Modern Test Automation & Quality Engineering in Agile Systems

LOCATION ADDRESS (Hybrid, in person or by zoom, you choose)
Valley Research Park
319 North Bernardo Avenue
Mountain View, CA CA 93043
Don’t use the front door. When facing the front door, turn right along the front of the building. Turn left around the building corner. The 2nd door should be open and have a banner and event registration.

If you want to join remotely, you can submit questions via Zoom Q&A. The zoom link:
[https://acm-org.zoom.us/j/95226212956?pwd=HnAedzSDGcYAYsCzTuavIvMYMFtILa.1](https://acm-org.zoom.us/j/95226212956?pwd=HnAedzSDGcYAYsCzTuavIvMYMFtILa.1)
Join via YouTube:
[https://youtube.com/live/cu5TDl8N2Mk](https://youtube.com/live/cu5TDl8N2Mk)

AGENDA
6:30 Door opens, food and networking (we invite honor system contributions)
**7:00** SFBayACM upcoming events, introduce the speaker
7:15 speaker presentation starts
8:15 – 8:30 finish, depending on Q&A

Join SF Bay ACM Chapter for an insightful discussion on:

**Talk Description**:

As software delivery accelerates, traditional testing approaches struggle to keep pace with Agile and DevOps environments. Modern systems demand more than automated test cases—they require a shift toward quality engineering practices that embed reliability, scalability, and continuous feedback into every stage of development.

This talk explores how test automation has evolved from a validation activity into a core engineering discipline. We will examine how to design resilient automation frameworks, integrate testing seamlessly into CI/CD pipelines, and build quality signals that provide real-time insight into system health.
Through practical examples, the session will highlight strategies for moving beyond UI-driven automation toward API, integration, and workflow-level validation. It will also cover key aspects such as test data management, environment stability, performance considerations, and accessibility as part of continuous quality.

Attendees will gain a clear understanding of how to align automation with Agile delivery, reduce flaky tests, and create scalable, maintainable solutions that support rapid releases without compromising quality.
This session is designed for engineers and quality professionals who want to modernize their automation approach and build systems that are reliable by design, not just tested after the fact.

**Speaker Bio**:
Shri Lakshmi Rajagopal, a Senior Quality Engineering Leader and Test Automation Architect. She has over 14 years of experience in software quality engineering, automation architecture, and engineering leadership. Her work focuses on designing maintainable automation frameworks, enabling Agile quality practices, and mentoring teams to adopt modern testing strategies. She is passionate about sharing practical insights that help teams build reliable and scalable software systems.

LinkedIn:[https://www.linkedin.com/in/shri-lakshmi-rajagopal-a5012428](https://www.linkedin.com/in/shri-lakshmi-rajagopal-a5012428)

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Valley Research Park is a coworking research campus of 104,000 square feet hosting 60+ life science and technology companies. VRP has over 100 dry labs, wet labs, and high power labs sized from 125-15,000 square feet. VRP manages all of the traditional office elements: break rooms, conference rooms, outdoor dining spaces, and recreational spaces.

As a plug-and-play lab space, once companies have secured their next milestone and are ready to expand, VRP has 100+ labs ready to expand into.
https://www.valleyresearchpark.com/