Inflectra News Feed: BlogPost

Rapise vs. Cucumber in the Age of Agentic AI

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

For teams planning for an agentic AI future, the core question is no longer just “How do we automate tests?” It is “How do we let humans and AI systems collaborate to create, execute, adapt, and maintain tests at scale?” On that question, Rapise has a stronger forward-looking position than Cucumber because it is built as an execution-oriented automation platform with embedded AI capabilities, while Cucumber is fundamentally a behavior-driven development (BDD) framework centered on plain-language specifications.

Delivering the Agentic AI SDLC with Spira, Rapise and Amazon Kiro

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Amazon Kiro, SpiraPlan, and Rapise are reshaping how modern software gets built - combining AI-powered code generation with the structure, traceability, and testing discipline enterprises need. Together, they create a connected path from requirements to release, helping teams move from idea to production faster without losing control of quality, verification, or compliance.

Turn New Regulatory Frontier into Innovation Advantage

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Is it time you stopped outsourcing risks or blindspots and take back command?

Turn the Speed of AI into Your Innovation Advantage with Regulatory Ready Software Development

Test Leadership and Management in the Age of AI

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Software Testing has a long history of automation and process improvement that has not always moved in one direction. Frequently the adage “One step forward, two steps back” could be applied to the history of test automation. Past methodologies have not always been successful and sometimes adoption of new methodologies has made the problems worse. Overall progress has often been achieved by taking the best parts of each methodology and incorporating them into the existing process.

The introduction of AI into software development and testing is disruptive and faster than any other automation experienced. The impact on Test Leads and Managers will be bigger and force many changes in how they operate. Written by Neil Price-Jones of NVP Solutions, this article addresses the challenges faced by Test Leads and Managers and provides some immediate steps that they need to take.

Our Holiday Present To You - Customer Delight

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

As we enter the final days of 2025, I am reminded of all the things that we are thankful for in 2025, our amazing, talented team, our loyal customers and our wonderful partners. In the spirit of giving back, I'd like to take this opportunity to talk about how we are different to other SaaS platforms, and how we put customer delight at the forefront of what we do.

So here are our 10 Gifts This Holiday Season....

Webinar Recap: AI, Agentic Development, and the Future of QA

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The pace of change in technology has never been faster, and our recent webinar, "How AI-Powered Testing Can Transform Your QA Process," proved just how rapidly the software landscape is being reshaped. This recap explores the future of Quality Assurance (QA) in an era where AI agents are doing the coding. We reveal why the push for speed has led to a dangerous collapse in software quality, detail the critical shift toward Spec-Based Development—where robust requirements management becomes the most vital discipline—and show how Inflectra is using native AI in Spira and Rapise to empower human QA teams to manage risk and restore quality.

Reconnecting and Charting the Future: Inflectra's Crystal City Networking Event

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Recently, the Inflectra team successfully hosted a highly anticipated, in-person networking happy hour in the vibrant tech hub of Crystal City, VA. Held at the stylish HIGHLINE RXR, the event served as a high-value gathering for influential IT leaders from across the DC Metro area.

This evening was a resounding success, marking our first community event in over a year and providing a critical forum for building key relationships and sharing direct insights into the future of the software development lifecycle

Unlock Greater Software Testing Expertise with Checkpoint Technologies (Enhanced Training Offer Inside!)

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Tools matter, but they don’t create experts. A surgeon isn’t defined by a premium scalpel, and a software tester won’t become world-class just by adopting powerful QA solutions. Too many teams expect tools alone to deliver excellence, only to find that real capability comes from pairing them with education, experience, and judgment. This article breaks down why training is the true multiplier in QA and software testing — how experience builds perspective, how education provides structure, and how continuous learning elevates the craft. If you want to strengthen your testing practice, maximize the value of your tools, and learn about this exclusive offer then read on.

Recap: Amazon Web Services (AWS) re:Invent 2025 - The Year of Agentic AI

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

What a momentous and epic week at Amazon Web Services (AWS) re:Invent 2025. Along with my colleagues Simon Bor, Jessica Moore and Mike Morrey, we have heard first-hand about the new and upcoming product and partnership announcements in the keynotes, made new connections with partners and customers, reconnected with colleagues, friends, and partners, and had those amazing "hallway" conversations with someone unexpected that sparks a new innovation, and changes the course of history in an instant.

Webinar Recap | Experience The Seamless, AI-Driven Workflow Across the Entire Inflectra Suite

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra CEO Adam Sandman recently hosted an insightful webinar detailing a paradigm shift in software development: the transition to a truly AI-driven workflow using the combined power of Spira, Rapise, and Inflectra.ai. The session demonstrated how development and testing teams can leverage agentic AI to significantly boost velocity while simultaneously minimizing project risk.

Continue reading to view the key takeaways and watch the seamless workflow in action.

My Top 5 Predictions for 2026

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

From my recent travels between Washington, DC, New York, Sydney, Manila, Dubai, the UK, Austin, Amsterdam, Milan, and Palo Alto, California - I've had hundreds of frank and insightful conversations about where people think the technology industry is going. From CIO/CTOs and technical leaders of companies of all sizes, to professional experts and thought leaders in AI, software development, and QA across all industries. Here are my top 5 predictions for software delivery and QA in 2026.

Is Your Avoidance of GenAI Creating the Very Risks You Fear?

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

You’ve made the decision: a blanket ban on Generative AI in your Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC). Or worst: no decision to adopt GenAI yet. It seems like the safe, controlled choice. But what is the real cost of this caution?

Recap: AutomationSTAR, TestingUnited, CxO Roundtable and Meeting TXT Quence

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Last week #TeamInflectra spent the week in Europe, attending the AutomationSTAR software testing conference in Amsterdam, Netherlands, followed by hosting an executive roundtable with our partner AWS that focused on the "Journey to AI", with an emphasis on how you can deploy GenAI solutions safely and responsibly. After that, our team traveled to Milan, Italy to meet with our longtime services partner TXT Quence, and speak at the TestingUnited conference. This recap blog shares some of the key takeaways from the different events.

GITEX 2025: Applied AI is Here, and It Demands a New Frontier for Quality

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

We have just returned from an incredible week at the Dubai World Trade Centre for the 45th edition of GITEX Global 2025. The energy was astounding, and the theme this year went beyond simply imagining AI—it was focused entirely on its real-world application. This shift brings a critical, complex challenge to the forefront: ensuring quality, compliance, and testability in an AI-driven world.

It was a privilege to be at the heart of these conversations, anchoring the Inflectra booth alongside CEO Adam Sandman and Head of Global Sales Rick Baucom. Read on for the full recap.

Webinar Recap: Unveiling the Power of Rapise 8.6 — New Features & AI Enhancements

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

We are thrilled to share the key highlights from our recent webinar, where we showcased the powerful new features and enhancements in Rapise version 8.6. This release delivers major advancements designed to make automated testing more intelligent, organized, and efficient for all our users.

Continue reading to see the event takeaways and access the full webinar recording!

Displaying DORA Metrics in Spira for DevOps Productivity Tracking

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The DevOps Research and Assessment (DORA) metrics revolutionized how the software industry measures software organization performance and delivery capabilities. Developed through rigorous research based on data from thousands of companies, these metrics quickly became a standard for measuring software organization performance. In this article we explain what the four DORA metrics are, and how you can use Spira to report them for you.

Local Expertise, Global Solutions: Inflectra & Mortoff at HUSTEF 2025

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra recently concluded a highly successful three-day trip to Budapest as a Gold Sponsor of HUSTEF 2025, Europe's premier software testing and quality event. For the first time, we co-exhibited with our trusted Platinum Partner, Mortoff Business and IT Consulting Services Ltd., marking a significant milestone in our commitment to the Central-East Europe (CEE) region. Held at the unique Hungarian Railway Museum, the conference attracted over 750 attendees from the global quality community. Our joint presence reinforced our dedication to the CEE market and provided attendees with a firsthand look at how our combined expertise is elevating software delivery across the region.

Using the new Rapise MCP Server that Comes with Rapise 8.6

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT

In the news announcement for our recent release of Rapise 8.6, in addition to the headline news that Inflectra.ai is now available in Rapise, there was also another AI announcement which is equally exciting. We have added an MCP Server to Rapise, to complement the one we already have in Spira. In this article we explain why this is important, and how you can use it for a couple of common use cases.

Investing in Your Quality: What We Learned at STARWEST 2025 to Strengthen Our Solutions

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The STARWEST 2025 Conference at the Disneyland® Hotel wasn't just a successful week for Inflectra—it was a strategic investment in our customers. By engaging with industry peers, showcasing our latest AI advancements, and strengthening vital partnerships, we solidified the blueprint for delivering the Intelligent Software Delivery solutions you need to succeed.

The core mission of the week was to ensure that every new development or solution we create, and every service we offer, directly solves the toughest challenges faced by your QA and development teams.

Testing Chatbots with Spira and Rapise from Inflectra

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 19 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

We were asked by a client about using the Inflectra quality suite to help them test AI chatbots. Now to build and deliver any type of application, the Inflectra suite can speed up the design, development and testing:

Spira will let you design and spec the product, model the risks, write test scenarios and conduct manual testing and ensure compliance
Rapise will take those test scenarios and automate them against both the user interface (UI) and any API endpoints
Inflectra.ai speeds up both these tasks by using Generative AI to create all the detailed requirements, tasks, risks and test scenarios, and AgenticAI to convert the test scenarios into Rapise automated tests, and then execute them at speed and scale, with self-healing.

However when looking at testing chatbots specifically, there are some best practices in using the Inflectra suite that will be helpful:

Atlassian Ends Jira Data Center – Why SpiraTeam Is the Best Choice for Self-Hosted ALM

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Atlassian has officially announced the end of life for Jira Data Center, marking a major shift in the software development landscape. For organizations that rely on Jira’s self-hosted deployment model to meet their compliance, security, or performance needs, this news raises an urgent question: What comes next?

Do You Own Quality Yet Tired of Your Tools Holding You Hostage? There's a Smarter Way.

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 03 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Modern teams face tool overload, compliance headaches, and mounting pressure to deliver flawless software fast. Inflectra’s SpiraPlan and Rapise offer a unified, all-in-one platform that blends codeless power with coder flexibility, ensuring end-to-end traceability, security, and compliance. With self-healing automation, seamless integrations, and enterprise-grade support, Inflectra helps organizations cut costs, accelerate delivery, and achieve quality at scale.

Testing Talks Sydney 2025: Inflectra’s Key Takeaways

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The Testing Talks Conference in Sydney recently brought together 450 software and systems quality engineers to share what's real versus what's hype in an AI-driven world. As a Platinum partner, Inflectra was on the ground, connecting with this focused and energetic community. The key message resonating throughout the conference was clear: while technology evolves at a rapid pace, our core mission to solve problems and deliver quality remains constant.

We've compiled our key takeaways and insights from the event—read on to discover the conversations, connections, and ideas that will shape the future of QA.

Inflectra Strengthens Ties at Tezza Business Solutions Happy Hour in Lagos

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 25 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Earlier this month, Samy El Hassani, our Sales Account Manager, had the privilege of representing Inflectra at the Tezza Business Solutions Happy Hour in Lagos, Nigeria. This vibrant networking event, held at the Radisson Blu in Victoria Island, brought together thought leaders, QA experts, and IT professionals from across West Africa.

Hosted by Tezza Business Solutions, a leader in software quality assurance and digital transformation services across the continent, the event provided an ideal platform for cross-industry discussions, collaboration, and future-forward thinking. Samy’s presence at the event underscored our commitment to building strong regional partnerships and staying deeply connected to the evolving needs of our clients in Africa.

From Partner Insights to Product Futures: Inflectra's Journey at AWS NYC Summit

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra recently concluded a highly insightful two-day experience at the AWS NYC Summit 2025 at the Jacob Javits Center, a major gathering that drew over 11,500 attendees to explore the cutting edge of cloud technology. Despite travel challenges posed by adverse weather, our team was fully immersed, eager to learn, connect, and share Inflectra's vision for the future of software quality and AI-powered solutions.

The two-day event kicked off with a focused AWS Partner Summit on Tuesday, July 15th, followed by the larger AWS NYC Summit on Wednesday, July 16th. Read on to learn what valuable take-aways our team, led by CEO Adam Sandman, Director of Global Alliances Jessica Moore, and Strategic Partner Manager Audrey Marcum, gained throughout both days.

Using The Spira MCP Server in Visual Studio Code (VSCode) - Part 5 (Automations)

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Using The Spira MCP Server in Visual Studio Code (VSCode) - Part 4 (Workspaces)

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Using The Spira MCP Server in Visual Studio Code (VSCode) - Part 3 (My Work)

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 11 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Using The Spira MCP Server in Visual Studio Code (VSCode) - Part 2 (Setup)

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMT

In this blog series we are introducing our new MCP Server for Spira, and demonstrating how you can use it to turbocharge your development processes. Model Context Protocol (MCP) is a new technology for connecting AI tools with backend services. This is the second article in the series, and covers how you can install the Cline collaborative development assistant into Visual Studio Code (VS Code), connect it to Claude Sonnet v3.7 hosted in Amazon Bedrock, and add the new MCP Server for Spira.

Using The Spira MCP Server in Visual Studio Code (VSCode) - Part 1 (Overview)

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMT

In this blog series we are introducing our new MCP Server for Spira, and demonstrating how you can use it to turbocharge your development processes. Model Context Protocol (MCP) is a new technology for connecting AI tools with backend services. This blog accompanies the video where I demonstrate the integration between our Spira project management platform, and Visual Studio Code (VS Code) running the Cline AI assistant. We showcase the system's ability to retrieve, analyze, and interact with project data using natural language queries, highlighting features such as task management, requirement analysis, and test case handling. As you will see in both the blog and live video, the AI-powered tool has an almost uncanny capability to intelligently interpret user intent when using the MCP server. This intelligence lets it combine multiple data sources, and perform complex operations autonomously, offering a significant improvement over traditional IDE integrations and plugins.

This first part of the blog series includes the Zoom recording and a summary of how you can use Spira with VS Code and Cline. The later parts will cover the setup in more detail as well as showcasing some of the use cases.

Accelerating Tomorrow: Inflectra's Showcases AI That Augments Software Quality

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMT

As the sun set over Seattle on June 13, 2025, AICon by Techwell concluded its week-long exploration into the transformative world of artificial intelligence (AI). We at Inflectra, were proud to mark our inaugural sponsorship of the conference, showcasing our AI-powered solutions and thought leadership, particularly through the insights of CEO Adam Sandman.

Unlocking Australia's AI Leadership: Powerful Insights from AWS Summit Sydney

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMT

What an inspiring privilege it was to join 9,000 innovators at the AWS Summit Sydney! While mainstage keynotes from giants like ANZ and Canva captured broad attention, I felt especially energized by the intimate Executive Summit, where 700 visionary leaders united around one compelling ambition: Australia’s potential to lead in the AI era.
Yes, recent data signals that we’re starting cautiously. Studies from the World Economic Forum and KPMG’s Trust in AI research show Australia taking a measured approach, highlighting our relatively lower AI literacy and confidence compared to global peers. But let’s reframe this positively: our careful approach isn’t hesitation—it’s thoughtful, intentional foundation-building focused on integrity, ethics, governance, security, and quality.

Navigating AI Hallucinations in Code Generation

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 29 May 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing software development. But with great power comes great... hallucinations. During a recent executive briefing with our partners at AWS and Cloud303, we shared some thoughts on this growing challenge—and how the structure of software development helps mitigate, but not eliminate, the risk.

5 Ways You’re Wasting Time Without SpiraApp for Confluence

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 22 May 2025 00:00:00 GMT

TL;DR: If you're juggling requirements in Spira and collaboration in Confluence, you're duplicating effort. Our brand new Confluence SpiraApp is here to streamline your workflow and give your team time back.

Inflectra.ai Takes Center Stage: Revolutionizing the SDLC

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 20 May 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The recent Inflectra webinar, "Your Tools Just Got Smarter: See Built-In AI in Action", offered attendees an exciting look at how artificial intelligence is being seamlessly integrated into the software development lifecycle. Adam Sandman, CEO of Inflectra, led the charge, showcasing how Inflectra.ai, powered by a strategic partnership with AWS, is set to transform the way teams work in Spira and Rapise.

Inflectra at STAREAST 2025: Driving the Future of AI-Powered Software Quality

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 05 May 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra had a standout return to STAREAST 2025 in Orlando, Florida, showcasing our leadership in AI-driven software quality and test automation. As a sponsor for the 7th consecutive year, Inflectra broughts dynamic booth presence, engaging demonstrations, an insightful AI-themed session, and a compelling vision for the future of software delivery.

Rapise 8.4 Webinar Recap: Smarter UI, Dynamic Tests, AI, and More!

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 05 May 2025 00:00:00 GMT

We recently hosted an insightful webinar that dove deep into the exciting new features and enhancements introduced in Rapise 8.4. The webinar provided a detailed look at how these improvements aim to streamline testing processes and offered a practical demonstration of the new capabilities. For those who could not join us live or are looking for a quick refresher, here's a recap of the recording and key takeaways from the session.

AI Software Development: How It’s Revolutionizing Lifecycles, Testing, & More

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 05 May 2025 00:00:00 GMT

What are AI & ML?

AI (Artificial Intelligence) and ML (Machine Learning) refer to the use of computer systems that can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as understanding natural language, recognizing images, making predictions, and learning from experience. More specifically, “artificial intelligence” is an umbrella term that includes a variety of subcategories, such as machine learning, natural language processing, machine vision, and more (similar to our basic senses).

Everyone’s a Coder, No One Owns Quality: Why Vibe Coding Needs a QA Revolution

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The rise of AI-driven development, or “Vibe Coding,” is changing how teams build software. Developers, testers, and even non-technical team members are now using natural language prompts to generate functional code. This shift—especially in Agile, DevOps, and B2B SaaS environments—delivers unprecedented speed but also introduces new risks for quality assurance, governance, and compliance.

Bridging the Gap Between Generations with Spira and SpiraApps

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Like many companies that have been around for many years (we are celebrating our 19th year in business), we have employees with us from many different generations. During conference travel, work trips and happy hours after work we realized that the different generations use different terms and phrases and sometimes even the same word can mean different things. For example, the phrase "out of pocket" means something complete different to Generation Z than Generation X or Millennials. Similarly, on recent trips, GenZ team members would often use phrases like "slaps", "rizz", or "drip" that had other generations a bit nonplussed. Therefore to streamline such communication and improve inter-generational collaboration, we have released a new SpiraApp that helps different generations work together. We call this our GenZ-Arator application.

Bridging the Gap: Integrating SpiraPlan with DevOps Tools for Seamless CI/CD - A Recap Blog

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 00:00:00 GMT

In a recent webinar, Adam Sandman, CEO of Inflectra, demonstrated SpiraPlan's crucial role in amplifying DevOps efficiency, specifically through its seamless integrations with GitHub, GitLab, and Azure DevOps. He highlighted SpiraPlan's ability to streamline CI/CD pipelines, improve traceability, and leverage value stream mapping for enhanced project oversight. Viewers delved into practical demonstrations of bidirectional synchronization, direct source code access, and real-time pipeline visibility, ultimately witnessing how SpiraPlan acts as a central hub for a more collaborative and efficient software development lifecycle.

Continue reading to watch the recording and learn more.

Webinar Recap: Simplify Time Tracking & Keep Projects on Schedule with SpiraPlan

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 00:00:00 GMT

In our recent webinar, "How to Simplify Time Tracking & Keep Projects on Schedule with SpiraPlan," Inflectra's Founder and CEO, Adam Sandman, unveiled the latest enhancements in SpiraPlan 8.7, focusing on streamlined time tracking and a powerful new difference viewing functionality. Attendees from around the globe joined us to explore how these updates can revolutionize project management, improve team efficiency, and provide crucial insights for billing and reporting.

Continue reading to watch the recording and dive into the key takeaways from this insightful session.

Recap: From Tedious to Seamless - AI-Driven QA with Rapise 8.3

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The world of software quality assurance is constantly evolving, demanding smarter and more efficient solutions. Inflectra's recent webinar, "From Tedious to Seamless: How Rapise 8.3 Uses AI to Automate QA," hosted by Adam Sandman, Founder & CEO, and Denis Markovtsev, Chief Architect of Rapise, offered a glimpse into the future of testing, showcasing how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the QA landscape. This recap highlights the key takeaways and game-changing AI-powered features demonstrated during the webinar, proving how Rapise 8.3 is transforming tedious testing processes into seamless workflows.

A Hands-On Approach to API Testing with SpiraPlan and Postman

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 30 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Written by Vishal Deshapande and Manasa A at MVerve

APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) are the unseen force that connects modern software applications, ensuring they function smoothly across platforms, devices, and systems. From mobile apps to cloud services, APIs power everything behind the scenes. But to keep them reliable, secure, and efficient, API testing is critical.

This article will explore why API testing matters, highlight its challenges, and provide a step-by-step walkthrough using Postman to access APIs with SpiraPlan, Inflectra’s robust agile lifecycle management (ALM) tool. By the end, you’ll have a clearer understanding of how to test APIs effectively and integrate testing into your broader development workflow.

Webinar Recap: Ask an Expert - How to Handle QA KPIs in Spira

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 22 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra's recent webinar, "Ask an Expert - How to Handle QA KPIs in Spira," provided valuable insights into managing software quality. Dr. Sriram Rajagopalan, our global head of agile strategy, explained the importance of quality assurance in preventing defects and the impact of the cost of quality. He also highlighted key performance indicators (KPIs) for measuring software quality and demonstrated how Spira can be used to track and report on them. Watch the recording to learn how to improve your software development process with Spira!

Top 5 Reasons to Migrate Your Spira Instance to Cloud

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 07 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT

For organizations hosting their Spira workloads on-premise, the prospect of cloud migration often raises critical questions about security, control, and future scalability. Inflectra, powered by AWS hosting, addresses these concerns head-on, delivering a secure, scalable, and future-proof platform for SpiraTeam, SpiraTest, or SpiraPlan. Transitioning to Inflectra’s AWS-hosted solution unlocks substantial benefits that empower your team to focus on what matters most—driving innovation and delivering value.

This article explores the top reasons why migrating your Spira workloads to AWS with Inflectra is a game-changing move for your organization.

Ensure Quality Delivery with Effective Test Design

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT

By Guzal Khusanova at Smartesting

Delivering high-quality software on time is essential in today's competitive software development landscape. While Agile methodologies have transformed software delivery by emphasizing adaptability, collaboration, and incremental progress, they also introduce challenges such as maintaining alignment and managing long-term maintenance risks. So, how can teams achieve high-frequency delivery without compromising quality? The key is effective test design—a structured approach that links speed, quality, and collaboration, ultimately accelerating the delivery process. Modern tools like Yest, a visual test design tool, and Spira, a test management system, empower teams to enhance test quality and streamline the testing process from design to execution.

Accelerate Your Software Delivery with AI: Insights from Inflectra's AI Webinar

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 00:00:00 GMT

The world of software development is rapidly changing, and AI is at the forefront of this transformation. Inflectra's recent webinar, "AI in Software Delivery: How to Adapt," provided valuable insights into how AI is revolutionizing the software development lifecycle (SDLC) and how organizations can leverage these advancements to their advantage. Led by Adam Sandman, Founder and CEO of Inflectra, the webinar explored the multifaceted impact of AI on software delivery and showcased how Inflectra's tools, Spira and Rapise, are leading the charge in AI-powered software development. Continue reading to watch the recording, read key takeaways, and more!

Level Up Your DevSecOps with AI: Webinar Recap

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 00:00:00 GMT

In today's rapidly evolving tech landscape, staying ahead of the curve is critical, especially when it comes to software development. If you're looking to optimize your development lifecycle and bolster security, then you won't want to miss this recap of our recent webinar, "Elevating DevSecOps Standards by Integrating AI, Tools, and Requirements Seamlessly." We explored how cutting-edge AI tools and seamless requirements integration can revolutionize your development process, leading to increased efficiency, enhanced security, and improved collaboration. Dive in to discover key takeaways and watch the full webinar recording!

DevSecOps Best Practices: Webinar Recap on Fortify and Spira Integration

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Our recent webinar, "Simplifying SDLC Security Testing with Fortify and Spira," offered a deep dive into integrating robust security practices within your software development lifecycle. Experts from Inflectra and Merito explored how to bridge the gap between development and security teams using Fortify's powerful static application security testing (SAST) capabilities and Spira's comprehensive SDLC management platform. This recap highlights key takeaways and practical demonstrations for those seeking to enhance their DevSecOps strategy, whether new to SAST or looking to optimize existing processes.

Screams & Software: Inflectra Sponsors A Spooktacular Halloween Meetup

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 31 Oct 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Experience the eerie side of software development! Inflectra recently sponsored a spooktacular meetup at the AWS Skills Center in Arlington, Virginia, hosted together with DevOps DC. Local tech enthusiasts gathered to confront the "monsters" that haunt every stage of the software development lifecycle (SDLC). From the chilling specter of project management failures to the terrifying bugs that emerge from the depths of code, the event was a fun exploration of the challenges and triumphs of building software. Continue reading to see the ghoulish festivities and how Inflectra helped banish some development demons!

GITEX 2024 Highlights: Inflectra’s AI-Powered Innovation and Conference Takeaways

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 00:00:00 GMT

GITEX Global 2024 delivered once again as the world’s biggest tech event, and Inflectra stood out in a crowd of over 6,000 exhibitors. The excitement surrounding Inflectra's AI-powered solutions for software development and testing left a lasting impression. In this recap, we’ll cover the major booth highlights, AI advancements, and key partnerships that defined Inflectra’s success at GITEX.

Recap: Unlocking the Power of IEC62304 for Medical Device Software Development

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 00:00:00 GMT

In our recent two-part webinar series, hosted by our partner Vladimir Plotkin at Imarsys, we uncovered the keys to mastering IEC62304 compliance for medical device software and how this applies in SpiraPlan. If you're navigating the complex world of regulatory standards, this series is essential viewing. Dive into the highlights below to see why meeting IEC62304 requirements is critical to your success, and don't miss the chance to watch the full sessions!

Strengthening Partnerships and Forging New Connections: Inflectra’s Visit to Mortoff in Budapest

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 11 Oct 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra had the privilege of meeting with one of our longest-standing partners, Mortoff Business and IT Consulting Services Ltd in Budapest, Hungary on October 7, 2024. Held at Mortoff’s headquarters, this was not just a reunion of partners, but also an opportunity to engage with joint customers and prospects from the region. It was an exciting time to share our latest innovations and strengthen our collaboration, all just a short journey away from the upcoming Automation Star conference in Vienna.

Read more about the partner visit and key takeaways.

Inflectra at AutomationSTAR 2024: Big Innovations and Fun Vibes!

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 10 Oct 2024 00:00:00 GMT

We just wrapped up our time at AutomationSTAR 2024 in Vienna, Austria and let us tell you—it was an amazing experience! This year, we were beyond excited to introduce two of our newest innovations: GenAI capabilities in Rapise and SpiraPlan. These aren’t just any tools—they’re the future of test automation and project management, powered by some seriously cool AI tech. Not only did we showcase some seriously cool tech, but we also brought our fun-loving attitude (and some sweet swag) to the event!

We continue to believe in helping teams work smarter, not harder. And at AutomationSTAR, we got to show how our tools are doing just that. So, if you weren’t able to join us in Vienna, no worries—we’ve got all the highlights right here!

AI-Powered Testing Takes Center Stage: Inflectra's STARWEST Recap

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra took center stage at STARWEST 2024, casting a spell on attendees at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim this past September! As a Gold Sponsor, Inflectra showcased innovative software testing solutions, including Spira, Rapise, and the latest updates in Generative AI. Read on to discover how we captivated software professionals from around the world and what’s next on our journey.

QA Metrics for Software Quality & Testing

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Without clear and measurable data, your project’s quality assurance may quickly become unmanageable. When it comes to software development, effective QA metrics are not just about identifying areas of concern, they direct continuous improvement and deliver better products to meet (and surpass) user expectations. They also provide invaluable insights into your development process, turning the abstract concept of “quality” into concrete data points that can be analyzed and improved.

AI-Driven Test Automation: Rapise 8.2 Webinar Recap

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Looking to enhance your software testing through AI automation? Rapise is here to revolutionize the way you test with powerful, AI-driven tools. Watch the webinar and experience cutting-edge demos of AI automation, gain insights into Shadow DOM handling, and explore the flexibility of data-driven testing. Best of all, you can try Rapise for free today!

How AI is Used in Education Systems

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 00:00:00 GMT

AI has become increasingly integrated into modern education, moving past the initial novelty to becoming a central factor in classrooms worldwide. Beyond the online assignment notifications and basic managerial tasks that have long been part of the educational toolkit, AI is now being leveraged to create personalized learning experiences, streamline administrative decision-making, and more.

For software developers focusing on EdTech, understanding AI’s huge potential alongside the complexity of its application is crucial. Today we’ll discuss how it supports teachers, the types of AI tools used in the classroom, and the important considerations for engineers developing these platforms.

Inflectra in the News - August 2024 News Roundup

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 00:00:00 GMT

August was a whirlwind month for Inflectra's CEO, Adam Sandman, as he took his insights and experiences on leadership, software management, and innovation to a global audience. From podcasts delving into his entrepreneurial journey to thought-provoking conference presentations on the value of QA and the need for courageous leadership in today's world, Adam shared his wealth of knowledge across diverse platforms. Whether discussing Inflectra's origins or the challenges facing modern businesses, his engagements provided invaluable lessons for aspiring leaders and established professionals alike. Continue reading to access the recordings.

Top Ten Tips on Using Spira for the First Time

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 03 Sep 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Speed and quality are critical to launching a new product fastest against competition or delivering "go live" after changes/integrations with minimal disruption to operations. Our R&D team is constantly updating Spira with at least 10 releases a year based on customer feedback. In this article, our APAC Regional Director - Camille Baumann shares her top ten tips for using the platform.

Inflectra’s 18-Year Journey of Quality Highlighted at Testing Talks Sydney 2024

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Celebrating nearly two decades of success in software quality assurance, Inflectra's participation as the platinum sponsor of the 2024 Testing Talks Conference in Sydney, Australia, was a testament to our dedication to innovation and growth.

At the 2024 Testing Talks Conference in Sydney, Inflectra, a notable player in software testing and quality assurance, marked an important milestone: its 18th anniversary. What began as a modest venture has evolved into a global enterprise that now serves clients across industries and continents. The event provided a fitting backdrop for us to reflect on nearly two decades of growth and reaffirm Inflectra's position as an innovator in a highly competitive landscape.

AWS CodeCommit Deprecated - Easy Migration to TaraVault Git

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced on July 25th, 2024 that it is deprecating AWS CodeCommit, and advising its customers to migrate to an alternate Git platform. Many of our customers use AWS services including CodeCommit, and have been asking us for alternatives. In this article we describe the recent AWS news and outline how you can easily migrate your AWS CodeCommit repositories to Inflectra TaraVault and also integrate other AWS code offerings such as CodeBuild and CodePipeline.

Inflectra in the News - July 2024 News Roundup

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra CEO Adam Sandman made the most of July, sharing his insights on a broad range of topics across various media platforms. Sandman's expertise was highly sought after: he discussed the evolution of quality engineering and the importance of traceability in a podcast, addressed the software challenges in renewable energy transition and common UAT mistakes in publications, and highlighted the critical role of software quality assurance in healthcare. To gain a deeper understanding of Adam Sandman's perspectives, click the links below and read the full articles.

Spira v.8: New Features Unveiled in Latest Webinar

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra CEO, Adam Sandman, recently hosted an insightful webinar showcasing the transformative power of Spira v.8. Sandman shared his expertise and vision, highlighting features designed to boost efficiency, mitigate risks, and optimize workflows for software development and testing teams. This highly anticipated event drew a broad audience of quality management professionals eager to harness the power of Spira's latest release.

Continue reading to see the full recording and key takeaways.

Benefits of Kanban: Advantages & Core Practices Explained

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 09 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Kanban methodology is an incredibly effective way to improve planning, efficiency, collaboration, quality, and more. Today, we’ll explore the key benefits that make Kanban so useful, as well as the core principles that guide its success.

From Testing to Tracking: How SpiraTeam and LambdaTest Revolutionize QA

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Empowering teams to deliver exceptional software is at the heart of what we do at Inflectra. Our recent webinar with LambdaTest explored how to supercharge your issue tracking by seamlessly integrating SpiraTeam and LambdaTest's powerful testing platform. If you couldn't make it, keep reading for the full webinar recording, key insights, and more on how this integration can revolutionize your QA workflow.

GITEX Africa 2024 - Powering Africa into the Global AI Economy with Inflectra

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMT

If you're looking for insights into the future of AI and cloud technology, Inflectra's participation at GITEX Africa 2024 offers a fresh outlook, providing a glimpse into:

The latest trends shaping the tech landscape: How are AI and cloud transforming industries?
Inflectra's cutting-edge solutions: What tools are empowering businesses to thrive in the digital age?
Key takeaways for tech professionals and leaders: What are the actionable insights to stay ahead of the curve?

Inflectra Partner Face-Time: London and Stockholm Key Partner Visits | June 2024

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra's recent partner visits in London, UK, and Stockholm, Sweden, were a whirlwind of face-to-face interactions, strategic discussions, and a welcome break from the usual video calls. These meetings with both new and long-standing partners were more than just about coffee and great food, although, truth be told, we thoroughly enjoyed those; they were about forging deeper connections, understanding market trends, and planning for the future.

Unveiling the Impact Part I: Project Level Requirements Analysis Process

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMT

In our previous article, we examined how deficiencies in requirements management have historically contributed to significant project failures, underscoring the necessity of robust requirement validation processes. In part 3 of an ongoing series with our partner Orca Intelligence, discover the importance of conducting impact analysis in the requirements analysis process and how it can lead to successful project outcomes.

Grow QA Expertise: Planit Discounts on Premium ISQTB Trainings

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Are you a QA Engineer aiming to sharpen your skills? Are you a QA Engineer, Project Manager, Developer, or Business Analyst responsible for delivering top-notch quality? In today's competitive landscape, upholding rigorous quality standards like ISTQB, iSQI, and SAFe Agile is non-negotiable.

Our partner, Planit, offers comprehensive training programs to support you and your team in maintaining these standards. As a special offer for Inflectra customers, Planit is offering a 20% discount on its world-class courses.

Inflectra In the News - May 2024 News Roundup

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra's CEO, Adam Sandman, has been making waves in the tech industry, sharing his insights and expertise on topics ranging from AI-powered quality assurance to scaling agile. Through podcasts, publications, and talks, Sandman has offered valuable perspectives on the challenges and opportunities facing businesses in today's rapidly evolving technological landscape. These engagements highlight Inflectra's commitment to innovation and thought leadership in software testing and quality assurance. Read on to see how Inflectra is continuing to shape the future of software quality.

ISO Standards Demystified: Your Blueprint for Project Success, QA, and Risk Mitigation

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMT

In a world where staying ahead of the curve is crucial, ISO standards are your secret weapon. They are not just a set of rules; they are the roadmap to building a resilient, high-performing organization. From quality management to risk assessment and everything in between, this recap will break down the foundational ISO standards you need to know, share key takeaways from the webinar, and reveal how Inflectra's tools can simplify your path to ISO compliance. Whether you are new to ISO or looking to brush up on the latest best practices, this is your one-stop shop for mastering the world of standards.

Recap: Unleash the Power of AI for Faster, Smarter Software Delivery

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 28 May 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Artificial intelligence is no longer a buzzword in software development – it is a transformative force reshaping how we create, test, and deliver products. Our recent InflectraCON 360 event, "Software Delivery at the Speed of AI," pulled back the curtain on how AI is accelerating the entire software development lifecycle. From smarter, faster testing to AI-generated code that's changing the very nature of quality assurance, the impact is undeniable. Continue reading to watch the recording, read highlights, and more.

Recap: SpiraPlan's REST API in Action – Expert Insights & Real-World Use Cases

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 15 May 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Unlock the full potential of SpiraPlan with its robust REST APIs. Led by a team experts from Inflectra and our partner, MVerve, this webinar offers a practical guide to leveraging the API's power for automation, integration, and data-driven insights. Whether you're an API expert or beginner, this recap is packed with valuable information to enhance your SpiraPlan experience. To learn more, continue reading to view the full recording, slideshow, key highlights, and more.

What You Missed: Risk Management Strategies for Agile Success

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 13 May 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Are your agile projects navigating a sea of uncertainties? Are risks lurking beneath the surface, threatening to derail your progress? If so, you're not alone.

In a recent webinar, "Managing Risks in Agile Enterprises," Dr. Sriram Rajagopalan dove into the critical importance of risk management in Agile, sharing actionable insights and strategies that can transform how you approach and conquer project challenges.

Read more to see the recording, highlights, and more.

Medical AI: Software Diagnosing Health Issues?

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 06 May 2024 00:00:00 GMT

The AI boom has prompted conversations across the internet and news about bots replacing humans in a variety of fields (most commonly writing and coding). But what about the healthcare and medical industries? These are typically thought of as requiring a human’s touch, intuition, and nuance — but that hasn’t stopped some from suggesting that AI robot doctors will be replacing all humans in the coming years.
As a company, we’ve seen almost two decades of software trends and shifts, as well as how these changes impact different industries. We also work closely with dozens of partners in the biotech and medical fields that rely on cutting-edge software every day. With that in mind, let’s discuss AI’s impact on healthcare today and where we anticipate it going.

Inflectra at STAREAST 2024: Innovation, Insight, and Fun

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 03 May 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra returned as a sponsor and exhibitor at this year’s STAREAST Conference in Orlando, Florida, marking our sixth year at an event celebrated for advancing the software testing and quality assurance industry. We had a fantastic time connecting with our community, sharing insights, and showcasing our latest tech.

AI in the Real World: How Businesses are Leveraging AI for Tangible Results

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 01 May 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has moved well past the stage of buzzwords and science fiction. Businesses across various sectors are recognizing and harnessing its potential to drive profound changes. Our recent webinar, "AI in the Real World", served as a compelling showcase of this ongoing transformation. Our expert panel explored how AI is already tangibly impacting industries, offered insights into overcoming challenges, and painted a picture of future innovation fueled by AI. Continue reading to view the recording and key takeaways.

Recap: How SpiraTest Can Enhance Your Software Quality

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Are you tired of the limitations of legacy test management tools? Elevate your testing standards and witness SpiraTest's impact on guaranteeing software excellence.

In our latest webinar, we revealed the transformative capabilities of SpiraTest's robust platform. Explore how SpiraTest's extensive functionalities, user-friendly interface, and meticulous reporting surpass those of tools such as TestRail, Qtest, and Practitest. This recap blog includes the webinar recording, slides, and major insights.

Recap - Optimize Test Outcomes: Harness the Power of AI with Spira and Eoten

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 05 Apr 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Want to revolutionize your software testing process? Our recent webinar explored the powerful combination of Spira and Eoten, harnessing the power of AI. Discover how these tools can help you dramatically increase efficiency, improve accuracy, and accelerate software releases. Within this blog, you will find a recording of the webinar, key takeaways, and a breakdown of the incredible benefits this integration offers. Plus, we will dive into real-world examples of how this integration brings values to all teams.

Inflectra In the News - February-March 2024 News Roundup

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 05 Apr 2024 00:00:00 GMT

As technology continues to advance at a rapid pace, Inflectra's CEO, Adam Sandman, remains at the forefront.

Sandman is an ardent advocate of technology's power to elevate software development and testing processes. With a keen eye on the ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI), he delves into its transformative potential across various platforms. Through insightful podcasts, thought-provoking publications, and engaging conference talks, he elucidates how AI can revolutionize traditional testing methodologies and drive innovation in software development. Check out his most recent engagements in the month's News Roundup to learn how AI can streamline testing, improve code quality, and help retailers thrive in the evolving digital landscape.

Inflectra, LambdaTest and DevOpsDC Meetup's Joint Event on DevOps, Testing and AI

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra, in collaboration with LambdaTest and DevOpsDC, co-hosted a meetup event in Arlington, VA, on April 4, 2024. The event attracted local professionals, enthusiasts, and thought leaders from DevOps, software testing, and artificial intelligence. It offered a mix of insightful discussions, Q&A, and relaxed networking opportunities. Continue reading to get an in-depth look at the event highlights.

What We've Learned: Inflectra At SaasOpen 2024

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 00:00:00 GMT

From March 28-29, 2024, Inflectra participated in the much-anticipated SaaSOpen 2024 conference in Austin, Texas. This event, a renowned gathering for tech innovation in the Software as a Service (SaaS) space, brought together a vibrant community of successful SaaS founders, industry leaders, and forward-thinkers.

Mapping the Future of Healthcare: Quality, Ethics, and Innovation at HIMSS 2024

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 00:00:00 GMT

The HIMSS 2024 conference on 'Creating Tomorrow’s Health' that took place in Orlando, FL, with its vibrant discussions and insights, served as a roadmap for navigating the future of healthcare. This article by Dr. Sriram Rajagopalan, Inflectra’s Global Lead on Training and Agile Transformation, synthesizes the conference's key takeaways, emphasizing the paramount importance of quality, the ethical considerations in deploying technology, and the spirit of innovation that drives healthcare forward.

Humanizing Healthcare in the Age of AI: Insights from HIMSS 2024

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 21 Mar 2024 00:00:00 GMT

At the heart of a revolution, where innovation unfolds in tandem with the essence of care, the HIMSS 2024 conference in Orlando, FL, USA unfolded a narrative that could well define the future of healthcare. As reported by Dr. Sriram Rajagopalan, Global Lead on Training and Agile Transformation at Inflectra, HIMSS painted a future where AI and human compassion are not at odds but in harmony with each other and called for the re-envisioning of healthcare where every technological stride enhances the human touch, ensuring that at the very core of healthcare innovation lies the unwavering commitment to care.

The Evolution of Healthcare through Technology - Learnings from HIMSS

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Dr. Sriram Rajagopalan, the Global Lead on Training and Agile Transformation at Inflectra, walks us through the seismic technological shifts transforming healthcare - straight from the HIMSS 2024 conference. This article offers insights into navigating the cutting-edge advancements poised to redefine healthcare as we know it.

We Just Finished Our FDA Audit - Scheduled for 5 hours, Done in 90 Minutes With Spira

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Since SpiraPlan is considered a validated platform to plan, develop, manage and test solutions for the life sciences industry, we are required to undergo an annual external audit of our quality and security systems. This audit has to comply with 21 CFR Part 11 as well as the ISO:9001 and ISO:27001 standards. Normally a desk audit of a software provider like Inflectra would take about 5 hours. However because we use SpiraPlan ourselves, it only took 90 minutes, and even better, it ended with no observations or issues!

The Spira Suite: Navigating Through SpiraTest, SpiraTeam, and SpiraPlan

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 00:00:00 GMT

At Inflectra, we've designed the Spira suite to cater to the diverse needs of quality assurance (QA) teams, business analysts, risk managers, agile squads, and enterprise-level operations in delivering mission and safety-critical software that runs the world. Anchored in our core product, Spira, the suite unfolds in three editions, each building on the last, to ensure your team can deliver software on time without compromising quality.

Inflectra at DevOps Live London 2024

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 00:00:00 GMT

DevOpsLive is a prominent event that takes place in London as part of Tech Show London (#TSL24). The event encompasses a comprehensive technology showcase, including DevOps Live along with other significant events such as Big Data & AI World, Cloud Expo Europe, Cloud & Cyber Security Expo, and Data Centre World. Attendees of TSL24 get access to all five events happening concurrently at ExCeL London. The 2024 iteration of DevOps Live happened on March 6th and 7th and #TeamInflectra was in attendance to get the latest insights.

Inflectra's Experts Explore the Power of Generative AI in Software Development

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMT

In a rapidly evolving technological landscape, the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in software development has become increasingly prominent. On February 27, 2024, Inflectra hosted an insightful webinar, illuminating the transformative potential of Generative AI (GenAI) across the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). This captivating panel discussion brought together industry experts to explore how AI technologies are revolutionizing software design, development, testing, and deployment processes. With an emphasis on strategic insights, implementation challenges, and Inflectra's innovative AI roadmap, the webinar provided attendees with a comprehensive understanding of the profound impact of GenAI in shaping the future of software development. Continue reading to see the recording, highlights, and more.

Maximizing Project Performance with Spira: A Guide to Lead and Cycle Time Metrics

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 27 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Are you looking to unlock the full potential of your project management with Spira?

Learn how to accurately measure, analyze, and optimize your software development processes with Inflectra's handy guide on mastering Lead and Cycle Time metrics to achieve enhanced efficiency and productivity. Dive into the details of these crucial metrics, ensuring data integrity, and visualizing process efficiency to drive your projects to success.

From 8-Bit Beginnings to Inflectra Now: A Story of Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Impact in Tech

info@inflectra.com — Sat, 24 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Explore the inspiring journey of Inflectra, from its humble beginnings in South Wales to becoming a global leader in agile software solutions. Discover how founder Adam Sandman's vision and dedication to diversity, quality, and community have shaped the company, offering innovative, inclusive, and impactful products that redefine the boundaries of software development and compliance.

Spira vs. JIRA+Plugins: Witness a Game-Changing Shift in Project Management Excellence

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 20 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMT

In a recent webinar that shook the foundations of project management, attendees were treated to an eye-opening demonstration of SpiraPlan's superiority over the conventional JIRA+Plugins approach. The webinar, titled "Witness a game-changing shift in project management excellence," provided a comprehensive overview of how SpiraPlan outperforms JIRA+Plugins in terms of intelligence, integration, and cost-effectiveness. Continue reading to access the webinar recording, highlights, slideshow, and more.

Why Embrace Kanban for Enhanced Business Agility? Insights From Kanban India 2023

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 16 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMT

In the bustling heart of Bengaluru, India, from December 1 to December 2, 2023, Inflectra's very own Enterprise Agile Evangelist, Dr. Sriram Rajagopalan, brought the Kanban narrative to life through a workshop titled "Using Kanban to Boost Business Agility in Scaling Agile" that went beyond the conventional to unlock the true potential of Kanban. This event, called Kanban India, orchestrated by Innovation Roots, marks a significant chapter in the ongoing dialogue about Kanban's versatile application across industries since 2015. The event attracted a diverse audience, from agile coaches and scrum masters to CEOs, all drawn together with the promise of unlocking new dimensions of business agility through Kanban.

Let's delve into the insights and lessons from this workshop, highlighting how it can revolutionize your approach to Agile and business agility.

Building Resilient Software: Traceability in Systems That Run The World

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMT

In the annals of engineering, the importance of traceability—a meticulous method of mapping every stage of a project from inception to fruition—is both a bulwark against risk and a beacon guiding toward innovation. Within this framework, the specter of single points of failure (SPOFs) looms large, threatening to unravel the carefully woven tapestry of even the most robust systems. The consequences of traceability failures are not merely academic; they are vividly etched in the ledger of real-world engineering calamities, offering stark reminders of the potential fallout.

Webinar Recap - Spira Unbound: The Unveiling of Spira's Latest Enhancements

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 02 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra recently hosted a webinar presenting the latest improvements in Spira v.7.

With expanded tagging features, and the incorporation of the OpenAI-powered SpiraApp, Spira v.7 is revolutionizing effectiveness and adherence to standards in the realm of software project management. Take a look at our recap blog for the recording and groundbreaking improvements in this release to elevate your project management endeavors.

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) in Quality Assurance - State of the Art in 2024

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT

This article outlines our understanding of the current state of the art for using artificial intelligence and machine learning in software testing and QA, and challenges/opportunities for our customers. We are focusing primarily on Generative AI (GenAI), but there are other AI/ML use cases that are very important in QA.

Inflectra In the News - January 2024 News Roundup

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT

As we dive into the new year, we're thrilled to highlight the dynamic PR engagements our CEO, Adam Sandman, took part in. This month's roundup showcases a plethora of insightful articles, engaging podcasts, and enlightening interviews featuring Sandman. From thought-provoking discussions on industry trends to expert insights into the future of technology, revisit the compelling media moments that have shaped Inflectra's narrative in the first month of the year. Continue reading to access the impactful conversations that continue to position Inflectra at the forefront of innovation and thought leadership.

Robots, Wit, and Code: A Lively Chat with GPT-4 on Revolutionizing UI Test Automation

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT

What's the first thought that might come to mind before writing a blog post about artificial intelligence? To invite the AI to co-author, of course. The next natural step was the decision to interview it and get answers. So, dear readers, we present to you a conversation with AI. (AI grammar and spelling have been left unedited)

Initial prompt: Do not answer anything to this prompt. Please use an informal and fun style for future answers. The style should be ironic but without slang.

SpiraTeam vs Jira: Inflectra's Webinar Showcases SpiraTeam's Edge Over Jira

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Discover the Advantages of SpiraTeam Over Jira in Our Latest Webinar

This past week, project management enthusiasts and professionals gathered virtually for an insightful webinar comparing SpiraTeam and Jira. As organizations continue to seek dynamic and efficient alternatives to traditional project management tools, the SpiraTeam webinar offered a compelling case for making the switch. With its array of features, seamless transition process, and live demonstration, attendees gained valuable insights into how SpiraTeam could revolutionize their project management practices.

Read on to access the webinar recording, an informative slideshow, and more.

Enhancing Agile Scrum Through Effective Requirements Management and Prioritization

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 10 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT

In the dynamic world of Agile Scrum framework, the essence of project success lies in the meticulous management of requirements and prioritization of tasks. This article, written by Melissa Daley, CEO and Founder of Orca Intelligence, synthesizes key insights from two critical aspects of Agile project management: Requirements Management and Prioritization in the Agile Scrum Process.

What is Load Testing and Why is it Important?

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 10 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Software load testing is a type of performance testing where you simulate real-life user load on any software, application, or website to determine how it behaves under normal and peak conditions. It's about understanding how the system performs when multiple users access it simultaneously. This can involve simulating hundreds or thousands of users to see how the software holds up under heavy demand.

What is Performance Testing? Why it’s Important & How to Measure

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Software testing is about more than just catching errors — high-quality products that meet user needs should perform beyond expectations as well. This means eliminating slow load times, minimizing load, and not getting caught out by high usage.

Large Scale Scrum: Explaining Agile LeSS Framework, Principles, & More

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 08 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Large Scale Scrum has emerged as a powerful and adaptive framework in the realm of Agile project management and software development. This methodology is designed to address the challenges of scaling Scrum to accommodate larger teams and more complex projects. Let’s start from the beginning:

Using SpiraPlan for Program Backlog Planning with Jira and Azure DevOps

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 04 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT

We have had several prospective customers ask us how they can use the new program planning and backlog management features of SpiraPlan to help them do program backlog planning and portfolio management of multiple project teams even when the individual teams are using a combination of other tools such Atlassian Jira and Microsoft Azure DevOps. The SpiraPlan data-synchronization infrastructure, in conjunction with our program planning functionality, comes to the rescue.

Challenges in the Retail Industry

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 00:00:00 GMT

In today’s fast-paced changing retail market, with the move to omni-channel retailing, implementing new technology is an ongoing process. You need to be confident that the technology you’ve chosen will integrate with existing systems, while meeting your performance requirements and business objectives.

Scrum of Scrums: Definition, Purpose, Best Practices, & More

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 20 Dec 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Agile scrum methodology is one of the most popular development frameworks, but scaling it to the enterprise level can be tricky if not done correctly (and can nullify many of its benefits). This is where variations of Scrum, like Scrum of Scrums and LeSS, come into play. Keep reading to learn how Scrum of Scrums works, what its benefits are, the different components of the methodology, and best practices when employing it in your teams.

How Does ChatGPT 4 See Inflectra

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 00:00:00 GMT

A member of our team asked ChatGPT 4 to describe Inflectra in both text and words, it was amazing to see what it came up with graphically!

Inflectra's Resounding Success at NEXP 2023 Conference

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 00:00:00 GMT

As a proud gold sponsor of the Nimble Evolution Experience (NEXP) 2023 conference, hosted by our partners Nimble Evolution, we are thrilled to share our journey to Sao Paulo, Brazil for this dynamic event. Inflectra had the privilege of contributing to the rich tapestry of knowledge exchange and collaboration by exhibiting and speaking. The conference provided a unique platform for industry leaders, innovators, and tech enthusiasts to converge and explore the latest trends in software development and project management. Continue reading to see our recap blog of the highlights and memorable moments that made this conference an unforgettable experience.

Guide to Scrum Team Size & Roles

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 00:00:00 GMT

As we venture deeper into the realm of Scrum methodology, it's crucial to dissect the intricacies of team dynamics. This guide should help you understand the specifics of individual Scrum roles, optimal team size and role distribution, anatomy of an ideal team, and uncover the key factors contributing to what makes a successful Scrum team.

Inflectra at AutomationStar 2023: Charting New Territories in Automation

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 00:00:00 GMT

This year, Inflectra had the pleasure of participating in the renowned AutomationSTAR 2023 conference in Berlin – a pivotal gathering of automation enthusiasts and professionals. AutomationSTAR has established itself as a seminal event, driving the conversation and innovation in automated technologies. At the conference, our team put the spotlight on our Rapise platform, a testament to our expertise in test automation, quality assurance, and software development. We engaged in booth discussions and live demonstrations, not only imparting our knowledge but also absorbing the latest trends and advancements in the automation realm.

Inflectra in the News - Sept - Nov 2023 News Roundup

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 00:00:00 GMT

In the dynamic landscape of software development and project management, the visionary leadership of Inflectra's CEO, Adam Sandman, has been a guiding force that continues to shape the industry landscape. As a thought leader at the intersection of technology and business, Adam has not only steered Inflectra towards new heights but has also actively contributed to industry-wide discussions through insightful interviews, engaging talks at conferences, and impactful publications. With each interaction, he not only shares Inflectra's perspective on current challenges and opportunities but also fosters a community-driven dialogue that resonates with professionals across the software development spectrum. In this edition of our News Roundup series, we delve into the wealth of knowledge and expertise Sandman has shared, providing a comprehensive overview of the invaluable insights that Inflectra brings to the forefront of the tech world.

Inflectra at ATD: Six Years of Community Support and Collaboration

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 00:00:00 GMT

As we close out our sixth year at Agile Testing Days (ATD) in Potsdam, the Inflectra team's enthusiasm is more than evident. This year's event wasn't just another annual gathering; it represented a key chapter in our ongoing partnership with ATD, highlighting our dedication to software quality, support for the testing community, and a commitment to continuous innovation.

Scroll down for more info.

Inflectra's Impact: Sponsoring Success at Agile + DevOps East 2023

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Step into the world of Agile + DevOps East in Orlando, Florida, where for the 5th year, Inflectra has proudly sponsored and exhibited. This active involvement empowers us to deliver software solutions not only at the forefront of technology, but also closely tailored to meet our customers' rigorous demands. Continue reading our recap blog to see our experience at the booth, involvement in the conference, and how this event will help us improve our products.

Examples of using GenerativeAI in SpiraPlan - Get Ready for v7.10

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 06 Nov 2023 00:00:00 GMT

As we described recently, we are planning on introducing many different forms of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into our products as part of the upcoming Spira and Rapise roadmaps. One of the first parts of executing on this AI strategy is the introduction of our OpenAI / ChatGPT SpiraApp plugin in our next release of Spira. In this article we illustrate some examples of this plugin in action, as well as highlight some possible areas for future enhancement.

Inflectra's Black Friday & Cyber Monday Bonanza: Elevate Your Software Delivery with Spectacular Deals!

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 03 Nov 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Welcome to a season of celebration, and at Inflectra, it's also a season of exceptional offerings! As leaders in software testing and project management solutions, we understand the significance of delivering software that meets and surpasses quality benchmarks. That's why this Black Friday and Cyber Monday, we're delighted to present deals designed to elevate your team's performance while respecting your budget.

See below how you, too, can get this deal!

Inflectra and Checkpoint Technologies Co-Sponsor PNSQC 2023: Elevating Software Quality Practices

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 03 Nov 2023 00:00:00 GMT

In October 2023, Inflectra and one of our trusted partners, Checkpoint Technologies, co-sponsored one of the longest-running professional software quality conferences in the country: the Pacific Northwest Software Quality Conference (PNSQC). PNSQC is a non-profit organization that was was founded in 1982 and seeks to promote software quality by providing education and opportunities for information exchange within the software community. This conference, being the 41st annual event, was full of testing practitioners from all over the US and even Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. Read more to see how PNSQC elevated Inflectra's software quality practices.

Recap - Develop Smarter, Deliver Faster: Spira and GitHub Integration Spotlight

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 00:00:00 GMT

In a recent webinar, we teamed up with Coveros to present an insightful session on leveraging the synergy of Spira and GitHub. This event emphasized the significance of integrating these powerful platforms and the transformative impact it could have on development and delivery workflows. Our collaboration highlighted our shared dedication to equipping our community with the tools, insights, and integrations that not only simplify tasks but also amplify their effectiveness. Continue reading to see the recording, highlights, and more.

Gitex Global 2023: The Year to Imagine AI in Everything

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 25 Oct 2023 00:00:00 GMT

GITEX GLOBAL brings together the world’s most innovative enterprises and best minds to elevate business, economy, society and culture. GITEX GLOBAL 2023 marks The Year to Imagine AI in Everything, supercharging the epic global race for AI supremacy by revealing unmissable prophecies and expert perspectives about its impact. Inflectra was honored to attend this years conference and present its range of AI-enabled tools for quality and agile program management to world stage. Learn more about the event and the connections we made.

Testing Talks Melbourne, Australia 2023 - It's All About Risks and AI

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Team Inflectra was excited to attend the 2023 Testing Talks Conference in Melbourne, Australia this week. Created by the testing visionary and community builder Cameron Bradley, Testing Talks brought together some of the most important innovative vendors and companies in the software testing space, with speakers and practitioners from around the Victorian software testing community. We had attended Testing Talks Sydney earlier in the year and Testing Talks Melbourne in 2022.

Comprehensive Guide to Scaled Agile Team Roles

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 09 Oct 2023 00:00:00 GMT

In the world of software development, agility is key to staying competitive and responsive to ever-changing market demands. The Scaled Agile Framework, or SAFe, is a powerful approach that enables organizations to scale agile principles across multiple teams and deliver value efficiently. At the heart of SAFe are various roles, each with a specific set of responsibilities. In this guide, we'll demystify these, what they do, and where they fit into the framework.

Inflectra at StarWest 2023: Advancing Software Quality One Conversation at a Time

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 09 Oct 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Team Inflectra sponsored the StarWest 2023 conference in lovely Anaheim, CA, a cornerstone event for professionals in the software testing and quality assurance fields. From lively discussions on the exhibit floor to in-depth industry technical presentations (ITP), this year's event was a dynamic gathering of experts, innovators, and thought leaders. For our customers in regulated industries—be it health, insurance, finance, or defense—staying ahead of software quality and security methodologies isn't an option; it's a necessity. This participation enables us to provide Inflectra customers and partners with software solutions that are not only cutting-edge but also deeply aligned with our customers' stringent requirements.

What is SAFe PI Planning?

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 00:00:00 GMT

PI planning is an efficient way to leverage agile processes at scale, even in large enterprises. But how do we define PI planning? Keep reading to learn what it is, the benefits it provides, and the steps involved with this process.

Webinar Recap: Discover the Power of SpiraTeam - A Jira Alternative To Revolutionize Your Project Management

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 18 Sep 2023 00:00:00 GMT

In a rapidly evolving corporate landscape, choosing the right project management tool is crucial for operational efficiency. The recent surge towards SpiraTeam signifies its emerging dominance over long-standing platforms like Jira. This comprehensive webinar dissected the reasons behind this shift, highlighting SpiraTeam's advanced features and its potential to redefine project management in the digital age. Continue reading to see the recording, main takeaways, and more.

Achieving Software Quality: Prioritizing Intended Behavior

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 18 Sep 2023 00:00:00 GMT

By Critical Logic, an Inflectra Partner

Software development is more than just writing code. It is a complex process that involves numerous components, including design, testing, and implementation. And while each aspect of software development is critical, there is one factor that is often undervalued: Intended Behavior. Intended Behavior refers generally to the requirements, specifications, standards, and functional designs and other constraints that are necessary to define a software system and meet business requirements. In this blog post, I will explore the importance of Intended Behavior and how focusing on this component can help improve software quality every time.

Webinar Recap: What's New in Rapise v8.0

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Rapise v8.0 has finally been unveiled to the tech community! Recognized widely as a pinnacle in the realm of test automation tools, with a rich array of innovative features and fine-tuned enhancements seamlessly integrated into its design, the tool promises an elevated level of usability and adaptability. From novice users to seasoned testers, everyone can expect a smoother and more efficient testing experience. Continue reading to see a recap of our recent webinar where our experts provided a comprehensive overview of this new release and set the stage for what users can anticipate in their automation journeys using Rapise v8.0.

Inflectra Partner Tour 2023: Costa Rica

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Greetings from Costa Rica where a most pleasant coincidence occurred: we received a partnership opportunity immediately preceding my departure for a family holiday. Since I would be in the country already, it made perfect sense that I would visit with our new partner in San Jose.

Importance of Testing Software for Life Sciences

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 00:00:00 GMT

In the vital fields of life sciences and healthcare, the integration of technology has been pivotal. This industry relies on various software solutions ranging from medical device control to telehealth platforms, all demanding rigorous testing to ensure accuracy, safety, and regulatory compliance. Software Quality Assurance (QA) plays an essential role in upholding the integrity and reliability of these digital tools. At Inflectra, we offer Rapise, a cutting-edge solution for automated testing, providing the precision and security required in these precision-driven sectors. With Rapise, you can confidently meet the industry's demands, ensuring software that resonates with patient trust and well-being.

Recap: Uncovering the Security and Privacy Challenges in AI-powered Health Services

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 03 Aug 2023 00:00:00 GMT

On June 29, 2023, Inflectra hosted a panel discussion on Uncovering the Security and Privacy Challenges in AI-powered Health Services in continuation of our Influence of AI and ML Technologies - Expert Panel Series. This insightful conversation, that took between two of Inflectra's experts, focused on security vulnerabilities, privacy concerns, and liability for intellectual property related to the use of AI in the healthcare industry. Continue reading to see the key takeaways, recording, and more.

Inflectra Makes A Splash at Testing Talks Sydney 2023

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 00:00:00 GMT

It's true, Team Inflectra couldn't resist the call of Down Under, and we went back for round two at Testing Talks 2023! This time, we swapped Melbourne vibes for the Sydney buzz. It was awesome to catch up with our mates, create new bonds with the Australian Testing crowd, and just have a total blast halfway around the globe!

Read on for the inside scoop on the crazy games, unforgettable memories, and our grand Aussie adventure.

Inflectra in the News - July 2023 News Roundup

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 01 Aug 2023 00:00:00 GMT

As the summer in the DC area heated up in July, so did the public relations activity for Adam Sandman, the dynamic CEO of Inflectra. Sandman, an inspirational figure in the software testing industry, is no stranger to staying in the spotlight, not for self-promotion but to bring key industry issues to the fore. His participation in several publications last month highlighted not only his dedication to advancing the field, but tell the story of a leader tirelessly shaping the future of software testing and project management.

Let's delve into these activities and get a glimpse of the trail he is blazing in the industry.

Recap - Cheers to Connections: Inflectra's Happy Hour at The Admiral

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 00:00:00 GMT

This week, Inflectra, a leading technology company, brought together professionals from various industries for a memorable networking happy hour event at The Admiral in DuPont. The evening had a great turnout filled with fun, engaging conversations, and opportunities for attendees to expand their professional networks. Continue reading to dive into the highlights of this successful gathering.

Lightning Session Recap: From Requirements to Deployment - Exploring the Full Potential of the Inflectra Suite

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 00:00:00 GMT

On Wednesday, July 12th, we continued our Lightning Session series; this time, CEO Adam Sandman presented how Inflectra's comprehensive toolset empowers your entire software development and testing life cycle. This webinar provided valuable insights into how our suite of tools, including SpiraPlan, Rapise, and KronoDesk, work together harmoniously to streamline your processes, enhance collaboration, and drive successful project outcomes.

Continue reading to see the recording, slideshow, takeaways, and more.

Inflectra Supports ISTC 2023: Celebrating 5 Years of SpiraTest as the Official Testing Tool

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra proudly supported the Israeli Testing Competition (ISTC) 2023. For the past five years, SpiraTest, Inflectra's flagship testing tool, has been the official tool for the competition. This blog post celebrates the winners of ISTC 2023 and highlights the partnership between Inflectra and the event organizers.

Recap: Unleashing the Power of Spira 7.7 - Scaling Agile with Program Capabilities & Milestones

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 07 Jul 2023 00:00:00 GMT

On July 6, 2023, Adam Sandman, the CEO of Inflectra, hosted a webinar on Spira 7.7 where he unveiled the much-awaited launch of its most significant functional enhancement to date - Scaled Agile. Participants had the opportunity to explore the new features and capabilities of the latest version of Spira, which aim to facilitate the implementation of Agile practices on a larger scale within their organizations. This update will help align strategic planning efforts and drive successful program delivery.

Access the recording, slides, key topics covered, and more by continuing to read.

Best Practices in Modern Software Development

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 05 Jul 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Software development has become the driving force behind innovation and success in the digital era. Organizations must embrace best practices that optimize their development processes and deliver superior software products to thrive in this dynamic landscape. From planning to deployment, we'll explore techniques, features, and strategies that empower teams to build robust and scalable applications. Let’s uncover actionable insights to accelerate development cycles and ensure success in today's competitive environment.

Inflectra Offices Closed for U.S. Independence Day Holiday - July 4, 2023

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 04 Jul 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra's Offices are closed on Tuesday, July 4th, 2023, in observance of the U.S. Independence Day public holiday.

We will reopen for business as usual on Wednesday, July 5th, 2023. If you have an urgent technical support issue, please submit a help desk ticket on our website.

2023 Inflectra European Partner Tour Wrapup

info@inflectra.com — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 00:00:00 GMT

The future of software development is looking bright! Members of the Inflectra team have wrapped up the incredible Partner Tour across Europe, spreading the word about our innovative solutions and connecting with tech enthusiasts. Our team members made several stops including Journée des Tests Logiciels in Paris, France, EuroSTAR in Antwerp, Belgium, and a User Summit we hosted in Mannheim, Germany.

Inflectra in the News - June 2023 News Roundup

info@inflectra.com — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 00:00:00 GMT

In June 2023, Adam Sandman, CEO of Inflectra, garnered significant media coverage showcasing his expertise and solidified Inflectra's position as an industry leader. His appearances in top-tier business publications allowed him to share his insights on topics ranging from software development trends to digital transformation strategies. Continue reading to access the articles.

Recap Blog -Transforming Healthcare QA with SpiraTeam: Achieving Excellence in Testing

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 29 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMT

On June 28, 2023, Inflectra hosted an exclusive webinar to present how SpiraTeam, Inflectra's test management solution, can revolutionize healthcare Quality Assurance (QA) processes. This webinar showcased how to achieve excellence in testing, streamline workflows, and ensure the highest level of patient safety and regulatory compliance.

See our recap blog to view more details on the key takeaways, recording, slides, and more.

Inflectra Partner Tour 2023: Western Europe Wrapup

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMT

The Inflectra Partner Tour 2023: Western Europe trip is in the books. From Zurich to Geneva to The Netherlands to Belgium, I enjoyed fruitful discussions with our partners. I learned more about the EMEA market and where Inflectra fits within it. I heard about what draws users to Spira and Rapise and where we could make improvements to cement our place as the go-to tools for test management, program management, automated testing and ALM. We were able to forge stronger bonds and explore avenues for future growth. Those visits alone were well worth the trip.

Recap: Meeting the Inflectra Community in Germany 2023

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Last week we had the pleasure of holding an Inflectra user meetup in Germany for our customers based in the DACH (Germany, Austria and Switzerland) region of Europe. In this article we will provide some ideas and information that came from the event that was held in Mannheim, Germany in conjunction with our partner PTA GmbH.

Inflectra Sponsors Wharton Club of DC Reception at the Sri Lankan Embassy in Washington, DC

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra proudly sponsored the Wharton Club of DC Reception following the two-day Wharton Innovation Summit. Held on June 23, 2023, at the lovely Sri Lankan Embassy in Washington, DC, the reception not only marked the culmination of the Innovation Summit but also commemorated the illustrious 75 years of diplomatic relations between the United States and Sri Lanka.

Team Inflectra brought along an assortment of swag. Attendees were delighted to receive these tokens, which served as a tangible reminder of Inflectra's presence and commitment to fostering lasting connections.

Influence of AI and ML Technologies - Expert Panel Series

info@inflectra.com — Sat, 24 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMT

2023 just started, but the latest version of Open AI’s chatGPT is already disrupting industries. Transformation is taking place in sectors across the globe, promising businesses assistance in driving efficiency in operations, developing more personalized customer experiences, and gaining actionable insights from data. The use of AI and ML is exploding in every industry - from finance and healthcare to logistics and hospitality. With new, disruptive technology come challenges in compliance and risk considerations as industries grapple with the actual and potential impact. On the other end of the spectrum, policymakers and regulators scramble to catch up with disruptors and implement mitigation strategies through targeted public policies.

This webinar series will focus on the effects of AI and ML technologies as drivers of organizational change and government policy responses.

Read more to sign up!

Recap: JFTL 2023 Conference in Paris

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 14 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMT

On June 13, 2023, #TeamInflectra sponsored the annual Journée des Tests Logiciels (JFTL) Conference in Paris, France. In the years that Inflectra has sponsored JFTL, we've had the opportunity to build brand recognition in the French market, meet customers and partners alike, and network with other sponsors, and this year was no different. Read on to learn about Inflectra’s experience at the conference.

Recap Blog: Wrapping Up Agile + DevOps West 2023 - Reflecting on the Conference Experience

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMT

As the curtains close on Agile + DevOps West 2023, #TeamInflectra takes a moment to reflect on the insightful journey we had in Las Vegas. There were highs, there were lows, and most of all, tons of fun. We’ve compiled a blog of our adventures through fabulous Las Vegas and the conference, continue reading to find out more.

Inflectra Partner Tour 2023: Western Europe

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMT

The Inflectra Partner Team is on the road again this week, this time to visit partners, friends, and partners-to-be in Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and France. Inflectra's Partnership team, including the CEO and Head of Global Alliances will kick off the Partner Tour 2023 in Zurich and wrap it up in Mannheim, Germany.

Read on to take a look into the full agenda, including the places and teams we'll be visiting.

Are you looking to supercharge your business and unlock new partnership opportunities? Explore the Inflectra Partner Program today.

Inflectra in the News - May 2023 News Roundup

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra has experienced a period of productivity and growth in May 2023. Our team has been dedicated to discovering innovative methods to enhance our products, and make preparations for an array of conferences we are sponsoring. Alongside our regular operations, we have been developing new partnerships and eagerly preparing to showcase the most up-to-date version of our products.

Additionally, our CEO, Adam Sandman, has participated in various public events that we are excited to share with our followers. Continue reading to view his most recent and insightful publications.

Inflectra Releases Partner Program Improvements

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 26 May 2023 00:00:00 GMT

In September, 2021, we announced a new Partnership structure centered on the premise of collaboration and mutual success. Between then and now, we have been able to forge new and exciting partnership relations and strengthen existing ones. Along the way, we’ve been taking note of what is working for our partner ecosystem, what is not, and what can be improved.

We are excited to announce improvements for our Partner Program, including new incentives, benefits, training tracks, and a more flexible model of engagement. These new changes seek to support our wide variety of partners who have different needs, expertise, and skill sets by offering them more in-depth learning opportunities and a more customizable, sustainable way to stay engaged with Inflectra. The underlying goal is to provide unprecedented support and enablement for our partners that will lead to long-lasting and mutually beneficial relationships.

Webinar Recap: SpiraTeam for QA Excellence with Adam Sandman

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 25 May 2023 00:00:00 GMT

On May 24, 2023, CEO Adam Sandman hosted a live course on How to Leverage SpiraTeam for QA Excellence that concluded with a live Q&A session.

Quality assurance (QA) holds utmost importance in software development to guarantee products adhere to paramount levels of functionality and reliability. In order to attain a high level of QA, companies need to implement efficient tools and methodologies to enhance their testing process. In this recap blog, discover how to utilize SpiraTeam effectively to optimize QA excellence, enabling teams to deliver exceptional software solutions.

Recap Blog: The Houston SQE Meetup Experience

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 19 May 2023 00:00:00 GMT

As the pandemic slowly relaxes its grip, businesses are beginning to experience the new normal, and the Houston Software Quality Engineering (SQE) group was no exception in rekindling its first in-person event after 3.5 years. Thanks to support from Inflectra and TTC, the SQE meetup group planned its event with speakers on various topics revolving around software quality. Read more to see what Inflectra's Enterprise Agile Evangelist, Sriram Rajagopalan, experienced back in March of 2023.

Ingeniería de Calidad con Plataformas Inflectra - Sesiones Relámpago

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 18 May 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Únete a la nueva iniciativa de Inflectra: Ingeniería de Calidad con Plataformas Inflectra – Sesiones Relámpago. Sesiones Relámpago son una serie de demos de los productos estelares de Inflectra: Spira* y Rapise.

Durante estas sesiones de 30 minutos impartidas en inglés y español, discutiremos la mejor manera de superar desafíos de ingeniería de calidad utilizando Spira y Rapise en tiempos de incertidumbre, específicamente en estos tiempos problemáticos de recesión en curso.

How AI helps QA Shift Left

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 16 May 2023 00:00:00 GMT

by Appsurify

Shipping with confidence is hard. Even leveraging all best practices, Digital Leaders and Testers may only feel 99% confident their release will be bug-free. Getting that additional 0.9% is painstakingly time-consuming.

Read on to learn how Appsurify helps testers significantly increase confidence without additional effort so QA can ship earlier and faster using their AI-powered risk based testing tool, TestBrain.

Reflecting on the Success of InflectraCON 2023

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 15 May 2023 00:00:00 GMT

That's that! Another InflectraCON in the books.

The 2023 event was held from April 19-21 in the heart of the nation's capital, focusing on the sub-themes of Quality, Agility, and Security.

InflectraCON 2023, the annual conference hosted by Inflectra, recently concluded, leaving attendees buzzing with excitement and armed with a wealth of knowledge. As a prominent event in the software testing and project management community, InflectraCON provided a platform for industry experts, thought leaders, and professionals to connect, collaborate, and gain valuable insights into emerging trends and best practices.

In this blog, we will take a look at the key highlights and takeaways from InflectraCON 2023.

But first, this. 👇🏽

Thank you, guests, Inflectra partners and sponsors, for helping make InflectraCON 2023 possible, and a great shout out to the #TeamInflectra for all of your hard work!

Risk and Compliance in the World of FinTech: Insights from Inflectra's Expert Series

info@inflectra.com — Sat, 13 May 2023 00:00:00 GMT

On April 5, 2023, Inflectra hosted an enlightening panel discussion on Understanding Risk and Compliance in the World of FinTech. Experts in the field - Jan Guido and Raymond Strecker* were joined by Dr. Sriram Rajagopalan in this installment of the Inflectra Expert Series, focusing on the dynamic intersection of fintech, blockchain, cloud computing, and big data. The conversation shed light on the advantages and risks associated with these technologies, emphasizing the critical importance of risk management and compliance in the rapidly evolving world of finance.

Let's delve into the key takeaways from this thought-provoking discussion.

Unlocking Synergies and Building Alliances: InflectraCON 2023 Partner Forum

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 09 May 2023 00:00:00 GMT

April 19, 2023, was an epic day in Washington, DC. Why? The InflectraCON 2023 Partner Forum!

InflectraCON 2023 Partner Forum is an exclusive gathering of our partners and key stakeholders. This forum meets annually on the auspices of InflectraCON and is a platform for fostering collaboration, setting partnership goals, exploring innovative ideas, and forging stronger links within our expanded technology ecosystem.

In 2023, we were fortunate to have partners join us from places as nearby as Silver Spring and as far away as South America and India. It was great to get together so many teams and see everyone in person. Our oldest partner of 15 years, Nimble Evolution (formerly OAT Solutions) from Brazil as well as our newest partner of only five days, mVerve from India, also made the trip to DC. Some partners were also sponsors (Thank You, Sponsors! We Love You!), so to take advantage of the EXPO and the conference, we held the Partner Forum and our Spira and Rapise training program on April 19, 2023 - a day before the InflectraCON conference began.

It's a Wrap - STAREAST 2023 Recap

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 08 May 2023 00:00:00 GMT

#TeamInflectra just finished the 2023 STAREAST conference in beautiful and sunny Orlando, Florida! This was the kick-off to our 2023 conference lineup and our 5th year in a row sponsoring and attending a Techwell event. STAREAST was full of content-rich talks, opportunities to network with patrons worldwide, and harmonious individuals under one roof learning the latest in software testing, agile, and QA.

Read more to see what Techwell had planned for the attendees, what we did at our booth, and the team’s overall experience.

The Risks of Trusting Machines to Check Themselves

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 01 May 2023 00:00:00 GMT

As we deploy AI and ML-based systems and applications is: how do we test them? With traditional software systems, humans write requirements, develop the system, and then have other humans (aided by computers) test them to ensure the results match. With AI/ML-developed systems, there often are no discrete requirements. Instead, there are large data sets, models, and feedback mechanisms. In this article, originally published on AI Business, we discuss the risks of letting machines check themselves and provide some potential solutions.

Inflectra in the News - April 2023 News Roundup

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 01 May 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra has been thriving and experiencing great productivity so far in the year 2023. As a team, we have been constantly exploring innovative ways to enhance our products, seeing how we can provide additional and improved support to our users, and have been reflecting on our recently held annual conference - InflectraCON. While also focusing on our daily activities, establishing new strategic alliances, and looking into ways we can upgrade our conference in upcoming years, our CEO has been involved in several public engagements.

We are eager to share the activities CEO Adam Sandman has participated in in April - continue reading for the full scoop.

Reinventing The Automotive Industry Safely With Software

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 00:00:00 GMT

The automotive industry is going through significant change, with the rapid migration to Electric Vehicles (EVs) and simultaneous introduction of autonomous driving technologies. Both of these changes are resulting in the rise of Software Defined Vehicles (SDV) where cars are becoming technology platforms, and car OEM manufacturers are becoming software companies as much as hardware manufacturers.

Inflectra in the News - February - March 2023 News Roundup

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 10 Apr 2023 00:00:00 GMT

The beginning of 2023 has been a productive and flourishing time for Inflectra. As a team, we are continuously finding new ways to improve our products, better serve our customers, and currently in the homestretch of finalizing our annual global conference - InflectraCON. While continuing our day-to-day, creating new strategic partnerships, and getting excited to experience DC's largest agile, DevOps and testing conference, Inflectra has had several public engagements we are looking forward to sharing with you. Read more to see what our CEO, Adam Sandman, has been up to these last couple of months.

InflectraCON 2023 Offers a Free Virtual Day to All!

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 00:00:00 GMT

As someone passionate about software development and testing, I am excited to introduce InflectraCON 2023 Virtual Bonus Day, which promises to be an awesome event for anyone interested in software development, testing, agile, DevOps, and IT project management.

In this article, you'll learn what to expect from InflectraCON 2023 Virtual Bonus Day, the benefits of attending, how to join, virtual bonus sessions, speakers, and topics.

Plus, there are only 20 more tickets left, so don't miss out on the opportunity to join us!

Improving Your Test Process with TMMi Assessments

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 06 Apr 2023 00:00:00 GMT

by Experimentus, an Inflectra Partner

I was in a client call earlier in the week, discussing test process improvement, and they asked me what the most common improvement areas identified are. As an individual and as an organisation we have assessed hundreds of organisations so I think that I’m well qualified to comment based on our experience.

In this article I am going to discuss the three most common areas where we see room for improvement, as well as why they are important:

Risk management
Review Process
Metrics and KPIs

> Please take our quick test assessment survey today.

ChatGPT - An Ode to Inflectra

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 05 Apr 2023 00:00:00 GMT

As you know, there is lots of excitement around generative artificial intelligence right now. As technologies we are both excited and slightly scared about the potential for the new technologies and what they mean for the future of work, society and business. However on a lighter note, as we celebrate spring coming to the Washington, DC area, we asked ChatGPT to write some poetry for us....

Inflectra Ninjas - Technical Assistance Drop-ins for Spira And Rapise Users

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 05 Apr 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra is proud to introduce a new user engagement program called Inflectra Ninjas.

Inflectra Ninjas is a series of hour-long workshops where Inflectra’s technical support team, Devs, and testers help customers find solutions to their real-world challenges. This unscripted, some-to-many technical assistance drop-in will help facilitate a quicker adoption and ease of use of Inflectra’s flagship products: Spira and Rapise.

Read more and sign up for upcoming sessions.

Recap: Embedding GAMP Compliance into Digital Health Software

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 03 Apr 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra launched a new webinar series called "Journey into Risk Management" on March 29, 2023, with the first event hosted by Dr. Sriram Rajagopalan. The webinar, titled "Embedding GAMP Compliance into Digital Health Software," focused on implementing validation testing for Good Automated Manufacturing Practice (GAMP), which is a general automation manufacturing process, often used in e-health software development and validation as a Risk-Based Approach to Compliant GxP Computerized Systems.

Read more to see the topics covered, full recording, and presentation!

Why Test Case Parameters Are Like Inception!

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 00:00:00 GMT

During a recent product demonstration we were asked to explain how SpiraTest's test case parameters work. One of the key features is the way they can be used recursively to make your test cases more modular and reusable. One of our account managers likened the concept to the way dreams were nested in the popular Science Fiction movie Inception.

Recap of March 21 DevOpsDC Meetup in Arlington

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 27 Mar 2023 00:00:00 GMT

#TeamInflectra is delighted to share another successful meetup event! On March 21, 2023, tech folks from the DMV area joined us in Arlington, Virginia to expand their networks, hear insightful talks on all things DevOps, and learn more about additional upcoming tech events. We appreciate those who came, took time to meet our team members, and asked us about our products. Read more to see how the evening went, what's to come for Inflectra events, and how you can redeem $75 off your InflectraCON ticket!

Inflectra Partner Tour 2023: London

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 17 Mar 2023 00:00:00 GMT

The Inflectra partner team has just completed stop two on our ambitious 2023 itinerary: London! (Also see Inflectra Partner Tour 2023: Mexico City)
We were enthusiastic about getting to the United Kingdom (UK). While we’ve attended conferences in Europe over the last couple of years, we hadn’t visited London since 2019. It was great to be back. The UK represents a sizable percentage of our European market, and the goal is to develop a robust partner network that can help us serve our current and future customers. The trip, and the city, did not disappoint.

Inflectra Partner Tour 2023: Mexico City

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 27 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMT

The Inflectra partner team has an ambitious travel schedule for 2023. Our first stop was 20-24 February in Mexico City.

Spotlight on Spira 7.5 - Multiple Requirement Approvers

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 27 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMT

We are excited about the upcoming release of Spira v7.5!

The new version includes, amongst many other features, a brand new SpiraApp called Requirement Multiple Approvals. This new plugin for SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan (not SpiraTest, sorry) will allow you to conduct multiple parallel approvals of a requirement in the system. This much-awaiting feature has been asked for by many of our life sciences customers who need to be able to conduct parallel approvals of requirements.

Spotlight on Spira 7.5 - Customizable Requirement Statuses on Boards

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMT

We are excited to announce that, following on from the redesign of the main planning board in Spira, we have listened to your feedback around requirements' status. In our new version 7.5 release of Spira coming out shortly, we have changed how the requirements statuses work to give you greater flexibility and control on whether a status appears in the board, and crucially, the order they are displayed in.

Inflectra's First of Many In-Person Events for 2023! - Happy Hour Meet & Greet Recap

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMT

#TeamInflectra was excited to host our meetup event of 2023 on Thursday, February 16th. An eclectic group of attendees joined us throughout the evening at The Admiral in Washington, DC right in DuPont Circle - we appreciate those who came and took time to get to know our team and our products. Read more to see how the night went and what you can expect in future Inflectra meetups.

Spotlight on Spira 7.5 - New Task Boards Beta

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 20 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMT

We are excited to announce that, following the redesign of the main planning board in Spira, we will be shortly releasing a new beta version of the task board in Spira v7.5. Using the same design principles and concepts as the new beta planning board, the new task board will allow for greater flexibility and customizability and provide multi-dimensional views of Spira tasks.

Make Your InflectraCON Attendance a Valentine's Day Gift!

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 14 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMT

This Valentine's Day, give the gift of a trip to Washington, D.C. to your loved ones!

This is how you do it:

Get your (1-, 2- or 3-day) ticket for InflectraCON 2023
Choose things you’d like to do in DC from our suggestions
Book flights and accommodation for everyone
Enjoy spring in DC and share the experience with your loved ones.

And just because we are all for love we are happy to offer you a $75 discount on select tickets to InflectraCON - DC's largest Agile, DevOps & Testing conference!

InflectraCON User Summit - New Tickets for All Budget Sizes

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 06 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMT

It's time to get your tickets for the 2023 User Summit and Conference, with three full days of excellence in software development, testing, agile, DevOps, leadership, cybersecurity, and innovation in tech. The theme for InflectraCON 2023 is Quality, Agility, and Security - three essential elements that any successful tech organization must prioritize.
We want to make sure that InflectraCON 2023 is accessible to everyone regardless of their budget, so we have created a variety of limited-time, limited-availability ticket options. The tickets are tailored to match your finances, time, and interests. With Full Access, Combo, and Basic passes available, there is something for everyone!

But don't wait too long - get your tickets for InflectraCON 2023 Conference today! Remember, sales end on February 28, 2023.

Below you can find InflectraCON 2023 User Summit and Conference ticket prices and validity.

Implementing Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) With Spira

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 02 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Behavior Driven Development (BDD) is a software development methodology that has become increasingly popular in the last decade. It is an evolution of the Agile software development methodology and focuses on the behavioral aspects of software development. BDD is designed to create a collaborative environment among team members, enabling them to develop a unified understanding of the desired product. In this article we discuss how you can use Spira to implement BDD easily in your projects.

Inflectra in the News - January 2023 Roundup

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT

New year, same Inflectra - with bigger and better plans! 2023 started off strong with several new product enhancements, CEO Adam Sandman being accepted into the Forbes Technology Council, releasing the Product Roadmaps for Spira and Rapise, planning and executing insightful webinars, and announcing our partnership with Excellarate. In this edition of our News Roundup blog, we are thrilled to share with you the engagements Adam took part in during this busy, yet successful month where he discusses his take on workplace and technology trends for 2023.

Read more to access Adam's interviews, podcasts, and publications from January.

The Ultimate Tech Event for Any Budget | Enjoy InflectraCON at an Unbeatable Price

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 27 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT

We have excellent news for all of you - tech conference aficionados!

We have launched a set of affordable tickets for the ultimate InflectraCON 2023 experience!

This two-day conferencet will provide insight into excellence in software development, testing, agile, DevOps, leadership, cybersecurity, and innovation in tech. InflectraCON 2023 organizers believe the event must be accessible to everyone, with various ticket options to suit different budgets, times, and interests. These include full Conference and 1-day Conference lite Passes.

Waiting is not recommended - get your tickets for InflectraCON 2023 Conference now! Keep in mind the end date for sales is February 28, 2023.

The followings are the costs and duration of the InflectraCON 2023 Conference tickets.

Webinar Recap: Lightning Session - How to Manage Your Agile Projects with SpiraTeam

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 26 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT

The Inflectra team continued our Lightning Sessions series focusing on How to Manage Your Agile Projects with SpiraTeam. In this session, Inflectra’s experts demo'd our award winning test automation tool (SpiraTeam) and provided our 2023 product roadmap. This webinar took place on January 17, 2023.

Webinar Recap: Lightning Session - Rapid & Easy Test Automation Using Rapise

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 24 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT

The Inflectra team continued our Lightning Sessions series focusing on Rapid & Easy Test Automation Using Rapise. In this session, Inflectra’s experts demo'd our award winning test automation tool (Rapise) and went over product plans for 2023. This webinar took place on January 11, 2023.

Ways to Save on InflectraCON 2023 Tickets

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT

As new challenges, risks, and opportunities arise in tech, Inflectra is hosting its annual global conference - InflectraCON 2023, highlighting Software Quality, Agility, and Security.

To help you and your team participate in this 3-day multi-track conference - with keynotes, breakout sessions, training opportunities, bonus sessions, an expo, leadership workshops, and a networking party - we have created stackable discounts to allow this conference to fit your budget.

Check out InflectraCON tickets!

Using Risk-Driven Development (RDD) in Software Delivery

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 18 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT

There is not a single industry today that does not use software to manage their projects or its portfolio of operations. Whether it is developing software that the company sells for their clients or assuring quality in the continuous realization of value through the operational value delivery pipeline, risk management is critical. Find out how you can use risk-driven development to deliver higher quality software at lower risk.

TestProject Discontinued - Need Alternatives?

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Recently it was announced that the free test automation tool - TestProject - has been discontinued and will be end of life on March 31, 2023. Beginning November 16, 2022, the creation of new TestProject accounts will be disabled and on March 31, 2023, all previously existing TestProject accounts will be deactivated and access to the platform will be revoked. If you are looking for alternatives to TestProject, we've created a handy list of automated testing tools to make this decision easier.

Recording: Spira 7.3: Agile Planning Boards To Rule Your Projects

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 21 Dec 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Meet the latest enhancements to Inflectra’s Quality Management platform - Spira. The newest release in 2022, Spira v7.3, holds noteworthy improvements to the Agile Planning Boards. This webinar was presented by Adam Sandman, the CEO of Inflectra, on December 20, 2022.

Webinar Recap: Lightning Session - How To Turbo-Charge Your Test Management with SpiraTest

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 20 Dec 2022 00:00:00 GMT

We are excited to share a recap of our first Lightning Session in Inflectra’s newest series. This first event in our latest initiative is titled How To Turbo-Charge Your Test Management with SpiraTest.

Continue to view the recording.

Time to Switch Your Chrome Browser Library in Rapise

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 19 Dec 2022 00:00:00 GMT

As we explained in our announcement for Rapise 7.3, Google is in the process of phasing out its older plugin system (called Manifest V2) in favor of a new plugin architecture (Manifest V3). This new architecture has higher security, but means that automated testing tools (like Rapise) will not be able to record or play tests using such plugins. This, together with some other breaking changes in Chrome, mean now is the time you need to switch browser libraries in Chrome.

Quality Assurance vs. Testing

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 00:00:00 GMT

One of the biggest misnomers in software projects is that quality and quality assurance is the same thing as testing, which is a big misconception. Quality encompasses a much larger responsibility, including the quality of an organization’s processes, people, training, systems and culture.

Agile Testing Days 2022 - They Did It Again

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Agile Testing Days 2022 in Potsdam was another success story for the agile and software tester communities. The three-day conference delivered, once again, what it promised: new and exciting talks, myriad community-building activities, excellent networking and vendor engagement opportunities, and food and drink in copious quantities.

Inflectra in the News - November - December 2022 News Roundup

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 00:00:00 GMT

The end of 2022 has been busy yet victorious for Inflectra. The business has achieved several key goals, including the launch of our new accelerators, the launch of Teams, Tracks, and Agile Planning Boards in Spira v7.3, and maintaining engagement with our users and followers through webinars and presentations hosted by our in-house talent. To wrap up 2022 on a positive note, we want to share some of the extra publications and events Inflectra has contributed towards.

Spotlight on Spira 7.3 - Agile Boards and Teams/Tracks

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 00:00:00 GMT

We are excited to be releasing the public beta version of the long-awaited agile planning board revamp for SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan in early December. In preparation for that, we wanted to provide a preview of the new user interface and design. Since our original blog post highlighting the new features, the UI has undergone some major revisions and updates, so in this article we're including screenshots of the current release candidate.

Agile + DevOps East 2022 is Complete!

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 00:00:00 GMT

From November 6-11, 2022, Team Inflectra attended and sponsored Techwell's Agile + DevOps conference in Orlando, Florida! Some thoughts we have to share are:

Even grown ups still love games - Techwell did a fantastic job implementing fun ways to network and converse with others. Our team really enjoyed feeling like we have gone back to simpler times getting in on the activities while learning more about the agile and DevOps community.
Surround yourself with positivity - Despite a hurricane coming through, closing surrounding businesses early, and giving us dull weather - we still had a great experience. This is due to the positive attitudes and upbeat energy from the Inflectra team, Techwell, sponsors, and anyone whose presence contributed to this event.
It is not always about numbers - Even during the slower periods of the conference, the people who took time to stop by our booth asked meaningful questions and had engaging conversations with us. We left the conference feeling fulfilled with what we were able to share and the willingness to learn we felt from attendees.

Read more to see additional details on our experience.

Team Building - The Inflectra Way

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Two of Inflectra's Core Values are Great Team and Great Workplace. As part of making these values a reality, we recently had our U.S. business development (sales, marketing, customer success, and partnerships) team come together for a two-day offsite in our headquarters. The purpose of the offsite was to make sure that our newest team members felt connected to the company, and also to discuss ways we can improve the customer experience in 2023.

Webinar Recap - Rapise v7.4 Webinar: Web Components, AgGrid, Mixed-Mode and 64-Bit Apps

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 00:00:00 GMT

On November 22, 2022, Inflectra hosted Rapise v7.4 Webinar: Web Components, AgGrid, Mixed-Mode and 64-Bit Apps. This event was led by one of our Senior Software Engineers, Alexey Grinevich, and our Principal Software Engineer, Denis Markovtsev.

View more to see the topics covered, full recording, and presentation!

Risk Management: Definition, Importance, & Types

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Unfortunately, all projects and undertakings involve some amount of uncertainty or risk. Whether it’s minuscule or highly likely, the consequences of risk can end up being costly on a number of levels — and when you’re unprepared, these consequences can be catastrophic. But what does risk management actually mean, why is it so crucial to a quality product, and how can you ensure that yours is strong?

Preparing for the GAMP Transition to Computer Software Assurance

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Good Automated Manufacturing Practice (GAMP) is, inter alia, a set of guidelines for manufacturers and users of automated systems in the pharmaceutical industry. GAMP is part of the medical industry’s risk management approach in software development and supports software testing and validation. We thought it would be useful to highlight where GAMP is going as part of the latest guidelines from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and how SpiraPlan can help you get there.

Using SpiraPlan for Risk-Based Testing

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 09 Nov 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Risk-Based Testing (RBT) is a software testing type that is based on the probability of risk. It involves assessing the risk based on software complexity, the criticality of business, frequency of use, possible areas with defects, and areas of the system that have changed the most. Risk-based testing prioritizes the testing of features and functions of the software application which have the most likely exposure to risks and therefore most likely to have defects. In this article, we discuss some of the ways SpiraPlan can assist you with your Risk Based Testing.

Get $50 for Reviewing SpiraPlan on G2.com

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 09 Nov 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Let me be blunt - Inflectra needs your help in collecting the reviews of our flagship platform - SpiraPlan! Like others, we use your reviews as social proof and to get awards and recognition like these SpiraTest badges👇🏽:

Review SpiraPlan now! (We promise the whole thing is quick and painless - it only takes 10 minutes!)

Webinar Recap: Blockchain Development & Innovation in the Banking and Finance Industry

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 02 Nov 2022 00:00:00 GMT

On October 26, 2022, Inflectra and BLOOCK co-hosted the webinar: Blockchain Development & Innovation in the Banking and Finance Industry. In this webinar, August Guenther, Software Engineer at Inflectra, and Marc Baqué, CTO at BLOOCK, discussed the current state of the traditional banking and finance space, the benefits of blockchain implementation in the industry, and scenarios in which customers might find an integration between Inflectra's and BLOOCK's technologies useful.

If you missed the webinar, we have a full recap below.

Inflectra In The News - October 2022 Roundup

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 01 Nov 2022 00:00:00 GMT

October was a productive and thrilling time for Inflectra. The month started with some of our team members attending, sponsoring and speaking at STARWEST in Anaheim, California. Less than a couple weeks later, a couple of our US based leaders traveled to Australia to sponsor and attend the Testing Talks Conference as well as host an exclusive networking breakfast with our customers, partners, and their local tech and business leaders. Other accomplishments throughout the month include releasing Rapise v7.4, and hosting insightful webinars with fellow experts and business partners. In addition to a full month of participating in events and upgrading our products, Inflectra has had numerous articles released and appearances we want to share with our followers.

Recap: Testing Talks in Melbourne, Australia and Sydney / Melbourne Brekkies

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 00:00:00 GMT

#TeamInflectra just returned from a week-long trip to Australia to catch up with our team mates based in the country, meet our customers, partners and local technologists in organized networking breakfasts, and take part in the biggest software testing event in Australia since 2019 - Testing Talks 2022 / The Reunion. We also found out lots of interesting trends about software testing and quality in Australia.

AG Grid Support in Rapise 7.4

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 27 Oct 2022 00:00:00 GMT

One of the major new features in Rapise 7.4 is the support for the popular AG Grid. Born out of frustration with existing solutions, the AG Grid evolved from a side project to becoming the leading JavaScript datagrid on the market. It supports all the major JavaScript frameworks, including React, Angular, Vue and Plain JavaScript. Due to its complexity, the grid is often painful to test with hard-written Selenium automation code, but the new support for AG Grid makes it simple to test using Rapise. Learn More!

Rapise 7.4 Spotlight: 64-Bit Support and Cross-Application Recording

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 00:00:00 GMT

We just recently released the latest version of our Rapise test automation solution, Rapise 7.4. This version has two main, marquee new features - support for HTML web components and the popular AG Grid. In addition, this new version has three other very important test automation enhancements: support for 64-bit desktop applications (both Java and .NET), streamlined cross-application recording, and support for the testing of embedded UI apps.

Web Components Support in Rapise 7.4

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 00:00:00 GMT

As you may remember, we recently introduced support for Shadow DOM in Rapise 7.3. Now with the release of Rapise 7.4 we take the Shadow DOM support to the next level and also enable support for another technology from the Web Components suite: HTML Templates; to be more specific - for SLOT element. Let’s deep dive into the details of Web Components as well as the new SLOT element, and how Rapise supports them for automated web testing.

Webinar Recap: Top Ten Tips for Tackling Test Automation

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 00:00:00 GMT

On October 11, 2022, Inflectra and Checkpoint Technologies co-hosted the webinar: Top Ten Tips for Tackling Test Automation. In this webinar, Adam Sandman (Inflectra) and Bob Crews (Checkpoint Technologies) explored the challenges surrounding test automation and offered their tips to overcoming them.

If you missed the webinar, we have a full recap below.

StarWest 2022 - It's a Wrap, Folks

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Yet another StarWest is in the rearview mirror, and we have some takeaways to share.

Innovate, and they will come - Starwest (and techwell, in general) is known for its relentless search for new ideas and outstanding learning opportunities for conferencegoers. This Starwest, the organizers introduced VIP packages for companies who wanted to send groups of employees to a conference for learning outcomes and team-building. Other honorable mentions for the Test Leadership Summit and Women Who Test - both fantastic learning opportunities.
Program maketh conference - the key to a great conference is the quality of its speakers and talks. Unsung heroes here are the members of the conference selection committee. However, Techwell seems to invest time and resources in finding the top talent to help them create the best program possible.
Take care of your sponsors, and they will stand by you - StarWest had a robust number of companies of all sizes exhibiting in Anaheim, CA. Techwell’s approach to nurturing sponsors and building relationships with them has made STAR conferences a staple of many companies’ annual marketing budgets.
Fun and Wellness - Starwest is in step with other famous conferences emphasizing wellness (morning yoga) and fun activities: speed networking, welcome reception, bonus sessions, interviews, and games. But nothing beats Starwest’s famous location - Disneyland! No matter what age, we all want to go to Disneyland.

Continue reading to learn more about Inflectra’s adventures at StarWest!

Risk Management and Software Quality: Expert Panel Webinar Recap

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 05 Oct 2022 00:00:00 GMT

September 8, 2022: Inflectra and Tezza Business Solutions collaborated in a joint webinar aimed to raise awareness of the importance of the symbiotic relationship between Risk Management and Software Quality Assurance, particularly related to the financial industries in West Africa. The webinar brought together three eminent panelists, West Africa’s first EC-Council Licensed Penetration Tester, Obadare Peter Adewale, Head of Enablement for FNB Mozambique, Gui Texeira, and the Chief Executive Officer of Tezza Solutions, Roland Omoresemi. The session was moderated by Inflectra’s Enterprise Agile Evangelist, Sriram Rajagopalan, who navigated the panelists through the challenges of adopting Agile framework in West Africa, the binding regulations in the financial industry, and the technology tools required to improve transparency, inspection, and adaptation.

Adam Sandman, CEO of Inflectra, Interviewed by Big Business Show

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 03 Oct 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Our very own Adam Sandman was interviewed by Bob "Sully" Sullivan and Russ T Nailz from the Big Biz Show. During the interview, Adam informs viewers about quality and risk in mission-critical and safety-critical industries. Between the comedic tone and unique setting (a bar), listeners felt as if they were hearing a conversation about Adam's professional history, Inflectra's products and capabilities, and other software topics between a few friends on their night out - it was a one of a kind opportunity!

If you want to be entertained, informed, and witness this fun interview - view more to access t.

Recap: Application Lifecycle Management Scenarios with SpiraPlan

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 03 Oct 2022 00:00:00 GMT

We recently demonstrated SpiraPlan to a large, multinational life sciences manufacturing company. During the series of demonstrations and proof concepts, we configured SpiraPlan for a set of different use cases, including demand management, application portfolio management, vendor selection and management, change management, application decommissioning, configuration management, supplier qualification, and more. In a series of articles based on those demonstrations, we highlighted many different use cases and provided best practices and ideas for how to configure SpiraPlan. This concluding article recaps the different use cases in one easy to use post.

Inflectra In The News - September 2022 Roundup

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 03 Oct 2022 00:00:00 GMT

September 2022 was another successful and busy month for Inflectra. The business sponsored a local conference, DevOpsDays DC, released several blogs spotlighting Spira features, and continued to expand our knowledge in the world of technology to further help our customers. Our CEO, Adam Sandman, had another month full of engagements to discuss his professional history, teach the public about our products, and provided insights on what is to come for our corporation.

Read more to see what Adam has been featured in.

Webinar Recap: Alternatives to Legacy Tech Solutions: The Case Of MicroFocus

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 30 Sep 2022 00:00:00 GMT

On September 21, Inflectra hosted the webinar: Alternatives to Legacy Tech Solutions: The Case Of MicroFocus. In this webinar, Adam Sandman discussed recent disruptions, challenges, and opportunities for exploring alternatives to legacy systems and upgrading your enterprise IT processes with modern, market-leading platforms.

If you missed the webinar, we have a full recap below.

Using SpiraPlan for Configuration & Change Management

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 00:00:00 GMT

We recently demonstrated SpiraPlan to a large, multinational life sciences manufacturing company. During the series of demonstrations and proof concepts, we configured SpiraPlan for a set of different use cases, including demand management, application portfolio management, vendor selection and management, change management, application decommissioning, configuration management, and supplier qualification. In this series of articles, we will be highlighting these different use cases and providing best practices and ideas for how to configure SpiraPlan. In this article we will be covering the topic of configuration management and change management.

Value Stream Management with SpiraPlan

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 28 Sep 2022 00:00:00 GMT

We recently demonstrated SpiraPlan to a large, multinational manufacturing company. During the series of demonstrations and proof concepts, we configured SpiraPlan for a set of different use cases, including demand management, program management, portfolio management, configuration management, and value-stream management. In this article we will be covering the topic of value stream management and value stream mapping

Test Automation & Digital QA Summit 2022 Recap

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 27 Sep 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Adam Sandman, or CEO was excited to present his talk "Are You Ready to Run the Risk - Introduction to Risk Based Testing" at the recent TestingMind Test Automation and Digital QA Summit 2022 (#TAS22) in Washington, DC.

Software Testing Automation Frameworks & More

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 26 Sep 2022 00:00:00 GMT

You probably understand the importance of test automation, but it's also important to know what tests should be automated. Learn about all this & more!

Using SpiraPlan for Application Decommissioning

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 26 Sep 2022 00:00:00 GMT

We recently demonstrated SpiraPlan to a large, multinational life sciences manufacturing company. During the series of demonstrations and proof concepts, we configured SpiraPlan for a set of different use cases, including demand management, application portfolio management, vendor selection and management, change management, application decommissioning, configuration management, and supplier qualification. In this series of articles, we will be highlighting these different use cases and providing best practices and ideas for how to configure SpiraPlan. In this article we will be covering the topic of application decommissioning.

Inflectra's Devopsdays DC 2022 Experience

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 20 Sep 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra was proud to sponsor and attend the DevOpsDays DC 2022 at the Ronald Reagan and International Trade Center in downtown DC. It was proven the DevOps community was thrilled to be back in person for the first time since 2019, as the event had a great turnout of attendees. During this two-day event, attendees were able to attend sessions, visit sponsor booths, and most importantly, network with others in this shared space.

Here are some highlights Inflectra’s attendees observed at the conference.

Spotlight on SpiraPlan 7.2 - Project Charters

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 19 Sep 2022 00:00:00 GMT

We are excited about the upcoming release of SpiraPlan 7.2 next month, it will have many enhancements and security fixes (following our most recent pen-test) as well as two major planned new features - product/project custom properties and an integrated spreadsheet editor. In this article we will be discussing the new project / product custom properties and how you can use them for creating and managing a project charter.

Spotlight on SpiraPlan 7.2 - Project Portfolio Management

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 15 Sep 2022 00:00:00 GMT

We are excited about the upcoming release of SpiraPlan 7.2 next month. It will have many enhancements, security fixes (following our most recent pen-test), and two major planned new features - product/project custom properties and an integrated spreadsheet editor. This article discusses the new project/product custom properties and how to use them for project portfolio management (PPM).

Inflectra In The News - August 2022 Roundup

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 13 Sep 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Summer 2022 was no doubt a busy and successful time for Inflectra. The business as a whole had many accomplishments, including new partnerships, software integrations, releasing Spira v7.3, and being able to always keep our users in the loop of technology trends and risks with webinars and presentations. In addition, Inflectra had several public engagements and appeared in a couple of publications.

We are happy to present the latest updates about Inflectra in our brand new blog series - Inflectra News Roundup.

Insights from DeveloperWeek Cloud 2022 in Austin, TX

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Our CEO Adam Sandman is a member of the DeveloperWeek network's advisory board for DevOps. One of the benefits of this role is getting to review all the speaker proposals for the DeveloperWeek Cloud and DevOps Summit conference and also attending the conference to meet the speakers, attendees and other advisory board members. In this article, Adam shares some of the insights and trends that were presented at the conference, as well as information on some of the latest Cloud and DevOps tools for developers and DevOps engineers.

Spotlight on Spira 7.2 - New Integrated Spreadsheet Editor

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 00:00:00 GMT

We are excited about the upcoming release of Spira 7.2 in the next couple of months, it will have many enhancements and security fixes (following our most recent pen-test) as well as two major planned new features - product/project custom properties and an integrated spreadsheet editor. In this article we will be discussing the new spreadsheet editing functionality. If you need a place in Spira to manage data, your wish has been granted!

Sneak Peek: New Agile Boards and Support for Teams

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 00:00:00 GMT

As we head into the end of Q3, we are excited to be releasing some major new features and enhancements for both our Spira and Rapise platforms. In a series of upcoming blog articles, we will be highlighting some exciting new marquee features that you can expect to see in upcoming releases. To get the ball rolling, in this article, we will be showing a preview of the new agile (Scrum and Kanban) boards that will be unveiled in an upcoming release of SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan. This major refresh of the agile planning boards was made possible from feedback from some of our most loyal and devoted customers, thanks so much for your help.

API Testing: Benefits, Types, Approaches, & More

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 25 Aug 2022 00:00:00 GMT

A crucial part of software development, the quality of your API testing can have a huge impact on the final product, as well as the timeline and budget. APIs help pieces of software communicate and share data, meaning that testing them to ensure quality and reliability is paramount. To understand all of the benefits that come from this testing, we’ll go through some of the most significant factors before detailing the different types of testing that might match your situation. Lastly, we’ll cover how to approach the testing process and the common types of API technologies that you might come across or use.

Using SpiraPlan for Application Portfolio Management

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 15 Aug 2022 00:00:00 GMT

We recently demonstrated SpiraPlan to a large, multinational life sciences manufacturing company. During the series of demonstrations and proof concepts, we configured SpiraPlan for a set of different use cases, including demand management, application portfolio management, vendor selection and management, change management, application decommissioning, configuration management, and supplier qualification. In this series of articles, we will be highlighting these different use cases and providing best practices and ideas for how to configure SpiraPlan. In this article we will be covering the topic of application portfolio management.

Using SpiraPlan for Supplier Qualification

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 02 Aug 2022 00:00:00 GMT

We recently demonstrated SpiraPlan to a large, multinational life sciences manufacturing company. During the series of demonstrations and proof of concepts, we configured SpiraPlan for a set of different use cases, including demand management, application portfolio management, vendor selection and management, change management, application decommissioning, configuration management, and supplier qualification. In this series of articles, we will be highlighting these different use cases and providing best practices and ideas for how to configure SpiraPlan. In this article we will be covering the topic of supplier qualification.

SpiraApps by Inflectra: Plugin Extensibility Framework | A Recap

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 00:00:00 GMT

On July 19th, Inflectra hosted a live demo and a discussion focused on SpiraApps - Spira Extensibility Framework You've Been Waiting For. In this Show & Tell, we covered:

DEMO: Spira v7.0 major new feature: SpiraApps - Inflectra’s plug-in extensibility framework
Enhancements: Data synchronization

If you missed the event, we have a full recap below.

Using SpiraPlan for Vendor Selection & Management

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 20 Jul 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Why We Removed the 'Add Comment' Button for Many Users in Spira 7.0

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 12 Jul 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Several eagle-eyed users have noticed that for most users in Spira 7.0, we have removed the Add Comment button on all the artifact details pages. There is actually a good reason for this, based on some usability issues that users were having with the previous version.

Spotlight on Rapise 7.3: Shadow DOM Support

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 07 Jul 2022 00:00:00 GMT

We are excited to be releasing the new 7.3 version of Rapise this week. One of its new key features is the ability to record and playback tests against the Shadow DOM. What is the Shadow DOM you ask, and why would you want to test it? Read on to find out!

Inflectra Supports ISTC 2022 Testing Competition

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 05 Jul 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra is once again excited to support this year’s Israeli Software Testing Cup! Sponsors every year since 2017, we’re happy to continue to support the Israeli testing community through this competition. Inflectra is making its award-winning test management solution - SpiraTest available to the teams, judges, and organizers to run the competition.

Recap: Swiss Testing Day in Zürich, Switzerland

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 30 Jun 2022 00:00:00 GMT

On June 21, 2022, #teamInflectra attended the Swiss Testing Day conference in Zürich, Switzerland, in collaboration with Itecor, our Gold Solution Partner. Since 2005, Swiss Testing Day has brought together software testers of all shapes and sizes as well as QA professionals, developers, project managers, and anyone who advocates for a smoother software development cycle.

Unlike past Swiss Testing Days, Inflectra did not go solo in 2022. And the result was better than expected. Read all about it below!

Who Does Nathan Latka Call "The Real Unicorn" And Why?

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 29 Jun 2022 00:00:00 GMT

A few weeks ago, Inflectra’s CEO - Adam Sandman, was invited for an Interview with Nathan Latka - a serial entrepreneur and the CEO of FounderPath. Unlike what you’d expect from an interview with a tech company founder - i.e., a pre-cleared set of interview questions - the two launched into an honest discussion in less than 30 seconds after meeting each other for the first time. The result is a candid view of Inflectra, its business model, company culture, profits, business practices, and its founder - Adam Sandman - aka - “The Real Unicorn.”

Find out how & why Adam got this nickname in a short (admittedly, very fast-paced) conversation below!

InflectraCON 2022 - Major Take Aways

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 27 Jun 2022 00:00:00 GMT

InflectraCon 2022 - Inflectra’s Global Agile, DevOps & Testing conference took place this year on May 5-6th in Washington, DC, the home of Inflectra headquarters. This year’s event featured Spira training, four great keynotes, two full, substantive conference tracks with speakers from around the world, and a Partner Summit.

Thanks to everyone who attended InflectraCon 2022! In this article, we'd like to recap some of the major themes and key takeaways that we all learned from the event.

Series of Conversations On Risk and Risk Management - The Expert Panel

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 24 Jun 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra has launched a series of conversations about Risk Management. In the four virtual events, a panel of expert speakers will highlight lessons learned and best practices in risk prevention, mitigation, and management. This series will cover business, security, operational and technical risks. A particular emphasis will be on addressing risk in regulated industries that work with mission- and safety-critical applications.

Starting on July 14, 2022, the series will cover four topics:

Current Issues in Risk Management
Security as Risk
Implementing FMEA in the Age of IoT
Embedding GAMP Compliance into Digital Health Software

Series details are enclosed.

Inflectra Hosts its Premium Partners at InflectraCON 2022 in Washington, DC

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 24 Jun 2022 00:00:00 GMT

It's amazing, after the difficult years of 2020 and 2021, we are so glad that in-person events and conferences are back. It has been fantastic to see customers and partners face to face at various events this year such as STAR East, Agile DevOps West, JFTL, EuroSTAR and Swiss Testing Day. While we enjoyed attending these events, of course, the conference dearest to our hearts is InflectraCon. Thanks to everyone who attended InflectraCon 2022, in this article we'd like to give a big "shout out" to our partners who attended the Partner Dinner and Partner Summit.

Spotlight on Rapise 7.3: New Selenium Based Recording for Chrome and Edge Browsers

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 00:00:00 GMT

In December of 2020, the Google Chrome browser team made a major announcement - the release of Google Chrome Manifest 3. This new version of Chrome is designed to radically improve the security and safety of web browsing. Specifically:

With the introduction of Manifest V3, we will disallow remotely hosted code. This mechanism is used as an attack vector by bad actors to circumvent Google’s malware detection tools and poses a significant risk to user privacy and security.

However this new manifest version has an unfortunate side effect for the software testing industry, it will prevent the Chrome extensions used by many popular test automation tools such as Rapise, Ranorex, TestComplete, UFT and others from working. Luckily in the case, of Rapise, we have new web browser recording solution ready for you to use in Rapise 7.3. This will be released six months before Google formally switches over to Manifest V3.

Recap: Agile+DevOps West in Las Vegas 2022

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 00:00:00 GMT

The #teaminflectra attended the Agile DevOps West conference on Jun 15th and Jun 16th in Las Vegas. As a gold sponsor, #teaminflectra was a proud contributor to the #agiledevopscon that had 3-day pre-conference tutorials, 4-conference keynotes, 18-industry technology presentations, 36-talks, and 1-day Agile + DevOps Leadership summit. Dr. Sriram Rajagopalan (@agilesriram) also presented his unique approach to the importance of #businessagility in one of the industry technology presentations on Wednesday. In addition, there was a large expo hall for attendees to benefit from the numerous interactions and product demos of various sponsors.

Recap: JFTL in Paris, France

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 17 Jun 2022 00:00:00 GMT

On June 14th, 2022, #teamInflectra had the opportunity to attend JFTL, la Journée Française des Tests Logiciels, for the second time ever. This year marked the 14th anniversary of the conference, and it brought more than 1,200 participants and 40 sponsors together to participate in 16 talks, 4 conference tracks (Tendances et Métiers, Automatisation, Méthodologies, et Techniques), 9 tutorials, and a large expo hall for sponsors and attendees to mingle. For #teamInflectra, this conference presented us the chance to emphasize our presence in the French market and to make long-lasting connections with experts and professionals in the testing industry. Here’s a recap of our experience at JFTL.

Recap: EuroSTAR in Copenhagen, Denmark

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 15 Jun 2022 00:00:00 GMT

After two years of missing the legendary EuroSTAR software testing conference (we did take part in the virtual events, but it's not the same), #TeamInflectra was privileged to be able to travel to Copenhagen, Denmark for the 30th Anniversary EuroSTAR event. At EuroSTAR, we were able to join over 1,000 software testers for 4 incredible days of learning, testing and community connections. It was a great opportunity for our team to connect with the world's leading software testing experts, listen to inspiring keynotes, interactive tutorials, buzzing track talks and in exchange give attendees a very special Inflectra welcome. Here's the recap of our time at the conference.

Spotlight on Spira 7.0 - Data Synchronization Usability Enhancements

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 14 Jun 2022 00:00:00 GMT

We are very excited about the upcoming release of Spira 7.0 in July 2022. In previous articles we've described some of the new plugins and integrations coming to SpiraTest, SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan in this release as well as the new SpiraApps extensibility framework that lets us create in-app extensions for the first time. However in addition to this new infrastructure, we have also updated our existing data synchronization platform to improve the ease of use and simplify the setup process for administrators and users.

Using SpiraPlan for Demand Management

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 GMT

We recently demonstrated SpiraPlan to a large, multinational life sciences manufacturing company. During the series of demonstrations and proof concepts, we configured SpiraPlan for a set of different use cases, including demand management, application portfolio management, vendor selection and management, change management, application decommissioning, configuration management, and supplier qualification. In this series of articles, we will be highlighting these different use cases and providing best practices and ideas for how to configure SpiraPlan. In this article we will be covering the topic of demand management.

Spotlight on Spira 7.0 - New Plugin Architecture With SpiraApps

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 23 May 2022 00:00:00 GMT

We are very excited about the upcoming release of Spira 7.0 in July 2022. In previous articles we've described some of the new plugins and integrations coming to SpiraTest, SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan in this release. However even more exciting than that is the actual plugin architecture itself. To differentiate it from the other plugins we already have (data-synchronization plugins, RemoteLaunch engines and other add-ons), this new plugin architecture will be known as SpiraApps. Initially the available SpiraApps will be created by Inflectra, but the future plans are to open up the SpiraApps architecture to allow technology partners, solution partners, and customers write their own Apps to further customize Spira to better suit their needs.

Recap: STAREAST in Orlando, Florida

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 00:00:00 GMT

After several years of virtual-only events, #TeamInflectra was grateful for the opportunity to attend STAREAST in-person in Orlando, Florida. This year, STAREAST celebrated its 30th year of being a leader in testing and quality innovation, and we were excited to be a part of the magic as a Gold Sponsor. Full of keynotes, tutorials, and sessions covering a wide range of topics, STAREAST brings together like-minded industry peers and thought-leaders to learn, share, and explore all things QA, Agile, and Testing. Here's the recap of our time at the conference.

Backup and Restore Plans - Don't Forget the Restore Part!

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 27 Apr 2022 00:00:00 GMT

If you have been following the news in our industry recently, you will probably be aware that another company in our space had a multi week outage event due to backup and restore problem. It’s an important topic that is often misunderstood by customers and users. We are frequently asked about our backup process, but typically less so regarding the restore part of the equation. Understanding how to restore a system is just as important as the backing up part.

Since we offer our Spira application lifecycle management products and KronoDesk IT service desk products for both cloud and on-premise customers, this article will provide some best practices for setting up backup and restore for our self-hosted / download customers based on our cloud experiences.

Recap: Agile Trends in São Paulo, Brazil

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 15 Apr 2022 00:00:00 GMT

For the first time ever, #TeamInflectra had the opportunity to attend the Agile Trends conference in São Paulo, Brazil with out partner OAT Solutions. Known to be the largest agile conference in Brazil, Agile Trends brings together thousands of experts and professionals who have been driving agility in their own companies. Managers, testers, and developers from a wide range of industries gather to participate in keynotes, debates, and workshops. Here’s the recap of our Agile Trends conference adventure.

Spotlight on Spira 6.16 - Workspace Navigation Enhancements

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 13 Apr 2022 00:00:00 GMT

We have made some nice usability enhancements in the upcoming release of Spira 6.16 to improve the workspace (products, programs and portfolios) and artifact selection. With this new release, you will be able to filter the list of workspaces and also navigate to recent artifacts more quickly and easily.

Spotlight on Spira 6.16 - Custom Reporting Dashboard Enhancements

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 00:00:00 GMT

One of the great features of Spira, is the ability to create custom graphs and charts and have them appear in the various project/product reporting dashboards. We have been working to improve this feature, and in the upcoming version 6.16 release we have improved the user experience associated with adding custom graphs to your dashboard.

Spotlight on Spira 6.16 - GitHub, GitLab and CircleCI Webhook Integrations

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 00:00:00 GMT

The upcoming release of our Spira platform includes the long-awaiting support for integrating several different DevOps Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines into Spira, including GitLab, GitHub and CircleCI. The first phase of this integration enables this support by using the ability to configure Webhooks in the three products that send the results back to Spira. We have added special API endpoints in Spira that understand each webhook format and can read the results appropriately.

⚠️ InflectraCON 2022 Early Bird Tickets Expire on March 31, 2022 ⚠️

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 00:00:00 GMT

If you haven't heard of InflectraCON 2022 - our annual User Summit and Agile/DevOps Conference by now - I think you can totally skip this blog. But I truly hope you are excited about this opportunity to attend Inflectra platform training, get certified, join customer/roadmap discussions, and find answers to your questions in 1-on-1 sessions with Inflectra experts.

Snag your Full Access Ticket now!

If you are looking to attend a more well-rounded conference, check out our amazing thought leadership tracks, networking opportunities, and workshops tailored for your needs, interests, and wants.

Webinar Recap: The Automation of Requirements

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 30 Mar 2022 00:00:00 GMT

On March 29th, Inflectra and partner Orca Intelligence hosted a webinar focused on The Automation of Requirements: Save Time Planning, Creating, and Managing Requirements with Swiftly and SpiraTeam. In this webinar, we covered:

Solicitation Response
- Work in SpiraTeam to build out a scope for solicitation and generate an estimate in Swiftly
Agile Project Planning
- Plan in detail with SpiraTeam and automatically generate details with Swiftly
Agile Delivery Lifecycle Management
- Generate detailed user stories with Swiftly and SpiraTeam
- Manage user stories through SpiraTeam.

If you missed the webinar, we have a full recap below.

Recap: Satellite 2022 in Washington, D.C.

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 00:00:00 GMT

As conferences and in-person events are slowly coming back to life in our community, #TeamInflectra was excited and fortunate to attend and participate in Satellite 2022 this year. Recognized as one of the most critical and inclusive social gatherings in the space and satellite world, the Satellite conference brings together executives, engineers, government officials, and commercial customers to solve global challenges, increase access to space, and cultivate new innovation and future leadership. Here's the recap of our experience at the conference.

Reviewing the 10 Best API Testing Tools for 2022

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 00:00:00 GMT

API testing is a type of software testing that analyzes an application program interface (API) to ensure it meets expectations in terms of functionality, reliability, performance, and security. Since APIs play a major role in our digital lives, API testing ensures that the application is running in an efficient and seamless manner for the end user.

Come for InflectraCON, Stay for History and Fun

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 00:00:00 GMT

InflectraCon - our global Agile Testing and DevOps Conference and User Summit is around the corner and we are getting super excited about it!

On May 5, the biggest festival for software devs, testers, automation and DevOps engineers will open its doors at Gallaudet University’s Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center in Washington, D.C.

The event will host a multi-track conference, Inflectra’s User Summit, Partner Summit, networking event, and star wars-themed reception for anyone who shows up. We will also celebrate Inflectra’s 16th anniversary with a giant cake and balloons!

But the fun does not have to end there. Stay for the weekend and enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of spring in the nation’s capital.

Register here!

Psst... Early Bird tickets for InflectraCON are still available.

Reviewing the 25 Best DevOps Tools for Agile Projects in 2022

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Ever since the Belgian consultant project manager and an agile practitioner, Patrick Debois, coined the term “DevOps” to resolve the conflict, “It is not my code; it’s your machines,” increasing the transparency of the integration and interaction between business and technical people, the DevOps framework has played a pivotal role in the end-to-end responsibility. Numerous tools have entered this 8-step framework bringing their unique expertise in specific areas, while others have played within the ecosystem touching more than one segment of this framework as part of the more extensive application lifecycle management.

Webinar Recap: Rapise 7.2: New Functionality: Global Objects

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 07 Mar 2022 00:00:00 GMT

On March 3rd, Inflectra hosted a webinar focused on the new functionality and enhancements of Rapise v7.2. In this webinar, we covered:

New global object: Generator
New global object: Spira
New global object: Text
Automatic download for Selenium drivers
Spira Dashboard and RapiseLauncher enhancements: Productivity improvements, Test Matrix, Execution progress in RapiseLauncher
Creating incident in Spira from Rapise test
Generating sequential variable values that are unique across test runs
String manipulation in Rapise Visual Language (RVL)

If you missed the webinar, we have a full recap below.

InflectraCON 2022: What’s In It for Partners?

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 16 Feb 2022 00:00:00 GMT

You have probably already heard us talk about InflectraCON 2022, our two-day multi-track conference featuring keynote speakers, user training, and certification taking place in person in the nation’s capital on May 5-6, 2022. You might have already checked out the amazing speakers showcased throughout the conference, and the conference agenda that is jam-packed with networking, training, and roundtable opportunities. You may have even read about our Star Wars-themed reception marking Inflectra’s 16th anniversary and our collective emergence from the pandemic. But have you heard of all the partner-exclusive opportunities available at InflectraCON 2022 yet?

Read below to learn about all the incentives and perks for partners at InflectraCON 2022.

Plugins Aplenty Coming to SpiraTest, SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 07 Feb 2022 00:00:00 GMT

We are very excited about the upcoming release of Spira 7.0 in a few months time. In previous articles we've described some of the new plugins and integrations coming to SpiraTest, SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan in this release. However even more exciting than that is the actual plugin architecture itself. Also known as the Spira Extensibility Framework, our new plugin architecture will let us add new specialized features and extensions much more easily. In addition, the future plans are to open up the plugin architecture to allow technology partners, solution partners, and customers write their own plugins and extensions to further customize Spira to better suit their needs.

Spotlight on SpiraPlan 7.0: FMEA Risk Management Comes To Town

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 27 Jan 2022 00:00:00 GMT

As part of the upcoming release of Spira 7.0 in a few months' time, we have added a new plugin architecture that lets us add new specialty features and integrations more easily. In the future, it will also allow customers and partners to build extensions to Spira. We previously mentioned some of the planned plugins we have coming - GitHub, GitLab. In addition, we have a new plugin that will provide support for Failure Mode & Effects Analysis (FMEA) in the Risk Management module in SpiraPlan.

InflectraCON 2022: The Curious Case of Vanishing Tickets

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 26 Jan 2022 00:00:00 GMT

We have been alerted to the unfortunate fact that our much-coveted Super Early Bird Tickets for InflectraCON 2022 will be vanishing without a trace on January 31, 2022. 😱 We have been busy trying to identify the culprit of this heinous crime but will not be able to apprehend them before this ticket type expires. All we can do now is to say: Bye, Bye Super Early Bird Tickets. We (will) miss you!

But not everything is lost!

We have the next best thing for you in here👇🏽:

How To Convince Your Boss To Send You To InflectraCON 2022 | A Cheat Sheet

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 25 Jan 2022 00:00:00 GMT

If you are like me, you probably have a number of conferences that you'd love to go to but are put off by the idea of having to plead your case with your boss. It is daunting, it takes time to research the benefits of attending, it is a distraction from your day job, it is yet another email you need to write. ARGH.... Long story short - you can not be bothered.

Enter Thea from InflectraCON and her ready-made email template you can use to justify why it is an excellent idea to send you to InflectraCON - Inflectra's global user conference taking place in Washington DC on May 5-6, 2022.

I know you are busy, so let's dive in!

Recap: Using Big Data Analysis to Reduce Test Flakiness

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 24 Jan 2022 00:00:00 GMT

On January 20, Inflectra hosted a webinar called Using Big Data Analysis to Reduce Test Flakiness. Adam Sandman, the Founder, and CEO Of Inflectra, and Denis Markovtsev, Principal Software Developer, covered the following topics in the live webinar:

Why Is Test Automation So Hard?
Findings from the MOZ 500 Websites
So what can we do?
Tips and tools that help reduce test flakiness.

If you missed the webinar, we have a full recap below.

Webinar Recap: SpiraPlan v6 - The Latest and Greatest Features and Enhancements

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 13 Jan 2022 00:00:00 GMT

On January 13, Inflectra hosted a webinar called Spira - The Latest and Greatest Features and Enhancements. Adam Sandman, Founder, and Director of Technology covered the following new features and enhancements:

Support for two new (SSO) providers: OneLogin service and a generic OpenID provider
New Upgraded Rich Text Editor
Ability to edit releases and tasks in both the Gantt and Pert chart views
New custom property types: Password (fully encrypted) Release, Automation Host, and Date and Time
Industry-specific Sample Data for new installs and trials
Built-in diagram tools get additional shapes and options, including Swimlanes
Editable Parent requirement types versus previous Epic type and simplified SAFe support for requirement types

If you missed the webinar, we have a full recap below.

Best Practices for Handling Acceptance Criteria

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 10 Jan 2022 00:00:00 GMT

We had a customer ask us what was the recommended way to manage the Acceptance Criteria of requirements in a project. There are actually several different ways you can handle acceptance criteria depending on your exact process (and preference):

You can simply add a custom Rich Text Description textbox to the Requirement artifact. That will appear underneath the main description.
You can use a requirement of type Acceptance criteria and make it a 'Has Steps' type so that you could enter the acceptance checklist as steps.
You create a .Feature file in the documents section and link to the requirement. That way you get the automated Gherkin syntax highlighting.
You can use a test case of type Acceptance Criteria and use the test steps.

We discuss each of these options below:

Webinar Recap: Parallel Execution of Tests with Rapise and SpiraTest

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 00:00:00 GMT

On December 16, Inflectra hosted a webinar called Parallel Execution of Tests with Rapise and SpiraTest. Denis Markovtsev, Principal Software Developer, covered the following topics in the live webinar:

Create tests that are ready for parallel execution
Create a test set in SpiraTest and configure it for parallel run
Create a configuration set and run tests with different configurations
Analyze execution results and view Test Matrix

If you missed the webinar, we have a full recap below.

Webinar Recap: Using SpiraPlan and Tosca to Test Complex Business Applications

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 17 Dec 2021 00:00:00 GMT

On December 14^th, 2021, Inflectra had the opportunity to co-host a webinar with partner TTC Global. In the joint webinar, hosts Adam Sandman (Inflectra) and Kayla Hildebrandt (TTC) discussed:

How to solve the challenge of moving test case management to automated integration
The SpiraPlan & RemoteLaunch integration, focusing on how to manage the scheduling, execution, and reporting of Tosca automated functional and user interface tests
Test results in Tosca and data as visible in SpiraPlan
Pro-tips for a successful integration of Spira/RemoteLaunch and Tosca
Questions asked by the webinar participants

If you missed the webinar, we have the recording and accompanying slide deck below:

Speak Peek on 2022: Teams Come to SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 00:00:00 GMT

As we start preparing for 2022, we will be providing some information on our plans for 2022, including some previews of planned functionality in our Spira and Rapise platforms. One of the key plans for SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan in 2022 is the addition of a new artifact called "Teams". These teams will be available across the system to make assignment of work easier as well as improving the usability and configurability of the agile planning boards.

Sneak Peek on 2022: GitLab Pipelines comes to Spira

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 13 Dec 2021 00:00:00 GMT

As we start preparing for 2022, we will be providing some information on our plans for 2022, including some previews of planned functionality in our Spira and Rapise platforms. One of the key plans for 2022 is a closer integration of our Spira platform with GitLab. We already have source code repository and issue tracking integration, but the planned enhancements for 2022 include support for GitLab CI Pipelines.

Recap: Generating Tests and Scripts for SpiraTest and Rapise using IQM Studio

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 09 Dec 2021 00:00:00 GMT

On December 7th, Inflectra and our partner Critical Logic hosted a webinar focused on generating tests and scripts for SpiraTest and Rapise using Critical Logic's IQM Studio.

In this webinar, co-hosts Adam and Evan discussed:

The IQM Studio modeling tool and how it integrates with SpiraTest and Rapise
How IQM Studio can pull Spira requirements, generate automation scripts, and push tests with requirement coverage back into Spira
The benefits and value of an IQM Studio integration

If you missed the webinar, we have a full recap below.

SpiraPlan Azure DevOps Pipelines Support ADO Releases

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 09 Dec 2021 00:00:00 GMT

During a recent demonstration of the SpiraPlan integration with Microsoft Azure DevOps (ADO) we had a customer ask us if the integration between SpiraPlan and Azure DevOps Pipelines for continuous integration and continuous deployment worked for both the development build pipelines and the release deployment pipelines. This blog explains the difference and demonstrates how SpiraPlan can integrate with both kinds.

Webinar Recap: Playing UFT/QTP Scripts Rapise

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 02 Dec 2021 00:00:00 GMT

On November 30th, Inflectra hosted a webinar called Playing UFT/QTP Scripts Rapise. Alexey Grinevich, Inflectra Senior Automation Architect, covered the following topics in the live webinar:

Rapise v7.1 in the nutshell
How to convert QTP/UFT test scenarios, frameworks, repositories, libraries using Rapise
How to execute QTP/UFT test scenarios using Rapise.

If you missed the webinar, we have a full recap below.

Sneak Peek on 2022: GitHub Actions comes to Spira

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 02 Dec 2021 00:00:00 GMT

As we start preparing for 2022, we will be providing some information on our plans for 2022, including some previews of planned functionality in our Spira and Rapise platforms. One of the key plans for 2022 is a closer integration of our Spira platform with Microsoft GitHub. For those monitoring the Microsoft DevOps ecosystem, Microsoft is making a strategic shift away from its legacy Azure DevOps (ADO) in favor of GitHub. In fact, the latest versions of Visual Studio will be favoring GitHub over Azure DevOps.

Spotlight on Spira 6.14 - Single Sign On with OneLogin & OpenID Connect

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 29 Nov 2021 00:00:00 GMT

In Spira version 6.4 we added support for Single Sign On (SSO) using the industry standard OAuth 2.0 protocol. In our upcoming v6.14 release of Spira we have extended the range of SSO providers we support to include both the popular OneLogin service and also generic OpenID Connect providers, opening the door for any company that has an OpenID Connect compatible authentication system to use it with Spira.

Recap: Agile Testing Days 2021 in Potsdam, Germany

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 24 Nov 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Like everyone around the world, we have all been missing face to face contact with our community, and luckily the organizers at Agile Testing Days were able to pull off a safe, fun and exciting event in November 2021, and #TeamInflectra was fortunate enough to be able to attend the 2021 event in-person in glorious Potsdam, Germany.

Spotlight on Spira 6.14 - Inline Editing on Gantt Charts

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 00:00:00 GMT

The next release of SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan includes some major enhancements for planning and managing waterfall and/or hybrid projects. We introduced the new Gantt chart views of Releases and Tasks in Spira v6.5 with the ability to simply view the Releases and Tasks as items in a read-only Gantt chart view. In the upcoming release, we have added inline editing capabilities, so you can edit Releases and Tasks in the Gantt chart views, and also edit the Releases in the Pert hierarchical view as well.

Recap: Testing OracleForms Applications with Rapise

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 00:00:00 GMT

On November 16th, Inflectra hosted a webinar called: Testing OracleForms Applications with Rapise. Alexey Grinevich, our senior automation engineer, covered the following topics in the live webinar:

Preparing for testing.
Installing testing agent.
Using with IE.
Using with JNLP.
Special Cases: LOVs and Notification Messages.
Working with Tables.

If you missed the webinar, we have a full recap below.

Spotlight on Spira 6.13 - New Rich Text Editor & Swimlanes in Diagrams

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 08 Nov 2021 00:00:00 GMT

The upcoming release of our Spira platform includes a major overhaul of the rich text editor we use throughout the application. The new editor improves the user experience and features of the text editor, letting users more easily add and view links, create checklists, highlight text, and strike-through text. In addition, it opens the door for adding popular, requested features for adding artifact #tags and @mentions.

In addition, the built-in diagram tools get even more powerful with additional shapes and options. You can now make diagrams that group individual shapes together to form Kanban board diagrams and swim lane diagrams.

Spotlight on Spira 6.13 - SAFe Support for Requirement Types

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 00:00:00 GMT

The upcoming release of our Spira platform includes a major change in how requirement types work, specifically when you have multiple levels of parent requirements and you want/need control over what the type is for those requirements. Previously, parent requirements were forced to be either Package (Spira versions 5.4 and earlier) or Epic (Spira versions 6.0 and later). Recognizing that we need more flexibility for different methodologies such as Scaled Agile (SAFe), Waterfall and Agile/Scrum/Kanban, we have completely revamped how this feature works.

Spotlight on Spira 6.13 - Additional Custom Property Types

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 00:00:00 GMT

The upcoming release of our Spira platform includes a new set of custom property types in addition to the eight existing types already in the system. These new types are designed to increase the flexibility and security of the system. We have introduced a new password custom property type that lets you securely store test data in the system for use in manual and automated testing. In addition, we have added release and automation host custom property types to assist in common use cases.

New Whitepaper - How To Choose A Risk Management Tool

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Organizations exist to create value for their customers, shareholders, and stakeholders. Their survival depends on the impact of several known and unknown uncertainties emerging from many types of risks that challenge their ability to deliver value continuously. If you don’t manage risk, risk will manage you. The latter won’t be pleasant for your project.

Inflectra At EuroStar Huddle: Deep Dive Automation Week

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra is coming to the Deep Dive Automation Week at #EuroSTAR!

Inflectra is excited to participate in EuroStar’s week-long deep dive into all things automation, with expert talks on test flakiness, Cypress, No Code Automation, and more!

Webinar Recap: Rapise 7.1: OracleForms, Executing UFT/QTP Scripts, Floating Licenses

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 00:00:00 GMT

On October 28, Inflectra hosted a webinar called Rapise 7.1: New Functionality and Enhancements. Denis Markovtsev, Principal Software Developer, covered the following topics in the live webinar:

Overview of new big features:
1. Support for OracleForms applications
2. Executing UFT/QTP Scripts
3. Spira managed floating licenses
Demonstration of Spira Dashboard and RapiseLauncher enhancements:
1. Productivity improvements
2. Set input parameters via a test set attachment
3. Parallel execution of Test Cases in RapiseLauncher
4. Option to automatically rerun a test set if failed
Selected new features:
1. Tools > Npm Console to install node modules for a test framework
2. More SoftAssert statements

If you missed the webinar, we have a full recap below.

Why You Should Use SpiraPlan If You Care About Software Quality

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 28 Oct 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Recently we were interviewed by TestBash for its 30 Days Of Testing Tools event on Oct 28, 2021. Below you will find the answers to many thoughtful questions about how we build, test, and sell our agile program management platform - SpiraPlan. I hope you will find the answers informative.

Getting Spira Notifications Using RSS Feeds

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 27 Oct 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Sometimes customers would like to have a quick and easy way of getting notified when artifacts in Spira change in such a way that they meet specific exception criteria. For example, they would like to be notified when test cases fail or a test set is overdue. Rather than bombarding users with yet more emails, Spira has a handy feature to bring these notifications right to you via. RSS.

Recap: QA Financial Forum in New York 2021

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 25 Oct 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra was excited to sponsor The QA Financial Forum New York 2021 - an in-person conference that took place on Oct 19, 2021, in beautiful New York City. The event was packed with talks on enterprise software quality, app security and DevSecOps, continuous integration, and so much more at the Harvard Club. Learn more about what is new in the worlds of Quality Assurance, Risk Management, and Financial Services....

How to Use Boards in Spira for Your Agile Ceremonies

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 28 Sep 2021 00:00:00 GMT

This is Part 3 of the larger paper on Good Agile Product Backlog by Dr. Sriram Rajagopalan, Enterprise Agile Evangelist, Inflectra.

Introduction

Readers are recommended to review my earlier blogs in this series for context and to understand this blog better. The first part of the series focused on demystifying a good agile product backlog - emphasizing how a good product backlog promotes stakeholder alignment. The second part of the series focused on ensuring alignment between business stakeholders and the delivery team highlighting the need for the refined, risk-adjusted, and prioritized backlog. In this final blog of the trilogy, I will review the use of the planning and tracking boards in the four agile ceremonies.

Using Spira Custom Reporting to Your Advantage

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 27 Sep 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Many times when working on delivering a mission-critical software project, you want to get a graph or report of some data that is not available in the built-in graphs or reports. For those times when you need a specific Key Performance Indicator (KPI) or other metric, Spira's custom reporting and custom graphing is your best friend. In this article we share come recent examples we've created for clients.

Recap: JFTL French Testing Day in Paris, France

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 20 Sep 2021 00:00:00 GMT

As you know, it has been a difficult couple of years for event organizers, and most of the software testing, agile and devops events that we'd normally attend have either been cancelled or converted into virtual events. We all miss seeing our customers, partners and members of the tech community in person, and we look forward to future events in person. However we were very fortunate that the COVID situation in France was such that it allowed the annual French Testing Day - Journée Française des Tests Logiciels (JFTL) to take place in person for the first time since 2019.

Understanding the Planning Board for Backlog Refinement

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 13 Sep 2021 00:00:00 GMT

This is Part 2 of the larger paper on Good Agile Product Backlog by Dr. Sriram Rajagopalan, Enterprise Agile Evangelist, Inflectra.

Introduction

Our earlier blog about demystifying a good agile product backlog emphasizes how a good product backlog promotes stakeholder alignment. Emerging from the lean principles of attenuating waste and amplifying learning, Agile promotes a holistic view of the solution rather than just the technical system. So, any tool that incorporates backlog management should promote transparency of the backlog as well as committed items.

Your Web App <> #TestBowl 2021 - Inflectra's Software Testing Challenge

info@inflectra.com — Sat, 04 Sep 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Are you working on a beta version of an app, software, or website that is ready for testing? Are you looking to avoid turning your customers into testers? We hear you, and we have a fun solution for you - bring your app/software or website to #TestBowl Christmas 2021 Edition!

As part of the Inflectra-run software testing competition - #TestBowl Xmas Edition on December 9, 2021, we offer to crowd-test your web app or software for free!

Apply before December 1, 2021!

Webinar Recap: Spira v6.11 - New Features and Enhancements

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 03 Sep 2021 00:00:00 GMT

On September 1st, Inflectra hosted a webinar called Spira v6.11 - New Features and Enhancements. Adam Sandman, Inflectra's Director of Technology, covered the following topics in the live webinar:

Multi-factor authentication
New diagram, flowchart, and organization chart editor
Agile planning board & task tracking enhancements

If you missed the webinar, we have a full recap below.

When Microsoft Dynamics 365 Updates, Rapise Has You Covered!

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 00:00:00 GMT

One of the biggest challenges with test automation is the maintenance of the tests. This is especially true when you automating complex third-party packaged SaaS applications that are updated monthly by the vendors. For example, when you are testing ERP or CRM applications such as Microsoft Dynamics 365, Salesforce, SAP or Oracle, you may have lots of customizations that you need to test. However the base product will be updated every month by the vendor so your automated tests are at the mercy of breaking changes in the core system.

Demystifying a Good Agile Product Backlog

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 00:00:00 GMT

by Dr. Sriram Rajagopalan, Enterprise Agile Evangelist

Recently, I had an opportunity to provide agile transformation consulting as part of product training for a major organization. A member of this team asked who is responsible for creating user stories. As I used pointed questions to understand the rationale behind the question, two different problems surfaced: a) the team felt they only work on tasks that the Scrum Master assigned them for the user stories the product owner thought valuable; b) the development team had to work additional hours for any technical infrastructure or automation. These findings offered an opening for a major coaching moment.

Coming Soon to Spira - Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 28 Jul 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Security is always a critically important topic, and if you have been following the news recently, it seems there is a different cyber attack every week. Having a well-developed cyber security program is a must, and as part of that, it is important that multiple layers of defense are employed to prevent a potential cyber-attack or data breach. Therefore, we are pleased to announce that we have just upgraded the Inflectra website to support Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), also known as 2-factor Authentication (2FA) and that similar functionality will be coming very soon to SpiraTest, SpiraTeam, and SpiraPlan.

Spotlight on Spira 6.11 - Diagrams, Drawing and Flowcharts

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 26 Jul 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Many of our customers use SpiraPlan to design and manage requirements for complex systems and products including aerospace, automotive and industrial systems. Accordingly, a common need is to be able to create requirements and associated documentation that includes diagrams, flowcharts, and mind-maps. We are excited to announce that we have added free, built-in diagram support to SpiraTest, SpiraTeam, and SpiraPlan version 6.11 that is being released next month (August 2021).

Implementing Waterfall for Execution and Management Teams in SpiraPlan

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 21 Jul 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Although businesses adopt agile practices to embrace change and respond to market needs, there is still a need for organizations to stay faithful to a set of principles and ideas that come from traditional waterfall project management. After all, if the good lessons learned from waterfall approaches, such as thinking of the milestones for payment terms, procuring resource commitments earlier to avoid delays in ongoing commitments, evaluating risks that challenge existing or future commitments, and technical architecture with scalability in design, are ignored, are we truly adaptive in strategic execution?

Spotlight on KronoDesk 4.0 - LDAP and ActiveDirectory Integration

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 19 Jul 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Our development team has been working feverishly on the next version of KronoDesk, our acclaimed help desk solution that adds service desk functionality to our Spira platform. There are many new features and improvements as part of KronoDesk 4.0, and this article focuses on the new support for Microsoft ActiveDirectory and LDAP that will be available in the new version.

Use Case Mapping with SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 15 Jul 2021 00:00:00 GMT

A customer recently posed this question to us:

We are gathering requirements following a standard template for use cases. In that template we record main scenario and alternative flows like shown on the example below. What is the best way to map primary and alternate use case process flows to requirements inside Spira?

This is a relatively common question, so in this blog we outline some ways you can manage and map use cases inside Spira....

Webinar Recap: The 4th Industrial Revolution: Industry Trends Post COVID-19

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 07 Jul 2021 00:00:00 GMT

On July 1st, Inflectra and Sriram Rajagopalan, Ph.D., hosted a webinar on the 4th Industrial Revolution: Industry Trends Post COVID-19, covering the following areas of interest:

Overview of the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR): cyber-physical systems and a transition past the 3rd Industrial Revolution
Introduction to the Six Global Megatrends: globalization 2.0, technological convergence, a digital era of 4IR
Lessons learned from COVID-19: impact on industries and acceleration of trends
The emergence of risk management as a cross-functional domain across all roles and products in the enterprise.

The webinar presentation, blog, and recording are enclosed here👇

Data Extraction and Reporting In Spira: How The Customization Works

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 01 Jul 2021 00:00:00 GMT

One of the pivotal aspects of any data captured in a system is the ability to report on such data. The application lifecycle management (ALM) tool is undoubtedly one such system where a combination of manual and automated data entries captures the transition of needs into requirements, test cases, and incidents supported by auditable comments, governance workflows of various artifacts, and the status of manual and automated execution. All these activities translate the strategic product roadmap into operational backlogs for release and iteration planning.
The Spira family of products, such as SpiraTest, SpiraTeam, and SpiraPlan, also support these needs at various levels. It should be emphasized that most of the standard reporting available from Spira and the widgets available in the project and reporting dashboard meets the majority of the clients’ needs across all the industries. Yet, a few clients may have some requirements that can be better served by modifications to existing reports as well as developing their own custom reports. Inflectra offers its implementation services to support these needs. However, the Spira product also provides support for enabling clients to develop some of these reports themselves. In this blog, we will review how to address this need.

Webinar Recap: Rapise 7 - What's Covered in the New Release

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 00:00:00 GMT

On June 29th, Inflectra hosted a webinar on Rapise 7.0 Is Here. Denis Markovtsev, Inflectra's Principal Software Developer, covered the following topics in the live webinar:

New Spira Dashboard
Support for Flaky tests and an automatic rerun of failed tests
Soft assertions and attaching files to test runs.

If you missed the webinar, we have a full recap below 👇

Spotlight on Rapise 7.0 - New Flaky Testing Support

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Two of the major features in our most recent release of Rapise are the completely overhauled Spira Dashboard and the new support for handling the bane of test automation engineers everywhere - flaky tests! In this article we shed some light on how Rapise 7.0 can make flaky tests a thing of the past.

#TestBowl 2.0 - It's A Wrap, Folks

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 00:00:00 GMT

On June 24, Inflectra hosted its second virtual software testing competition in 2021 - #TestBow 2.0. If you missed this fun event, here is a very quick recap!

Spotlight on Rapise 7.0 - New Spira Dashboard

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Crowd-Test Your App or Website at #TestBowl 2.0

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 24 Jun 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Do you have a new app, software, or website that is ready for testing? Are you looking to avoid turning your customers into testers? We hear you, and we have a fun solution for you - bring your app/software or website to #TestBowl 2.0!

As part of the Inflectra-run software testing competition - #TestBowl 2.0 on June 24, 2021, we offer to crowd-test your software for free!

All you need to do is apply before June 18, 2021!

The Perils of Agile Estimation (Part 2)

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 00:00:00 GMT

In the previous post, we examined why and how agile software estimation goes wrong so often, and we identified three principles that must support any good estimation method:

Reliability - An estimate must reflect the performed work within a reasonable confidence interval.
Objectivity - The same estimate should be given for a task, regardless of who's giving the estimate.
Consistency - Given nothing else has changed, an estimate should not change with time.

I call this the ROC principles. In this post, we'll start looking at techniques and methods we can apply to our estimation process to implement these principles. In order to properly ROC-ify our estimates, the first thing we need to grok is the difference between complex and complicated tasks.

Spira v.6 Getting Started Videos Are Here!

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 26 May 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Welcome to your one-stop-shop for all Spira v6 Getting Started Videos!

We are glad you are interested in learning the fundamentals of Inflectra’s QA, ALM, and Enterprise Agile Program Management platforms! This video playlist will help you to smoothly navigate our award-winning platforms, onboard your team members, as well as help you toward your Spira certification efforts under Inflectra's new Initiative called Spira Academy!

The below series of videos explores the most fundamental aspects of the three Spira platforms - SpiraTest, SpiraTeam, and SpiraPlan. The videos are divided into:

the Cross-Cutting Spira features for all Spira products,
the SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan-only features.

Begin your adventure with our Getting Started with Spira series’ below!

Webinar Recap: Mobile Testing in a Device Cloud with Rapise

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 25 May 2021 00:00:00 GMT

On May 18th, Inflectra hosted a webinar on Mobile Testing in a Device Cloud with Rapise. Denis Markovtsev, Inflectra's senior automaton architect covered the following topics in the live webinar:

How to connect to a device cloud
How to record/execute Mobile tests with Rapise
How to orchestrate execution on different devices with SpiraTest

If you missed the webinar, we have a full recap below 👇

Spotlight on Spira 6.10 - Agile Planning Board Enhancements

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 19 May 2021 00:00:00 GMT

The last release of Spira was instrumental in updating the new requirements document view, to improve the interactivity, configurability and add inline editing. Following on from these updates, we are planning some major updates to the various agile boards available in SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan. In our next release (6.10) we have focused on some of the 'low hanging fruit' and improved the display and usability of the boards, as well as added inline editing for the first time.

Webinar Recap: Spira v6.9 - OData, Baselining and Requirements Management

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 13 May 2021 00:00:00 GMT

On May 12th, Inflectra hosted a webinar on Spira version 6.9 in which we covered the new and enhanced functionality, including:

Enhanced Requirements Management Document Views
New Odata functionality for SpiraPlan
99 Custom Properties
Baselining enhancements for SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan.

If you missed the webinar, we have a full for your cap below 👇

Financial Systems Are In Fact Mission Critical!

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 12 May 2021 00:00:00 GMT

When people talk about 'mission-critical systems' or 'high assurance industries', they are normally referring to real-time control systems such as air traffic control, automotive, railways, hospitals, utilities, and flight-control software. However when you look at the technology that underpins our economy and society, in reality, the definition of what is truly "mission critical" is actually much broader. In this article, I discuss some of the systems that are used in banking and finance and how they are mission-critical, and if we treat them as such, we should rethink how we define, develop, test, and deploy such systems.

Spotlight on Spira 6.9 - OData Reporting API

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 00:00:00 GMT

One of the old adages about reporting is that however many reports you create, you will always need one more! With that in mind, Spira has for many years had a powerful and flexible reporting engine built-in that lets you create custom reports and custom graphs using the Entity SQL (ESQL) query language. However users have asked us if there was a way to use their favorite reporting tool (e.g. Excel or Microsoft PowerBI) to connect to Spira to create reports. With the latest version of SpiraPlan that is now possible, for both cloud and on-premise customers using our new OData API.

Recap: KronoDesk - On-Premise Help Desk Solution for Regulated Industries

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 22 Apr 2021 00:00:00 GMT

On April 22nd, Inflectra hosted a webinar on KronoDesk - On-Premise Help Desk Solution for Regulated Industries presented by Adam Sandman.

The following topics were covered in the webinar:

KronoDesk on-premise as an alternative solution to JIRA Service Desk
KronoDesk Help Desk Ticketing System
Configuration and Customization
Support for multi-user organizations
FDA-compliant electronic signatures for life science customers
KronoDesk and its seamless end-to-end flow of information with SpiraTeam.

If you missed the webinar, we have a full recap below 👇

Recap: Behavior-Driven Testing with Rapise and Cucumber JS

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 00:00:00 GMT

On April 20th, Inflectra hosted a webinar on Behavior-Driven Testing with Rapise and Cucumber JS. Alexey Grinevich covered the following topics in the webinar:

How to create behavior-driven tests that are maintainable and readable
How to record behavior-driven tests
How to use Rapise Visual Language (RVL) and Cucumber JS in behavior-driven testing.

If you missed the webinar, we have a full recap below 👇

Webinar Recap: Modern Alternatives to Micro Focus Toolset

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 00:00:00 GMT

On April 13th, Inflectra hosted a webinar on the Modern Alternatives to Micro Focus Toolset. Adam Sandman and Alexey Grinevich covered the following topics in the webinar:

Continued Ripple Effect: 2017 acquisition of HP by MicroFocus
Better value for money: Alternatives to Micro Focus’ toolset for:
- Application Lifecycle Management - SpiraPlan for QA, Product, Portfolio & Risk Management
- Functional and performance testing: Rapise and JMeter instead of UFT and LoadRunner
Leaving Micro Focus: smooth transition with migration assistance, implementation services, technical consulting from Inflectra.

If you missed the webinar, we have recapped it in full in this blog 👇

Spotlight on Spira 6.9 - Requirements Management Document View

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 00:00:00 GMT

It is widely agreed in the software industry that one of the keys to delivering high-quality products is to get the requirements "right." However, there is far less consensus on what "right" actually means and even less consensus on the best way to get there. So having powerful requirements management and requirements traceability is vitally important to the software development and testing process. In our latest version of SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan, we have improved the new requirements document view to make it more useful for business analysts (BAs) and other team members.

The DevOps Dance - Continuous Testing: Shift Left & Shift Right, Get it Right!

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 30 Mar 2021 00:00:00 GMT

One of the criticisms of the term DevOps is that on the surface, it doesn’t contain a reference to testing or quality. Continuous Testing is the answer to this criticism, outlining how testing in a DevOps toolchain happens in fact continuously from the Plan stage all the way through to Release and Monitoring. In our new whitepaper, we explain the principles of Continuous Testing and delve into the ideas of Shift-Left and Shift-Right testing that are key parts of the approach.

Inflectra's SpiraTest Is A Tool of Choice To Run Israeli Testing Competition 2021

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra is excited to support the Israeli Software Testing Cup (ISTC)- the ultimate challenge for QA testing professionals - for the fifth year in a row!

Sponsors in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020, we’re happy to continue to support the Israeli testing community through this competition. Inflectra is once again making its award-winning test management solution - SpiraTest available to the organizers, judges, and teams for this year’s competition.

Recap: New Rapise v6.7 Functionality

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 00:00:00 GMT

We are glad to present the recap of our recent product-centered webinar about the new functionality and features of Rapise 6.7 - Inflectra's scriptless test automation platform for testing web, desktop, and mobile apps. Alexey Grinevich, Inflectra's senior automation engineer presented the webinar, in which he covered the following enhancements:

New RapiseLauncher Features (Test Set attachments, CLI enhancements, RDP disconnect)
New Rapise Visual Language (RVL) Toolbox Features
Improved support for NodeJS as JavaScript execution engine in Rapise
Improved Azure DevOps integration (RapiseLauncher & Rapise Test Adapter Task)
Improved Rest API Testing in Rapise v6.7.

If you missed the event, here are the recording and presentation slides. Enjoy!

The Perils of Agile Estimation (Part 1)

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Estimation has always been an inflection point in the software engineering world. Many developers admit that one of the hardest parts of their job is not about naming things or invalidating caches (as the old saying goes) but giving estimates. Certainly, for many experienced software engineers, estimates have always been the most frequent area of friction between software developers and managers. Both sides seem to have valid arguments: managers want to know how long things will take, as they need to manage budgets and customer expectations. Developers, on the other hand, know that most software tasks cannot be estimated accurately enough to satisfy the manager's needs. This friction has been so intense that it's given rise to the #NoEstimates movement and many flame wars on social media. But is the choice truly between one of these two extreme positions, or can a happy medium be found that satisfies both sides?

This series of articles attempts to explore and answer this question.

Recap: QA Solutions for the Financial Sector: Insurance, Banking and Capital Markets

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 00:00:00 GMT

On March 17, we hosted a webinar on QA Solutions for the Financial Sector: Insurance, Banking, and Capital Markets with Adam Sandman and Amol Khare. If you missed the webinar, here is the full recap!

The following topics were covered during the webinar:

JIRA Server Discontinued: Its impact on software demand in the Financial sector
Risks, compliance, and tools in the Financial Sector
QA And Enterprise Management Solutions for the Financial Sector: SpiraPlan on-premise, its differentiators, and long-term deployment options.

The webinar recording and presentation are also enclosed below👇

Recap: Agility in Healthcare – Insights from Clinical and Surgical Settings

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 09 Mar 2021 00:00:00 GMT

On March 4, we hosted a webinar on Agility in Healthcare Services: Clinical and Surgical Settings with Sriram Rajagopalan, Ph.D. We had a few technical difficulties during the event, which we overcame by re-recording the event. In this recording, our esteemed speaker covers the following topics:

Stages of agility in the healthcare setting
Responsibilities of Healthcare professionals toward outcome management
Risk Management and Process Guidance in Clinical and Surgical Settings
Applying agile thinking in the Healthcare setting.

The webinar presentation, blog, and recording are enclosed here 👇

Spotlight on Spira 6.8 - Enhanced BDD and Gherkin Support

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 00:00:00 GMT

We are excited about the next release of Spira 6.8, due to be released in March. As we described in a recent blog post, this new version includes major enhancements to the documents management module to allow users the create and edit inline content directly in Spira. However this new feature also makes it amazing easy to write BDD style requirements and test cases in Spira using Gherkin syntax with automatic syntax highlighting. Intrigued, well read on...

Recap: Managing A Drug Development Lifecycle

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 19 Feb 2021 00:00:00 GMT

On February 18, 2021, Inflectra's Sriram Rajagopalan, Ph.D., led a discussion on the An Emerging Role of Project Management in Drug Discovery and Supply Chain. If you missed the webinar, please enjoy this recap, complete with the video recording and the presentation.

In this webinar, the presenter covered the following topics:

Key stages of drug management lifecycle
Responsibilities of Project and Program Management in the drug management lifecycle
Risk management and process guidance in the drug management lifecycle
How to apply Agile Thinking to the drug discovery lifecycle.

#TestBowl 2021: Inflectra's Virtual Software Testing Competition

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 19 Feb 2021 00:00:00 GMT

On February 11, 2021, Inflectra held its first virtual software testing competition - #TestBowl 2021! The event was a huge success, and everyone had a ton of fun!

How did Inflectra manage to pull off a truly entertaining virtual event and what lessons were learned?

Find the answers inside.

Recap: Building Quality Pipelines With SpiraPlan

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 10 Feb 2021 00:00:00 GMT

On February 4, 2021, Coveros and Inflectra co-hosted a virtual meetup where the representatives of the two companies discussed various aspects of how to deliver quality through a DevSecOps pipeline. The event used Inflectra's enterprise-grade portfolio management platform - SpiraPlan to demonstrate the above.

We hope you had a chance to join this fun event, which took place in a bespoke virtual environment! If you missed it, however, here is a full recap of the event!

Using the SpiraPlan Document Workflow Enhancements for GxP CFR Part 11 Projects

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 28 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMT

We're very excited about the upcoming release of SpiraPlan 6.7.1 for both our cloud and on-premise customers. In addition to the powerful new tools for developers and DevOps engineers, we also have some new document management enhancements that will be amazing for customers working in the life sciences, especially on GxP projects that have to follow FDA / EMA rules such as 21 CFR Part 11.

Recap: Moving Away from JIRA Server

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 27 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMT

On January 26, 2021, Inflectra hosted a webinar on the alternatives to Atlassian's JIRA and JIRA Server called: Know Your Options: Moving Away From Atlassian's JIRA Server. If you missed it, here is a full recap of the event!

The following topics were covered during the webinar:

JIRA Server Discontinued:
- What does this mean for your project(s)?
- What are the most common challenges and opportunities for your project(s)?
- What are the major alternatives to Atlassian JIRA Server For ALM?
SpiraTeam – JIRA Server Alternative:
- Why SpiraTeam on-premise is a great option?
- How to easily migrate from JIRA Server to SpiraTeam?

Recap: The Scrum Guide 2020

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 27 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMT

On January 21, 2021, Inflectra's Sriram Rajagopalan, Ph.D., led a discussion on the recent changes to the Scrum framework in a live event called: Scrum Guide 2020 - A Deep Dive. If you missed the webinar, please enjoy this recap, complete with the video recording and the presentation.

In this webinar, the presenter covered the following topics:

Understand the responsibilities of the Scrum Team
Pivot on the goal of Scrum as a product management framework
Explore the foundations of the Scrum Framework that remain unchanged
Specific aspects requiring attention when implementing Scrum.

Spotlight on Spira 6.8 - Inline Content Editing of Rich Text and Markdown

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMT

We are excited about the next release of Spira 6.8, due to be released in March. This new version includes major enhancements to the documents management module to allow users the create and edit inline content directly in Spira. Customers have asked us for ways to make authoring the unstructured, freeform content easier in Spira, similar to how they could use a Wiki, Google Docs, or Confluence page. This new functionality lets you write plain text, rich text, and markdown inside Spira and have all of the versioning and workflow capabilities at your disposal. Of course, you can link this content to your requirements, test cases, and other Spira artifacts.

Webinar Recap: Spira v6.7 - New SCM Functionality for Devs

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 13 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMT

We are happy to share with you a recap of our recent webinar on Spira v6.7 - New Source Code Management Functionality for Devs. If you missed the webinar, please enjoy this video recording.

In this webinar, Adam Sandman covered the following topics:
- Spira 6.7 at a glance
- Enhanced Source Code Management module
- Markdown Preview & Rendering Capability
- Integrated Source Code Difference Viewing

- Source Code Pull Requests & Code Reviewing (Spira v6.7.1 preview)

Spotlight on Spira 6.7.1 - CI Build and Source Code Diff Enhancements

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 13 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMT

We are excited about the next release of Spira 6.7.1, due to be released in early February. This new version includes some usability enhancements for viewing the differences between changes in large source code files as well as a major overhaul of the continuous integration (CI) build details page. These enhancements streamline the viewing of CI builds and verifying the code changes included in each CI build.

Spotlight on Spira 6.7.1 - Source Code Pull Requests & Code Reviewing

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMT

We are excited about the next release of Spira 6.7.1, due to be released in early February. This new version includes new source code Pull Requests functionality that lets development teams leverage the existing tasks feature in Spira to more easily track the different code branches. The Pull Request tasks are used to help teams review the code before they are merged into the main development branches (develop, master or main depending on your branching and merging methodology).

Spotlight on Spira 6.7.1 - Generating Documents from Reports

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMT

We are excited about the next release of Spira 6.7.1, due to be released in early February 2021. One of the key new features is the ability to automatically save generated reports from the Reports center into the Documents Management module, where they can be archived and versioned.

APIs Are Loose In The Wild: EuroSTAR 2020 Q & A

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 08 Dec 2020 00:00:00 GMT

During the recent EuroSTAR 2020 Virtual Conference, Adam Sandman, Director of Technology at Inflectra presented a session on Testing APIs in the Wild. During this talk, there were many questions from the attendees, but unfortunately during the session, there was only time to answer a few of them. In this blog, Adam covers some of the remaining questions.

Webinar Recap: Spira v6.6 - Working With Baselines

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 00:00:00 GMT

We are happy to share with you a recap of our recent live webinar on Spira 6.6 - Project Baselining. If you missed the webinar, please enjoy this video recording.

Webinar Agenda:

The webinar will cover the following areas:

Spira v6.6 at a glance
How baselining works in SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan
Inflectra's roadmap for baselining 2021.

How to Export Projects from Jira Server to Spira

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 18 Nov 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Since we published our article letting our users know of Atlassian's plans to phase out and discontinue Jira Server, we have had many Spira users contact us to ask us if they could export their projects from Jira Server to Spira (either on-premise or cloud) and continue working in Spira instead of Jira. This article provides some strategies for migrating the data from Jira Server to Spira as easily as possible. Of course, for those looking to migrate to Jira Cloud, Spira works perfectly with Jira Cloud as well.

Webinar Recap: Rapise 6.6 - New Features and Enhancements

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 00:00:00 GMT

We are happy to share with you a recap of our recent live webinar on Rapise 6.6 - New Features and Enhancements. If you missed the webinar, please enjoy this video recording.

Webinar Agenda:

The webinar will cover the following areas:

Rapise 6.6 - new features and improvements
New features: CI/CD integration, Git integration, and Framework building.
System Enhancements: Reporting, Rapise Launcher, API Testing; new Actions to already supported Objects.

Spotlight on Spira 6.7 - Markdown Preview & Rendering Capability

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 00:00:00 GMT

We are excited about the next release of Spira 6.7 that is due to be released in early December. As mentioned in the previous article on the new release, a key area of focus in this new release is improving the experience and functionality for developers and development teams. With that in mind, we have revamped the source code management and documents management module, and for the first time, there is now a way to view rendered markdown files directly in Spira.

How To Leverage #TestBowl 2021 To Crowd-Test Your App

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 16 Nov 2020 00:00:00 GMT

If you have a new app, software, or website that is ready for testing, we have a free and fun way to help you out. As part of the Inflectra-run software testing competition - #TestBowl, we are offering to crowd-test your software for free!

All you need to do is apply before February 1, 2021!

Spotlight on Spira 6.7 - Integrated Source Code Difference Viewing

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 10 Nov 2020 00:00:00 GMT

We are excited about the next release of Spira 6.7, due to be released in early December. As mentioned in the previous article on the new release, a key area of focus in this new release is improving the experience and functionality for developers and development teams. With that in mind, we have revamped the source code management module, and for the first time, there is now a native code difference viewing capability in Spira.

Join Adam Sandman at EuroSTAR 2020 for API Testing Talk

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 09 Nov 2020 00:00:00 GMT

I am delighted to be part of EuroSTAR 2020. I can’t wait to get involved, learn and connect with all the testers that are joining from across the globe.

Join me for my talk ‘APIs are Loose - How Do We Test Them?’, Says Adam Sandman, Technical Director at Inflectra.

Advantages of Integrating a DevSecOps Pipeline with Spira | InflectraCon 2020 IRL

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 06 Nov 2020 00:00:00 GMT

We have recently hosted Inflectra's annual user conference - InflectraCon. In 2020, we have dedicated InflectraCon to Agile Software Testing and DevOps theme and held it virtually. InflectraCon 2020 combined multiple tracks, of which, one - called Inflectra in Real Life or IRL in short - showcased the various uses of the Inflectra platforms (SpiraTest, SpiraTeam, SpiraPlan, Rapise, Kronodesk, etc.)

Today, we present an InflectraCon 2020 IRL talk by our Sponsor - Coveros. The session focuses on how the Spira toolset can be used in a DevSecOps pipeline, giving you the tools needed to get rapid feedback and quickly find and fix defects.

Enjoy this recap!

Time To Get Excited About Inflectra's Discord Community

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 05 Nov 2020 00:00:00 GMT

We are launching Inflectra's first global online community - InflectraCon365 on Discord and we want you to be a part of it!

InflectraCon 365 is a vendor/tool-agnostic community platform, moderated by tester-practitioners. It is designed to be a hub for the robust exchange of ideas, sharing of experiences, announcements about training and work opportunities, freelancing, and blogging. Memes, geekiness, and rants about all manner of tech fails are the spice of our online community.

Join the community today!

The Connect Virtual Conference Platform Is Now Open-Source | InflectraCon 2020

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 05 Nov 2020 00:00:00 GMT

We have amazing news!

The source code for a fully customizable and free virtual conferencing platform is now available to the delight of all independent event companies and community conference organizers everywhere.

The conference platform is called Connect and it is born out of Inflectra's Connect conference platform - the same one we used to run our wildly successful InflectraCon 2020 Virtual. The details of the open-source Connect conference platform are available as a project on GitHub!

InflectraCon 2020: Where To Watch Workshops, Talks and Sessions

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 05 Nov 2020 00:00:00 GMT

When our annual user conference - InflectraCon 2020 ended at midnight on Oct 2, we have already decided to extend participants' access to all 70+ talks and sessions until October 31, 2020. Now that the deadline is fast approaching, we are making changes to where and how viewers can expect to access the content.

Spotlight on Spira 6.7 - Enhanced Source Code Management

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 03 Nov 2020 00:00:00 GMT

We are excited about the next release of Spira 6.7 that is due to be released in early December. This new version has lots of general enhancements, bug fixes, and improvements to baselining. However, a key feature of this new version is a completely revamped Source Code Management module. Our company's mission is to enable Harmony between developers, testers, and managers, and this new release is focused heavily on the needs of Developers.

From Bunkum to Bank with SpiraPlan | InflectraCon 2020 IRL

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 02 Nov 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Today, we present an InflectraCon 2020 IRL talk by our Sponsor - Influence IT Consulting. The session focuses on how SpiraPlan was implemented in an Australian neo-bank to help organize, manage, and test ready for the initial launch. Enjoy the presentation below!

Transform Software Testing and Quality with NeoLoad and Inflectra | InflectraCon 2020 IRL

info@inflectra.com — Sat, 31 Oct 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Today, we present an InflectraCon 2020 IRL talk by our Sponsor - Neotys called Transform Software Testing and Quality with NeoLoad and Inflectra. The session takes a deep dive into how to automate your performance test and start testing earlier, reminding the viewers of the value of the integration between NeoLoad, SpiraTeam, and Rapise.

Enjoy the presentation below!

Spira for Non-Software Applications: Covid-19 Mask Testing | InflectraCon 2020 IRL

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 30 Oct 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Our annual user conference - InflectraCon 2020: Agile Software Testing & DevOps Conference is in the rearview mirror. Today, we are proud to present the Inflectra In Real Life (IRL) talk by our partner sponsor - NVP Software Solutions, called Spira for Non-Software Applications: Covid-19 Mask Testing.

The session focuses on how Spira supports the testing of Covid-19 masks under varying conditions and the transit application.

Enjoy the recording below!

Simplifying Test Estimation | InflectraCon 2020 IRL

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 29 Oct 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra is happy to present an InflectraCon 2020 IRL talk by our friend from far away New Zealand - Geoff Horne. In the session, Geoff demonstrates an Excel-based tool for estimating software testing projects.

Scaling Spira On-Premise: Enterprise Deployment of Spira | InflectraCon 2020 IRL

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 27 Oct 2020 00:00:00 GMT

In early October 2020, we hosted Inflectra's annual user conference - InflectraCon. In 2020, we have dedicated InflectraCon to Agile Software Testing and DevOps theme and held it virtually. InflectraCon 2020 combined multiple tracks, of which, one - called Inflectra in Real Life or IRL in short - showcased the various uses of the Inflectra platforms (SpiraTest, SpiraTeam, SpiraPlan, Rapise, Kronodesk, etc.).

Today, we'd like to share with you an interview with our loyal customer and friend - Jill Ball of the Cincinnati Insurance Company. This interview was recorded as part of the InfletraCon 2020 IRL track. The interview highlights the growing on-premise implementation from 20 users to 1350 with redundancy and load-balancing for Spira administrators and architects. Enjoy the presentation below!

Implementing a Large HR ERP System using SpiraPlan at EY | InflectraCon 2020 IRL

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 27 Oct 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Today, we'd like to share with you an interview with our Dutch Partner - Robust-IT as part of the InfletraCon 2020 IRL track. The interview highlights the benefits that EY found adopting the SpiraPlan platform for managing the entire implementation and rollout of SAP SuccessFactors.

Enjoy the recording of the interview below!

It’s Automation Jim... But Not As We Know It! | InflectraCon 2020 IRL

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 26 Oct 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Today, we present an InflectraCon 2020 IRL talk called: It’s Automation Jim... But Not As We Know It! by our dear friend, Aaron Athfield, the Technology Director at Ceefa Software. The session demos the WorX Manual Testing Accelerator for SpiraTest. Enjoy the presentation below!

Best Practices: Choosing Your ALM Tool-Set | InflectraCon 2020 IRL

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 26 Oct 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Today, we present an InflectraCon 2020 IRL talk by our German Partner - PTA. The session focuses on best practices for how to choose the most appropriate ALM toolset for your company. Enjoy the presentation below!

IQM Studio - Enhanced Model-based Testing Add-On for Spira and Rapise | InflectraCon 2020 IRL

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 22 Oct 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Below, we will present an InflectraCon 2020 IRL talk by our US-based Partner - Critical Logic. The session demonstrates how IQM Studio generates tests and scripts and how to integrate it with SpiraTest for test management and with Rapise for script execution.

Jira Server Discontinued by Atlassian - Inflectra Spira is Here for You

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 00:00:00 GMT

With Atlassian's recent announcement that they would be discontinuing Jira Server in favor of the cloud version, we, at Inflectra would like to reaffirm our long-standing commitment to releasing Spira as both a cloud-hosted subscription and an on-premise solution. Why and how we are staying true to our customers is outlined in these passages below.

Women In Tech Get It Done

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 00:00:00 GMT

About 10 days ago, we bid farewell to InflectraCon™ 2020 Virtual - Inflectra’s Agile Testing & DevOps conference. It was an unmitigated success with some 40 world-class speakers, 600+ attendees from 43 countries, and over 80 hours of learning on the most cutting edge topics in the software testing industry. Among InflectraCon 2020 highlights, we want to recognize the talent, expertise, and dedication to their craft by a fantastic cast of women technologists from the US and abroad!

With InflectraCon 2020 in the rearview mirror, we now look to the future. And in doing so, we look to those paving the way in their industries, making their mark and setting examples for girls all over the world to look up to. Without further ado, let us introduce you to the amazing women blazing trails in AI, software development, testing and validation, tech leadership, and many other fields (presented here in alphabetical order).

How to Connect to InflectraCon 2020 Virtual | September 29, 12 AM (EDT)

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 28 Sep 2020 00:00:00 GMT

InflecraCON 2020 Virtual is tomorrow!

Well, technically it kicks off on September 29 at 12 AM (EDT), so depending on your time zone, it may already be tomorrow where you are!

Join our multi-track, four-day virtual conference focusing on software testing, agile methodologies, DevOps, and program management with Inflectra®'s platform. The program is fully on-demand (like Netflix) and includes workshops, thought leadership from industry experts, examples of real-life application of Inflectra® systems, and deep-dives into testing, requirements, and agile management, test automation, and business intelligence.

If you are wondering how to access our very own CONNECT platform where InflectraCon 2020 takes place, keep reading below:

Introducing the InflectraCon Connect On-Demand Conference Platform

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 17 Sep 2020 00:00:00 GMT

As you can probably tell by now, we're excited to meet you at our upcoming InflectraCon 2020 conference in less than two weeks time (can you believe it!). One of the insanely cool things we have in store for you is our new on-demand conferencing platform - InflectraCon Connect. Lovingly crafted by our crack team of designers, programmers and marketing professionals, Connect will offer an unparalleled global conference experience. In this article, we peel back the curtain and explore some of the key aspects of the Connect experience...

Why You Shouldn't Miss InflectraCon 2020 Virtual

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 08 Sep 2020 00:00:00 GMT

On September 29 - October 2, 2020, Team Inflectra is throwing the biggest event of the year - its annual, global user conference - InflectraCon™!

In 2020 InflectraCon is delivered virtually, with all talks available on demand for 24 hours on each of 4 conference days!

In 2020, InflectraCon's focus is on agile software testing and DevOps using the Inflectra platforms: SpiraTest, SpiraTeam, SpiraPlan, and Rapise. Designed to meet the training and self-improvement needs of Inflectra's users, the conference proudly offers over 75 hours of learning through a wide variety of opportunities:

4 days of virtual learning with over 80 on-demand sessions accessible by all from midnight to midnight each conference day
8 Keynotes by renowned international speakers
4 Workshop blocks with over 30 sessions on QA, Program Management, Automation & Administration with Inflectra Platform
3 Advanced Topic blocks with over 20 sessions we the Inflectra experts dive deep into each platform to help you leverage their various capabilities
22 thought-leadership talks across four thematic streams
a dozen Inflectra Case Studies and "How-To" Talks
3 half-day certification & accreditation courses from ICAgile and ASTQB
networking, and more!

Tickets start at an unbelievable $79.99!

Get your ticket today!

Tipsy Testing - Inflectra Virtual Happy Hour

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 27 Aug 2020 00:00:00 GMT

When the global pandemic induced lockdowns world-wide and trapped Team Inflectra indoors in mid-March 2020, we started to think about how we could limit the disruption it caused to our team, but also our fans everywhere. With everyone working remotely, we soon realized we craved others' company and wanted to stay in touch. We found that the best way to stay connected to our partners, customers, fans, and friends was through weekly virtual happy hours. We called these casual get-togethers Tipsy Testing - to emphasize their loose focus on software testing, agile management, DevOps, software engineering, and project management. Tipsy Testing is unscripted and is completely listener-driven, as we try to answer as many listener-supplied questions as we can cover in an hour-long segment.

Importantly, Tipsy Testing is about supporting each other, making new friends, sharing productivity tips and tricks, learning from one another, and discovering fancy, often local breweries and delicious artisanal cocktails along the way.

Here is where Tipsy Testing stands today:

Spotlight on Spira 6.6 - Agile Planning Enhancements, Plan by Points

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 13 Aug 2020 00:00:00 GMT

One of the focus areas in the new release v6.6 of SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan is to improve the support for different agile project management methodologies and approaches. In this article we'll discuss some of the exciting new features that have been added to Spira to better support the popular Scrum agile methodology, in including the ability to choose to plan by points vs. hours.

Spotlight on Spira 6.6 - Kanban Work In Progress (WIP) Support Added

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 11 Aug 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Spotlight on Spira 6.6 - Project Baselining Enhancements

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 07 Aug 2020 00:00:00 GMT

One of the focus areas in the new release v6.6 of SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan is completing the initial support for baselining. This is an exciting new piece of functionality that makes SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan especially well suited for managing requirements, test cases and artifacts on more complex systems and engineering projects.

Inflectra's SpiraTeam Is Having A Moment

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 13 Jul 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra's Application Lifecycle Management platform - SpiraTeam is finally coming to its own!

SpiraTeam is an integrated solution that helps teams manage requirements, tests, plans, tasks, bugs, and issues in one environment, with end-to-end traceability baked in. The product first hit the proverbial shelves in 2011; it had a few make-overs along the way, and as of July 2020, it is thriving in its version 6.6.

In our humble opinion, SpiraTeam has been an excellent ALM platform for a while, but it took the world a bit to catch up. And now that it has, it can not get enough of SpiraTeam!

Here is a sampling of the recent SpiraTeam accolades from across the internet:

Webinar Recap: Top Productivity Boosting Features of SpiraPlan

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 08 Jul 2020 00:00:00 GMT

On July 2, 2020, Adam Sandman, Inflectra's Director of Technology hosted a live webinar called: Top Productivity Boosting Features of SpiraPlan - highlighting the productivity-enhancing, risk-minimizing, and project scale-up features of SpiraPlan - Inflectra's Agile Portfolio Management Platform.

WEBINAR AGENDA:

The webinar covered the following areas:

transitioning from QA to Portfolio Management with SpiraPlan
Powerful Program and #Portfolio management (including for DevOps)
Enhanced Planning Boards
Risk Management
SpiraPlan and scaling agile/SAFe
Easy upgrade from SpiraTest to SpiraPlan.

If you missed the webinar, you can watch the recording here 👇.

InflectraCon 2020 Virtual - Partner Summit

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 08 Jul 2020 00:00:00 GMT

We are excited to announce the launch of the Inflectra Partner Summit at this year's global Agile Testing and DevOps Conference - InflectraCon 2020 Virtual. The Inflectra Partner Summit is a hub for sharing thoughts and insights as we offer partner-specific presentations, sales training, and discussions through interactive sessions on September 29, 2020.

Spotlight on Spira 6.5.2 - Manual Testing Customization Enhancements

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 08 Jul 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Over the past few years, we have collected many enhancement requests for the test case execution page, to make it easier to show and hide certain options, make specific data required, and allow the settings to be configured differently for different products. Well we are happy to add these long awaited features to our upcoming v6.5.2 release.

Spotlight on Spira 6.5.2 - Requirements and Test Case Baselining

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 06 Jul 2020 00:00:00 GMT

One of the focus areas in the upcoming release v6.5.2 of SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan is support for baselining. This is an exciting new piece of functionality that will make SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan especially well suited for managing requirements, test cases and artifacts on more complex systems and engineering projects.

Inflectra Supports ISTC 2020 Tester Competition

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 06 Jul 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra is once again excited to support this year’s Israeli Software Testing Cup!

Sponsors in 2017, 2018, and 2019, we’re happy to continue to support the Israeli testing community through this competition. Inflectra is making its award-winning test management solution - SpiraTest available to the teams, judges, and organizers to run the competition.

Spotlight on Spira 6.5.2 - Visibility of User Stories through the DevOps Toolchain

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 01 Jul 2020 00:00:00 GMT

One of the focus areas in the upcoming release v6.5.2 of SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan is to streamline and improve the process for managing code within Spira, and providing better traceability between source code revisions, CI builds, DevOps pipelines, and Spira artifacts such as requirements, user stories, tasks, defects and change requests. In this article we describe some of the enhancements coming in the next version.

Webinar Recap: How To Test MS Dynamics Unified Service Desk Through The UI

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 26 Jun 2020 00:00:00 GMT

On June 24th, 2020, Denis Markovtsev hosted the last live webinar in the MS Dynamics series called: How To Test MS Dynamics Unified Service Desk Through The UI Like A Pro. The webinar focused on the following learning objectives:

How to start testing Unified Service Desk with Rapise,
How to launch Unified Service Desk from an automated test
How to automate navigation within Unified Service Desk
How to record a test case and make it a part of the framework for regular execution

If you missed the webinar, here are some of the highlights!

Webinar Recap: Why Use a “Benefits Register” in Programs and Portfolios

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 00:00:00 GMT

On June 16th, 2020, Inflectra's agile champion - Sriram Rajagopalan, Ph.D. hosted the last webinar in the Risk Management webinar series. The webinar explored why to use a “Benefits Register” in programs and portfolios.

If you missed the webinar, please enjoy this recap, complete with a video recording.

Webinar Agenda:

The webinar covered the following areas:

How to establish the value of benefits in the program and portfolios
The important principles of benefits register
The approaches to using the benefits register in value delivery
How to use the Benefits Register effectively.

Webinar Recap: UI Automation 101: 5 Ways To Use Rapise Frameworks

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 16 Jun 2020 00:00:00 GMT

On June 10, 2020, Inflectra and Alexey Grinevich, Ph.D. hosted the last webinar in the series called: UI Automation 101. In this webinar, Team Rapise focused on 5 Ways To Use Rapise Frameworks and discussed the following:

Rapise features relevant to the typical Test Framework process
Different approaches to the test framework design
The real-life examples of testing frameworks in Rapise.

If you missed the webinar, please enjoy this recap below, complete with a video recording.

Spotlight on Spira 6.5.1 - Program & Portfolio Enhancements for DevOps

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Webinar Recap: NERC-CIP: Top Testing & Compliance Challenges & How To Address Them

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 04 Jun 2020 00:00:00 GMT

On June 2, 2020, Inflectra's Adam Sandman and NVP Software Solutions' Neil Price-Jones hosted a joint webinar on NERC-CIP: Top Testing & Compliance Challenges & How To Address Them.

The webinar covers the following:

Key challenges in testing and developing software for the energy industry
Key NERC-CIP requirements for operating North America's bulk electric system
Best Practices in addressing NERC-CIP compliance
Technology and tools: How SpiraPlan can transform your testing, verification, and compliance of NERC-CIP.

If you missed the webinar, you can watch the recording here 👇.

Blog: What’s the Problem with User Stories?

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 00:00:00 GMT

We are happy to share a blog post by Inflectra’s Director of Technology - Adam Sandman called What’s the Problem with User Stories? published on TechWell Insights website. The blog explores key challenges associated with relying solely on user stories for requirements’ definition.

Webinar Recap: How To Test MS Dynamics 365 for Finance & Operations

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 00:00:00 GMT

On May 27th, 2020, Denis Markovtsev hosted a webinar called: How To Test MS Dynamics 365 for Finance & Operations focusing on the following learning objectives:

How to start testing Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations with Rapise
How to launch Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations from an automated test
How to automate navigation within Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations
How to record a test case and make it a part of the framework for regular execution.

If you missed the webinar, here are some of the highlights!

Scaling Your Agile Process With SpiraPlan

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 26 May 2020 00:00:00 GMT

One of the limitations of standard agile methodologies is that they are designed to operate primarily at the team level, with product owners, developers, testers, and other disciplines working together as a single team. So when you want to adopt agile practices on large programs or within large organizations, a scaled agile approach may be more appropriate. Learn how to scale agile with SpiraPlan.

Webinar Recap: How To Leverage A Risk Register To Manage Risks

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 22 May 2020 00:00:00 GMT

On May 13, 2020, Inflectra's agile champion - Sriram Rajagopalan, Ph.D. hosted a live webinar in the Risk Management webinar series. This second webinar in the series explored the how-tos of Leveraging a risk register to manage risks in programs and portfolios.

If you missed the webinar, please enjoy this recap, complete with a video recording.

Webinar Agenda:

The webinar covered the following areas:

How to establish the context of risks in projects, programs, and portfolio
A review of the important principles of risks in project delivery
How to differentiate the various elements of a risk register
How to evaluate tools that can be used for managing risks in larger initiatives.

Webinar Recap: 7 Little Known Ways To Leverage RVL

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 20 May 2020 00:00:00 GMT

On May 13, 2020, Inflectra's automation champion - Alexey Grinevich, Ph.D. hosted a live webinar in the UI Automation 101 webinar series. This second webinar in the series explored the hows-to of leveraging Rapise Visual Language (RVL).

If you missed the webinar, please enjoy this recap, complete with a video recording.

Webinar Agenda:

The webinar covered the following areas:

How to use RVL for codeless scripts
RVL's role in the maintenance
RVL's role in designing testing frameworks.

TeleTesting Part Two - One Month Later

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 07 May 2020 00:00:00 GMT

It was only about six weeks ago that we wrote our first article on TeleTesting, our suggestions for dealing with the sudden move to teleworking and distributed agile teams, and how to ensure that high-quality, well tested software is still released. It seems like an age since that article was released, with changes in lifestyles and working patterns that will probably persist for most of this year. In this article we check in to see how it has been going.

The Business Case for Test Management With SpiraTest

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 05 May 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Often we get asked the question, how do you determine the Return on Investment (ROI) of purchasing and using SpiraTest to manage a team's requirements, test cases and defects. If the organization in question is using another tool (for example Micro Focus / HP ALM) it is easy, you simply compare features and license cost. However what is the ROI and business case for teams that are using manual methods, using MS-Word and MS-Excel instead of a tool? This is a bit trickier to calculate, so don't worry - we've put together a handy spreadsheet to help you out!

Webinar Recap: How To Test MS Dynamics 365 for Sales Through The UI

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 04 May 2020 00:00:00 GMT

On April 29th, 2020, our automation champion - Denis Markovtsev, Ph.D took us on a journey exploring the testing of MS Dynamics 365 for Sales Through the UI. The webinar focusing on the following how-to's:

Start testing Dynamics 365 for Sales with Rapise
Launch Dynamics 365 for Sales from an automated test
Automate navigation within Dynamics 365 for Sales
Record a test case and make it a part of the framework for regular execution.

If you missed the webinar, here 👇 are some of the highlights!

Webinar Recap: Why to Use RACI to Manage Stakeholders?

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 28 Apr 2020 00:00:00 GMT

On April 23, 2020, Inflectra and #SriramRajagopalan hosted a webinar called: Why to use RACI to Manage Stakeholders? This is the 1st webinar in the Risk Management series by Inflectra. If you missed the webinar, please enjoy the recap in this blog.

Main Take-Aways:

The webinar covers the following topics:

how to establish the importance of engaging stakeholders
review the stakeholder engagement tools
understanding the role that RACI plays in an organizational context
review the patterns in using the RACI correctly.

Spotlight on Spira 6.5 - Portfolio & Program Management Enhancements

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 23 Apr 2020 00:00:00 GMT

As we get ready for the upcoming release of SpiraTest, SpiraTeam, and SpiraPlan, we'd like to introduce some of the new functionality that will be available in this release. This release includes two main features, plus lots of smaller enhancements and bug fixes. The two main marquee features are Portfolio and Program Management Dashboards, and new additional views of the release and task pages, including a Gantt view that will enhance our support for traditional waterfall and hybrid projects.

Webinar Recap: How To Easily Migrate from Micro Focus Toolset and Save Money

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 20 Apr 2020 00:00:00 GMT

On April 17th, Inflectra's Adam Sandman headlined a live webinar called: How To Easily Migrate from MicroFocus and Save Money.

If you missed the webinar, please enjoy this recap, complete with a video recording.

Webinar Agenda:

Features of SpiraPlan that outperform Micro Focus’ ALM tool
Rapise as a powerful alternative to UFT and LoadRunner in functional and performance testing
How SpiraPlan and Rapise offer you a more powerful, comprehensive, and cost-saving solution
The ease of migrating from Micro Focus to Inflectra’s Platform.

Inflectra To Speak at TestingMind Virtual Events - Spring 2020

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 16 Apr 2020 00:00:00 GMT

This spring, Inflectra has the good fortune to collaborate with TestingMind and to bring you three amazing talks on a range of topics- all under the rubric of Emerging Test Automation and Digital Influence in QA. The event is virtual and is taking place on April 24- 28th.

Clone, Copy and Split - What's the Difference?

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 13 Apr 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Several of our users have mentioned that in Spira we have different options for duplicating items, including Copy, Clone and for some artifacts Split. In this article we shed some light on the different options and how you can use them.

Webinar Recap: How To Test MS Dynamics AX through the UI Like A Pro

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 00:00:00 GMT

On April 1, 2020 Denis Markovtsev took us on a journey exploring the testing of MS Dynamics AX through the UI focusing on the following learning objectives:

understanding how to start testing Dynamics AX with Rapise,
practicing launching Dynamics AX from an automated test
automating the navigation within Dynamics AX
learning how to record a test case and make it a part of the framework for regular execution.

If you missed the webinar, here are some of the highlights!

New Ways To Use Project Management Software for More Efficient Projects

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Project management software has been around long enough that it’s fairly ubiquitous for businesses of all types. Teams from sales and marketing to manufacturing and software development use project management software to organize the myriad moving parts of business projects. But modern project management software doesn’t stop at tracking projects. Valuable features and reporting built right into today’s PM platforms make it easy for teams to use the software to help them build better processes, save time, and increase profitability across an organization.

Webinar Recap: How To Accelerate Software Testing, Validation & Compliance Of Your Medical Trials

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 00:00:00 GMT

On March 25 2020, Inflectra's Adam Sandman headlined a live webinar called: How To Accelerate Software Testing, Validation & Compliance Of Your Medical Trials. The webinar focuses on compliance with HIPAA and FDA 21 CFR Part 11 and discusses how SpiraPlan makes that compliance front and center of your software development and testing initiatives.

If you missed the webinar, please enjoy this recap, complete with a video recording.

Webinar Agenda:

The webinar covered the following areas:

The urgency around Software Validation & Testing
Best practices in Software Validation & Testing
SpiraPlan Compliance Features: Electronic Signatures, End-to-End Traceability, Audit Trails.

Test Automation Training While You Are Teleworking

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 27 Mar 2020 00:00:00 GMT

As we discussed in our blog on Teletesting (testing while teleworking), working from home has its challenges, with difficulties in setting work/home boundaries, avoiding distractions and knowing when to take a break. However teleworking and being at home during a quarantine or lockdown is a perfect time to brush up on your skills and get some training. So, building on our new Rapise Quick Start implementation packages, we are pleased to offer some free training while you are sequestered.

Webinar Recap: UI Automation 101: Tables, Grids and Trees

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 23 Mar 2020 00:00:00 GMT

On March 18, 2020, Inflectra's automation champion - Alexey Grinevich, Ph.D. hosted a live webinar in the UI Automation 101 webinar series. This second webinar in the series explored the hows-to of automating tables, grids and trees

If you missed the webinar, please enjoy this recap, complete with a video recording.

Webinar Agenda:

The webinar covered the following areas:

Grids and Tables automation - APIs, recording, playback
Trees automation - APIs, recording, playback
Useful hints and tricks.

TeleTesting - 10 Tips for DevOps and Software Testing while Teleworking

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 00:00:00 GMT

During the last couple of weeks, the world has been turned upside down with the onslaught of the COVID-19 Coronavirus. As part of our response plan, we have moved Inflectra to 100% telework to reduce the chance of community transmission. A lot of newspapers and blogs have great tips about how to work remotely and stay sane and be effective. However, we have found there are some specific tips that make things easier for software development teams working remotely - TeleTesting if you wish!

Webinar Recap: UI Automation 101: Working with Navigation & Menus

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 00:00:00 GMT

On February 19, 2020, Inflectra's automation champion - Alexey Grinevich, Ph.D. hosted the very first live webinar in the UI Automation 101 webinar series. This first webinar looked at ways of automating your navigation and menus.

If you missed the webinar, please enjoy this recap, complete with a video recording.

Webinar Agenda:

The webinar covered the following areas:

Overview of navigation methods
Practical examples of navigation
Useful tips and tricks.

Webinar Recap: Why is Setting a PMO Necessary with the Growth of Agile?

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 00:00:00 GMT

On March 10, 2020 Inflectra and Sriram Rajagopalan hosted a live webinar: Why is Setting a PMO Necessary with the Growth of Agile?

If you missed the webinar, here is a recap blog to catch you up.

WEBINAR TAKEAWAYS:

Why have a central body of excellence regardless of delivery framework
How to differentiate the various flavors of PMO structure
What are the essential characteristics of PMO
How to set up a PMO

Scroll down to view the recording.

We Are In It Together: Compassion and Empathy for Our Conference and Event Partners

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 00:00:00 GMT

One of the strange features of the Coronavirus epidemic is that we are being asked to limit social interaction to prevent the spread of the disease, while at the same time, the anxiety around what is happening is increasing our need to talk to each other and have social interaction. We were inspired by the recent article in the Washington Post - "Compassion in the time of coronavirus" to think about the people we normally work with, that are having a hard time, and try and send some much needed virtual love and support.

Webinar recap: Spira v6.5 - Portfolios & Oauth Have Arrived

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 00:00:00 GMT

On March 5, 2020 Inflectra hosted a live webinar: Spira v6.5 - Portfolios & Oauth Have Arrived.

If you missed the webinar, here is a recap of the most important take-aways 👇:

Webinar Recap: Scream For Scrum or Scream At Scrum: What’s Going On?

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 00:00:00 GMT

On February 7, 2020 Inflectra and Sriram Rajagopalan hosted a live webinar: Scream For Scrum or Scream At Scrum: What’s Going On?

If you missed the webinar, here is a recap blog to catch you up.

WEBINAR TAKEAWAYS:

Discover management patterns that sow the seeds of Scrum failure
Understand the empirical principles of Scrum and its core values
Learn about the patterns of failure in Scrum implementation
Identify the team-specific patterns for Scrum success.

Scroll down to view the recording.

SpiraPlan Brings Harmony to Jira and Azure DevOps

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 05 Mar 2020 00:00:00 GMT

During our InflectraCon conference last year, one of the key themes was Harmony, and how Inflectra's software and products can foster harmony in the software development and testing lifecycle. One of the key ways we do this is by making it easy for teams to work in their favorite tools and have the data be available to other teams seamlessly. Many customers have teams using a combination of different Atlassian Jira instances, Microsoft Azure DevOps instances and other tools. In this article I will be discussing how such heterogeneous environments can benefit from SpiraPlan.

Testing MS Dynamics Through The UI Like A Pro - A Webinar Series

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 04 Mar 2020 00:00:00 GMT

On March 4th, 2020 Inflectra launched the 4th installment in its famous test automation webinar series series called: Testing MS Dynamics Through The UI Like A Pro. This step 4 webinar series builds on the earlier test automation series’: Test Automation, Demystified and Planet Test Automation: First Steps while also working in parallel with the current UI Automation 101 series.

Testing MS Dynamics Through The UI Like A Pro series aims to help you launch the testing of your MS Dynamics product. We will look at the following how-to's: bootstrap a testing framework and perform essential test automation tasks and organize your teamwork and create tests that are easy to enhance and maintain.

Details are inside!

Webinar Recap: Metrics in the Brand New World of Programs and Portfolios

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 03 Mar 2020 00:00:00 GMT

On February 18, 2020 Inflectra and Sriram Rajagopalan hosted a live webinar: Scream For Scrum or Scream At Scrum: What’s Going On?

If you missed the webinar, here is a recap of the webinar.

WEBINAR TAKEAWAYS:

Learn how to establish the value of metrics in the program and portfolio
Identify the most important principles around metrics
Choose the metrics that need to be in place for programs and portfolios
Apply and integrate metrics into agile and lean initiatives within programs.

The webinar recording is inside.

UI Automation 101 - A Webinar Series

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 02 Mar 2020 00:00:00 GMT

On February 19th, 2020 Inflectra launched the 3rd installment in its famous test automation webinar series series called: UI Automation 101. This step 3 webinar series builds on the earlier test automation series’ - Test Automation, Demystified and - Planet Test Automation: First Steps. This series aims to strengthen participants' grasp of the major test automation activities and learn the essentials of Test Automation.

Details are inside!

Webinar Recap: Rapise v6.3 - Better Test Frameworks for Your Applications

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 24 Feb 2020 00:00:00 GMT

On February 12, 2019, Inflectra hosted a live webinar on the new and improved features of its software test automation platform - Rapise (version 6.3). If you missed the webinar, please enjoy this recap, complete with a video recording.

Webinar Recap: Top Five Techniques for Managing Programs and Portfolios

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 14 Feb 2020 00:00:00 GMT

On February 7, 2020 Inflectra and Sriram Rajagopalan hosted a live webinar: Top Five Techniques for Managing Programs and Portfolios.

If you missed the webinar, here is a recap of the most important take-aways:

Theory Behind Top 5 Techniques for Managing Programs and Portfolios

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 00:00:00 GMT

In the following article, Sriram Rajagopalan - Inflectra's Enterprise Agile Champion shares his thoughts and experience managing program and portfolios.

This blog complements Inflectra's February 7th webinar on the same topic, with the webinar recording available inside.

Spotlight on Spira 6.4 - Single Sign On with OAuth and Reports Enhancements

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 00:00:00 GMT

As we get ready for the release of SpiraTest, SpiraTeam, and SpiraPlan 6.4 early next month, we'd like to introduce some of the new functionality that will be available in this release. This release includes two main features, plus lots of smaller enhancements and bug fixes. The two main marquee features are support for Single Sign On (SSO) using the industry standard OAuth 2.0 protocol, and some major enhancements to the Reports dashboard.

Theory Behind Incorporating Lean & Kanban in Product Lifecycle Management

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 04 Feb 2020 00:00:00 GMT

In the following post Sriram Rajagopalan - Inflectra's Enterprise Agile Champion discusses the theory of leadership in product management and the use of lean approaches for acceleration of organizational growth

This blog complements Inflectra's January 23 webinar on the same topic, with the webinar recording available inside.

Webinar Recap: How To Incorporate Lean & Kanban in Product Lifecycle Management

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 04 Feb 2020 00:00:00 GMT

On January 23, 2020 Inflectra hosted a live webinar: How To Incorporate Lean & Kanban in Product Lifecycle Management. If you missed the webinar, here is a recap of the most important take-aways 👇:

Webinar Recap: Major Spira v6.3 Usability & Performance Enhancements

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 22 Jan 2020 00:00:00 GMT

On January 16th, 2020 Inflectra hosted a live webinar: Major Spira v6.3 Usability & Performance Enhancements Unveiled. If you missed the webinar, here is a recap of the most important take-aways 👇:

Creating Custom Graphs with Spira (Part 4)

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 21 Jan 2020 00:00:00 GMT

One of the maxims I always tell developers is that regardless of what you build, customers will never be satisfied with the reports you offer or the integration that you provide. In fact, the two most underestimated tasks in software development are data feeds and reporting. So one of the nice features in our Spira platform is the ability to do custom graphing, so that you are not limited to just the graphs that ship with the system. This article is the fourth and last one in a series that explains how to use these powerful custom graphing features, which continues on from our third article that explained the differences between Entity SQL (ESQL) and traditional database SQL. In this article we'll discuss some of the more advanced types of query that you will want to use when creating graphs.

Creating Custom Graphs with Spira (Part 3)

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 15 Jan 2020 00:00:00 GMT

One of the maxims I always tell developers is that regardless of what you build, customers will never be satisfied with the reports you offer or the integration that you provide. In fact, the two most underestimated tasks in software development are data feeds and reporting. So one of the nice features in our Spira platform is the ability to do custom graphing, so that you are not limited to just the graphs that ship with the system. This article is the third in a series that explains how to use these powerful custom graphing features, which continues on from our second article that provided the basics of writing ESQL queries. In this article we'll discuss some of the differences and limitations between ESQL and traditional database SQL.

Theory Behind Avoiding Agile Failure Patterns - The Agile Webinar

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 14 Jan 2020 00:00:00 GMT

In the following article, Sriram Rajagopalan - Inflectra's Enterprise Agile Champion breaks down the patterns we all should avoid in agile ceremonies.

This blog complements Inflectra's January 9th webinar on the same topic, with the webinar recording available inside.

Webinar Recap: Patterns to Avoid in Agile Ceremonies

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 14 Jan 2020 00:00:00 GMT

On January 9th, 2020 Inflectra hosted a live webinar: Patterns to Avoid in Agile Ceremonies. If you missed the webinar, here is a recap of the most important take-aways 👇:

Creating Custom Graphs with Spira (Part 2)

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 00:00:00 GMT

One of the maxims I always tell developers is that regardless of what you build, customers will never be satisfied with the reports you offer or the integration that you provide. In fact, the two most underestimated tasks in software development are data feeds and reporting. So one of the nice features in our Spira platform is the ability to do custom graphing, so that you are not limited to just the graphs that ship with the system. This article is the second in a series that explains how to use these powerful custom graphing features, which continues on from our first article that explains the basics. In this article, we'll be diving deeper into some of the intricacies of the Entity SQL language itself.

Webinar Recap: Data-Driven Testing | Test Automation Webinars

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 19 Dec 2019 00:00:00 GMT

On December 18, 2019 Inflectra and Denis Markovtsev hosted a live webinar, called:Data-Driven Testing. This is the 5th and last webinar in the Tier 2 Certificate series called: Planet Test Automation: First Steps.

If you missed the webinar, we are happy to share this recap👇 with you!

Webinar Recap: How To Write Good User Stories

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 19 Dec 2019 00:00:00 GMT

On December 17, 2019 Inflectra and Sriram Rajagopalan hosted a live webinar: How To Write Good User Stories. If you missed the webinar, here is a recap of the most important take-aways:

Blog: How To Write Good User Stories

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 19 Dec 2019 00:00:00 GMT

In the following blog post, Sriram Rajagopalan - Inflectra's Enterprise Agile Champion explores how-to's of writing good user stories and gives practical recommendations on how to achieve just that. This blog complements Inflectra's December 17th webinar on the same topic, with the webinar recording available inside.

Rapise Automation Scripts Coming to a Container Near You!

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 17 Dec 2019 00:00:00 GMT

We are excited to announce a new beta feature in Rapise - running web and mobile tests under NodeJS. This lets you execute Rapise tests not just on Windows where Rapise is typically installed to write tests, but in other places - on Macs, Linux, containers such as Docker or Kubernetes, and build pipelines such as Azure DevOps pipelines, CircleCI, TravisCI and GitHub pipelines.

Webinar Recap: Agile Engineering Practices for Software Product Development

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 12 Dec 2019 00:00:00 GMT

On December 5, 2019 Inflectra hosted a live webinar: Agile Engineering Practices for Software Product Development. If you missed the webinar, here is a recap of the most important take-aways:

Product Development Tools - The Top 10 Features

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 12 Dec 2019 00:00:00 GMT

SpiraPlan is an easy to use, complete solution for managing your product development lifecycle. In this article we discuss the top 10 features you should look for in a product development tool, and why you should choose SpiraPlan over other tools on the market that offer features for product development.

Webinar Recap: Automating REST/SOAP API Testing (Part 4)

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 06 Dec 2019 00:00:00 GMT

On December 4, 2019 Inflectra hosted a live webinar, called: Automating REST/SOAP API Testing. This is the 4th webinar in the Tier 2 Certificate series called: Planet Test Automation: First Steps.

If you missed the webinar, we are happy to share this recap👇 with you!

Blog: Agile Engineering Practices for Software Product Development

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 06 Dec 2019 00:00:00 GMT

In the following blog post, Sriram Rajagopalan - Inflectra's Enterprise Agile Champion, covers a number of key aspects of Agile Engineering practices. Among them are: technical excellence, general trends in agile engineering as well as practical recommendations for those how plan on undertaking a project like this.

This blog complements Inflectra's December 5th webinar on the same topic, with the webinar recording available inside.

Changing Lives - One Tester at a Time - with Codo a Codo

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 27 Nov 2019 00:00:00 GMT

In 2018, the Buenos Aires City Government (GCBA) and Codo a Codo partnered with Inflectra in a formal training program that teaches the fundamentals of software testing to high-school students from city's disadvantaged neighborhoods. This month, Adam Sandman, our technical director was honored to attend the inaugural awards ceremony. and hand out the diplomas to the graduating class. In this article we discuss why this program is so important and how we'd like to help other communities around the world in a similar manner.

Webinar Recap: Automating MOBILE UI Testing

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 25 Nov 2019 00:00:00 GMT

On November 20, 2019 Inflectra hosted the 3rd live webinar: Automating Mobile UI Testing from the Tier 2 Certification series called: Planet Test Automation: First Steps

If you missed the webinar, we are happy to share this recap👇 with you!

The Days of Prague - EuroStar 2019 Conference Recap

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 00:00:00 GMT

2019 is a breakout year for Inflectra and on our to-do list was EuroSTAR of course. So, on November 10, right after Agile Testing Days in Germany, Team Inflectra headed south to Prague, Czechia.

Recap: Agile Testing Days 2019 - Potsdam, Germany

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Have you ever wondered why some conferences have more dedicated following than others? We did too, prior to our visit to Agile Testing Days 2019 in Potsdam, Germany!

Now we know and we are happy to let you in on this open secret.

Webinar Recap: Automating Desktop UI Testing (Part 2)

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 00:00:00 GMT

On October 30, 2019 Inflectra hosted the 2nd live webinar: Automating Desktop UI Testing from the Tier 2 Certification series called: Planet Test Automation: First Steps

If you missed the webinar, we are happy to share this recap👇 with you!

Seamless Migration from Micro Focus UFT to Rapise (Part 2)

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 04 Nov 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Seamless Migration from Micro Focus UFT to Rapise (Part 1)

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 31 Oct 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Many organizations are looking to update their software testing processes and tools, with an industry-wide move away from some of the older, monolithic legacy suites from vendors such as Micro Focus (formerly HP, and Mercury Interactive before that) to more modern tools. At Inflectra, we have partnered with Neotys to provide an integrated suite comprising: SpiraTeam, Rapise and NeoLoad that lets companies have test management, functional testing, and load testing all in one. Migrating from ALM/QualityCenter to SpiraTeam is easy using our free migration tool, and migration from LoadRunner to NeoLoad was possible using a conversion utility, however automatically converting from UFT / QTP to Rapise was not so easy.... until today!

O (#Star)Canada, we bid adieu to thee

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 28 Oct 2019 00:00:00 GMT

We have just come back to Washington DC after visiting our favorite EXPO in Canada – Techwell’s #StarCanada 2019. This was our 2^nd visit to this conference and it did not disappoint. Here is what happened at #StarCanada on October 22-24.

Creating Custom Graphs with Spira (Part 1)

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 23 Oct 2019 00:00:00 GMT

One of the maxims I always tell developers is that regardless of what you build, customers will never be satisfied with the reports you offer or the integration that you provide. In fact, the two most underestimated tasks in software development are data feeds and reporting. So one of the nice features in our Spira platform is the ability to do custom graphing, so that you are not limited to just the graphs that ship with the system. This article is the first in a series that explains how to use these powerful custom graphing features, which continues on from our previous series on custom reporting!

Save The Date: InflectraCon 2020

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 21 Oct 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Yes, we are at it again - scheming and plotting to get our next global user conference - InflectraCon 2020 off the ground!

So, mark your calendars for InflectraCon on October 1 - 2, 2020 in Washington, DC!

Tickets are on sale here

Webinar Recap: Automating Web UI Testing

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 18 Oct 2019 00:00:00 GMT

On October 16, 2019 Inflectra hosted the 1st live webinar: Automating Web UI Testing from the Tier 2 Certification series called: Planet Test Automation: First Steps

If you missed the webinar, here is a recap👇 ~ enjoy!

Webinar Recap: SpiraPlan 6.2 - Enhancements You've Been Waiting For

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 11 Oct 2019 00:00:00 GMT

This is a recap of Inflectra's recent live webinar that highlights the major enhancements to SpiraPlan and SpiraTeam in tools' 6.2 version.

StarWest In Disneyland? Yes, Please - A Conference Recap

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 00:00:00 GMT

We have just wrapped up a fantastic visit to California, attending and sponsoring our first ever STARWEST conference. Hosted by our friends at TechWell, the two day expo attended by over 700 attendees was a whirlwind with a bit of Disney Magic. Find out what happened...

FAQs - Planet Test Automation: First Steps - Inflectra's Webinar Series

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra is hosting Planet Test Automation: First Steps – a Level 2 webinar series aimed at helping software testers transition into test automation. The series participants are eligible to receive a Certificate of Completion after this Level II series is completed.

If you are interested in learning more about getting Inflectra’s Test Automation 2 Certificate, feel free to check out our Frequently Asked Questions below:

Webinar Series: Planet Test Automation: First Steps

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 00:00:00 GMT

On October 16, 2019 Inflectra will launch a follow-on test automation webinar series called: Planet Test Automation: First Steps. This step 2 webinar series builds on the earlier test automation series - Test Automation, Demystified and aims to strengthen participants' grasp of the major test automation activities.

Details are inside!

Recap: Inflectra Supports STPCon Fall 2019

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 30 Sep 2019 00:00:00 GMT

STPCon Team delivered another quality conference in September 2019 - this time in lovely Boston, MA. Located across the Boston harbour, the hotel was lovely and the views were magnificent.

Team Inflectra even managed to sneak out to the city to see the historic sights and new developments in this old American city.

Inflectra Creates Harmony in the Software Development Universe

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 27 Sep 2019 00:00:00 GMT

The tempo of software development is always increasing. With the adoption of agile methodologies, the move to continuous integration and deployment, and the use of DevOps platforms, it seems that everything needs to be done faster. In this maelstrom of activity, we at Inflectra want to help customers avoid the chaos of missed deadlines, and unfulfilled requirements... and bring harmony. Learn how and why!

Recap #InflectraCon - Highlights from our Inaugural User Conference

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 00:00:00 GMT

About six months ago we decided to host our first international user conference, to bring together our users, partners and evangelists together in the same place for the first time. Last week this vision became a reality: InflectraCon

With 130 attendees from 5 continents, 40 sessions, 4 sponsors, and of course 2 banjos (!) the event was a roaring success. If you couldn't attend this year, please check out the sessions and presentations, as well as why you should attend next year at InflectraCon 2020.

Spotlight on Rapise 6.2 - Selenium and Appium Auto Reconnect

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 03 Sep 2019 00:00:00 GMT

The latest version of Rapise, our powerful and easy to use test automation tool comes with some key usability enhancements that make testing mobile native applications and mobile web applications even easier. It lets you start recording tests from the point they last failed without having to start from the beginning, a huge time saver.

Spotlight on Rapise 6.2 - Machine Learning & Self-healing Web Testing

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 29 Aug 2019 00:00:00 GMT

We're very excited about the next version of our Rapise test automation system. The new version leverages research done by the Inflectra artificial intelligence and machine learning unit to introduce self-healing web testing and self-healing web locators to take the flakiness and manual effort associated with automating web testing.

Spotlight on SpiraPlan 6.2 - Risk Management Enhancements

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 20 Aug 2019 00:00:00 GMT

As we get ready for the release of SpiraPlan 6.2 later this month, we'd like too introduce some of the new functionality that will be available in this release. In the third installment of this series, we're excited to announce some key enhancements to the risk management module in SpiraPlan. This new functionality extends the power of the risk management features and also better integrates them into the rest of the SpiraPlan platform.

Spotlight on SpiraTeam 6.2 - Agile Board Enhancements

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 15 Aug 2019 00:00:00 GMT

As we get ready for the release of SpiraTest, SpiraTeam, and SpiraPlan 6.2 later this month, we'd like too introduce some of the new functionality that will be available in this release. In the second installment of this series, we're excited to announce the new agile planning enhancements that have been added to SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan 6.2. They are designed to make SpiraPlan even better as your first choice for planning and managing agile projects, whatever flavor of agile you are using.

Webinar #Recap: AI in Test Automation

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 08 Aug 2019 00:00:00 GMT

We have now completed our webinar series called: Test Automation, Demystified with a live webinar on AI in Test Automation.

If you missed the webinar, here is a recap of the most important take-aways:

Spotlight on SpiraTeam 6.2 - New Requirements Management Views

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 08 Aug 2019 00:00:00 GMT

As we get ready for the release of SpiraTest, SpiraTeam, and SpiraPlan 6.2 later this month, we'd like too introduce some of the new functionality that will be available in this release. In the first installment of this series, we're excited to announce the new requirements management views that have been added to SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan 6.2. They are designed to better serve the needs of the Business Analyst community who often need different views of requirements than the project teams and project managers.

Exclusive Sponsor Discount: Up to $400 Off STARWEST Registration

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 07 Aug 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra is going to STARWEST 2019 as a sponsor and is bring you more STARWEST ticket discounts, so that you too can join the fun!

**Exclusive Offer**

save up to an additional $200 off the STARWEST Early Bird pricing when you register with code S19VW10 by August 30. That’s a combined savings up to $400 off!

Inflectra's New Bundles Are What You Never Knew You Needed

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 02 Aug 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Based on the popularity of our product bundles that offer great savings on SpiraTeam and Rapise, we are pleased to announce the launch of more bundles to help you save money and get going with our products faster and easier.

Webinar #Recap: Scenarios, or Why Some Automation Projects Fail

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 25 Jul 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Summer months are not a deterrent to our loyal webinar attendees who showed up in large numbers for today's live webinar called: Scenarios, or Why Some Automation Projects Fail, from the series Test Automation, Demystified.

If you had other fun summer activities interfere with this webinar, here is a recap.

Inflectra-Neotys Webinar Recap: Transform Software Testing & Quality

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 23 Jul 2019 00:00:00 GMT

On July 17, 2019 Adam Sandman of Inflectra and Henrik Rexed of Neotys hosted a joint webinar called: Transform Software Testing & Quality with the Neotys-Inflectra Platform. The webinar demonstrated the powerful capabilities of this combined QA and performance testing platform vis-a-vis legacy tools.

If you missed the webinar, here is a recap of the most important take-aways:

Webinar #Recap: Codeless Test Automation

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 11 Jul 2019 00:00:00 GMT

On July 10, 2019 Inflectra hosted the 5th live webinar: Codeless Test Automation, from the series called: Test Automation, Demystified.

If you missed the webinar, here is a recap of the most important take-aways:

Introducing… Dark Mode For Spira

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 10 Jul 2019 00:00:00 GMT

As of version 6.1 SpiraTest, SpiraTeam, and SpiraPlan sport a gorgeous new dark mode. We have reworked every part of the application to give you an easy on the eyes, fully dark experience. It helps you focus on your work and focus on the content most important to you. SpiraPlan is now the first test management tool, the first ALM tool, and the first portfolio management tool to have an in-house, native dark mode.*

Generali Insurance Achieves Real-Time Quality Visibility with SpiraTeam from Inflectra

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 04 Jul 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Generali Insurance was looking to streamline and simplify their test management processes as well as get a holistic view of the status of their different projects. They were looking to reduce the number of tools and adopt agile methodologies and practices. SpiraTeam has provided Generali with a common understanding of test and QA processes across the organization and enabled real-time visibility of the test coverage of all their requirements spanning multiple projects and programs.

Recap: Inflectra Goes to Agile Testing Days USA 2019

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 28 Jun 2019 00:00:00 GMT

We have just wrapped up an exhilarating but fun two days in Chicago, sponsoring and attending the second Agile Testing Days USA testing festival. Hosted by our friends at TechWell and Trendig, the event featured inspiring speakers, awesome attendees, excellent exhibitors, and of course the fabulous roaring 20s costume party. Find out what happened...

Webinar #Recap: Friends and Foes of Software Test Automation

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 26 Jun 2019 00:00:00 GMT

We have recently hosted our 4th live webinar: Friends and Foes of Software Test Automation, from the series called: Test Automation, Demystified. The goal of series is to build the participants’ basic understanding, and a skill set to start using test automation in their work.

We are sharing the most important take-aways from the webinar.

STARCanada 2019 - Super Early Bird Tickets Available For Inflectra's Customers

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra will be at STARCanada in Toronto, ON again in October 2019. If you'd like to join us, we have Great News for you!

Please enjoy this **Exclusive Offer** to save up to an additional $200 off the STARCANADA Super Early Bird pricing when you register with code S19VC2 by August 23. That’s a combined savings up to $600 off!

Webinar #Recap: Managing Risk in the Agile Enterprise

info@inflectra.com — Sat, 22 Jun 2019 00:00:00 GMT

On June 6, 2019, Inflectra and Dr. Sriram Rajagopalan hosted a live webinar on Managing Risk in the Agile Enterprise. This was the last live webinar in Inflectra's Tier 2 agile webinar series called: Deeper Dive Into Agile: Practical Tips On Managing Agile Projects.

If you missed the webinar, we understand - and are happy to share with you the most important take-aways.

Some Tips and Tricks using Risk Management in SpiraPlan

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 20 Jun 2019 00:00:00 GMT

The theme this month is Risk Management, with the new functionality available in SpiraPlan v6.0 as well as the article on Risk Management in Agile Initiatives from Dr. Sriram Rajagopalan that we features earlier in the week. In this article we discuss some important tricks and tips from one of our key partners - Peter Brackstone from Influence IT Consulting in Brisbane, Australia.

Blog: Risk Management in Agile Initiatives

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 18 Jun 2019 00:00:00 GMT

The principles of risk management play a pivotal role in the project management framework. While the principles of project management do not specifically recommend waterfall approach, some agile practitioners incorrectly disassociate from the principles of project risk management in agile approaches to product development or project management.

Webinar #Recap: Choosing A Test Automation Tool: 8 Features That Matter

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 17 Jun 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra recently hosted the 3rd live webinar: Choosing A Test Automation Tool: 8 Features That Matter, from the series called: Test Automation, Demystified. The goal of series is to build the participants’ basic understanding, and a skill set to start using test automation in their work.

We are sharing the most important take-aways from the webinar.

Webinars On Demand: Agile Management By Inflectra

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 13 Jun 2019 00:00:00 GMT

We have recently completed a series of in depth webinars on agile project management, software development and testing. The webinar series was immensely popular and so we are offering these webinars on demand.

Please view the details below and register.

Is Agile Development Better than Waterfall Development Overall?

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 12 Jun 2019 00:00:00 GMT

A user on Quora recently asked the potentially incendiary question: "is agile development better than waterfall?". Rather than getting into a potentially religious war about software development methodologies (almost as contentious as deciding on coding standards in C++, curly braces on the same line or next line? anyone? ) I thought this question might be a good place to discuss some of the benefits of each approach (agile vs. waterfall) and ways to choose which parts of each methodology make sense for you and your project.

Webinar #Recap: Is Application Ready for Test Automation?

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 05 Jun 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra recently hosted a webinar called: Is Application Ready for Test Automation?, as part of webinar series called: Test Automation, Demystified. The goal of series is to build the participants’ basic understanding, and a skill set to start using test automation in their work.

We are sharing the most important take-aways from the webinar.

New Chrome Extension For Exploratory Testing in Development

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 24 May 2019 00:00:00 GMT

SpiraTest has a powerful dedicated exploratory testing mode, inside the application. This has been hugely popular with our testers and our customers. It allows testers to create and edit their test case on the fly, based on how their exploratory session proceeds. We are working on a compliment to this feature, with a chrome extension for exploratory testing.

Webinar #Recap: 4 Key Elements of Inflectra's New Spira 6.0

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 24 May 2019 00:00:00 GMT

On May 16, Inflectra hosted a webinar: 4 Key Elements of Inflectra's New Spira 6.0 to introduce the latest enhancements to the SpiraTest, SpiraPlan and SpiraTeam to its loyal customers as well as other interested parties.

Some of you may have missed the webinar. that is why we are sharing the recording with you.

Webinar #Recap: Estimating User Stories in the Agile Space

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 23 May 2019 00:00:00 GMT

On May 7, 2019, Inflectra and Dr. Sriram Rajagopalan hosted a live webinar on Estimating User Stories in the Agile Space. The webinar is part of Inflectra's Tier 2 agile webinar series called: Deeper Dive Into Agile: Practical Tips On Managing Agile Projects.

If you missed the webinar, we understand - and are happy to share with you the most important take-aways.

Blog: Art of Agile Estimation

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 22 May 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Frequently, people wonder whether agile estimation approaches differ completely from the plan-driven approaches in project management. While each framework has its own uniqueness in their approach to gathering estimates, the nature of estimates gathered should be considered in relation to the project or product lifecycle.

Inflectra & Coveros Partner at NDIA's Agile In Government Summit 2019

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 21 May 2019 00:00:00 GMT

In early May, 2019, Inflectra, and its partner Coveros, co-sponsored the annual Agile in Government Summit organized by National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA). This is Inflectra's second time sponsoring the event that traditionally takes place on the beautiful campus of Gallaudet University in Washington, DC.

Onboarding is a Team Sport - How We Changed Evaluations

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 21 May 2019 00:00:00 GMT

One of the changes we have made in the latest version of Spira is to increase the trial evaluation accounts to support up to 20 concurrent users. Previously our trial cloud instances were limited to only three concurrent users. Find out why we decided to make the change.

Webinar #Recap: From Manual to Automated Software Testing

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 17 May 2019 00:00:00 GMT

On May 15, Inflectra hosted a webinar: From Manual to Automated Software Testing, as part of webinar series called: Test Automation, Demystified. The goal of series is to build the participants’ basic understanding, and a skill set to start using test automation in their work.

If you missed the webinar, we understand - and are happy to share with you the most important take-aways.

Recap: Inflectra Goes to #STAREAST 2019

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 07 May 2019 00:00:00 GMT

On May 1-2, 2019 #TeamInflectra travelled to oh-so-sunny Orlando, FL to participate, for the first time in the company's 13-year history, in STAREAST, the oldest and the most reputable, some may say, software testing conference on this side of the Atlantic.

Webinar #Recap: Preparing for Career Roles in the Agile Arena

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 06 May 2019 00:00:00 GMT

On April 25, 2019, Inflectra and #SriramRajagopalan offered to a group of aspiring agilists a webinar on Preparing for Career Roles in the Agile Arena. The webinar is part of Inflectra's Tier 2 agile webinar series called: Deeper Dive Into Agile: Practical Tips On Managing Agile Projects.

If you missed the webinar, we understand - and are happy to share with you the most important take-aways.

Blog: Career Planning Framework - Preparing for Careers in the Agile Workspace

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 06 May 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Too often people at various stages in their career ask how agile will change their lives. Others ask if their responsibilities will differ from one organization to another. Surely no one can tell the future of any role, but it seems that agile is like the pure oxygen. One can’t breathe pure oxygen until it is mixed with an appropriate amount of nitrogen. Likewise, agile is a light-weight framework that is not prescriptive and it too, has to be adapted to the organization’s culture.

Inflectra Webinar Series: Test Automation, Demystified

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 26 Apr 2019 00:00:00 GMT

On May 15, 2019 Inflectra will launch a webinar series called: Test Automation, Demystified. This introductory seven (7) part webinar series is intended as a foundation helping participants bridge the gap between manual testing and test automation. The overarching goal of this Level 1 Test Automation Certificate webinar series is to build the participants’ basic understanding, and a skill set to start using test automation in their work.

FAQs - Test Automation, Demystified – Inflectra's Webinar Series

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 26 Apr 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra is hosting Test Automation, Demystified – a webinar series for those who wish to transition from manual testing to test automation. The series participants are eligible to receive a Certificate of Completion after the series is completed.

If you are interested in learning more about getting Inflectra’s Test Automation Certificate, feel free to check out our Frequently Asked Questions below:

Webinar #Recap: Introduction To Powerful New Rapise 6.0

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 24 Apr 2019 00:00:00 GMT

On April 11, 2019 as part of the official release launch, Inflectra hosted a live webinar on the improved Rapise 6.0. The webinar highlighted the major changes and new features added to inflectra's software test automation platform.

If you missed the webinar, please enjoy this recap, complete with a video recording.

SpiraPlan 6 is Coming: How To Rationalize Your Administration

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 23 Apr 2019 00:00:00 GMT

SpiraPlan 6.0 introduces templates. As discussed elsewhere, templates bring two key benefits. First, they allow greater admin control how your products (previously known as projects) are setup. Second, they mean you can have many products all managed by a single template - so change once, update many. We are staging how we roll out all of template's features.

SpiraPlan 6 is Coming: Upgrading to Templates

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 23 Apr 2019 00:00:00 GMT

In a recent post, we highlighted new templating functionality in SpiraTest/SpiraTeam/SpiraPlan 6.0. Templates let you have multiple products (formerly known as projects) that all share the same workflow configuration, types, priorities, and more with each other. If you change the template, all the products based off of that template immediately change too. This post will explore how templates will work. A more detailed post about how to plan your migration to templates will be out soon.

Migrating to 6.0 - Changes to Using the Excel Addon

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 22 Apr 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Many users rely on our Excel addon for adding data to SpiraPlan, or for getting data out of SpiraPlan (for instance, for reporting purposes). Version 6.0 of SpiraPlan makes a number of fundamental changes to the application, which will require a new version of API to properly communicate with it. Version 6 of the API will be out in an upcoming release of the application. Until then the application is backwards compatible with the current version of the API (v5). We've taken every effort for this compatibility to be as robust as it can be, but there are inevitably some limitations.

Recap: #TAS19 - Test Automation and Digital QA Summit in Washington, DC

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 15 Apr 2019 00:00:00 GMT

We were recently asked to attend and speak at the 2019 Test Automation and Digital QA Summit event organized by leading consulting firm TestingMind. The goal of the summit was to provide a forum where Quality Assurance Leadership, Management, and Strategy could converge. The Summit showcased the trends, innovations and challenges in the emerging world of Software and Automation Testing.

Recap: #TeamInflectra at STPCon Spring 2019

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 09 Apr 2019 00:00:00 GMT

With yet another great STPcon in the rearview mirror, we wanted to recap all the fun things we did in San Francisco, CA this April.

Webinar Series: Deeper Dive Into Agile - Practical Tips On Managing Agile Projects

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 08 Apr 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra and Dr. Sriram Rajagopalan proudly present the next step in Inflectra's agile webinar series: Deeper Dive Into Agile, which focuses on the practical aspect of managing agile projects.

These Tier 2 webinars cover many areas of agile practice, such as the various roles in agile initiatives, the evolution of agile in project, program, and portfolio management, the types of stories to develop in agile, estimation in user stories and many more.

Blog: STPCON San Francisco Plays Host to Inflectra's #TESTBOWL 2019

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 08 Apr 2019 00:00:00 GMT

We are glad to report that our trip out west to host an annual #TestBowl (and attend the STPCon Spring 2019) was a sheer success!

But let’s go over this fantastic experience step by step:

Recap: #UKSTAR and Swiss Testing Day 2019 - Inflectra Meets QA & DevOps Professionals in Europe

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Team Inflectra were pleased to sponsor the 2019 UK STAR conference in London and annual Swiss Testing Day / DevOps Fusion earlier this month. We met a lot of inspirational speakers, visited some of our key customers in the UK and Switzerland and learned a lot about the business needs and opportunities for customers adopting Agile and DevOps practices across northern Europe in general. We have included some of the highlights in this blog.

Webinar Recap: Excellence through Reporting in Agile Projects

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT

On March 21st, 2019, Inflectra and #SriramRajagopalan hosted a webinar on Excellence through Reporting in Agile Projects. This webinar concluded the 5 part certificate series called: Journey Into Agile With Inflectra - A Free Webinar Course.

If you missed the webinar, please enjoy the recap in this blog.

Blog: Excellence in Reporting In Agile Projects

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 26 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT

When we focus on reporting, we often fail to recognize value using benefit delivery. Instead, many view reports only as a transactional instrument. Based on my experience in managing the program management office, and being a change agent for a product development framework, I believe the purpose of a report is to tell a story! The story not only should tell what has happened but also give a preview of what may come!

Webinar Recap: Cutting the Costs And Improving The Software Quality with SpiraTeam®

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 15 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT

On March 7th, 2019, Inflectra and #SriramRajagopalan hosted a webinar on Cutting the Costs And Improving The Software Quality with SpiraTeam®. This is the 4th webinar in the certificate series called: Journey Into Agile With Inflectra - A Free Webinar Course.

If you missed the webinar, please enjoy the recap in this blog.

Blog: Cutting Costs and Managing Software Quality

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT

The concepts of quality have been talked for several decades. There are numerous quality gurus that have advanced simplistic frameworks that have stood the test of time and are applicable even today.

Changes to Jira Data Synchronization due to Atlassian GDPR Changes

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 08 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT

For those of you who keep up with the Atlassian ecosystem, you will most likely be aware of some breaking API changes that they are making to their cloud platform. This article describes the changes and explains what that means for Inflectra customers.

Webinar Recap: The Top Alternative To Micro Focus QA Suite

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 04 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT

We have recently hosted a webinar on The Top Alternative To Micro Focus QA Suite. If you missed the webinar, please enjoy the recap in this blog.

Blog: Five Essentials To Requirements Management

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 28 Feb 2019 00:00:00 GMT

The blog is produced in conjunction with Journey Into Agile With Inflectra - A Free Webinar Course.

The corporate business practices have evolved significantly. The products we develop are getting more complex and sophisticated. No longer are the software always having a graphical user interface for users, as wearable technologies and surgical implants transmitting updates to a mobile app are becoming commonplace. These emerging products, applications, and services will require identifying, gathering, and grooming requirements critical aspects of project management and product development.

Webinar Recap: Five Essentials to Managing Your Requirements with SpiraTeam®

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 28 Feb 2019 00:00:00 GMT

On February 21, 2019, Inflectra and #SriramRajagopalan hosted a webinar on Five Essentials to Managing Your Requirements with SpiraTeam®. This is the 3rd webinar in the certificate series called: Journey Into Agile With Inflectra - A Free Webinar Course.

If you missed the webinar, please enjoy the recap in this blog.

Spotlight on Rapise 6.0: UI Redesign, Dynamics Unified Client and SAP Fiori

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 26 Feb 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Our automation group is wrapping up the final testing and documentation for our next major release of Rapise, our powerful and easy to use codeless test automation tool. With the new 6.0 version getting ready for release in the next couple of weeks, we thought it would be useful to highlight some of the major changes and new features you can expect with the new version.

Webinar Recap: Mastering Four Ceremonies Of Better Agile Project Delivery

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 18 Feb 2019 00:00:00 GMT

On February 13, 2019, Inflectra and #SriramRajagopalan hosted a webinar on Mastering Four Ceremonies Of Better Agile Project Delivery. This is the 2nd webinar in the certificate series called: Journey Into Agile With Inflectra - A Free Webinar Course.

If you missed the webinar, please enjoy the recap in this blog.

Challenges In Agile Project Delivery

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 15 Feb 2019 00:00:00 GMT

The blog is produced in conjunction with Journey Into Agile With Inflectra - A Free Webinar Course.

The earlier discussion of the five STAGE principles of application lifecycle management covered the reasons why agile may not be a cure-all. Just like physical exercise, it works only if individuals work at it as expected. In other words, failure to adopt good agile practices which promote the test-and-learn approach with its foundational principles of transparency, inspection, and adaptation, will prevent agile from becoming the solution.

Inflectra's Pricing Pages Are Getting A Facelift

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 07 Feb 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Recently, we introduced new pricing and trial pages to Inflectra's website as part of Phase II of the website redesign.

Webinar Recap: Codeless Test Automation - Myth or Magic?

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 00:00:00 GMT

On January 31, 2019 Inflectra hosted a test automation-related webinar called: Codeless Test Automation - Myth or Magic?

During the webinar, Adam Sandman, Inflectra's Technical Director, showcased the top 10 features a competitive codeless test automation tools should include in 2019.

If you were unable to attend this webinar, we have a recording for you.

Feel free to check it out below.

SpiraTest, logiciel recommandé sur appvizer.fr, média spécialiste des logiciels SaaS

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Média 100 % dédié aux logiciels B2B, appvizer guide les décisionnaires d’entreprise et les responsables de service dans leurs choix de solutions logicielles.
Il les informe au quotidien à travers des comparatifs et des articles sur les nouvelles tendances numériques, pour les aider à gagner en productivité et en agilité.

La gestion des tests logiciels fait partie des pratiques IT qui demandent des outils perfectionnés et professionnels.

Spotlight on SpiraPlan 6.0 - Enterprise Risk Management

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 05 Feb 2019 00:00:00 GMT

As we're in the final countdown for the release of the latest version of SpiraPlan v6.0, we are going to be highlighting some of the most important new features in this version to help you get ready for the release. In this third installment of the blog series on the new version we'll be discussing the new enterprise risk management features, including support for risks, mitigations, tasks and risk cubes.

Exclusive Offer Save Big On STAREAST Tickets

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 04 Feb 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Testing innovations are happening across the entire lifecycle, which means you may be looking for the best way to tackle new challenges. The STAREAST conference (https://well.tc/iiiw) features an entire week packed with knowledge from some of the best in testing. Whether you have recently been asked to undertake testing as a part of your role or if you have years of experience under your belt, STAREAST will keep you on top of the latest and greatest knowledge and skills to help you excel in your job role—and perhaps even save your sanity. Join us this April 28–May 3 in Orlando.

Webinar Recap: 5 Principles to Managing Your Application Lifecycle with SpiraTeam®

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT

On January 24, 2019, Inflectra and #SriramRajagopalan offered to a group of aspiring agilists a webinar on Five Principles to Managing Your Application Lifecycle with SpiraTeam®. The webinar is part of Inflectra's certificate course called: Journey Into Agile With Inflectra - A Free Webinar Course.

If you missed the webinar, we understand - and are happy to share with you the most important take aways from the webinar.

Inflectra Supports Country-Level Software Testing Cups

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 30 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Software testing enthusiast everywhere will be happy to learn about Inflectra's new initiative to sponsor country-level software testing competitions all over the globe.

Spotlight on Spira 6.0 - Document Management Workflows

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT

As we're in the final countdown for the release of the latest version of SpiraTest, SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan v6.0, we are going to be highlighting some of the most important new features in this version to help you get ready for the release. In the second installment of the blog series on the new version we'll be discussing the new document management features, including workflows, and check-in / check-out functionality.

STAGE: The 5 Principles Of Application Life-Cycle Management

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 25 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT

The blog is produced in conjunction with Journey Into Agile With Inflectra - A Free Webinar Course.

Often, when people hear about application lifecycle management, they interpret the terminology with things they know. Project Managers or Scrum Masters will think of the current scope of the project or the specific iteration/release that has a known scope and relatively short duration. Business Analysts, Product Managers, and Product Owners think of the product lifecycle management that has an uncertain scope and unclearly long duration. Architects, Designers, Developers, and Testers focus on software development lifecycle. Operations, Service Delivery, Program Managers and Portfolio Managers think of the deployment considerations, release documentation, and benefits realization.

Free Crowd-Testing of Apps - #TestBowl by Inflectra

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 24 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Do you have a new app, software or website that is ready for real-life testing by professional testers?

We have a FREE and FUN way to help you out!

As part of the Inflectra-run software testing competition - #TestBowl, we are offering to crowd-test your software for free!

All you need to do is apply before March 15th!

Spotlight on Spira 6.0 - Project Templates & Customizable Fields

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 18 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT

As we're in the final countdown for the release of the latest version of SpiraTest, SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan v6.0, we are going to be highlighting some of the most important new features in this version to help you get ready for the release. In this first installment of the blog series on the new version we'll be discussing the long-awaited project templates feature, together with the new customization options that templates will bring.

Agile by Inflectra - Certificate Course - FAQs

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 14 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra is hosting Journey Into Agile With Inflectra - A Free Webinar Course for those who choose to learn more about how Inflectra approaches agile software development and testing process. The course participants are eligible to receive a Certificate of Completion after the course is completed.

If you are interested in learning more about getting Agile By Inflectra Course Certificate, feel free to check out our FAQ below:

Prioritizing Backlog Items using the MoSCoW Method

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 09 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT

No it's not a reference to current geopolitical affairs (luckily), the MoSCoW method refers to a common way of describing different priorities. This article explains different ways customers can manage priorities in agile projects, and how you can use custom reports in SpiraTeam to display calculated prioritization metrics.

Journey Into Agile With Inflectra - A Free Webinar Course

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 02 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra and #sriramrajagopalan are teaming up to bring you a free five-part online training course on agile project lifecycle management called: Journey Into Agile With Inflectra.

Product Management versus Project Management

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 24 Dec 2018 00:00:00 GMT

As I was concluding a capstone class on project management, there was a question from a few students on whether there is any scope of career growth for project management as a profession with the increased focus on agile principles. Questioning further on the root cause of this concern was the fact that agile approaches, such as Scrum, does not call for a project manager role and the focus is only on product management. In a brief attempt to address this ongoing confusions thinking product and project management are mutually exclusive disciplines with product management slaying the project management field, I explain here the ongoing need for the symbiotic relationship between these two disciplines.

Why Executives Need to Understand Program & Project Management?

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 17 Dec 2018 00:00:00 GMT

As a firm believer in continuous improvement, I have always been monitoring the external environment to find new trends and equip myself with this knowledge. One of these interests was understanding more about Program and Portfolio Management.

We've Built an AI-Powered Robot for Salesforce with Rapise - A Webinar Recap

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 17 Dec 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Our last free webinar of 2018 had an ambitious goal: to use Rapise to build an AI-powered robot that can mine Salesforce contacts from email signatures. The presenter was Inflectra's senior automation architect - Denis Markovtsev who showed us how to design a robot that can read emails from Exchange mailbox, send emails to a third-party Machine Learning powered REST service for contact extraction, and how to create new contacts in Salesforce via the UI.

Some of you may have missed the webinar, so we made a recording for you, which is enclosed.

Meet-Up Sponsorship - ASQF @Berlin

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra is excited to support ASQF @Berlin - a Berlin/Brandenburg-based meet-up group dedicated to developing and securing software and system quality. The group's first, Inflectra-sponsored meetup will take place on January 26th, 2019 in Potsdam.

Join Quality Brunch 2019: Yesterday: V, today: agile - and what about quality? if you are around.

Preventing Scope Creep, Grope and Leap from Killing Your Projects!

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 00:00:00 GMT

One of the major reasons that software projects are cancelled, fail to deliver the expected value or experience massive cost / budget overruns is due to a failure to grasp the risk and issues associated with managing the scope. This article describes the three most common types of scope management failure with suggestions of how to avoid such a fate.

10 Features Every Codeless Test Automation Tool Should Offer

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 03 Dec 2018 00:00:00 GMT

There's a resurgence of codeless test automation tools in the market, and members of the testing community are understandably skeptical of the promises of hassle-free, easy to maintain testing. This article describes the benefits that codeless test automation tools provide over having your programmers write automation code by hand, and outlines how Rapise meets the test laid down by experts in the industry of the ten key features that such a tool needs to have to be useful.

Webinar Recap: Security Testing in Dynamics AX 2012 with Rapise

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 30 Nov 2018 00:00:00 GMT

On November 29, 2018 we hosted a webinar on automating the testing of yet another aspect of Dynamics AX - its security permissions.

If you were unable to attend, here is the webinar recording.

Agile Testing Days, PTA, Effimag and Inflectra European Summit - a Retrospective

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 27 Nov 2018 00:00:00 GMT

The past two weeks have been a bit of a blur for #teamInflectra, we had the great fortune to attend four events back to back - Effimag's anniversary event in Switzerland, Agile Testing Days in Potsdam, Germany, PTA's winter seminar in Stuttgart, and our Inflectra User Conference in Mannheim. During that time we learned a lot, met great people, and also got to see how testers and quality assurance professionals in Europe see the world.

How to Create a Data-Driven End-to-End Sales Order Test for Microsoft Dynamics NAV using Rapise

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Dynamics NAV is all about Purchase and Sales orders. Therefore many end-to-end testing scenarios involve creation of an order at a certain step. Sales Order, for example, requires to fill in customer name and order lines. If there is a need to use different data in different testing scenarios then there is a requirement to make the Sales Order test data-driven. The enclosed video explains how to do just that using Rapise.

Scrum Meet-Up Mashup For A Cause - Inflectra Sponsors

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 16 Nov 2018 00:00:00 GMT

***This event has been cancelled by the organizers ***

As the winter holidays approach, we are looking for new ways to give back to communities around us.

So this holiday season, Inflectra is sponsoring Meetup Mashup for a Cause, an initiative by Washington DC Scrum User Group. The event is in support of Homestretch - a program that helps address the root causes of homelessness and strives to reverse homelessness for families participating in the program.

Meetup Mashup for a Cause will take place on Monday, December 17, 2018, from 6:00 to 8:30 PM at the Arlington Tech Exchange.

Sign up here: Meet-up

Agile Backlog Refinement with SpiraTeam

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 08 Nov 2018 00:00:00 GMT

One of our customers had some questions about using SpiraTeam to manage and refine the product backlogs. Since this topic comes up quite a bit, we thought it would be useful to write an article that describes how we recommend using SpiraTeam for backlog planning, management and refinement in a typical Scrum project.

Recording of MS Dynamics AX & Robotic Process Automation (RPA) with Rapise

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 01 Nov 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Rapise is the most powerful and complete software testing tool on the market for testing the Microsoft Dynamics family of applications. In addition, many of our customers are using Rapise to perform Robotic Process Automation (RPA) of Dynamics applications to automate common business processes and tasks. We recently had a webinar that demonstrated the best practices and tips and tricks for testing and/or automating Microsoft Dynamics AX. Don't worry if you missed the webinar, we have a recording available.

Recap: #STPcon 2018 - Inflectra Meets Testers & QA Professionals in Washington, DC

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 30 Oct 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Team Inflectra were pleased to sponsor the 2018 Fall Software Testing Professionals Conference (STPcon) in Arlington, VA last week. We met a lot of inspirational speakers and had a chance to demonstrate the latest version of our award-winning SpiraTest - test management software, and Rapise - our test automation platform to the attendees. We also got to give away lots of cool Inflectra swag and prizes for winners of the STPcon raffle.

Software Testing Bowl 2018 - Highlights & Lessons Learned

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 29 Oct 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra's inaugural Software Testing Bowl is now in the past and we are taking a moment to share the highlights and reflect on the lessons learned from the event.

Recap: #STARCANADA - Inflectra Meets Testers & QA Professionals in Toronto, Canada

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 22 Oct 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra was a proud sponsor of STARCANADA - an annual event for software testing and QA professionals that took place in Toronto, ON on October 14–19, 2018. STARCANADA is part of the STAR family of conferences organized by TechWell.

Bulk Import of Requirements Test Step Traceability for Mission Systems

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 18 Oct 2018 00:00:00 GMT

One of the unique needs when designing and developing mission systems for the defense industry, is the fact that you need to be able to trace system requirements to individual test steps in a test case. Based on this advice we received from industry subject matter experts, we added support in SpiraTeam v5 for this feature. However one limitation was that the data migration tools we have for loading data from Excel into SpiraTeam don't let you add requirement - test step links in bulk... until today.

Recording of MS Dynamics NAV & Robotic Process Automation (RPA) with Rapise

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 11 Oct 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Rapise is the most powerful and complete software testing tool on the market for testing the Microsoft Dynamics family of applications. In addition, many of our customers are using Rapise to perform Robotic Process Automation (RPA) of Dynamics applications to automate common business processes and tasks. We recently had a webinar that demonstrated the best practices and tips and tricks for testing and/or automating Microsoft Dynamics NAV. Don't worry if you missed the webinar, we have a recording available.

4 Signs You Need to Purge Your Ticket System

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 10 Oct 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Having a quality customer support system is vital for any business, small or large. A really good system puts your business ahead of the competition. In fact, according to Huffington Post, research has proven that a whopping 55 percent of consumers are willing to pay more for a guaranteed good experience.

This means it’s time to get rid of your current ticket system for evaluating customer issues. Whether you offer an upgraded experience to those willing to pay more or change your system from the bottom-up, here’s how to know your ticket systems is outdated. Whether in a help desk or in customer support, here’s when it’s time to cater to your customers in a way that organizes the highest priorities.

Recap: #AUSTesting Days - Inflectra Meets Testers & QA Professionals in Melbourne, Australia

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 00:00:00 GMT

We, at Inflectra, long figured out that geography is not a hindrance when you have an #awesome event to attend!

So, we sponsored and showcased Inflectra's award-winning software platforms at the Australian Testing Days Expo in Melbourne on October 8, 2018. Represented by Inflectra's local partner, Peter Brackstone, we were able to get the Spira and Rapise family of software tools and Inflectra's name, in general, in front of the testing network in Melbourne, Victoria. Attendees were excited to find out how SpiraTest, SpiraTeam and Rapise can transform testing and QA for them.

What Do Knoxville, TN & Lexington, KY Tech Meet-Ups Have In Common?

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 08 Oct 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Well, other than geography (both are in North America, and are predominantly English-language groups), they also are the proud recipients of an Inflectra sponsorship in 2018!

Knox QA and Bluegrass IIBA Chapter in Lexington, KY are volunteer-run groups that strive to build the community of practice centered around professional excellence in tech, business management and analytics. They both have a vibrant local following, and an active meet-up culture that is nurturing, inclusive and supportive. That is why Inflectra is helping the two groups by rewarding their hard work and enthusiasm.

How Do You Pronounce Spira and Rapise?

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 05 Oct 2018 00:00:00 GMT

It's Friday and after a long week at work, we thought it might be good to share an anecdote from the week. We had a customer call our support team with a really important question that had been vexing their team. How do you pronounce Spira? Well find out the truth.

Quickly See Your SpiraPlan Things To Do On iOS 12 Using The Shortcuts App

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 03 Oct 2018 00:00:00 GMT

With iOS 12 Apple introduced a new application called Shortcuts. This is an evolution of the excellent Workflow app and let's iPhone and iPad users create some amazingly cool and useful shortcuts. With the touch of a button your phone can do a whole load of things at once. Want to take a nap? Make a shortcut that will dim the lights, put on some soothing music, and put on Do Not Disturb for an hour. Want to be productive? Why not get a list of all your requirements, incidents, or tasks in SpiraPlan and choose, right from the Shortcuts app, what you want to work on.

Recap: #OATSolutions - Inflectra Meets the Agile Community in Brazil

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 01 Oct 2018 00:00:00 GMT

We were pleased to support and attend the annual OAT Solutions customer summit in São Paulo, Brazil last week. It have us an opportunity to connect with all of the team working at OAT, as well as meet customers and potential users that are interested in SpiraTest, SpiraTeam, and Rapise from Inflectra. We also got time to see the amazing city that is São Paulo, and sample some of the local delights.

Spotlight on KronoDesk 3.0 - New Reporting Functionality

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 20 Sep 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Our development team has been working feverishly on the next version of KronoDesk, our acclaimed help desk solution for SpiraTeam. There are many new features and improvements as part of KronoDesk 3.0, and this article focuses on the enhancements to the reporting system.

Using a Pseudouser to Act as a Traffic Cop in Agile Projects

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 11 Sep 2018 00:00:00 GMT

During his work assisting our clients with their agile transformations, Dr. Sriram Rajagopalan has found a best practice to be the use of a "Traffic Cop" pseudo user to better manage the flow of work items in a project and/or sprint.

Lessons Learned from Using Rapise to Develop/Test Rapise

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 10 Sep 2018 00:00:00 GMT

If you remember our blog post - The Cobbler's Children Have No Shoes - then you'll remember that we lamented that it's often hard to practice what you preach when it comes to yourself, because you are so busy delivering first for customers! Well, as a prequel to that, we realized that it was worth mentioning how ended up using Rapise to debug issues in Rapise itself!

Which test management tools provide integration with Selenium & CI tools?

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 05 Sep 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Someone on Quora asked the question - "Which test management tools provide integration with Selenium & CI tools?". When I read this question, it was interesting, as we do get this question quite a lot, and the answer does depend a lot on which flavor of Selenium your are talking about, and which CI tools in particular you want to use.

How to Wreck Your UI Test Automation Project - A Cheat Sheet

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 04 Sep 2018 00:00:00 GMT

A while back we wrote about how to make a UI test automation project a nightmare, well in the second part of this blog series, we explore some ways you can wreck and derail an automation project. Hopefully, you will do the opposite and become a test automation hero!

Spotlight on KronoDesk 3.0 - Tickets, Knowledge Base and User Groups

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 30 Aug 2018 00:00:00 GMT

System Administrators Are People Too!

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 29 Aug 2018 00:00:00 GMT

One of the unfortunate realities of software development is that the system administrators are usually the last people to get new features. When products are adding new goodies, improving usability or looking to streamline workflows, the administrators are usually an afterthought. Well, as we're working on the new templating and program management features in Spira 6.0, we have made sure to improve the experience for system and project administrators at the same time.

Recap: #AUSTesting Days - Inflectra Meets the Testing Community of Australia

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 24 Aug 2018 00:00:00 GMT

We, at Inflectra, long figured out that geography is not a hindrance when you have an #awesome event to attend!

So, we sponsored and showcased Inflectra's award-winning software platforms at the Australian Testing Days Expo in Sydney on August 24, 2018. Represented by Inflectra's local partner, Peter Brackstone, we were able to get the Spira family of software tools and Inflectra's name, in general, in front of the testing network in Australia. Attendees were educated about what SpiraTest, SpiraTeam and Rapise can do to un-complicate their professional lives.

The Cobbler's Children Have No Shoes

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 22 Aug 2018 00:00:00 GMT

One of the most famous expressions is that the people who are in the business of a providing a particular service are so focused on delivering for their customers, that they don't practice what they preach for themselves. For example, the cobbler who repairs shoes, has no time to fix those of his family. However that analogy is unfortunately often the same when you look at software...

GitLab Plugin Now Available for Spira

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 16 Aug 2018 00:00:00 GMT

At Inflectra, we love making our customers lives easier. That’s why we make it easy to use other tools in conjunction with ours. We’re really excited to announce a brand-new integration with a product we all know and love – GitLab.

Pytest Extension Now Available for SpiraTest

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 14 Aug 2018 00:00:00 GMT

The use of big data and cloud computing solutions in the enterprise world has helped skyrocket Python in popularity. It is one of the most popular languages used in data science, second only to R. It’s also being used for machine learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems and various modern technologies. So we decided it was a good time to create a Python Pytest extension for Spira.

Join Us at STARCANADA | Oct 14

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 14 Aug 2018 00:00:00 GMT

The STARCANADA (https://well.tc/wbb2) full conference program is now available online!

Explore what the premier conference for software testing professionals has in store. Start making plans to join the fun from October 14–19 in Toronto at the Hyatt Regency Toronto.

**Exclusive Offer** inside!

GitHub Plugin Now Available for Spira

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 09 Aug 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Introducing the Web UI Test Automation Playground

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 07 Aug 2018 00:00:00 GMT

We have all seen slick demos of automated testing tools and frameworks. They show how you can quickly automate a nice, well constructed login page. The test records easily, the playback is seamless and it all looks so easy and painless. Then you purchase the tool and when it makes first contact with a real application, it looks as seamless as a Rube Goldberg machine!

What are examples of automated testing?

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Someone on Quora asked the expansive question - "What are examples of automated testing?". When I read this question, it made me think - that is such as vast question, since it can encompass so many different types of testing (hardware, software, network, security, performance, compatibility), all of which can be done automatically or manually depending on the situation. However I thought it might be useful to describe some different examples...

Webinar Recording: The Role of Exploratory Testing

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 30 Jul 2018 00:00:00 GMT

We recently hosted another free webinar - this time on The Role of Exploratory Testing.

This webinar was first presented at DevGeekWeek 2018 by Inflectra's Technical Director - Adam Sandman.

Don't worry if you missed the webinar, we have a recording available.

Recording: Selenium Page Object vs Object Repository - Inflectra Webinar

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 23 Jul 2018 00:00:00 GMT

We recently had a webinar that demonstrated the similarities and differences between Selenium Page Object vs Rapise Object Repository. Don't worry if you missed the webinar, we have a recording available.

This webinar was first presented at DevGeekWeek 2018 by Inflectra's senior software engineer - Alexey Grinevich.

Eight Ways Shortened Delivery Cycles Can Impact Software Teams

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 23 Jul 2018 00:00:00 GMT

When a software developer likely hears that delivery cycle times are getting smaller, the first reaction is probably one of understandable panic and frustration. Will quality suffer? How can we meet deadlines if we don’t have the time? How will the budget be affected? There are tons of thoughts that will race through the mind of a software developer met with this new decision, but this can turn into a positive thing.

There are many ways a shortened delivery cycle can impact software teams, and if it is framed in the right way, it can mean good things for the whole team. Read on for eight ways a shortened delivery cycle can positively impact software teams.

Using REST & UI Testing To Test An Ajax Web Application - Webinar Recording

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 20 Jul 2018 00:00:00 GMT

We are please to share with you the recording of our recent webinar on Using REST & UI Testing To Test An Ajax Web Application.

The webinar is based on a talk by Adam Sandman, first presented at STPCon Spring 2018.

Does Robust Test Data add Value to SpiraTest and Rapise?

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 18 Jul 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Would you like to have a realistic, full production-like data set available in your test management suite? Having all the exceptions, pollution and human or system made data entry errors available before an application or release goes life is a major quality assurance advantage. Just read the news and learn about some of the recent IT failures due to data migration or testing without a realistic set of sample data.

Imagine the reduction of the amount of rework when you have a professional test data solution directly available in SpiraTest and in your test and acceptance environments. Moreover, adding realistic automated test data to Rapise would rapidly increase the value & quality of your data-driven automated regression testing.

JUnit 5 Extension Now Available

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 17 Jul 2018 00:00:00 GMT

JUnit 5 is the next generation of JUnit. The goal was to create an up-to-date foundation for developer-side testing on the JVM. This included focusing on Java 8 and above, as well as enabling many different styles of testing. JUnit 5 is the result of these efforts, and at Inflectra we already have JUnit 5 available for integration with SpiraTest, SpiraTeam, or SpiraPlan.

Webinar Recap: Addressing The Challenges Of Web UI Test Automation Using Rapise

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 16 Jul 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Thank you for joining our July 5th webinar on Addressing The Challenges Of Web UI Test Automation Using Rapise. The webinar recording and slides are offered below for those who had to miss it.

Extend Your Project Management Strategy Beyond The Dev Team

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 05 Jul 2018 00:00:00 GMT

When it comes to project management strategies, most people think of development teams.
Whether they’re focused software, websites, inventory, or any number of items, the intricacies of successfully developing a viable product require stringent tracking. There are many phases between brainstorming and product launch, most of which generally consist of numerous smaller tasks, which can be broken down into several more specific tasks. With so many hands in the honey pot, disorganization quickly leads to sticky situations.

This post, however, is not about development teams. It’s about introducing project management to the rest of your company to help clear up and prevent sticky situations.

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) with Rapise

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 03 Jul 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Robotic process automation (RPA) software is designed to quickly automate business tasks in applications such as Microsoft Office, Web application, Microsoft Windows client/server applications, or even Legacy AS400 applications without coding or programming. Unlike API automation tools, RPA tools connect to the user interface of the applications, simulating the user actions to complete the business tasks.

Agile Testing Days USA, DevWeek, and Software Testing Cup - a Retrospective

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 02 Jul 2018 00:00:00 GMT

The past two weeks have been a bit of a blur for #teamInflectra, we had the great fortune to attend two conferences back to back - DevGeekWeek/QAGeekWeek in Israel, and the first ever Agile Testing Days USA in Boston, MA. During that time we learned a lot, met great people, and also got to help out with the Software Testing World Cup (STWC).

Code Smarter: SpiraPlan Now Integrates With Visual Studio Code

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 21 Jun 2018 00:00:00 GMT

At Inflectra, we love making tools that make developers’ lives easier. That’s why we have so many extensions for the tools developers use most. We’re really excited to announce our next extension and for our first text editor: Visual Studio Code. This lightweight text editor has surged in popularity over the last few years (including at Inflectra). With the help of our returning intern, Peter, we now have a great extension in the Visual Studio Code Marketplace.

Rapise Price Change Coming Soon

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 18 Jun 2018 00:00:00 GMT

We are announcing a new price for Rapise - Inflectra’s test automation powerhouse, to come into effect on August 1, 2018.

The new pricing policy affects only the new purchases of Rapise. Inflectra’s existing customers and existing quotes of Rapise (if issued before August 1, 2018) will not be affected by the price change.

Becoming Agile In Software Testing: The Government Edition - Webinar Recording

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 15 Jun 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Thank you for joining our June 12th webinar on Becoming Agile In Software Testing: The US Government Edition. The webinar recording and slides are offered below for those who had to miss it.

Webinar Recording: Testing MS Dynamics 365 Business Central with Rapise

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 11 Jun 2018 00:00:00 GMT

We are please to share with you the recording of our recent webinar on automating testing of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central with Rapise.

Spotlight on SpiraTeam v5.4.0.4 - Security & Performance

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 05 Jun 2018 00:00:00 GMT

We will be releasing the latest version of SpiraTest, SpiraTeam, and SpiraPlan v5.4 this week - v5.4.0.4. It's probably the last release of Spira v5 as we now change gears and focus on Spira v6.0. We shall be updating the roadmap shortly, for those who have been asking. But first, what's in the latest version.

Inflectra Gives Back: Parkmont School Intern at Inflectra

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 04 Jun 2018 00:00:00 GMT

We have recently hosted another intern - a young man named Niko from Parkmont school in Washington, DC. Niko turned out to be diligent and smart and a delightful person. We enjoyed giving him an opportunity to experience tech company work-style at our office in Silver Spring, MD.

Below is his own account of this internship.

How Rapise Makes Testing Dynamics 365 Easy as Pie

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 04 Jun 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Now we all know that automated testing can be a real pain sometimes. Imagine you have this big, complex web application with lots of dynamic elements, IFRAMEs, hidden layers, and other impediments to automation. Writing test automation scripts by hand with Selenium would be a Herculean task. So instead, see how we have built intelligence into Rapise to make testing such an application easy as pie.

Recording of Software Development & Testing Challenges in Financial Services

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 30 May 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Thanks to those who attended our recent webinar discussing the challenges and opportunities testing and developing software and systems in the financial services and banking industries. We have published a recording of the webinar and Q&A.

General Data Protection Regulation In Force Today

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 25 May 2018 00:00:00 GMT

By now, you've probably been bombarded by multiple emails asking you to review privacy policies. GDPR is now in force, and as a data controller you need to make sure you are compliant. As a data processor for companies in the EU, we are committed to providing tools to help you better manage your compliance. In this article, we discuss a handy new report you can use to help manage your old data.

What Is Inflectra Up To @ QAGeekWeek 2018 in Israel

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 24 May 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Every year, as June nears, we look forward to catching up with our friends and colleague in software testing and DevOps communities of Israel during a week-long tech-fest known as DevGeekWeek. Much like in 2017, #teamInflectra will support DevGeekWeek 2018 and the 2nd Israel Software Testing Cup (ISTC) this year.

The 2nd Social Testing Competition - Inflectra & AspireLabs

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 21 May 2018 00:00:00 GMT

We did it again!

We hosted another #awesome Social Testing^TM Competition!

We would like to start by thanking the dedicated group of software testers who braved the pouring rain and heavy traffic to get to Tyson’s Corner, VA. We hope that being greeted by smiling WeWork community managers, friendliness of #teamInflectra, delicious Vietnamese food and fun software testing competition made it all worthwhile!

Recording of Software Testing, Validation & Compliance in Healthcare Webinar

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 17 May 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Thanks to those who attended our recent webinar discussing the challenges and opportunities testing and validating software and systems in the life sciences and healthcare industries. We have published a recording of the webinar and Q&A.

Eating Our Own Dogfood - Using Rapise to Automate Spira

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 17 May 2018 00:00:00 GMT

So, we had the task of loading a bunch of users into an instance of SpiraTest for our upcoming Social Testing competition this week. The good news was that we had a nice Excel sheet of all the users that had registered using Eventbrite and Meetup, but we now had to get them into SpiraTest. What we needed was a tool that can read a spreadsheet and make REST web service calls into SpiraTest to create the projects and load in the users. Wow, we have a tool that can do that, Rapise! Find out how we used Rapise to automate this laborious task.

Recording of UI Test Automation for a Dynamics 365 AppSource App with Rapise

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 02 May 2018 00:00:00 GMT

The webinar demonstrates how to create a framework for automated end to end (E2E) testing of a third-party application for the Microsoft Dynamics 365 platform. It is a great example of how you can extend the functionality of Rapise yourself to test custom controls (grid, tables, treeviews, etc.) more easily.

9 Easy Steps to Start Automating Software Testing

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 01 May 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Innovations in technology have become synonymous with business growth and development. Regardless of whether a company specializes in software or application development, all businesses now have some interaction with software or application testing.

Software or application testing involves executing a program or app to find bugs or glitches. Whether creating a new responsive website, building a new mobile application, or developing a new software component, the system must be tested. The rate of software development, in general, and testing in particular, is rising for many enterprises, which has increased the need for more automated software testing. Those pre-scripted software tests can come in handy when a lot of software or applications need testing. Here are nine ways businesses can start automating software testing.

DevOps Using SpiraTeam, Jenkins and TaraVault (Parts 2-7)

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 23 Apr 2018 00:00:00 GMT

We decided it made more sense to release the entire DevOps blog as a single whitepaper, so in this paper, will be discussing some best practices and lessons learned about how to implement DevOps (Development + Operations) using the Inflectra platform in conjunction with other tools such as Jenkins. This is based on some experiences we've had internally implementing DevOps in the past 2-3 years as well as feedback and suggestions from our customers.

Meeting the Inflectra Community in California

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 17 Apr 2018 00:00:00 GMT

This week we had the pleasure of holding our inaugural California User Summits in Santa Monica and San Francisco. We met lots of fantastic customers, had great conversations and got lots of valuable feedback on the development roadmaps for our products. In this article we will recap the ideas and information that came from the event, provide copies of the presentations from Inflectra, and also include some fun photos that we took during the event.

Testers Don't Panic @ STPcon2018 Testing Conference in Newport Beach, CA

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 16 Apr 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Team Inflectra were pleased to sponsor the 2018 Spring Software Testing Professionals Conference (STPcon) in Newport Beach, CA last week. We met a lot of inspirational speakers and had a chance to demonstrate the latest version of our award-winning SpiraTest - a software test management system to the attendees. We also got to give away lots of cool Inflectra swag and prizes for winners of the STPcon raffle.

Inflectra's Tools That Solve Software Development & Testing Challenges in the Financial Sector

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 11 Apr 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Are you working in a highly regulated industry, such as finance or banking?

Do you have to deal with constantly changing regulatory compliance needs in software development and testing?

Are requirements traceability, security and privacy, system's speed and agility and data interoperability some of the areas that require constant monitoring, upgrading and investment?

Inflectra offers a powerful set of tools: SpiraTeam, Rapise and SpiraPlan - that work together seamlessly to solve all these problems and many more.

The Future of Enterprise Agile Planning

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 20 Mar 2018 00:00:00 GMT

In a recent survey, we were asked to give our thoughts and ideas as to what the world of Agile software development would look like in 5-years time (2023). In this blog we discuss some of the challenges and innovations, provide some predictions for the future, and explore three vignettes of that future world.

Notes from Inflectra's Hackathon - Social Testing Competition

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 00:00:00 GMT

On March 14, 2018 Inflectra hosted its inaugural software testing event (hackathon) called Social Testing Competition at WeWork Manhattan Laundry in Washington, DC.

The event drew enthusiasm from the local software tester community with around 25 guest-testers. The group used a simplified version of Inflectra’s award-wining test management software - SpiraTest and tested a mobile app called Sickweather. The group was tasked with logging “technical bugs” and “usability issues” as two separate categories of incidents. (Technical bugs were worth 2 points and identified (reproducible) errors in the functioning of the application, whereas usability issues were worth 1 point and noted strange or confusing app behaviors.)

After about two hours of testing the app, the group collectively logged close to 250 issues into Spiratest’s centralized databank. (The unified test report will be delivered to the app owner for review and follow up).

By the end of the night, three winners were selected based on the points scored for the issues uncovered in the app.

We would like to take a moment here to recognize all women technologists who showed up, tested hard and walked away with prizes! Pleased to have you participate.

Moving from Subversion to Git

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 13 Mar 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Late last year we decided to migrate our core applications - SpiraTeam, KronoDesk and Rapise - from our legacy on-premise Subversion server (that we had been using since 2007) to our own cloud hosted TaraVault service. We realized we should always be using the same services as our customers, commonly known in the industry as "eating your own dogfood". If we didn't like something in TaraVault, we would be motivated to change it!

Recording of Testing & Compliance Challenges Webinar for Healthcare in the Cloud

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 12 Mar 2018 00:00:00 GMT

In this presentation we discuss some of the unique testing and compliance requirements for IT projects in healthcare and the life sciences. We discuss the move to the cloud, the opportunities and challenges it will bring, and how the Inflectra platform can help. We then have a practical demonstration of our two products - SpiraTeam and Rapise - that can help you achieve compliance faster and more affordably than ever before.

Recording of Testing the Migration from AngularJS to ReactJS with Rapise

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 06 Mar 2018 00:00:00 GMT

We recently hosted a webinar demonstrating how our Rapise automated testing system simplifies the testing of a modern web application that is being migrated from one JavaScript framework to another, in this case from AngularJS to ReactJS.

Inflectra Goes West - User Summits Are Coming To California

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 02 Mar 2018 00:00:00 GMT

In mid-April 2018, #teamInflectra is coming to California! And we're combining teaching and learning at STPCon with efforts to strengthen relationships with the Inflectra community on the West Coast. With this in mind, we've planned a number of events for our partners, customers and technologists in California:

Three User Summits in Los Angeles and San Francisco, CA
Two Lunch & Learn events at two Wework locations
Individual meetings with key partners in CA

Please consider joining us for one of the events detailed below:

Five Steps To Redesigning A Business Website

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 26 Feb 2018 00:00:00 GMT

A modern business website has to do so many things at once. It's this strange mix of full page billboard ad, store front, order hotline, technical manuals, newsletter, and more. Our website has evolved over the years to deliver on all of these while keeping pace with our products and the devices we use. We recently launched a redesigned site that clears away a lot of old HTML cobwebs, and give us a fresh new look we hope our visitors will enjoy. Here are our top five tips to redesigning a business website (something any business should do, in some form, regularly).

Configuring SpiraTest to Integrate with Atlassian JIRA

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 22 Feb 2018 00:00:00 GMT

When you need a comprehensive test management system that can integrate with your existing Atlassian Jira platform, SpiraTest is the perfect solution. We recently had a webinar where we discussed the integration, outlined our future plans for making it even better, and also provided a step by step walk-through for setting up the integration.

European Union - General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 20 Feb 2018 00:00:00 GMT

On 25 May 2018, the most significant piece of European data protection legislation to be introduced in 20 years will come into force. The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) replaces the 1995 EU Data Protection Directive. The GDPR strengthens the rights that individuals have regarding personal data relating to them and seeks to unify data protection laws across Europe, regardless of where that data is processed.

Recording of Testing Salesforce Lightning with Rapise Webinar

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Rapise is the most powerful and easy to use software testing tool on the market for testing Salesforce.com. We have many customers and partners using Rapise to streamline their testing of Salesforce.com, cutting down the time to test every new patch, update, or customization. We recently had a webinar that demonstrated the best practices and tips and tricks for testing Salesforce's new Lightning Edition. Don't worry if you missed the webinar, we have a recording available.

SpiraTeam: Frequently Asked Questions & Best Practices

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 13 Feb 2018 00:00:00 GMT

We recently surveyed one of our key training partners - Agile Training Champions, and asked them to let us know what were some of the most common questions about SpiraTeam that people have, as well as some of the best practices they recommend. In this article, we cover some of the items that frequently come up during training, so that you can benefit from them.

Inflectra - a Proud Co-Sponsor of Agile Testing Days USA 2018

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 12 Feb 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Great news!

Europe’s fun and wildly popular agile testing festival is coming to North America this June 25–29 as Agile Testing Days USA (https://well.tc/wejy). The conference will be a festival of learning and sharing for the community. The agile-focused learning experience will provide an interactive way to get deep insights and the latest developments in testing and agile excellence as well as many opportunities to network with fellow passionate agile software professionals. We hope you will be able to join the inaugural event in Boston!

**Exclusive Offer** save up to an additional $200 off the Agile Testing Days USA Super Early Lobster pricing when you register with code ATD18V4 by April 27. That’s a combined savings up to $600 off!

Explore the program: https://well.tc/wejy

Face-to-Face with Inflectra - Find Us Where Software Testing Happens

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 31 Jan 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Over the years, we at Inflectra, developed a taste for all the fun that takes place at software testing and agile software development events. We have also become active members of national and international tester communities. We love to share our knowledge as software engineers and learn from your experience as testers, developers and managers.

So, the new year brings new opportunities for Inflectra to get up close and personal with software testing peeps out there.

Apart from continuing with our now-traditional weekly webinars (a good way to meet new people), we have made plans to meet software testing superheros and agile gurus during the following events in the first half of 2018:

Social Testing - Washington, DC
STPCon - Newport Beach, CA
ISTC & DevGeekWeek - Israel
Agile Testing Days USA - Boston, MA

So if you are planning on attending one of these events, stop by to say hi!

Inflectra Gives Back - Meet-Up Sponsorship in DC/MD/VA

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Revised on Nov 16, 2018

The sponsorship offer is now extended to all meet-ups in the USA.

Since 2017, Inflectra has significantly stepped up its community engagement efforts, which come under the umbrella of Inflectra Gives Back. This on-going campaign is designed to nurture and support the community of software testers, developers and project leads operating the agile software testing, test automation, and project management space in the metropolitan DC area.

Recording of Testing Dynamics 365 for Operations with Rapise Webinar

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Rapise is the most powerful and easy to use software testing tool on the market for testing Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Operations. We have many customers and partners using Rapise to streamline their testing of Dynamics products, cutting down the time to test every new patch, update, or customization. We recently had a webinar that demonstrated the best practices and tips and tricks for testing Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Operations. Don't worry if you missed the webinar, we have a recording available.

What's New in SpiraTest v5.4 - The Number One Test Management System

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 29 Jan 2018 00:00:00 GMT

We shall be releasing the latest update of our powerful, award-winning test management system - SpiraTest in a few weeks, so we thought it would be good to highlight some of the new features coming your way.

Recording of Testing Dynamics NAV with Rapise Webinar

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 25 Jan 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Rapise is the most powerful and easy to use software testing tool on the market for testing Microsoft Dynamics NAV. We have many customers and partners using Rapise to streamline their testing of Dynamics products, cutting down the time to test every new patch, update, or customization. We recently had a webinar that demonstrated the best practices and tips and tricks for testing Microsoft Dynamics NAV. Don't worry if you missed the webinar, we have a recording available.

The Top 10 Reasons Why SpiraTeam Is Better than JIRA for ALM

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 23 Jan 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Are you looking for an ALM tool that is more powerful yet easier to maintain than JIRA?

Try SpiraTeam - a true alternative to Atlassian ecosystem!

Does that sound too good to be true? Let us give you (at least) 10 reasons why.

Spotlight on SpiraPlan 5.4 - Program View of Releases & Incidents

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 23 Jan 2018 00:00:00 GMT

As we're in the final countdown for the release of the latest version of SpiraTest, SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan v5.4, we are going to be highlighting some of the most important new features in this version to help you get ready for the release. Last week we discussed the new graphs and charts, so this time we shall be illustrating the new program management features in SpiraPlan v5.4. In addition, this is the first release of the new SpiraPlan that we discussed in December, it has all of the functionality of SpiraTeam, but in addition has the new program planning features.

Spotlight on SpiraTeam 5.4 - New Agile Task and Incident Boards

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 16 Jan 2018 00:00:00 GMT

As we're in the final countdown for the release of the latest version of SpiraTest, SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan v5.4, we are going to be highlighting some of the most important new features in this version to help you get ready for the release. Last week we discussed the new graphs and charts, so this time we shall be illustrating some of the new agile software development features in SpiraTeam v5.4, specifically the new board views we've introduced for tasks and incidents.

Spotlight on SpiraTeam 5.4 - Graphing Enhancements and Custom Graphs

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 10 Jan 2018 00:00:00 GMT

As we're in the final countdown for the release of the latest version of SpiraTest, SpiraTeam and SpiraPlan v5.4, we are going to be highlighting some of the most important new features in this version to help you get ready for the release. In this article we shall be discussing some of the graphing enhancements in v5.4, both the additional standard graphs, and the new custom graphing engine that lots of customers have been waiting for!

How to Make UI Test Automation a Nightmare - A Developer's Guide

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 19 Dec 2017 00:00:00 GMT

We are trying to prove ourselves wrong as quickly as possible, because only in that way can we find progress.
― Richard Feynman

There are many ways in which you can make the lives of test automation teams harder. If you are a developer or system architect and one of testers is the kind of guy you dislike, this article is for you. Enlightened by the sacred knowledge contained in this short article you will learn how to make UI of any application nearly untestable.

Alternatively, if you are a kinder soul and respect others' hard work, you may consider topics presented herewith as anti-patterns.

So, let's go.

Recording of the Microsoft Dynamics CRM / 365 for Sales Webinar

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 19 Dec 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Rapise is the most powerful and easy to use software testing tool on the market for testing Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Sales. We have many customers and partners using Rapise to streamline their testing of Dynamics products, cutting down the time to test every new patch, update, or customization. We recently had a webinar that demonstrated the best practices and tips and tricks for testing Dynamics CRM and Dynamics 365. Don't worry if you missed the webinar, we have a recording available.

DevOps Using SpiraTeam, Jenkins and TaraVault (Part 1)

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 18 Dec 2017 00:00:00 GMT

In this new blog series we will be discussing some best practices and lessons learned about how to implement DevOps (Development + Operations) using the Inflectra platform in conjunction with other tools such as Jenkins. This is based on some experiences we've had internally implementing DevOps in the past 2-3 years as well as feedback and suggestions from our customers.

Changes to the Spira Product Family in 2018 - The New SpiraPlan

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 15 Dec 2017 00:00:00 GMT

We have some big news to share for 2018!

Based on extensive feedback and discussions with our customers during the user summits and consultations with our partners, we are making some changes to our product lineup next year. The big news is that we will be retiring our existing "SpiraPlan" feature set, and launching a new SpiraPlan edition of our Spira ALM platform that will cater to the needs of programs, portfolios, and enterprises.

Configuring SpiraTeam for Testing in Validated Environments (Part 4)

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 07 Dec 2017 00:00:00 GMT

At Inflectra we like to make the lives of customers easier and share knowledge. We have lots of customer in the life sciences industries using SpiraTeam to manage and test medical device systems and products. Since such products have to follow the FDA 21 CFR Part 11 requirements, we thought it would be useful to highlight some of the best practices we have for configuring SpiraTeam in such environments. This is the fourth article in the blog series, and covers the configuration of the release workflows.

Migrating from Legacy Test Management Tools Such as TestRail to SpiraTest

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 06 Dec 2017 00:00:00 GMT

We always want to make things easy for our customers, and many of our recent customers have been looking to move to SpiraTest for their test management because they are excited about the new exploratory testing features, easy to use drag-and-drop user interface, integrated requirements management, and the powerful reporting and analytics. They are also concerned that their old legacy test management tool will no longer be supported or developed due to a recent company acquisition (TestRail by IDERA, HPE by Micro Focus, etc.). So to augment our line up of migration tools that we already have for HP ALM, Microsoft Test Manager, Excel, Word and Google Sheets, we have added a new migration tool to streamline switching from TestRail to SpiraTest.

Supporting Agile Software Testing in DC - D-CAST

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 00:00:00 GMT

We had the pleasure of sponsoring the local D-CAST meetup this month, celebrating the end of 2017 and all things agile and software testing related. Inflectra is a proud sponsor of the group and is looking forward to helping support more events in the Washington, DC area in 2018. During the meetup, Peter Kim discussed his new cool Slackbot called Mr. Jenkins.

Configuring SpiraTeam for Testing in Validated Environments (Part 3)

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 00:00:00 GMT

At Inflectra we like to make the lives of customers easier and share knowledge. We have lots of customer in the life sciences industries using SpiraTeam to manage and test medical device systems and products. Since such products have to follow the FDA 21 CFR Part 11 requirements, we thought it would be useful to highlight some of the best practices we have for configuring SpiraTeam in such environments. This is the third article in the blog series, and covers the configuration of the test case workflows.

Recording of Testing Salesforce.com with Rapise Webinar

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 01 Dec 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Rapise is the most powerful and easy to use software testing tool on the market for testing Salesforce.com. We have many customers and partners using Rapise to streamline their testing of Salesforce.com, cutting down the time to test every new patch, update, or customization. We recently had a webinar that demonstrated the best practices and tips and tricks for testing Salesforce.com. Don't worry if you missed the webinar, we have a recording available.

Configuring SpiraTeam for Testing in Validated Environments (Part 2)

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 29 Nov 2017 00:00:00 GMT

At Inflectra we like to make the lives of customers easier and share knowledge. We have lots of customers in the life sciences industries using SpiraTeam to manage and test medical device systems and products. Since such products have to follow the FDA 21 CFR Part 11 requirements, we thought it would be useful to highlight some of the best practices we have for configuring SpiraTeam in such environments. This is the second article in the blog series, and covers the configuration of the requirements workflows.

Recording of Testing Dynamics AX 2012 with Rapise Webinar

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 28 Nov 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Rapise is the most powerful and easy to use software testing tool on the market for testing Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012. We have many customers and partners using Rapise to streamline their testing of Dynamics AX, cutting down the time to test every new patch, update, or customization. We recently had a webinar that demonstrated the best practices and tips and tricks for testing Dynamics AX. Don't worry if you missed the webinar, we have a recording available.

Configuring SpiraTeam for Testing in Validated Environments (Part 1)

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 20 Nov 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Move over Excel, There's a New Importer in Town (for Excel 365 and Google Sheets)

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 09 Nov 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Data migration is a pain, we all know that. However when you want to migrate from an antiquated paper-based approach to using a modern requirements and test management system like SpiraTest or ALM platform such as SpiraTeam, you have no choice, but to migrate over some of your old data. Until now, we only had import tools based on Microsoft Office, running on Windows... but that changed this week.

Rapise 5.4 - Rewriting its Support for Firefox 57

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 08 Nov 2017 00:00:00 GMT

As we wrote back in August, Firefox has completely changed its plugin architecture in the soon to be released Firefox 57. One of the side effects is that many plugins including Selenium IDE and the plugin used by Rapise will not work. However one of the benefits of a commercial tool like Rapise is that we provide support, including updating our plugins when necessary.

Inflectra Gets its First Woman Tech Intern

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 00:00:00 GMT

It has been almost a year since we started our internship program. The premise of this undertaking has always been simple - Inflectra wanted to give back to the community by building up in-demand coding skills among young and aspiring techies in the metropolitan DC area.

So, this week we started a new round of internships and (drum roll, please.....) we got our first woman coder!

Her name is Julie and we are excited about working with her.

Updated Product Roadmaps for SpiraTeam, SpiraTest, and SpiraPlan Released

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 30 Oct 2017 00:00:00 GMT

We are pleased to release the updated Development Roadmaps for our SpiraTeam application lifecycle management platform. The development roadmaps outline the functionality enhancements planned for later this year and 2018 and covers the features planned for SpiraTest, SpiraPlan and SpiraTeam.

Updated Visual Studio IDE Plugin Now Available

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 23 Oct 2017 00:00:00 GMT

At Inflectra, we want to make you life as easy as possible, so you can get back to developing. That’s why, we've updated one of our popular developer plugins for SpiraTeam - our flagship ALM platform. You don’t have to worry about switching windows between your web browser and Microsoft Visual Studio IDE just to track what you have to get done. Our updated Visual Studio plugin provides a more streamlined way to review your assigned work and track progress. In addition, the latest version includes support for the SpiraTeam contact manager introduced in v5.

Spotlight on SpiraTeam v5.3 - What's New?

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 00:00:00 GMT

We are excited with the new release of SpiraTeam v5.3 (also including SpiraTest and SpiraPlan in case you were asking!). In this article we are going to highlight some of the enhancements in the latest version. The full list of enhancements, bug fixes and new features can be found in the release notes.

How To Ace Your Next Tech Convention

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 06 Oct 2017 00:00:00 GMT

If you are a software company, you probably market your products at trade fairs, conventions and such. We recently went to one and decided to share some lessons learned on how to make the most of your time, $$$ and how to maximize ROI.

Testers Assemble @ STPcon2017 Testing Conference in Washington, DC

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 02 Oct 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Team Inflectra were pleased to sponsor the 2017 Fall Software Testing Professionals Conference (STPcon) in Washington, DC last week. We met a lot of inspirational speakers and had a chance to demonstrate the new exploratory testing features of SpiraTest to the attendees. We also got to give away lots of cool Inflectra swag and prizes for winners of the STPcon raffle.

Updated Product Roadmaps for KronoDesk and Rapise Released

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 26 Sep 2017 00:00:00 GMT

We are pleased to release the updated Development Roadmaps for our KronoDesk help desk system and Rapise test automation platform. The development roadmaps outline the functionality enhancements planned for later this year and 2018.

Recording of Custom Report Webinar using SpiraTeam

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 22 Sep 2017 00:00:00 GMT

One of the nice features in SpiraTeam is the ability to do custom reporting, so that you are not limited to just the reports that ship with the system. Due to popular demand, we recently had a webinar explaining how to use these powerful custom reporting features in your projects. Don't worry if you missed the webinar, we have a recording available as well as a copy of the presentation.

Concurrent User Licensing, Why It's A Big Deal

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 19 Sep 2017 00:00:00 GMT

We often get questions from prospective customers about the pricing on our website. We pride ourselves on having a transparent price list available at all times so that there are no surprises later. However the most common question is about the number of users they need, and whether they to purchase a special read-only license for users that may only login occasionally.

Fun To Be Had With Inflectra This Fall

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 07 Sep 2017 00:00:00 GMT

It is never a dull moment with Inflectra, and after the lull of summer, we are back with vengeance! Which is to say, we are going all out sponsoring two software testing events in September-October 2017 in the US: STPCon in the greater D.C.-area and Agile Open Florida, in Orlando, Florida. So, if you are attending one of these, read what Inflectra has in store for you (and if you are not, there is still time to sign up):

Spotlight on Rapise 5.3: Testing Dynamics NAV Applications

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 05 Sep 2017 00:00:00 GMT

As you may know, one of the core strengths of Rapise is its support for testing Microsoft Dynamics applications. Rapise offers the best automated testing solution on the market for Microsoft Dynamics AX, CRM and 365. However that is not sufficient for us, after several customer requests, we are pleased to announce that the next version of Rapise due for release in a couple of weeks will also include built-in out of the box support for MS Dynamics NAV as well.

Running UnitJS Tests with Mocha and SpiraTest

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 01 Sep 2017 00:00:00 GMT

We announced today that we have just released a new plugin for SpiraTest - a custom reporter for the popular Mocha JavaScript test execution framework. We thought it would be helpful to provide more information around using the new plugin as well as some background on why we decided to develop it in the first place.

When Selenium IDE Doesn't Work, SpiraTest Comes to the Rescue!

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 31 Aug 2017 00:00:00 GMT

We heard from one of our customers recently that due to breaking changes in the Firefox plugin model, Selenium IDE will no longer work. This somewhat sad news took us by surprise since we didn’t realize that Selenium IDE had not been migrated to the new WebExtensions plugin architecture. Hopefully, that will happen, but we have some good news in the meantime!

SpiraTest and RemoteLaunch already provide a solution.

The Curse of the Middle Choice - Why SpiraTeam Has 4 Priorities

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 25 Aug 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Customers sometimes ask us why we chose four priorities, severities and importance values in SpiraTeam. Now you can of course customize the system to change the priorities and severities but this article explains why we chose four and why you might want to keep them.

Work Smarter & Faster with JetBrains Plugin for SpiraTeam

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 24 Aug 2017 00:00:00 GMT

At Inflectra, we want to make your lives as easy as possible, so you can get back to developing. That’s why, with the help of our intern, Peter - we’ve built plugins for SpiraTeam - our flagship ALM platform, that work with your favorite IDEs. You don’t have to worry about switching windows between the browser and IDE just to track what you have to get done. Jetbrains has a wide variety of popular IDEs for different languages (like IntelliJ for Java, PyCharm for Python, WebStorm for Javascript, and PhpStorm for PHP), and we are pleased to announce a brand new SpiraTeam plugin to help you work smarter and faster for all Jetbrains IDEs.

Putting the Balance Back into Business - The Inflectra Way not the Wall Street Way

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 14 Aug 2017 00:00:00 GMT

When we started Inflectra 11 years ago we decided that we wanted to create a different kind of company. Instead of chasing Venture Capital firms with the latest hot idea, we focused on listening to prospective customers' needs and building great software. Over the past eleven years we have consistently focused on these three things: Craft, Customers and Culture. So we decided it made sense to take a step back, look at our core values and make sure they truly spoke to these tenets.

You Did Not Know It Was Called Black Box Testing

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 09 Aug 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Have you ever wondered about what it is called when you test a system by interacting with it solely through external interfaces, without looking inside?

Wonder no more – it is called Black Box Testing!

So, when do you use black box testing? What are some of the approaches in the black box testing? Which elements of software's design may help you make black box testing more effective?

From Our Partner: Test Cases in Word or Excel?

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 08 Aug 2017 00:00:00 GMT

We all agree that recording your test cases, as well as the whole software testing space, in general, has come a loooong way. But sometimes you may still find yourself in need of migrating your #awesome test results into a legacy tool with a limited scope, such as excel or word.

And while we, at Inflectra, are avid followers of the continuous delivery and integration philosophy, we just can't do it all on our own. So, with the help of our partners, we are making our products more inclusive, bringing more and more features that, hopefully, make testers' lives easier, while saving time and optimizing results.

So without further ado, let us introduce the WorX plugin for SpiraTest from autom8 - our partner in New Zealand!

The Top 3 Tools In Automated UI Testing for Dynamics AX

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 07 Aug 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Ever wonder which automated UI testing software to use for Dynamics AX ?

We have a review that compares the three top tools on the market: Visual Studio Coded UI, Rapise and AXeptance. Read how each of them fair when tested against the following five criteria:

functionality
ease of use & maintenance
date-driven testing
reliability
speed

How Many Tools Does It Take to Set Up A TestOps Environment With Selenium?

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 03 Aug 2017 00:00:00 GMT

We set ourselves the challenge. If we want to use JavaScript (arguably the most popular programming language in 2017) and Selenium WebDriver to create an integrated testing framework (often called Testing Operations or TestOps for short), how would we do it, and what tools would we need?

Speeding Up Software Testing with New Eclipse Plugin for SpiraTeam

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 03 Aug 2017 00:00:00 GMT

At Inflectra, we want to make it as easy as possible for you to manage your tasks, bugs, and requirements, so you can get back to developing. That’s why we develop plugins that work in the IDEs you use the most. Eclipse remains the most popular Java IDE on the planet, and we are happy to announce a new version of our Eclipse plugin.

Rapise 5.2 Now Available

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 00:00:00 GMT

We have big news - Rapise 5.2 is Now Released! Our automation development team has been working to add the remaining features needed for full scriptless test automation using Rapise Visual Language (RVL) and now it is here!

Spotlight on SpiraTest 5.3 - Data Driven Testing with Test Configurations

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 31 Jul 2017 00:00:00 GMT

We are busy bees this summer, and one of the most exciting new features of SpiraTest (and SpiraTeam, of course) is a better support for data-driven testing with the new test configurations functionality. We are adding support for test configurations that will let you create a data-set of possible testing configurations (e.g. 5 browsers, 4 operating systems, 10 logins = 200 possible combinations) and run your test sets through the different combinations with ease. This will be available for both manual and automated testing.

Expanding the Rapise Universe with Elastic Search and Google Drive

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 28 Jul 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Software products are not islands, the value of a product is how well it works with the surrounding ecosystem of other technologies, frameworks and platforms. In this article we highlight some of the recent work by Team Inflectra to integrate our Rapise test automation tool with ElasticSearch and also demonstrating how it can be used to automate a combination of web and desktop UIs to drag and drop files from Windows Explorer to Google Drive.

Spotlight on KronoDesk 2.1: Support for Organizations and Digital Signatures

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 24 Jul 2017 00:00:00 GMT

We are busy bees this summer, and we will be releasing the next version of our KronoDesk help desk system (v2.1) in the next month. In this article we describe the two main new features in KronoDesk 2.1 and what you can expect from the new version.

Recording of Agile Project Management Webinar using SpiraPlan

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Many of our customers choose SpiraPlan or SpiraTeam because they are using agile methodologies such as Scrum or Kanban and need a powerful tool to manage their project backlogs, releases, sprints, iterations and programs. They are often using different tools for planning, bug tracking and requirements which hampers the ability to see the status of their project in one place.

Spotlight on Rapise 5.2: Data Driven Testing

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 17 Jul 2017 00:00:00 GMT

We are busy bees this summer, and one of the most exciting new features of Rapise is the fact that we're adding support for data-driven testing using the new Rapise Visual Language (RVL) with the introduction of Maps and Loops to the new scriptless language.

Why You Should Join Our Technology and Innovation Meet-up Group

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 00:00:00 GMT

If you are a software company, like us, building and releasing software is pretty much up there with coffee, chocolate, and Game of Thrones. But our digital fortress could no longer contain our desire to make new friends in our own neighborhood of Silver Spring, MD. And while there is no shortage of #awesome Meet-Up groups and Eventbrite get-togethers in DC/MD/VA area, we are using our resources to make software testing fun and accessible for everyone who is interested locally.

We are weaving a web of community connections through our regular coder internship program, our webinar series, and through our meetup group - Technology and Innovation Meet-up Group in Silver Spring, MA.

Roundup: 10 Reasons You Should Switch From HP to Inflectra

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 12 Jul 2017 00:00:00 GMT

We just released the final evaluation guide in our three part series comparing legacy HP products with new and easy to use alternatives from Inflectra. Coinciding with the announcement that HP is selling its software assets to Micro Focus, we thought it would be good to highlight the three guides in case you need help convincing your boss or a co-worker on the benefits of switching to Inflectra.

Spotlight on SpiraTest 5.3 - Exploratory Testing Coming Soon

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 00:00:00 GMT

We are busy bees this summer, and one of the most exciting new features of SpiraTest (and SpiraTeam of course) is the fact that we're adding support in SpiraTest for exploratory/session-based testing. This article outlines how this new functionality will work and explains what will be possible in SpiraTest, and what additional features will be in SpiraTeam (hint integration with Task Management!)

Recording of SpiraTest Introductory Webinar

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 07 Jul 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Many of our customers choose SpiraTest because they are tired of using manual paper-based methods such as Microsoft Excel or Word. They want to be able to more easily manage their testing, record test results and see in real-time the progress and status of their testing activities.

Tip of the Day: The Best Way to Assign Test Cases to Your Testers

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 06 Jul 2017 00:00:00 GMT

One of the questions we get asked a lot by new users of SpiraTest is:

What is the best way to assign test cases to my users so that they can do their testing?

This article discusses the different options and provides the best solutions for your situation.

What's Coming Up This Summer at Inflectra

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 04 Jul 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Our development teams are going to be avoiding the sweltering summer heat here in Washington, DC by staying inside and cooking up some amazing new features for our products. In this blog, I thought it would be good to highlight some of the key new features coming to our product families this summer.

Meeting the Software Testing Community in Israel During QAGeekWeek, DevGeekWeek and the ISTC

info@inflectra.com — Sun, 25 Jun 2017 00:00:00 GMT

During the past week, Team Inflectra had the amazing opportunity to visit Israel for the inaugural Israeli Software Testing Cup (ISTC). The ISTC was organized by one of our customers Anna Lucovsky (Mentor Graphics) and Inflectra was proud to sponsor the ISTC and DevGeekWeek 2017 (a week long celebration of software development and testing). In addition, we were fortunate enough to meet a lot of our long-term customers and people interested in improving the software development and testing during an evening meetup organized by Inflectra.

#TechTuesday: Resilient UI Test Automation for Web Applications

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 20 Jun 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Web applications are a perfect example of a rapidly moving target for UI test automation tools. Agile and DevOps drive small changes and frequent releases. This leads to certain challenges in QA field. How to create tests that survive after small UI changes? How to create tests that produce same results if ran 10 times in a row on an unmodified application? How to create tests that check exactly those features they were designed to check?

Answers to these questions are not entirely simple. Test automation is still an art.

In this blog we try to figure out what every test automation engineer can do to find the right answers. First I'll give a few examples that illustrate common challenges in Web UI test automation.

Supporting the Local DC-Tech Community - CDK Meetup

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 16 Jun 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Last night we attended a large gathering of technologists in Washington, DC at the CDK Summer Meetup. Held at the General Assembly building, part of the 1776 technology incubator, the event was a chance for local technologists to learn about Inflectra, our mission to make software development and testing awesome, and also to sign up for our internship and tech blogging programs.

#TechTuesday: Automated Testing of Complex Web UI Components: Behind The Scenes

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Take any tool for UI test automation and you will notice that they always lack support for some of the UI controls. And I am not talking about trivial ones like buttons and edit boxes, but the one that are custom controls, which are unique and created for specific needs. It can be some sophisticated grid or menu or a fancy tree. A number of such controls in this rapidly evolving world is growing exponentially. So, every UI test automation engineer is challenged by emerging UI frameworks in every project. This is especially true for Web applications.

As a provider of a UI test automation tool - Rapise - we constantly do our best to arm engineers with the most advanced technologies to help them deal with new UI controls.

This article by Danis Markovtsev will showcase a real-life example of this.

All This Talk of Real-life TestOps Environment...

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 00:00:00 GMT

We’ve mentioned before that Inflectra is sponsoring DevGeekWeek2017 in Israel later this month. One of the perks of being a sponsor is an ability to engage with the conference attendees through seminars and talks. It is then only natural that we decided to also contribute our experience, technical knowledge and testing wisdom to this conference.

So, we are sending #TeamInflectra’s crème de la crème - Adam Sandman, Inflectra’s Technical Director, to talk about A Real-life TestOps Environment during a seminar called: Real Testing Scenario Strategy lead by Anna Lucovsky on June 21, 2017.

Expanding Inflectra’s User Universe One Country At A Time

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 09 Jun 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Team Inflectra is traveling to Israel to participate in DevGeekWeek2017 – an annual, 5-day conference on all aspects of software development. Three Inflectra software engineers will give talks, meet face-to-face with Inflectra’s partners, customers and users and organize social events in Herzliya, Israel between June 19 and 22, 2017.

So, if you are in town for this exciting conference, look up Inflectra, get on our guest list and get much more out of your participation in DevGeekWeek2017.

Code & Data: from Assembler to RVL

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 07 Jun 2017 00:00:00 GMT

In this short blog post, our test automation guru - Denis Markovtsev explains the ideas and principles behind the design of Inflectra's new Rapise Visual Language (RVL) introduced in Rapise 5.1. RVL is a spreadsheet-based approach to UI test automation implemented in Rapise to help domain specialists and test analysts, who are not programmers, participate in test automation projects.

Highlights from the SpiraTeam v5.2 Webinar

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 05 Jun 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Last week, Adam Sandman from Inflectra hosted a webinar to discuss the new features available in SpiraTeam v5.2 (including SpiraTest and SpiraPlan). This was a great opportunity for customers and new users to learn about the new features, ask questions and provide feedback. If you missed the webinar, don't worry, there is a second session this week and we have the recording from the first session.

The Top 5 Software Testing Pitfalls

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 02 Jun 2017 00:00:00 GMT

You're testing the latest release of your software. Time is tight as always. Your mission is to find serious bugs, so they can be reported and fixed before the product goes out to customers.

From Russia with Rapise - SQADAYS 21

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 30 May 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Team Inflectra was excited last week to present at the SQADAYS 21 testing conference in Moscow. Leading practitioners in Software Quality Assurance attended the XXI International Conference of Software Quality Assurance in Moscow, on May 26-27, 2017 to share knowledge on test automation, quality assurance and all things software testing. Our colleagues Denis Markovtsev and Alexey Grinevich attended the event, with Denis speaking on the topic of best practices for testing an application that is constantly being upgraded.

Supporting the Local DC-Tech Community - CDK Meetup

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 26 May 2017 00:00:00 GMT

We are excited to be part of the local DC tech community, and we have been working to help software developers and testers get into the industry, with training and career coaching events, as well as our internship program. We also sponsor local meetups and events in the community.

Tip of the Day: Accessing and Inspecting DOM Elements with $0

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 23 May 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Modern browsers have incredibly powerful developer tools. Hit the F12 key and you get access to a wealth of great information and features. The dev tools are great for looking through the DOM and inspecting specific HTML elements. Want to do something on/with that element in JavaScript too? They have you covered. The secret is $0.

<joke>In fact, using $0 can save you more than $0 :-)</joke>

Rapise v5.1 - Enhanced REST Web Service Testing

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 22 May 2017 00:00:00 GMT

We're very excited about the next version of Rapise coming out later this week. It has many enhancements and improvements for testing the web, mobile and desktop applications which we'll be discussing in future blog articles. It also has some nifty new features to make the testing of REST web services even better.

Meeting the Inflectra Community in Boston

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 19 May 2017 00:00:00 GMT

This week we had the pleasure of holding our first ever North America East-Coast User Summit in the fair city of Boston, MA. We met lots of fantastic customers, had great conversations and got lots of valuable feedback on the development roadmaps for our products. In this article we will recap the ideas and information that came from the event, provide copies of the presentations from Inflectra and our partners, and also include some fun photos and videos that we took during the event.

The Top 10 Reasons You Should Switch from HP QualityCenter

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 09 May 2017 00:00:00 GMT

With the recent news about HPE selling its software portfolio to Micro Focus, and the herd of former HP customers trying out SpiraTest to see what alternatives they have, we thought it would be a good idea to see how SpiraTest compares against HP QualityCenter (and its predecessor TestDirector).

Tech Job Advice Event in Silver Spring, MD!

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 05 May 2017 00:00:00 GMT

I already know you are planning to be out and about during Fiesta Asia in downtown Silver Spring, MD on May 7. But while celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is good for your soul, we invite you to combine play with a bit of job-search advice at Inflectra's Company HQ down the street. Come spend an afternoon working for your own future at Tech Recruitment Workshop for aspiring coders, programmers and software testing enthusiasts!

If you want a job in tech, then you are not going to want to miss this free Tech Job Advice workshop on May 7!

The Top 10 Reasons You Should Switch from HP ALM

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 02 May 2017 00:00:00 GMT

With the recent news about HPE selling its software portfolio to Micro Focus, and the herd of former HP customers trying out SpiraTeam to see what alternatives they have, we thought it would be a good idea to see how SpiraTeam compares against HP ALM.

Preview of SpiraTest v5.2 - Testing Enhancements

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 24 Apr 2017 00:00:00 GMT

We're very excited about the next version of SpiraTest (also SpiraPlan and SpiraTeam) coming out on April 26th. It includes a set of enhancements to the test management functionality that were a favorite of our testers at the recent user summits in Europe. In this article, we'd like to highlight three of these popular changes:

1. Test cases are now auto-flagged when requirements change

2. You can now schedule test sets to run automatically after a build

3. Hand off a pending test run to someone else

Read more on how these upgrades to SpiraTest will make your life as a test manager much easier!

Google for Developers: Pros and Cons of Google's Sheets API

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Chris, one of Inflectra's latest interns, has created a brand new way to get data into SpiraTeam: Google Sheets. Google Sheets is great product, letting you create spreadsheets from anywhere at anytime. While it's great for us as consumers to use, what's it like for a developer? Chris explains some plusses and minuses to working with the Google Sheets API.

Rapise v5.1 - Scriptless Automated Testing

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 00:00:00 GMT

We're very excited about the next version of Rapise coming out later this month. It has many enhancements and improvements for testing the web, mobile and desktop applications which we'll be discussing, but the biggest new feature is the ability to create scriptless tests, using a familiar Excel-based grid framework for composing automated tests. Unlike some other tools (cough cough HP UFT) this is natively part of Rapise, not some add-on.

Office365: Pros and Cons of Microsoft's Excel API

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 17 Apr 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Rodrigo, one of Inflectra's latest interns, has achieved what customers have long been asking for: a cross-platform Excel plugin for getting data into SpiraTeam (feel free to check out the code on Github ). With the latest versions of office, there's a new API that lets the same plugin work in the web (Office365) as well as on the desktop (Windows and Mac with Office 2016+). Rodrigo explains how he found the Office API to work with.

Preview of SpiraTest v5.2 - Revamped User Interface for Incidents

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 10 Apr 2017 00:00:00 GMT

We're very excited about the next version of SpiraTest (also SpiraPlan and SpiraTeam) coming out on April 26th. It features a lot of enhancements which will be the subject of future blog posts. However one big area is the redesign of the Incidents pages (both the one that displays the list of incidents and the one that displays a single incident when you click on it). This article explains some of the reasons behind the change and an explanation of what you can expect in v5.2. For those not heavily using the incidents module, it is still worth reading because in v5.3 we will be similarly changing all of the testing pages.

It’s Official – East Coast User Summit is On!

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 07 Apr 2017 00:00:00 GMT

You probably remember our recent posts about Inflectra’s plan to host North America User Summits in Boston, MA and San-Francisco, CA in 2017. We are pleased to announce that we’ve now finalized the details of our inaugural East Coast User Summit, and have the following updates to share:

Listening to our Customers: Updated Product Roadmaps

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 04 Apr 2017 00:00:00 GMT

One of the most popular sessions in our recent user summits in London, Zürich and Mannheim were the discussions of the future Inflectra product roadmaps. We presented the proposed roadmap for SpiraTest, SpiraPlan, SpiraTeam and Rapise to the community and captured their feedback and suggestions (sadly there was not time to also cover KronoDesk). Based on their feedback we have now published the updated roadmaps for the products for 2017/2018. Learn what users in Europe had to say.

Meeting the Inflectra Community in Germany

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 30 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMT

This week we had the pleasure of holding our inaugural user summits in several key cities Europe. We had events in London, Zürich, and Mannheim, with customers coming from across the UK, Switzerland, Germany, and the Czech Republic. We met lots of fantastic customers, had great conversations and got lots of valuable feedback on the development roadmaps for our products. In this article we will provide some ideas and information that came from the event in Mannheim, Germany.

Meeting the Inflectra Community in Switzerland

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 29 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Meeting the Inflectra Community in London

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 24 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMT

This week we had the pleasure of holding our inaugural user summits in several key cities in Europe. We had events in London, Zürich, and Mannheim, with customers coming from across the UK, Switzerland, Germany, and the Czech Republic. We met lots of fantastic customers, had great conversations and got lots of valuable feedback on the development roadmaps for our products. In this article we will present some of the ideas and feedback from our event in London.

Going the Extra Mile with SpiraTest v5.2

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 15 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Over the years, we have received countless requests to introduce a feature allowing users to "hand-off" a test run that is already in progress from one tester to another. This lets person A do some testing and then dynamically hand it over to person B who can finish off the test run. In the current version (5.1) you have to start a new test execution. Well now.... despite us telling customers that this feature would probably not be included in Spiratest v5.2, we have some good news and some better news:

The Top 5 Reasons You Should Switch from Zendesk

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 14 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Many people start out using a tool because they have heard of it, or because a colleague recommended it. However they don't always look at the features they need or the time and money it will cost to get it up and running, delivering value.

So we thought it would be useful to take a look at Zendesk, a popular help desk tool and see why you might want to switch to KronoDesk 2.0.

Join the Inflectra Partner Network

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 10 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMT

We are looking for companies around the world that provide QA testing services, agile project management, training, IT consulting and system integration to join our partner network and help grow their businesses. Inflectra certified solution providers offer a range of services that support Inflectra solutions. They include quality assurance and project management consulting firms, information technology integrators, training providers and other proven professional service organizations.

Spotlight on KronoDesk 2.0: Auto-Suggestion of KB Articles

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 10 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMT

As you may have read - we're happy to have released the much-awaited update to KronoDesk, our help desk system. In this blog series, we'll be taking a look at some of the awesome new features in the latest version. Last on the list is the new and exciting functionality available to help users get answers to questions as they log a help desk ticket and also to make it quicker and easier for support agents to suggest articles to common problems.

Spotlight on KronoDesk 2.0: Mobile Responsive Design

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 08 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Spotlight on KronoDesk 2.0: Integrated Theming

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 07 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Save The Date: North America User Summits

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 03 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMT

It is no secret that our work revolves around our amazing community of partners, product users, followers and fellow software enthusiasts. So, this year we are upping our game in building our user community worldwide through various Inflectra Gives Back Initiatives.

We know full well that it is a privilege to work with all of you. That’s why we are making time to get to know you better. And we figured the best way to connect is to get together and talk about things we have in common, i.e. Inflectra’s simple tools that help you build your awesome products. So, save the dates of two User Summits in North America!

Start Your Tech Side Hustle with Inflectra

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 17 Feb 2017 00:00:00 GMT

If you are looking for a tech side hustle, you’ve come to the right place. And, get this: we’ve done the company research for you. Read about what we need and decide if you want to make some cash, while doing something you like.

What we are looking for: in the short run, we are interested in high quality, sharable content focused on software development and testing, automated testing, DevOps, ALM, agile software development, continuous delivery and so on. Our longer-term goal is to build up a corps of tech evangelists and influencers who love our products and are available for speaking engagements, trainings, software-related curriculum development, etc.

What we are offering: short-term per blog compensation, with long-term opportunities such as web and event sponsorship and tech evangelist position with Inflectra.

Getting Smart With Inflectra

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 13 Feb 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Remember when we asked you for your ideas for how we can help your career? Well, we had a great response, and the clear winner was for us to provide tools to help you become trained and certified in our products. Working with our colleagues at Agile Training Champions, we have developed an initial course list for our products.

Management Debt: The Costs of Non-delivery and Non-conformance

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 07 Feb 2017 00:00:00 GMT

The principles of lean have always focused on maximizing the value delivery. In fact, the Japanese term Muda (Arnheiter & Maleyeff, 2005) refers to the seven different types of wastes that one should remove. In this guest post from our agile transformation partner Sriram Rajagopalan, we discuss the types of waste that can be eliminated using a Lean methodology, and the role of Management Debt in perpetuating wasteful practices.

Inflectra Gives Back - Testoramas and Hackathons

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 03 Feb 2017 00:00:00 GMT

As part of our drive to give back to the local DC Tech Community, Inflectra is going to be sponsoring local Hackathons and Testoramas in the DC area in the coming year. Keep an eye out for news on our local meet-ups and events. In addition we have user summits in Europe during the month of March, and are planning on similar events in North America later this year.

Inflectra Gives Back! Agile Training Champion at Your Service

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 01 Feb 2017 00:00:00 GMT

As part of Inflectra’s commitment to corporate social responsibility, we are developing fresh and innovative approaches to giving back to our global user community as well as to our local community in DC metropolitan area.

Along with our internship program, announced in January 2017, Inflectra is expanding its training capabilities in order to offer our fans an array of virtual resources to meet their software development needs. Furthermore, while our users are spread widely across the world, we, at Inflectra, see a great value in forging North to South cooperation and skills-transfer to build our follower base in the global South. In an increasingly globalized world, we are using multiple social media channels to reach and engage tech-savvy youth of various backgrounds everywhere.

Inflectra Gives Back! Helping You Make a Career Change into Coding

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 30 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT

This week at Inflectra, the theme is all about careers and training. So, to kick off Monday morning with some good news, we'd like to talk about our successful weekend Internship fair at Inflectra. Partnering with our local chapter of freeCodeCamp, we have launched a program to help people looking for a job in coding or to switch careers to technology, to get experience and, hopefully, get their first job.

DC Tech in Motion - Coworking and Collaboration

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 27 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Last night we attended the first DC Tech in Motion meetup in Washington, DC. Held in the very cool WeWork Manhattan Laundry collaborative shared working space, it was a great opportunity to get a pulse on the tech scene in DC and meet some of the people looking to work in the industry as well as those with startups looking for new people.

Throwback Thursday: Rapise through the Ages

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT

As we close out our focus on Rapise this month, we thought it would fun to take a look at how the UI used to look when it was first released in 2010, as well as look at how we've adjusted the UI to include new features while keeping the application simple to navigate.

Inflectra User Summits Coming to London, Zurich and Mannheim

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 23 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Another one of our New Year's Resolutions was to work on supporting our diverse user communities around the world. There are people in almost every country on the planet using Inflectra tools to build awesome products. From healthcare, core banking, and energy, to education and Government, we have customers and users in almost every industry using Inflectra's products to streamline their project management, improve their quality and get rid of outdated, legacy, software tools. As a first part of this mission, we will be holding user summits in three key cities in Europe in March 2017: London, GB, Zurich, CH and Mannheim, DE.

Mixing It with the DC Tech Community

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 20 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT

One of our New Year’s Resolutions for 2017 was to support and nurture the tech community in our home area – Washington, DC and Silver Spring, Maryland (a hip superb of DC where our office is physically located).

So while everyone else today is talking about the Presidential Inauguration, we’re going to bring some optimistic light relief to recant our first attendance at the popular DC Tech Meetup group. This was our first time attending, and it was great to see the local DC Tech scene in action:

Spotlight on Rapise 5.0: Microsoft Dynamics

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 17 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT

As you may have read, we've just released the latest major update to Rapise, our unified platform for testers. Rapise 5.0 brings many benefits for testing web applications (Edge support), desktop applications (faster testing of WPF and UWP apps), API testing (SOAP support and REST enhancements), and load testing (integration with NeoLoad).

However the biggest piece of news was that we now have added support for Microsoft Dynamics, the powerful ERP and CRM system from Microsoft. We support the current Dynamics AX and CRM platforms as well as the future Azure-based Dynamics 365 service. This article discusses what this means for you and why it is such big news!

Boards for when you are bored!

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 13 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT

As we wrote earlier in the month, we're going to be engaging with our users and partners more actively through social media. In addition to our existing channels (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, G+, YouTube), we have just launched our new Pinterest account.

What Everybody Ought to Know about Rapise v5.0

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 09 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT

In the next week or so we shall be formally releasing the next version of our popular automated testing IDE. In this article we give you a taste of what to expect for both existing customers looking to upgrade and new customers that want to empower their testers with powerful tools to make their job easier.

Getting Social with Inflectra?

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 06 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT

One of our new year's resolutions for 2017 was being more engaged with our global community of developers, testers, managers, agilsts, evangelists and partners. As part of this we are going to be improving our use of social media channels as well as email and our website. This will bring you more up to date information on what we're doing as well as give you a voice in helping shape our plans for the future.

Short, Sweet, and Simple!

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 02 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT

We set ourselves a challenge for the end of 2016: redefine our company tagline to better reflect who we are and what we do.

I've Got a Little List - #Coders' Mikado

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 26 Dec 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Inflectra's humorous take on I've Got a Little List - The Mikado - by Gilbert and Sullivan. Enjoy!

How Can SpiraTeam and Rapise Can Help Your Career

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 00:00:00 GMT

In our recent (and unrelated) Linked-In search we were pleasantly surprised to find that over 3,000 people have listed at least one of Inflectra's products - either SpiraTest, SpiraTeam or Rapise on their resumes. And while you are poking around to check the accuracy of this statement, note the number of companies around the world that have openings for QA managers, scrum masters, project managers, developers and testers.

That made us think - how can we help our customers and users with their careers?

Unlock The Secrets of SpiraTeam v5.1!

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 12 Dec 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Spira v5.1 is now out! This blog gives you some insight into the release and discusses our accelerated release strategy going forward.

Inside the 2016 Agile Open Florida Conference

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 05 Dec 2016 00:00:00 GMT

The 2016 Agile Open Florida conference in Orlando, FL was a welcome escape from the chill in DC, especially after a long and taxing 2016 election season. The event, co-sponsored by Inflectra, brought together the Agile community in Florida and showcased products and services offered by Inflectra, as well as its partner - OAT Solutions / Brazil. Special thanks go to Álvaro D'Alessandro for setting us up with a booth and equipment and making the Inflectra Team feel at home in Florida.
For those who could not make it to the conference, here is an official write up of the conference.

KronoDesk 2.0 Will Suggest Ways to Solve Customer Problems

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 00:00:00 GMT

One of the exciting new features included in the soon-to-be-released update to our KronoDesk help desk system is the ability to auto-suggest information before a customer submits a ticket.

Spira 5.1 - Size is What Matters - Resizeable Columns!

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 17 Nov 2016 00:00:00 GMT

One of the frequent pieces of feedback we have received has been that the columns in the various list pages within Spira are not resizable. We have listened to your feedback and Spira 5.1 provides resizable columns for the first time.

Spira 5.1 - Cross Project Associations

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 03 Nov 2016 00:00:00 GMT

One of the key new features is that you can share artifacts between different projects. This is useful for customers that have projects in Spira that contain requirements for core components that can be reused by other projects that are composed of those core components.

Spira 5.1 Features - New Global Search

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 31 Oct 2016 00:00:00 GMT

One of the key enhancements in v5.1 of Spira is the use of SQL Server free text indexing to provide a completely new search experience. The new search capabilities in Spira 5.1 are a dramatic improvement over the previous version.

Best Practices in API Testing

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 00:00:00 GMT

The move to cloud computing has highlighted the importance of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). With the rise in cloud applications and interconnect platforms, API testing is a necessity. However what makes a good API? What happens when you change the application but need to support existing users of the API?

Big Changes Coming to Microsoft Dynamics

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 14 Oct 2016 00:00:00 GMT

I have had the pleasure this week of attending the Microsoft Dynamics 2016 Summit in sunny Tampa, Florida. We have several customers of ours beta testing the new functionality in Rapise 5.0 that makes testing Dynamics AX and CRM rapid and easy. Microsoft has some big changes planned for Dynamics and we're looking forward to helping you test your systems as you make the transition.

Why is GUI Testing Important?

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 11 Oct 2016 00:00:00 GMT

In an ideal world, the presentation layer would be very simple and with sufficient unit tests and other code-level tests (e.g. API testing if there are external application program interfaces (APIs)) you would have complete code coverage by just testing the business and data layers. Unfortunately, reality is never quite that simple and you often will need to test the Graphic User Interface (GUI) to cover all of the functionality and have complete test coverage.

We Need More Process and Less Pain

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 06 Oct 2016 00:00:00 GMT

I had an interesting discussion with a prospective client last week - they were using another planning tool (Microsoft TFS) and were looking for a tool that would give them a more structured process, but had an easier to use, less painful UI.

Why Customer Service is An Investment Not A Cost!

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 27 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Companies often see customer support as solely an expense to be endured and ideally minimized. However at Inflectra we have always seen great customer service as a competitive advantage and an asset on our balance sheet. This was recently brought home to us by two separate customer experiences.

Keeping the Foundations Strong - Why Refactoring Is Crucial

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 20 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMT

One of the challenges with development is that users only see the outside of the system, the user interface, perhaps the APIs if they are more technical and unless the system has a problem, the architecture and internals are largely ignored... so how do you get customers to invest in the architecture for the future when they see no immediate benefit.

And Then There Was One - Micro Focus Acquires HPE Software Assets

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMT

When we first started the company, back in 2006 we had many legacy competitors offering integrated requirements, test and defect tracking systems. However as the years have rolled on and with the rise of more nimble competitors, it seems that they have been gobbled up, most recently HP ALM by Micro Focus!

Enterprise Lifecycle Management - From ALM to ELM

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMT

The disciplines of PLM and ALM are increasingly entwined together with the rise of smart consumer devices as well as Internet-enabled industrial systems. Managers need to be able to plan their entire lifecycle, both products and applications. We see a convergence into “Enterprise Lifecycle Management” or ELM in the same way that Manufacturing, Supply Chain and Accounting converged into ERP.

Session Based Testing with SpiraTest (Part 2)

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 22 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMT

In the first article in this two-part series we discussed some of the reasons why it might not be desirable to spent the time to write formal test cases. Now this might seem like heresy for a company that sells a test management system to even say this! However to recap from last time, there are some good reasons:

We have experienced testers who know the application and don't need to follow detailed test scripts
We have inherited a large system with no formal test cases and we need to understand where the risks lie
We want to spend more time testing the system and less time documenting it.

Please read last week's post if you want to get more backrgound on these!

Now in this week's article we're going to describing the Session-based Testing approach we took when testing SpiraTeam 5.0.

Session-Based Testing with SpiraTest (Part 1)

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 12 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Sometimes we get the question from prospective or actual customers - how do I use SpiraTest when I don't have time to create test cases? How do I best use my experienced testers who don't want to be treated like automatons? This is a great question and one that we struggled with internally!

Themes Aren't What They Used To Be

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 28 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Kronodesk, Inflectra's helpdesk and support tool, is getting some exciting changes ahead of the release of version 2.0. Every part of the application is being refreshed, reworked, and redesigned. Kronodesk's theme editor is no exception. It will let users quickly and easily customize exactly how the application looks, letting them closely match their other websites and assets.

Rapise 5.0 Preview - Testing MS Dynamics AX Applications

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 20 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Rapise is a great general purpose automated testing tool that has support for mobile, web and desktop applications. However based on customer feedback, there are certain common applications that customers need to test and therefore we are adding specific support for these known applications in the coming releases. In this post we discuss MS Dynamics AX.

Slack Hack: Getting SpiraTeam Updates in Slack

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 08 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Slack is a great communication tool for many businesses. This is in part due to the ease with which you can customize your Slack experience with add-ons, bots, and more. We wanted to share a quick hack for getting your SpiraTeam notifications to appear in your Slackbot channel, with links to take you straight to SpiraTeam to dig into the details

Work Faster with Keyboard Shortcuts

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 23 Jun 2016 00:00:00 GMT

This post in our series about whats new in SpiraTeam 5.0 focuses on a brand new feature to help you work smarter and faster. If you didn't know it was there you may never notice it, but this post will highlight some of the ways our new keyboard shortcut system can help you. Do you have ideas for keyboard shortcuts we could add in the future? Let us know in the comments

Reflections and Inflections on the Past 10 Years

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 00:00:00 GMT

It is hard to imagine that we started Inflectra 10 years ago. In many ways it seems like the blink of an eye, but the technology industry has seen incredible changes in those past 10 years. However it’s amazing that in those ten years, much has still remained the same!

SpiraTeam & SpiraPlan Instant Messenger

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 09 Jun 2016 00:00:00 GMT

In this second post about new features released in SpiraTeam 5.0 we discuss enhancements to the built-in instant messenger. We would love to hear what you think, including about our plans for further messaging improvements.

Why Did We Change How Folders Work?

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 03 Jun 2016 00:00:00 GMT

We are really excited with the launch of SpiraTeam 5.0 this week. SpiraTeam 5 brings a lot of new features, new design, and also lots of changes from version 4.2. Over the next few weeks we will be posting a number of articles to explain the biggest changes. This post discusses how folders for test cases, test sets, documents and tasks have been reworked for a more consistent and better customer experience.

Why We're Adamant About API Versioning

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 19 May 2016 00:00:00 GMT

As we're wrapping up the final testing of SpiraTeam v5.0 we're adding the documentation and testing the new v5.0 API. This API will be available in both REST and SOAP options. This reminds us of why we're adamant about the need to version the API and not resist the impulse to make changes to existing functions and methods. This article explains discusses API versioning and some suggestions we have for anyone thinking of adding an API to their product.

What You See is What you Get (or Not)?

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 05 May 2016 00:00:00 GMT

One of the aspects of SpiraTeam v4.x that we have had much feedback on is the rich text editor (aka the WYSIWYG editor). This widget has been part of SpiraTest since v1.3.1 and was suggested by long time user Terry Mack. Despite being enhanced throughout the years since SpiraTest v1.3.1 we have decided for SpiraTeam v5.0 to start from scratch, find out why we made that decision!

When the FDA Sheriff Comes to Town - You Need to be Ready!

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 29 Apr 2016 00:00:00 GMT

In this morning's Washington Post, there was an article about 'The new sheriff in town' describing how the new biotechnology and drug screening startups in Silicon Valley are colliding with the conservative, formal testing philosophy of the United States Food & Drug Administration (FDA).

Reflections of the Diversity of Testing in NYC

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 28 Apr 2016 00:00:00 GMT

We had the privilege of attending the first Test Masters Academy Conference in NYC this week. The focus of the event was on Test Management Agility, with speakers providing insights from companies as diverse as Johnson&Johnson and Spotify. We thought it would be interesting to recant some of our key takeaways from the event.

Spira 5 Beta - Take a Look at Test Execution in Action

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 19 Apr 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Thanks again to all of our loyal customers that provided feedback and suggestions for the test execution screens in SpiraTest / SpiraTeam. We have released a beta version with the new screens. Please take a look and let us know what you think.

Whose Customer Support is it Anyway?

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 14 Apr 2016 00:00:00 GMT

When you need multiple tools to get your work done there are multiple points of failure. You want to get stuff done, but what if widget A suddenly stops talking to widget B? Is it because of widget A? Widget B? The plugin that gets them to play nicely together? What do you have to do to get things fixed?

The Doctor and his TARDIS?

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 00:00:00 GMT

One of our customers recently wrote to us asking why some of our product demos include URLs containing the words 'doctor' and 'tardis' and wondering what the connection was between SpiraTest and the cult BBC Show Dr. Who. This article explains all!

Using Rapise to Easily Select Items in an HTML Grid

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 07 Apr 2016 00:00:00 GMT

During our conversations with customers we have found that a common need when using Rapise to test web applications is to be able to easily and quickly match a specific item in a grid/table of results without worrying about the order or position of the item. This article provides a neat new feature added in Rapise 4.0 to make this common task easier.

What to Do When Your Testers Are Addicted to Word and Excel?

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 25 Mar 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Many of our customers have spent much of their testing career managing tests in Word or Excel. These tools are flexible, ubiquitous, and easy to use. But they are also fiddly, inefficient, and hard to manage over time. SpiraTest addresses these downsides, bringing a host of other pluses too. For people looking to combine the best of both (SpiraTest and more traditional tools), WorX (from Autom8) may well be what you are looking for.

Tips and Tricks Using Rapise

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 22 Mar 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Sometimes when we speak to customers we realize that they are desperately missing a feature in Rapise, and ironically in some cases the feature in question is already part of Rapise but they just didn't know about it! So in this blog post we illustrate a couple of handy but lesser known tricks when using Rapise for automated testing.

Why Should I Use Rapise Instead of Selenium?

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 00:00:00 GMT

When companies evaluate test automation tools for web testing they are often facing a similar question: What's the advantage of using Rapise instead of Selenium? Though the larger question is: Why should you pay for a commercial tool instead of using a free one?

Why Time Spent is Not the Same as Work Done!

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 03 Mar 2016 00:00:00 GMT

One of the questions we get frequently asked is - how do the various effort fields in Spira work? Specifically - if I have an estimated effort of 10 hours but the actual effort is 5 hours, how come it doesn't show 50% completed. This blog post explains the fields in Spira and why time spent does not always (or often) equate to how much work has been done!

Why and How Should I Use Test Automation?

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 26 Feb 2016 00:00:00 GMT

The average test plan for a commercial grade application will have between 2,000 and 10,000 test cases. Your test team of five must manually execute and document results for between 400 and 2,000 test cases. And the scheduled release date of your product is fast approaching. No worries; clone your team and work around the clock. Or perhaps there’s a better way...

To Diagram or Not to Diagram?

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Some people think in fully-formed and eloquent prose (like Supreme Court Justices). The rest of us either think in shorter-form lists and phrases, or visually with pictures. We want to know if our users would benefit from richer integration and use of visual tools and diagrams in SpiraTeam.

Anatomy of an Automated Test Case

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 04 Feb 2016 00:00:00 GMT

When test cases are written well, the automation follows simply from the steps. Writing a good test case isn’t difficult, it’s just tedious, boring and sometimes downright painful. But when it’s done right, the results are worth it.

Safe Harbor is Dead... Long Live Privacy Shield

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Well it happened, one day later than expected (or hoped!). The US and EU have managed to work out a deal to allow the continued cross-border transfer of data that relates to EU citizens. What does this mean for the cloud industry? Business as normal? Same toothless process as before, or something meaningful...

Customer Concept for SpiraTest 5 Test Execution

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 29 Jan 2016 00:00:00 GMT

We've shared two sets of mockups for revisions to test execution. This has generated great ideas from many of our customers. We want to share a concept from a customer on how one of the views for test execution could look in SpiraTest 5.

SpiraTest 5 Revised Designs for Test Execution

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Last week we published mockups for a revised test execution page in SpiraTest. We asked for your feedback and got lots of insightful and useful suggestions. Based on what we heard we have published a second round of mockups for you to look at.

SpiraTest 5 Design Ideas for Test Execution

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 14 Jan 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Our designers have come up with a set of prototypes for the test execution page in the next version of SpiraTest 5 to address feedback and usability issues we have identified over the past 5 years. We need your feedback to make sure we're on the right track...

A First Look at KronoDesk 2.0

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 08 Jan 2016 00:00:00 GMT

We have been working hard in 2015 to completely update the user interface of KronoDesk to make it fully mobile-responsive, optimize its user experience and also improve its performance. This is of course in addition to the new features already planned (ability to group accounts, reporting, ability to send documents, customizeable roles).

Testing or Rubberstamping that is the Question!

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Have you ever been in this situation - the project manager arrives red-faced into the room, looking nervously at the calendar, "why is the testing taking so long? The development is done and we need to go live next week? You have had a good week to test the system, aren't you done yet"

The Value of Continuity - Or Why We Develop In-House

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Like most software companies, every day we get several emails from various IT service companies offering us low-cost developers and testers to help us with the development and testing of our products. Every day we put these emails in the trash folder. So why have we always built our products in-house? Are we foolish? Are we myopic?

Source Code Hosting Now Available for Free for SpiraPlan & SpiraTeam Customers

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 00:00:00 GMT

As you know, we recently released our new TaraVault source code hosting service. This allows you to store you source code securely hosted by Inflectra and fully integrated into your Spira service. You can browse the source code files inside Spira, link revisions, track feature requests and much more. New customers trying our Spira can add TaraVault to their instances during the sign-up process.

Revamping the Rapise User Interface

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 30 Nov 2015 00:00:00 GMT

In accordance with the theme this month of user interface updates and user experience in general, we'd like to talk about some of the UI changes being made to our Rapise test automation product. These changes are based on the results of user testing and feedback from our customers. It's an interesting topic because it shows the dramatic impact the UI can have on an application.

Spira 5.0 - Releases that Roll Up

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 25 Nov 2015 00:00:00 GMT

We often think of a release as a simple idea, you have a new version (say 1.0) of a product and you plan on releasing it on a specific date. You might then divide up that release into either iterations or sprints if you're using an agile approach or perhaps phases if using a waterfall one. You then want to be able to report at the project, release and iteration level. Well after much feedback from customers, we found that customers need more than that...

From Darkness to Light

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 19 Nov 2015 00:00:00 GMT

The SpiraTeam development group has been working really hard on version 5. It will bring many great new features that our users have been requesting. We also get asked about refinements to the user experience. We have been equally busy carefully updating every screen, every button, and every field our customers will see and use in version 5.

The Value of Face Time?

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 00:00:00 GMT

We recently had our development and testing team for Rapise come together for a collaborative planning section. Our company is based in Silver Spring, a suburb of Washington, DC but we have team members working remotely in other countries as well. The occasion made us think about the benefits and limitations of modern collaboration tools.

Getting Started with TaraVault

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 30 Oct 2015 00:00:00 GMT

So you've read about our new TaraVault service for cloud-based customers. You would like to enable source code management for your hosted SpiraPlan or SpiraTeam account, how do you go about doing that? How do you start using it? Have no fear, this article explains everything!

Are You Testing in the Right Direction?

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Over the years, we have had a couple of customers in the past struggle with using SpiraTest with their 'defect-centric' view of testing. SpiraTest was originally designed to follow a requirements-centric approach. A defect-centric approach isn't unreasonable per se, but many customers don't realize that they are even using this approach and wonder why SpiraTest works the way it does. This article is taken from a real customer 'eureka' moment and hopefully will help others in the same position.

Beyond Safe Harbor - Privacy in the Cloud

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 00:00:00 GMT

For those not consumed by national politics (how long can the US election last!), a significant ruling was made this month by the European Court of Justice, with regards to data privacy in the cloud and in particular the EU-Swiss-US Safe Harbor Agreement.

Writing Custom Reports with Spira (Part 3)

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 00:00:00 GMT

One of the maxims I always tell developers is that regardless of what you build, customers will never be satisfied with the reports you offer or the integration that you provide. In fact the two most underestimated tasks in software development are data feeds and reporting. So one of the nice features in SpiraTeam is the ability to do custom reporting, so that you are not limited to just the reports that ship with the system. This article is the third in a series that explains how to use these powerful custom reporting features.

In this article we shall be creating a branch new custom report that has a custom header, footer and a custom section that displays data based on a custom ESQL (Entity SQL) query. This is useful in cases where you have some special metrics that you want to be able publish in a report.

Cross-Origin Web Services with CORS and WCF

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 25 Sep 2015 00:00:00 GMT

As part of our work on Spira v5.0 and the new plugin we're developing for the popular ZenDesk help desk system, we need to be able to make cross-original REST web service calls to Spira. For KronoDesk we used JSONP, but for ZenDesk we decided to add CORS (Cross Origin Resource Sharing) support to Spira 5.0 to make it easier. However implementing CORS support using WCF was not so easy so we're publishing our solution to help other software developers implement CORS using

Why Have a Separate Quality & Agile System?

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 18 Sep 2015 00:00:00 GMT

In the mail today a copy of the latest SD Times magazine arrived. It included an advert from HP about their separate QualityCenter (QC) and Agile Manager Products. The ad made us think... "why integrate these two tools when SpiraTeam can do all of the work in one easy to use system".

Spira 5.0 Preview - Digital Signatures

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 18 Sep 2015 00:00:00 GMT

When developing software, systems and hardware for use in medical devices, healthcare IT systems or pharmaceutical processes, you need to follow a requirements and quality management process that complies with the FDA Title 21 CFR Part 11 set of Federal Regulations. Part 11 (as it's more commonly called) defines the criteria under which electronic records and electronic signatures are considered trustworthy, reliable, and equivalent to paper records.

Writing Custom Reports with Spira (Part 2)

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 11 Sep 2015 00:00:00 GMT

One of the maxims I always tell developers is that regardless of what you build, customers will never be satisfied with the reports you offer or the integration that you provide. In fact the two most underestimated tasks in software development are data feeds and reporting. So one of the nice features in SpiraTeam is the ability to do custom reporting, so that you are not limited to just the reports that ship with the system. This article is the second in a series that explains how to use these powerful custom reporting features.

In this article we shall be taking one of the standard reports and using the standard section XML editor to make some changes to the XSLT template to hide some columns and add a new calculated column.

Learn about Agile Project Management & Testing from Inflectra

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Thanks to everyone to came by our booth at the Agile2015 conference here in Washington, DC. We enjoyed meeting you and learning about how you have been innovating and adopting agile methodologies. It was great to be able to demonstrate SpiraTeam and Rapise and get your feedback on how best to improve our ALM and testing solutions to better meet your needs!

One Throat to Choke - Why We Only Allow One Owner

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 00:00:00 GMT

People often email us to ask if it is possible to have more than one owner in SpiraTeam when assigning a requirement, test case, incident or task. They also often ask us why we named the field 'owner' rather than 'assignee'. Well these two decisions were actually thoughtfully made and not just at random.

Reflections on Agile2015 So Far

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 05 Aug 2015 00:00:00 GMT

It has been a great conference so far, thanks to everyone who's stopped by to learn about Inflectra and our products. We have had some great conversations with Agile practitioners, including someone suggesting that the term lifecycle should be replaced with 'IdeaCycle' to better reflect the agile ethos. What follows are some reflections on what we've seen and learned.

Agile2015 Conference in Washington, DC - Hope to See You There!

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 29 Jul 2015 00:00:00 GMT

We're looking forward to seeing you at the Agile Alliance Agile2015 conference next week in Washington DC's National Harbor Conference Center. The conference runs from August 3rd - 7th and we'll have a booth there where you can see our products (SpiraTeam, Rapise, KronoDesk, TaraVault) in action as well as meet some of the faces behind Inflectra.

Writing Custom Reports with Spira (Part 1)

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 00:00:00 GMT

TeamCity and Bamboo make things Easy and Microsoft TFS Makes things Complex!

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 16 Jul 2015 00:00:00 GMT

This summer we had the privilege of having an intern (Bruno Gruber) work for us to develop some of the build server plugins for SpiraTeam. During the course of his internship we were able to see how different companies and technologies make things easy (or hard in the case of Microsoft TFS) for a new developer to start working with their systems. Based on his frustrations and observations we've published this to hopefully encourage Microsoft to make things easier for the rest of us.

Spies Like Us - Or How to Use Rapise's Spy Tool for Web Testing

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 00:00:00 GMT

One of the features of Rapise, is an integrated Web Spy, also known as a DOM Browser. It's similar to the tools already in the web browsers such as IE, Firefox and Chrome (e.g. Firebug), but unlike using those tools it has lots of nifty features for making web testing easier and also integrates directly into Rapise testing IDE so that you can code against any of the elements visible in the Spy. This article describes how to use the Spy.

20 Tips for Effective Requirements Elicitation

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 03 Jul 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Requirements Elicitation is the act of teasing the true needs from users and other stakeholders, including most departments in the development organization such as sales and training. Elicitation is not simply gathering: gathering is a passive action, whereas elicitation is proactive. This article provides some tips on how to best elicit them.

An Introduction to Task Boards

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 00:00:00 GMT

The Task Board is perhaps the single most useful device that can be used on Agile projects and is the focal point for the stand-up meeting or Scrum. Typically, a Task Board displays only information pertinent to the current sprint and will be cleared off before the next sprint begins.

The Meaning of ‘Done’

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 00:00:00 GMT

“Is it done?” A question with possibly dangerous answers, at least where cooking is concerned. With software development an incorrect “Yes” could mean customers get low quality, buggy software

Mobile Testing of Android Applications using Rapise 3.0

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Do you need to test native mobile applications? Are you looking to test on both physical and simulated devices? Are you tired of manually coding automation scripts and looking for an easier way. This webinar explains how Rapise can simplify the testing of your mobile applications using an Android application and tablet as an example.

Rapise - Data Driven Testing using the Spreadsheet object

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 09 Jun 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Many times, when testing, a tester will want the ability to run through many variations of the process recorded. This can be accomplished manually by running the test, then editing the test to use different data. The process of editing, rerunning, lather, rinse, repeat, gets very old after the first time. Plus this process is not very efficient with time and it can introduce issues through the slip of a finger. Enter Data-Driven Testing with the Spreadsheet Object

Test-Driven Development (TDD) is Not Dead

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 00:00:00 GMT

There has recently been an outbreak of criticism of TDD, to the point where some have claimed that TDD is dead! Is this a real reflection of trends in testing practice, or noise intended to draw attention? Read this article to find out!

A Real Life Story from a New Customer

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 27 May 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Recently we had an email from a new customer that had just decided to purchase SpiraTeam. Even though they were an existing Microsoft Team Foundation Server (TFS) user, they had decided it would be much easier to just use SpiraTeam. We were intrigued by this story and the following account is what they passed on to us (the names have been removed to protect the innocent!)

Agile Project Management with SpiraPlan & SpiraTeam

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 25 May 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Are you planning on moving to an agile methodology such as Scrum or Kanban? Are you already using agile methods but need a better way to scale your process? This article explains how SpiraPlan and SpiraTeam can help you better plan, estimate and manage your agile projects.

Can Use Cases Replace User Stories?

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 20 May 2015 00:00:00 GMT

User Stories are often characterized by relatively short, uncomplicated and informal descriptions, whereas Use Cases are often longer, more formally structured descriptions of not only the user need but also other details. Can Use Cases strike a balance between the need for agility and the need for more information, and if so, how?

Manual & Exploratory Testing with Rapise 3.0

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 18 May 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Are you looking to improve your software testing? Are you tired of writing test cases 'the old fashioned way'. This article summarizes some of the key points from our recent Webinar on Manual & Exploratory Testing.

Beyond the Document Paradigm – part 3

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 13 May 2015 00:00:00 GMT

In this conclusion we shall see that migration to a test management or requirements management tool can be easier than it might seem initially.

Testing Tool Interview: SpiraTest (QA TestingTools.Com)

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 12 May 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Finding the best test management solution for your needs can be a tough task for organizations at times. With a variety of tools heading neck-to-neck in the market, a Quality and Test Management software to support your quality assurance, application security, and performance validation can lead to a lot of confusion.

Beyond the Document Paradigm – part 2

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 07 May 2015 00:00:00 GMT

When making the transition from document-oriented information storage to record-oriented information management tools, there are a number of problems which can make the process difficult, or even unsuccessful. This second part of our series explains how such pitfalls can occur.

Beyond the Document Paradigm – Part 1

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 05 May 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Have you ever tried to write a letter in a spreadsheet? Ridiculous idea, right? Or perhaps you’ve tried to do the opposite and store discrete, record-oriented information in a word processor? It can be done using tables, but it’s easier with a spreadsheet.

User Story Normalization

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 24 Apr 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Traditional software development estimating techniques are slow, long lasting exercises and as such are totally unsuited to Agile processes. New methods of estimating have emerged which fit the Agile model, requiring minimal effort to provide ‘just enough’ information to support prioritization and decision making. The popular unit of measurement for Agile sizing is the Story Point.

KronoDesk has made the Top 25 in GetRank!

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 00:00:00 GMT

GetApp has just released its 2015 Q1 Customer Service ranking, GetRank, and KronoDesk has made the top 25.

Why I Buy from Agile Developers!

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 26 Mar 2015 00:00:00 GMT

If you use software tools, and who doesn’t, you probably want to get the best possible customer support and service to go with it. I include ‘service’ here because I want to consider more than just whether the company has a support hot line. It is important to me that vendors listen to me when I make suggestions or recommendations; that they provide help which is more than a telephone operator reading a script; and that they provide forums that enable me to interact with other users, sharing knowledge, tips and ideas. This would be support and service.

Rapise - Using Optical Character Recognition (OCR)

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 00:00:00 GMT

You have tried nearly everything. You tried learning, that didn't work. You tried simulating the object, but it is moving around. All hope is lost. Here he comes to save the day, that means UnderDog is on the way!!!In this case, underdog, or the hero, may be OCR. Rapise has many built in capabilities to facilitate the learning and identification of objects used in a test, and OCR is one of them. But what is OCR anyway?

REST vs. SOAP What did we Choose?

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 13 Mar 2015 00:00:00 GMT

These days APIs are all the rage, with any application or web site worth its salt providing an API, usually using SOAP (more likely nowadays) or REST as the possible option. Well we've had a SOAP API available in Spira since 2008 and recently we announced the introduction of a complete REST API as well. So what does this mean for the future of Spira and why did we choose to add a REST API?

User Story Testability

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 05 Mar 2015 00:00:00 GMT

The language used to define user stories in Agile projects tends to be less prescriptive than that in traditional projects. This means that many developers and testers assume that this means that they are often less testable, when in fact the reverse is true. This article explains why.

New Inflectra Website Coming this Weekend

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Well, we've heard the feedback and this weekend we shall be launching an updated Inflectra website with a new fresh modern look that is easier to use, works across all devices and sets the foundation for other changes coming later this year.

Rapise - Global commands - Database

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 00:00:00 GMT

In Rapise there are several options as far as controlling interaction with a database from outside the user interface. Most of what you do in Rapise is interaction just like a user would, clicking buttons and interacting with drop-downs, text boxes, and on-screen data, but occasionally there is a need to make a manipulation behind the scenes.

Rapise - Using Button Objects

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 12 Feb 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Once you have learned objects with Rapise, it is time to use them, or modify how you use them. As a primary functional element, buttons are pretty ubiquitous. Submit, Calculate, etc… You push a button for most transactions. This article explains the different operations that can be performed with buttons during automated testing.

Modifying a Previously Recorded Rapise Test

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 00:00:00 GMT

You built your first test. And it works, as planned! Congratulations! Based on that test you submitted a bug and proved your worth and the value of automation! Again congrats. Now development has “fixed” the bug, time to retest. OOPS! The test fails, not due to the bug, but because the flow is wrong.

Rapise, Selecting the Library for Recording

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Rapise is powerful, and flexible. But how? It is not only in the many ways you can learn an object, manipulate an object, or alter the test. Rapise also gives you the ability to select which recognition engine to use. Not only that, you can also modify the engine itself.

Getting Started with Rapise for Automated Testing

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 00:00:00 GMT

So lets assume you have read the other articles, and know how to learn objects in Rapise. What do you do now? How do you run and modify a test? The answer depends on the method used to create the test.

The History of Software (from Capterra)

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 00:00:00 GMT

We spend most of our days using computers at work, smartphones when we're out and about, and tablets and PCs at home. Technology, especially software, has become such an integral part of both work and daily life, it's hard to remember a world without it. In fact, finding a world without computers might be harder than you think; they have been around now for decades. Software has made the impossible possible, and the laborious and tedious, fast and easy.

How to Succeed with Software Tools – Part 6

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 14 Jan 2015 00:00:00 GMT

In this series of blog articles we examine some of the essential factors required for the successful implementation and use of software tools. In today's article we look at the danger of actually using too many tools or using such tools inappropriately.

How to Succeed with Software Tools – Part 5

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 07 Jan 2015 00:00:00 GMT

In this series of blog articles we examine some of the essential factors required for the successful implementation and use of software tools. In today's article we look at the importance of process and how the success or failure of a new tool can depend greatly on the process that has been put in place.

How to Succeed with Software Tools – Part 4

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 29 Dec 2014 00:00:00 GMT

In this series of blog articles we examine some of the essential factors required for the successful implementation and use of software tools.

How to Succeed with Software Tools – Part 3

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 17 Dec 2014 00:00:00 GMT

In this series of blog articles we examine some of the essential factors required for the successful implementation and use of software tools.

How to Succeed with Software Tools – Part 2

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 00:00:00 GMT

In this series of blog articles we examine some of the essential factors required for the successful implementation and use of software tools. This week we look at the need for continual post-implementation adaptation and refinement.

How to Succeed with Software Tools – Part 1

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 00:00:00 GMT

The introduction of a new tool to a project or organization can be a stressful time for all involved. Not only does a new tool bring with it a learning curve for users to get up to speed on the product, it almost certainly demands some kind of change to existing processes. One serious mistake often made during this time is focusing too much on that previous process.

Rapise - Specialized Object Learning

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 00:00:00 GMT

So, lets say that you are a code genius. You understand what is going on under the hood. The developers of your application have shared intimate details, not only of their bar crawl, but of what each object is in the application. What can you do with this knowledge?

Agile - Is Constant Process Improvement Imperative?

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 12 Nov 2014 00:00:00 GMT

In this post we continue our examination of various Agile methodology ideas and ask whether they are valid or whether they are in fact, industry myths. Next on the chopping block - do you need to have constant process improvement to be agile?

Rapise learning through analog recording

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 05 Nov 2014 00:00:00 GMT

What happens when all else fails? You use a hammer. In the case of Rapise, that hammer is analog recording.

Process is not Important in Agile Projects (Myth 5)

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 00:00:00 GMT

In this item we continue our examination of various Agile methodology ideas and ask whether they are valid or whether they are in fact, industry myths. Do agile methodologies promote the idea that process is unimportant?

To Report or Not Report - That is the Question?

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 00:00:00 GMT

There is an underlying question we all need to think about. That is how many person-hours go into creating reports? In a typical organization it can range as high as 70%(documentation and reporting) of the available person-hours. Whether this is a good use of time is debatable. Analyzing report output and statistics can easily let you know whether your actual testing efforts are delivering good results, or what you are missing. Is the time spent compiling the reports and data really where your hours should go.

Agile Myths - Part 4

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Today we look at whether test-driven development (TDD) a good technique for specifying how a user story should operate, and whether it means that user story is fully tested (hint: these do not have the same answer!)

An Introduction to Task Boards

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 07 Oct 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Command Line - Taking command for the power tester

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 30 Sep 2014 00:00:00 GMT

It seems funny, but sometimes the most powerful trick in your bag can be some of your oldest knowledge. If you ever want to show your true power and put a newbie in their place just type in CMD and start dancing through shell commands. These little nuggets always work and are not reliant on the interface to perform their duties. Done correctly they can provide information that is three or four layers deep in Windows.

Rapise - Learn Through Simulation

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 23 Sep 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Every now and again, and it does happen to all of us, we encounter an object that may be poorly built, hacked together, incompletely coded, or just resistant to being recognized by any of the myriad of methods employed within Rapise. I would take this situation from two separate perspectives depending on how often you encounter the issue of not being able to learn or interact with an object with Rapise.

Rapise - Learning through Doing

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 19 Sep 2014 00:00:00 GMT

With our test automation tool - Rapise, you have a powerful and flexible automation engine for your QA projects. One of the reasons it is so powerful is that it is easy to get started and develop your first test, delivering results right away.

Rapise - Learn through Object Selection

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 17 Sep 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Rapise has several methods for learning the objects within the application under test. While still easy to learn, this method does not automatically develop a runnable test that will deliver any meaningful results. Herein we will discuss the learning methodology and provide a flow to follow, however we will not have a runnable test in the end as no input or click-stream data will be captured.

The Politics of Testing

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 00:00:00 GMT

by Art Trevethan

Stakeholders have to keep the clients happy...
Developers have to keep the stakeholders happy...
Managers have to keep the bean counters and stakeholders happy...
And QA has to serve them all.!

Agile Myths - Part 3

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 09 Sep 2014 00:00:00 GMT

In this item we continue our examination of various Agile methodology ideas and ask whether they are valid or whether they are in fact, industry myths.

Tips for Effective Requirements Management

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 04 Sep 2014 00:00:00 GMT

It is a month till release, and the CEO comes out of the office and says we need a new feature for the release. A week later he modifies the new feature. The developer works hard to please him and delivers, but he doesn't like it. The requirement changes again and now we are a few days from release. how are we going to debug, test, and verify for release if things keep changing?

Agile Myths - Part 2

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 02 Sep 2014 00:00:00 GMT

In this item we continue our examination of various Agile methodology ideas and ask whether they are valid or whether they are in fact, industry myths.

I Believe in Test Automation, Do You?

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 29 Aug 2014 00:00:00 GMT

If you grew up in the 1990s you will remember the science fiction program 'The X-Files' where agent Mulder had to convince a skeptical agent Scully that aliens did exist. Well unlike aliens, test automation is not something you have to believe in or not believe in, automation exists and it works.

Estimating Agile Projects

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 26 Aug 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Incident Priority vs. Severity - Best Practices

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 22 Aug 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Our project management system - Spira, contains several standard features for bug-tracking, two of which often get confused, and are often asked about in training classes. These two are Priority and Severity. They are touched on in the manual, but here it is from the point of a tester.

Agile Myths - Part 1

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 19 Aug 2014 00:00:00 GMT

The enthusiasm these days for Agile development is rightly deserved, but with so much being written and said about Agile development, there should be room for healthy debate. While Agile development has proven to be a huge step forward and the right approach for many projects, it is important to continue to ask questions in order that we don’t start to endorse the bad along with the good. We don’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater, but we can’t keep the bathwater just to avoid the risk of doing so. An occasional examination of principles being promoted and used within the industry helps to maintain Agile methods as the best alternative to traditional development practices for many projects.

In this series of blog postings we shall discuss some of the characteristics of various Agile methodologies and ask whether the ideas are valid or whether they are in fact, industry myths.

Which Agile Methodology is Right for Me?

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 15 Aug 2014 00:00:00 GMT

With all the Agile methods out there, how does someone with traditional waterfall or v-model experience begin to understand each? Which methods are truly Agile and which are not? What are the defining characteristics of each Agile method, as well as those not quite so Agile? What are the benefits of using each Agile method and what are some of the drawbacks?

Requirements Sign-Off

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 00:00:00 GMT

SpiraTeam v4.1 introduced a new feature allowing you to create requirement workflows. This feature allows you to create a workflow that models your signoff process. The question that begs is - what should my requirements signoff process look like...

Lessons on Agile and Crowdsourced QA from the Dial-Up Days

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 00:00:00 GMT

This article discusses some of the earliest attempts at crowdsourced QA and extreme agile development that predate the agile manifesto and where they went wrong.

Infrastructure Isn't Free - So Who Pays?

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 00:00:00 GMT

When I collected my last car from the dealership, the salesman proudly showed me under the hood. The engine was tightly packed into the available space with no separately recognizable components and it was noticeably clean. Despite his apparent pride in its power, as he quoted a list of figures representing liters, horsepower and torque, all I was thinking about was getting behind the wheel and driving away.

When he finally got around to the interior I had all but forgotten that the car even had an engine. I know I am not alone in my attitude when it comes to cars for while there are those who love to get down-and-dirty with the internal workings of the internal combustion engine, most of us just want to drive it.

If I had A Hammer – QA Helper tools

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 31 Jul 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Let’s assume you already have a good defect tracking system, A test management system, release management, automation, etc... The whole DevOps suite. What are you missing?

Considerations When Moving to the Cloud

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 29 Jul 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Sometimes I am at the cutting edge of technology, (I had a Creative Labs digital music player when they were still the size of CD players and my HDTV is 15 years old) but sometimes the newest gadget or latest trend scares me a little (I’m not about to stop using FedEx in favor of my own personal delivery drone.) This year, while I find myself fashionably watching shows on Crackle, I am not ready to switch out my personal hard drive for the cloud. When I say ‘the’ cloud what I really mean is ‘a’ cloud. While there may only be one Internet, (despite what a certain previous POTUS might think) there are multiple clouds, at least for now. Amazon has a cloud, Google has a cloud, Microsoft has a cloud; in fact, anybody who is anybody in the Internet business is seeing the future as decidedly ‘cloudy’.

Is it a bug, is it a defect, no it's an incident!

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Is it a "BUG"? We call them bugs because of that time so long ago, when a moth made its presence known in an early computing device. Bug has come to be known as a generic term for anything that does not work correctly. We say it is buggy. This is a bug. But it is not really a good indicator of what is happening unless we have an agreed upon lexicon, and even then, staff new to the process would require training.

Is There Such a Thing as Extreme Agile Programming?

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Extreme Programming (XP) is one of the more popular Agile Development methodologies, and for very good reason. It advocates short, rapid iterations, constant customer contribution and frequent testing. But let us consider the foundation of Extreme Programming, which is to identify all the positive aspects of software programming techniques and take them to their extreme; the idea being that you can’t have too much of a good thing. For example, if tests help find defects, why not test all the time?

If we consider Agile methods generally, (not XP specifically) to also be a combination of good ideas, XP would tell us to take those ideas to their extreme; could we do that and create “Extreme Agile Programming (EAP)”? Or would we be trying to swallow our own tail? Let’s consider some Agile principles and find out.

When Good Workflows Go Bad

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 17 Jul 2014 00:00:00 GMT

A few months back, I was training a group on test management using SpiraTeam. All was going well until I mentioned the ability to design a work-flow. Instantly I heard the sighs and groans. WHY?

The Defect-Requirements-Test Triangle

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 15 Jul 2014 00:00:00 GMT

It is quite a popular notion that there should be formally recorded associations or links between defects and software code configuration items. This can explain why a piece of code has later been modified and also helps individuals find their way back to the ‘fix’ should the defect be found to still exist upon re-testing. But there are other ways to achieve this and so the question is: can the relationship between the defect and the code really be the most important one?

Fired for Saving the Release

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 10 Jul 2014 00:00:00 GMT

I knew a QA director, this was a dedicated guy. He worked day and night to make sure they released quality code to their customers. He understood the value of QA on making a company shine. The company had a scheduled release on Monday; it was major and had been promised. This guy worked all weekend to QA the new release and found several stopper defects - Severity 1, the really bad kind!

Is Agile Product Management Dead?

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 08 Jul 2014 00:00:00 GMT

The Product Manager role (unlike that of the project manager) is arguably the least well understood of all the software project development disciplines and varies greatly in definition and implementation from one organization to another. This blog discusses how the role of the product manager has been changed by the move to agile methodologies such as Scrum and Kanban.

The Cost of Quality Assurance

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 01 Jul 2014 00:00:00 GMT

I have often been presented with the argument that QA is not cost effective. It seems like a throwback to years past, but it happens all too often. With the advent of Agile, and other rapid development cycle methodologies, the mindset of "we will fix it once it is reported" has made a comeback. I know the MVP process, and it does include a specification, and can therefore be tested.

Agile Waterfalls (Part 2)

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 19 Jun 2014 00:00:00 GMT

For companies making the transition from traditional linear / phased methodologies (often called waterfall methodologies because of how they look like a series of waterfalls with arrows between them), to agile methodologies such as Scrum or Kanban, there is often a question of how make their methodology "more agile" without completely changing everything all at once. This two-part entry describes how you can embrace agile in an iterative or agile manner.

Agile Waterfalls (Part 1)

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 17 Jun 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Software Tools Are Like Football (Soccer)

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 12 Jun 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Growing up, I played football / soccer at school. We were all much, much younger when we first learned the game; so young that I think we could barely even count up to eleven, so it should have been no surprise to the coach that he had some difficulty in conveying the idea of team sports. He wanted us to stop thinking of ourselves as individuals, which was not easy as we were only just beginning to develop our own individuality. As a result of our youthful enthusiasm, we each spent most of the time running after the ball as if that were the only way to win.

How to Choose a Test Management Tool

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 04 Jun 2014 00:00:00 GMT

While it might seem that the most important consideration when choosing a test management software tool is the set of basic tool features supporting the test process itself, you should not neglect a wide range of other questions that could make or break your test management tool choice. This whitepaper identifies the key attributes you should look for in a test management solution.

It’s an Issue! Don’t Bug Me!

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 29 May 2014 00:00:00 GMT

I recently had cause to call my bank. Now, I wasn’t expecting to speak to a real person right away; I don’t pay enough fees for that. But I was at least hoping that relatively quickly I could press 1, then press 3 and then 2 to get to the right person to ask my question. Like most of us, I have battled automated help systems on many occasions and I know the routine. I had checked the support website and looked for pre-existing answers to my question, but with no luck and so now I had turned to the phone. As an aside, can it really be true that every organization out there needs me to listen to their entire message because they have all changed their menu options? Are they ever going to get them right?

When is Configurability a Bad Idea?

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 22 May 2014 00:00:00 GMT

What is worse than a product that is not configurable? Answer: a product that is completely configurable. This might seem counter intuitive: don’t we all want to have products that we can control and dictate their behavior? Well, yes, and no. As products become more configurable they often become harder to use, or at least hard to set up.

Customer Support is an Asset Not a Liability

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 06 May 2014 00:00:00 GMT

In the rush to streamline and cut costs, there is a tendency towards reduced customer contact with real people. This poses real challenges in industries such as computer software that depend on frequent customer feedback to make sure they are building systems that actually meet their end users' needs.

What is a Software Defect?

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 02 May 2014 00:00:00 GMT

I doubt most people would struggle to answer the question, “What is a defect?” After all, we know what a defect looks like when we come across it, don’t we? “The system has encountered an unexpected error and must shut down,” is a message that leaves us in no doubt that there must be a defect in there somewhere. But knowing a defect when we see one is very different from being able to define what ‘defect’ actually means.

Agile is Nothing New

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 00:00:00 GMT

When we talk proudly of adopting Agile processes for our projects, why do we do so with a somewhat superior air over the old tried and trusted methods of software development?

The Software Chicken and the Egg

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 16 Apr 2014 00:00:00 GMT

For a considerable period of time, we did well organized testing, but not against requirements that were formally defined.
Why was it deemed necessary to automate the test management process before there were any decent tools for recording exactly what we were testing for?

Beware the Over-Engineered Software Product

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 08 Apr 2014 00:00:00 GMT

When evaluating software features to either build or buy there is a tendency to want to have every possible feature even if it will be rarely (or event never used) on the off-chance that it could be useful. This post describes some of the pitfalls with this approach.

Documenting Requirements in Agile Projects

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 01 Apr 2014 00:00:00 GMT

(aka The Changing Role of the Modern Father)

One of the difficulties of moving from waterfall to an Agile development process is the breaking down of silos of responsibility, including that of the product owner. No longer the deliverer of the requirements 'master-specification', the product owner now participates throughout the entire process, sharing the requirements management task and taking on new, varied and, sometimes unexpected, responsibilities.

Scrum and Kanban - Siblings or Cousins?

info@inflectra.com — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 00:00:00 GMT

While there are multiple Agile software development methods, they have more in common with one another than they do the waterfall method, which they seek to replace.

Principles of Requirements Engineering (or Requirements 101)

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Requirements Engineering (RE) is often trivialized as an activity performed by well meaning analysts before they start doing the real work of specifying a product. This whitepaper introduces the critical processes and procedures used when executing effective Requirements Engineering as part of an overall successful project.

Agile Techniques in Maintenance Environments

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 04 Mar 2014 00:00:00 GMT

I'd like to address the question, 'Can Agile techniques be used in maintenance environments?' The short answer is, 'yes', and the long answer is, 'yes, sort of.' The reality of the situation is far more nuanced than either of those answers, so let's look at the issues in more detail. I don't intend to make this a comprehensive review, but just brief look at some of the issues to get us going.

10 Questions You Should Ask When Choosing a Tool for Requirements Management

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 24 Feb 2014 00:00:00 GMT

If you are looking for a requirements management tool, you probably don't need to be told how important requirements management is. There are a number of standard questions to be asked when selecting any software product for your organization.

DevOps make way for TestOps…

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 18 Feb 2014 00:00:00 GMT

In Waterfall we build specifications, in XP, Scrum and Agile we develop user stories. Either way there is always a process of defining what could be called requirements for an application and its functionality. What we would like to suggest is to not only define requirements for the development of this application, but to develop requirements for testing and store its artifacts as a part of the whole ALM methodology.

Losing Data Wasn't One of the Requirements....? Oops!

info@inflectra.com — Tue, 11 Feb 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Library users who spent many hours, perhaps over many years, saving their favorite titles for future reading enjoyment, suddenly found that after the upgrade of the Washington, DC library catalog system, all their favorites were gone. Vanished. Not a trace!

We Can't all be Steve Jobs

info@inflectra.com — Mon, 10 Feb 2014 00:00:00 GMT

A true visionary sees farther than the rest of us and knows how to make those visions a reality. Can we all do that? Will we succeed using only our intuition and personal preferences? Can we ignore users and have true belief that we know better?

Saying 'No' to Innovation

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 07 Feb 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Sometimes the hardest thing you can do is to exclude innovative ideas from your product, but success requires focus, and focus requires you to say 'no'.

Testing in Agile Projects: Familiarity Breeds Consent

info@inflectra.com — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 00:00:00 GMT

The testing function in Agile projects should not be confused with the Quality Assurance function. If we are not careful, the Agile philosophy will conflate the two, with potentially disastrous results.

How to Choose What to do to Automate Your Test Plan

info@inflectra.com — Fri, 31 Jan 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Boil the ocean

eat the elephant

climb the mountain

and now - Automate the tests for the application!!