built, rather than just what, helps reduce surprises and deliver a better product. Nax emphasizes the importance of validating assumptions early on to avoid unnecessary rework.

1. Talk to Users and Customers

• Developers need to have more empathy for users. Watching users interact with a product or reviewing support tickets can help engineers understand pain points. This connection improves the quality of the software and makes the development process more user-centric.

1. Get Involved in Product Planning

• Early involvement in product planning helps developers grasp the bigger picture. Instead of just following the requirements, developers should understand the goals and expectations to build more scalable and user-friendly products.

1. Take Ownership

• Ownership means seeing projects through to the end, not just finishing the coding aspect. Developers should take pride in monitoring, testing, and ensuring their code works in production, which leads to a better overall product experience.

1. Focus on the Product, Not Just the Code

• It’s crucial for developers to think from a product usability standpoint, rather than focusing solely on technical aspects. Nax shares examples where focusing only on the code resulted in less user-friendly products.

1. Simpler Code is Better

• While complexity can sometimes seem like the mark of a skilled developer, simpler code leads to fewer bugs, easier maintenance, and happier teams. Matt and Nax emphasize the importance of keeping things simple unless complexity is required for performance or security reasons.

• Watch Matt’s previous episode with Chris Atkinson on the importance of teaching developers the big picture here: https://youtu.be/Fi2WRkQTFdg

• Nax: "Simpler code means fewer bugs, easier updates, and happier engineers."
• Matt Watson: "It’s not done until it’s in production and the user loves it."

Stay tuned for more insightful discussions on aligning product development with engineering. Thanks for listening!