Through the Magnifying Glass: Building a Smarter QA Strategy

At Cisco Automation Developer Days 2024 in Stockholm, Mia Johansson, QA Specialist at Ductus, took the stage to share her expertise on quality assurance in network automation projects.

Her talk, “Through the Magnifying Glass – How to Review Your QA and Create a QA Strategy”, highlighted why QA is more important than ever in today’s software-driven world — where automation, technical debt, and complex integrations often challenge teams and organizations..

  • The cost of poor quality
    Technical debt and failed software projects are expensive. Mia shared data and examples that underline the risks of neglecting structured QA practices.
  • Handling the unknown
    Every project faces uncertainties. A structured QA strategy helps manage the “unknowns” and reduce risks that derail timelines and outcomes.
  • Evolving QA strategies
    QA is not static — it must evolve as the business, technology, and team structures change. Regular reviews keep quality aligned with organizational goals.
  • Practical methods for review
    From interviews to retrospectives, Mia outlined ways to evaluate current QA practices, identify pain points, and create actionable improvements.
  • Collaboration & knowledge sharing
    True quality is built across teams. Involving testers, developers, and stakeholders ensures ownership, knowledge transfer, and sustainable results.

Quality assurance isn’t just about catching bugs. A strong QA strategy helps organizations reduce risk, control technical debt, and deliver automation projects that scale reliably. Done right, QA doesn’t slow teams down — it accelerates delivery, strengthens collaboration, and creates trust across the business.

For companies scaling network automation, QA isn’t optional. It’s the foundation for sustainable growth and long-term success.


The Importance of Software Quality Assurance in Network Automation — A practical white paper with frameworks and best practices for bringing QA into the heart of automation.

Core Software Development Principles for Service Providers — Insight on embedding QA into your delivery practices and building scalable automation with reliability and efficiency.

Ready to take a closer look at your QA strategy — or build one that empowers your teams to deliver automation with confidence? Reach out to Peter Sallenhag to start the conversation.

Peter Sallenhag

peter.sallenhag(at)ductus.se
Phone: +46 70 571 05 82

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