Testing has often been seen as the final stage of creating an application. Since we weren’t shifting testing left as much as we do today, a great deal of work was thrown on the testing team at the very end of an exhausting project cycle. But testers shouldn’t be seen as the last line of defense.

With all of the changes happening in the testing world and what is expected in order to succeed, one of the things that is needed is a change in mindset. Today’s testers need to be able to think outside traditional system requirements and instead focus on end user expectations and market acceptance.

The software landscape is changing. Processes are becoming quicker and leaner, but instead of re-evaluating some of our traditional practices, we sometimes try to make them fit where they don't belong. This holds back continuous improvement. If you want change, you first need to be willing to change.