Randy Rice's Software Testing Page

06/19/2026

Great testing doesn't happen by accident—it requires effective leadership.

The ISTQB Advanced Test Management course begins Tuesday of next week, and there is still time to enroll...

If you've been thinking about advancing your testing leadership skills or preparing for the ISTQB Advanced Test Management certification exam, now is the time to act.

Join me for four days of practical, real-world instruction covering:

> Test Planning and Estimation

> Risk-Based Testing

> Test Metrics and Reporting

> Test Leadership and Stakeholder Relationships

> Continuous Improvement

Live Virtual • Interactive • Taught by me.

The class runs Tuesday, June 23 - Friday, June 26, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. CDT each day.

Don't put your professional development on hold for any longer. Secure your seat today and join test leaders from around the world.

Message me for details or any questions.

https://mysoftwaretesting.com/ISTQB-Advanced-Test-Manager-Course--Live-Virtual-Course_p_117.html

ISTQB Advanced Test Manager Course - Public Course

06/11/2026

I've just dropped the latest episode of the Value of Testing Podcast. In this one, I expound on a recent blog post, "The AI Chasm: Adoption vs. Acceptance."

I hope you enjoy it!

In this episode, Randy Rice draws a distinction between adoption an...

06/10/2026

I have just added two new dates on the schedule for my ISTQB Foundation Level live virtual training - Aug 17 - 21, 2026 and Sept 21 - 25, 2026. This is a great opportunity to get this certification! I hope to see you there! https://mysoftwaretesting.com/ISTQB-Foundation-Software-Testing--Live-Virtual-Course_p_46.html

06/05/2026

I've been thinking a lot lately about AI, especially about how many people use it compared to how many accept or embrace it.

I have just published a blog post on this titled "The AI Chasm - Adoption vs. Acceptance".

I hope you can take a quick read and let me know your thoughts!

https://mysoftwaretesting.com/The-AI-Chasm--Adoption-vs-Acceptance_b_28.html

06/04/2026

The Failure Modes of AI You Might Not Be Considering

New Value of Testing Podcast just dropped!

I recently had a conversation with my friend Greg Paskal that brought to light a whole new category of AI-specific defects.

We often think of test design techniques like boundary-value analysis, but what if there are defects between the boundaries? AI tends to process older and newer data well, but what about the data in between?

We explored a new paper Greg has written, which also reveals another critical flaw: Python’s tendency to silently fail by default when variable types mismatch. It’s a flaw that can lead to catastrophic errors in safety-critical systems—think medical devices or autonomous cars—without anyone noticing until it’s too late.

The takeaway?

As QA professionals, we must go beyond surface-level checks. We need proofs, experiments, and rigorous testing—especially in the middle of data sets where AI pays less attention. I also discussed a concept I presented in 2012 at EuroStar: "Intelligent Sampling," as a way to address the problem of testing massive numbers of inputs.

AI isn’t just a helper anymore; it’s a battlefield for safety and integrity. Are we prepared to ask the right questions and build guardrails before it’s too late? I think this is worth thinking about.

Watch the full conversation on YouTube:

AI and Testing: Exploring Failure Modes, Lingo, and Best Practices ...

06/03/2026

Today, June 3, 2026 is the 36th anniversary of the first day of working on my own as a software testing consultant. This is the birthday of Rice Consulting Services.

Back then, I was more of a contractor than a consultant, but this marks the day that I moved my family back from Kansas City, MO to Oklahoma City. Kansas City was my learning lab (literally - I was working at a medical testing lab as their software QA manager). The lessons I learned there were foundational to everything else I have done since.

Technology sure has changed since 1990! We didn't have access to the Internet, we were on 286 processors, and still a lot of DOS and character-based user interfaces. We had test automation, just very rudimentary.

People, however, still have the same motivations, fears, and ego as they did then. That's why I focus so much of my work in that space.

Today gives me a chance to reflect on all the great people I have worked with over the years and the roles they have played in my life. I have truly been blessed!

I'm thankful for my family and the way they supported me all these years. It's not easy being on the road a lot. Thanks to Janet, who is actually the majority owner of this business, for her love, patience, and endurance. As I often tell new consultants, when things are good, it is great. When they aren't, it's the pits! My two sons also had to make sacrifices during their teenage years while I was on the road.

Most of all, I'm thankful to God for giving me this business and for his provision. He has opened doors that no human could.

And...thanks to all of you reading this! Some of you have been past clients and current friends. I appreciate you all!

06/02/2026

Something interesting happened today. Our dishwasher just quit on us. There was a blue flashing light, but everything else was dead. Tried unplugging and re-plugging, but no joy. So, I started a conversation with ChatGPT, which not only helped me solve the problem but also revealed a side of ChatGPT I had not experienced before - a sense of humor. Check out the video for the full story! I would also like to hear some of your AI stories where you might have experienced something similar.

This is a story about a humorous exchange I had with ChatGPT in hel...

06/01/2026

Strong test management can make or break a release!

There are still seats available in my upcoming live virtual training June 23 - 26, 2026 for the ISTQB Advanced Test Management certification.

If you’re leading testing efforts — or preparing to move into a test leadership role — this course is designed to help you strengthen your skills in:

> Test strategy and planning
> Risk-based testing
> Metrics and reporting
> Team leadership and communication
> Improving quality across the SDLC
> Preparing for the ISTQB Test Management certification exam

This is an intensive, interactive class taught live by me with real-world examples drawn from decades of consulting and training experience in software QA and testing.

To learn more and to register, visit

ISTQB Advanced Test Manager Course - Public Course

05/26/2026

I recently wrote a blog post called "Crossing the Line" about something that has been bothering me: Can Agentic AI really be tested?

Traditional software crosses a line from testing to production. That line is called a release. Before release, we test. After release, users experience the real thing.

But Agentic AI seems much different.

Agentic AI is being "released" with limited (or no) pre-release testing because its behaviors can change, adapt, and emerge in ways we may not fully predict.

Then, once the agent is taking actions in the real world, we often aren't really testing anymore. We're monitoring. And monitoring is not the same as testing.

By the time an AI agent makes a bad decision, leaks information, takes an unexpected action, or creates business risk, the "test" has already become reality. This is not speculation. These things have already happened, some with major consequences.

So where is the line now?

Can we move testing approaches forward enough to deal with Agentic AI, or are we accepting a world where production becomes the experiment? What defines a "defect" versus a "behavior"?

I explore this question in the newest episode of The Value of Testing podcast.

https://youtu.be/gZTvgCEj10s

I'd love to hear your thoughts: Can Agentic AI really be tested, or are we entering an era where we can only manage risk and monitor outcomes?

I received some great comments after the blog post, but I'm still gathering input and opinions on this.

There is a line that exists not only in software, but also in other domains such as writing, music, and movies, just to name a few. That line is the release ...

05/22/2026

You can give a team better tools, more automation, and even AI...

But you still can't automate good thinking.

Just wrapped up a live virtual software testing class for a great client this week, and one thing stood out:

The biggest testing challenges today are rarely tool problems.

They're often:

> Unclear requirements
> Misunderstood risks
> Assumptions that nobody questioned
> Pressure to move faster without understanding the tradeoffs

Tools can help. AI can help. Automation can help.

But quality still depends on people asking the right questions.

After many years of teaching software testing, I still enjoy seeing that moment when a group realizes that testing isn't just about finding defects — it's about reducing risk and improving decisions.

Way back in the mid-90's I started asking testers about their greatest challenges in testing. The result was a book I co-wrote with Bill Perry, "Surviving the Top Ten Challenges of Software Testing." (You can still get it on Amazon!)

What I learned was that the great majority (over 90%) of testing problems are actually human in origin. So, the book focuses on the human issues in testing. As far as I know, it remains the only book to focus on the human issues in testing.

Over the last 30 years, I have continued to do this research, and the results remain the same!

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing software testing teams today?