Quality Engineering in agile

Is Quality Engineering Dead? Think Again

As the North America Leader for Banking and Capital Markets Testing at Capgemini, I often hear this question: “Is Quality Engineering dead?” Far from it, QE is evolving. Agile delivery has changed the game, demanding speed, adaptability, and collaboration. Testing is no longer a back-end activity; it’s a strategic function embedded in the Agile lifecycle, ensuring quality at every sprint without slowing down innovation.

“Is Quality Engineering dead?” Far from it, QE is evolving. Agile delivery has changed the game, demanding speed, adaptability, and collaboration. Testing is no longer a back-end activity; it’s a strategic function embedded in the Agile lifecycle, ensuring quality at every sprint without slowing down innovation.

Agile quality management: insights from the World Quality Report

The Agile Quality Management chapter in the 17th edition of the World Quality Report explores how QE is evolving in the age of Agile and Generative AI. Our research shows a sector in recalibration: centralized QE models still dominate, embedding remains selective, and metrics often measure activity rather than impact.

This year’s data reveals a paradox, organizations want the velocity of Agile but cling to traditional governance for comfort. Only 10% of organizations have fully embedded QE into Agile teams, while 67% still rely on centralized or independent structures. The future belongs to those who break this tension, shifting QE from a support function to a strategic discipline that drives business outcomes.

Navigating the shift: QE in the age of agile and AI

When shaping this chapter, we focused on the forces reshaping QE: Agile delivery and Generative AI. Survey data shows Gen AI skills (63%) now edge past core QE skills (60%), signaling that both are essential and inseparable. Organizations need QE professionals who can embed AI into testing workflows while maintaining foundational rigor.

What surprised me most was that over 60% of organizations still rely on traditional Testing Centers of Excellence (TCoEs). Despite the widespread adoption of Agile, these centralized models persist because they offer consistency, specialized skills, and governance. However, Agile demands flexibility and speed, which these structures often constrain. The most effective organizations are adopting hybrid models, embedding QE selectively in high-risk or regulated areas while maintaining shared services for specialized testing.

What success looks like: real outcomes and emerging trends

Organizations that modernize QE governance report measurable gains. One financial services firm reduced release approval time from days to minutes by automating compliance checks. Others saw 30% fewer production defects after embedding QE into Agile workflows.

Still, progress is incremental. Over the next two years, QE embedding is projected to rise from 10% to 15%, while centralized models decline only modestly. This signals a shift toward hybrid approaches, balancing embedded QE with centralized oversight. The goal isn’t full embedding, it’s equilibrium, where QE adapts to context and delivers impact.

Start small, scale smart: your path to strategic QE

If you’re struggling to align QE with Agile, start small: automate one compliance check, embed QE in a critical team, and measure outcomes beyond defect counts. These steps can transform QE from a bottleneck into a business enabler.

Ready to learn more? Download the full World Quality Report and discover how leading organizations are redefining QE for the Agile era.