As 2024 comes to a close, we’re excited to share everything about the 3rd edition of Quality Sense Conf. From speaker and sponsor testimonials to why we chose Colombia as our host country, plus snapshots of unforgettable moments, and the big reveal of Abstracta Copilot!
By Natalie Rodgers
With a new year approaching, we share a recap of Quality Sense Conf 2024 in Colombia, an event we launched in 2022 to break barriers and position Latin America as a global digital hub for high-quality software development.
“The outcomes of the 3rd edition exceeded what we imagined and even dared to dream,” said Federico Toledo, Co-Founder and Chief Quality Officer of Abstracta. “We managed to establish it as one of the most important events for the industry in Latin America, generating a direct impact on quality development through the networks forged here,” he added.
“I cannot express the emotion I feel witnessing this incredible event become a reality in our beloved Colombia. It is a historic milestone that not only highlights all the talent in our region but also positions us as a hub for the global software quality industry,” said Mercedes Quintero Martinez, Co-CEO of Abstracta Regional, based in Popayán, the capital of Cauca, Colombia, and Founder of Qualitas Test Team.
Organized by Abstracta as a free event, the 3rd edition of QSConf brought together over 230 in-person attendees from 15 countries and 2,700 virtual participants, featuring 35 talks, panels, and workshops in Spanish and English by renowned international speakers.
Supported by Endava, the Auditorio Edificio FIC served as the main stage for this hybrid event. PROCOLOMBIA Medellín played a key role in making this possible by contributing to travel, accommodation, decorations, and live entertainment, enhancing the event and showcasing Colombian culture.
This created an ideal environment for networking, with diverse activities that fostered collaboration among professionals from various fields.
The central theme focused on the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in software testing. It highlighted how these technologies are reshaping the quality and efficiency of projects in the region and introducing new challenges in delivering high-quality software.
Medellín: The Stage for Quality Sense Conf 2024
After the tremendous impact of its first edition in Uruguay in 2022 and the second in Chile in 2023, the event made its mark in 2024 in Medellín, Colombia. The city is widely recognized as the “Special District of Science, Technology, and Innovation of Colombia.”
“Quality Sense Conf broadens Colombia’s horizons toward new technology projects that have a direct positive impact on society and the country’s economic growth. It also benefits our communities, thanks to the global movements sparked by the event and the extended access to knowledge,” emphasized Mercedes.
“We firmly believe that Colombia and Latin America have great potential to contribute to the ICT industry and grow in digital infrastructure, services, diversity, and culture. That’s why we chose Colombia for this edition of the event, which is eagerly anticipated by the industry every year,” she concluded.
The decision to establish Abstracta Colombia in Popayán in 2023 highlights the belief in Cauca’s innovative potential. This milestone was made possible through the merger with Qualitas Test Team, a Colombian testing company founded by Mercedes, aimed at boosting software development both regionally and globally.
Speakers and Talks
Quality Sense Conference 2024 brought together an outstanding group of speakers from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, the United States, Israel, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and Uruguay, reflecting global diversity and expertise in quality assurance.
Notable speakers included Federico Toledo (Abstracta), Mercedes Quintero Martínez (Abstracta), María Clara Choucair (Choucair), Carlos Gauto y Alejandro Duke (Mercadolibre), Diego Molina (Sauce Labs), Carlos Kidman (Quality), Blanca Moreno (QA Minds), Mark Tomilson (Performacology), Emeka Obianwu (Testlio), Juan José Torres (Platzi), Leandro Melendez (Grafana), Joel Montvelisky (PractiTest), Winston Castillo (Thoughtworks), Matías Fornara (Abstracta), and Martín Borba (Endava).
The full list of speakers is available on the official website.
The event was packed with sessions exploring new trends and practical applications, hands-on workshops, and opportunities for participants and speakers to connect and build bridges for future development.
The conference opened with great enthusiasm, led by Federico Toledo and Mercedes Quintero Martínez, who emphasized the importance of fostering collaboration and innovation in the industry.
Their session focused on driving the future of software quality in Latin America. It highlighted the crucial role of local communities and specialized conferences like Quality Sense Conf in professional growth and strategic collaboration to position the region as a global leader in software quality.
Juan Pablo Ríos delved into the challenges of modern QA in the age of AI and generative Artificial Intelligence. He discussed how large language models (LLMs) are redefining software quality and addressed the technical and legal risks these models pose, along with their impact on testing.
One of the standout panels featured Blanca Moreno, Winston Castillo, Mercedes Quintero, Matías Fornara, and Fabián Baptista, who discussed the impact of AI on testing and automation. Another notable panel included Mercedes Remedi, Mark Tomlinson, Alejandra Viglietti, and Darrel Farris, who shared insights on optimizing collaboration with U.S. companies.
Carlos Kidman presented a session on building and testing applications using large-scale language models (LLMs), while Martín Borba explored the evolution of tools and the acceleration of ROI with a focus on AI.
One of the most acclaimed talks came from Roger Abelenda, Chief Technology Officer at Abstracta, who delivered a live demo showcasing how AI copilots can enhance and streamline operations in banking systems, featuring a case study on Bantotal.
The event concluded with Federico Toledo’s keynote, “From Pioneers to Leaders: How to Ride the AI Wave to Position LatAm in Software Quality.” This highly anticipated and inspiring session reflected on Abstracta’s journey in adopting AI since 2022, sharing key learnings and focusing on their commitment to quality and ethical AI use.
Federico emphasized the need to lead through experimentation and collaboration to continue advancing. He also announced the release of the new edition of his book, “Introduction to Information Systems Testing,” (soon also in English) now available for free in digital format, celebrating the 10th anniversary of its first edition.
Some Voices from the Event
- Virginia Hérguiz, speaker representing VHR Vida Seguros (sponsor), Uruguay:
“Quality Sense Conf is a gateway to Latin America. If I had to describe the event in one sentence, I’d say it’s where virtual connections become reality, and everything begins. I was able to connect with many people and build networks for my business.”
- Mariela Ramos, Crowdar (sponsor), Argentina:
“We’ve supported the event since its first year. Quality Sense Conf positions LatAm software quality on the international stage. The networking spaces helped generate leads, showcase our company, and establish new connections while strengthening existing ones.”
- Rodrigo Antonio Campos Tapia, speaker representing Performance 360 (sponsor), Chile:
“We chose to sponsor the event because of its reach and the human quality of the organization. It has influenced how we view our goals as a company—what we do and how we do it.”
- Diego Molina, speaker representing Sauce Labs (sponsor), Colombia:
“Quality Sense Conf is synonymous with community and Latin strength. With just a few editions, it has already become the most important testing event in Latin America. Without a doubt, it was an excellent opportunity to connect with the Latin American community.”
- Leandro Melendez, speaker representing Grafana, México:
“I really enjoy supporting this event and my friends. Quality Sense Conf met—and exceeded—my expectations! The event is vital for sharing relevant QA topics across Latin America that aren’t always widely discussed or distributed.”
- Sonali Das, speaker representing DWP Digital, United Kingdom:
“This event covered many current topics, both online and in person. I’m grateful to have been a small part of it and to contribute.”
Announcement: Introducing Abstracta Copilot
During his talk at Quality Sense Conf 2024, Roger Abelenda announced Abstracta Copilot, a new AI-powered tool that we developed in collaboration with Microsoft’s Co-Innovation Lab. It is designed to enhance the quality and efficiency of software testing.
This launch is a key moment in Abstracta’s commitment to leading innovation in the software industry.
Abstracta Copilot harnesses the power of natural language processing to automate essential tasks such as generating user stories, creating test cases, and running SQL queries. The tool has already achieved remarkable results:
- 25% reduction in project costs
- 30% boost in productivity
- 40% faster API testing
- 50% cut in SQL query execution time
“AI is revolutionizing our industry at an extraordinary pace. Today, we can automate and innovate faster than ever. But at Abstracta, we believe that humans will always be at the core of this transformation,” shared Sofía Palamarchuk, Co-CEO of Abstracta.
“Abstracta Copilot is a perfect example of how technology and human expertise can work together to achieve even greater outcomes,” she concluded.
Curious to learn more about Abstracta Copilot? Click here. to explore further.
About Abstracta
With over 16 years of experience and a global presence, Abstracta is a leading technology solutions company specializing in end-to-end software testing services and AI software development.
Our expertise spans across industries. We believe that actively bonding ties propels us further and helps us enhance our clients’ software. That’s why we’ve forged robust partnerships with industry leaders like Microsoft, Datadog, Tricentis, and Perforce, empowering us to incorporate cutting-edge technologies.
Our holistic approach enables us to support you across the entire software development life cycle.
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