With the ability to experience virtual and augmented reality using mobile devices on the horizon, the potential for these new technologies to go mainstream is huge. New test environments, configurations, and interfaces will require testers to change their methods, so get out of your comfort zone—and your office chairs!

As software professionals, we need to work continuously to improve our skills. But two common challenges are how to best work to improve, and how to find the time to learn when we’re busy. The answer is deliberate practice—practice with a clear goal and defined measures for success that pushes your usual boundaries.

Because automation, AI, and agile have changed how we test software, the thought is that testers need to understand a certain amount of coding so that they can make themselves more well-rounded and better able to adapt within a software project. But there are other things testers can focus on before learning to code.