Last week, the Test Automation Days (TAD) took place and together we celebrated the 15th anniversary. Over the years, it has grown from a small meetup into a truly unique international conference. CKC Seminars, initiator and organizer of the event, looks back on a very successful edition and is proud to have welcomed the community once again to Hilversum, known as the media hub of the Netherlands.
We would like to thank all speakers who took the time end effort to prepare and deliver their session. Our Founding Partner Squerist, Chief Sponsor UiPath, content partners, exhibition partners, attendees, and communication partners who contributed to making this anniversary edition possible.
A special thank you also goes to the members of the Program Committee, who once again succeeded in putting together a diverse and educational program.
This year’s TAD revolved around the theme The Impact of Test Automation. Throughout the two days, speakers explored how test automation can make a real difference in modern software development, improving quality, accelerating delivery, and strengthening collaboration within teams. By sharing practical experiences and lessons learned, the sessions highlighted how thoughtful use of automation can create meaningful impact across organizations.
The attendees of the first day are challenged through learning by doing from world’s leading test automation experts. A Hands-On Debugging Bootcamp, API Hacking, a masterclass Automate Smarter, Not Harder where attendees optimizes their automation in 6 sprints by using LEGO bricks, Testing with JMeter, AI, and Docker and Contracts for Hire are some of the topics who were covered during one of the three hour hands-on masterclasses.
The day ended with a drink where attendees met and talked about fun and leisure but also about their experiences of the first day of Test Automation Days 2026.
The second day was all about exchanging ideas and tips through keynote lectures, talks and presentations, all presented by test automation professionals from their own work experience.
Chairman of the day, Ard Kramer, kicked off with the important message that it’s all about humans, because humans share their experiences and make stories. Not the tools but the humans behind are the one who can make the real impact.
The first keynote speaker was Richard Bradshaw. With his presentation ‘Rethinking the Automation in Testing Principles’ he emphasized that the real value of test automation is not defined by the tools we use or the number of tests we run, but by how thoughtfully automation is applied. He reflected on the Automation in Testing principles, highlighting how they influence collaboration, testing effectiveness, and the recognition of automation’s value. He also addressed the common gap between adopting automation and achieving meaningful impact, and introduced an updated set of principles to help teams apply test automation more effectively in a world of AI, complex systems, and modern development practices.
The story of the second keynote speaker Ashish Ghosh, shared four real-world examples from ING Bank where targeted test automation helped improve delivery speed, sustainability, and collaboration. Through these stories, it showed how relatively small, well-focused automation efforts can create meaningful impact within teams and across a large organization. The session concluded with a personal reflection on growth in testing leadership, highlighting how purposeful automation can drive lasting change.
Anne-Marie Charett, all over from Australia, explored in her keynote ‘The Tool Became the Message of Change’ how tools can sometimes play a surprising role in driving change within testing practices. While real transformation usually comes from skills and collaboration, she shared an experience where a tool became a catalyst for new conversations, habits, and ways of working. In an environment with limited budget, no clear roadmap, and plenty of doubt, the tool provided a shared starting point that helped create alignment and momentum. Ultimately, the message was that tools themselves do not create change people do, by intentionally choosing how to use them.
Nice detail, all attendees received her e-book ‘The Quality Coach’s Handbook’.
During the closing keynote, the stage belonged to Keith Klain. Due to unforeseen circumstances, he was unfortunately unable to be there in person, but he joined via an online connection. With his energetic and slightly unconventional but also hilarious keynote, he surprised the audience in the best possible way, and rounded off the day. His talk explored how the rise of generative AI is challenging traditional approaches to test engineering. It reflected on decades of test automation efforts where promised ROI often failed to materialize, while testing costs and complexity continued to grow. By looking at emerging developments such as self-healing systems, generative test creation, and autonomous testing platforms, the session examined how AI could fundamentally change the role of test automation and the way teams approach quality.
In the parallel sessions, a diverse range of topics was covered by both national and international experts. Attendees listened attentively as insights were shared and practical experiences discussed. The sessions sparked valuable conversations, and many attendees left with new perspectives and additional knowledge to take back with them.
During the breaks there was an opportunity to meet other ‘peers’ and taste real Dutch delicacies such as ‘Broodje Kroket’ and ‘Bitterballen’.
And just like that, it’s already over. We hope everyone has returned home safely and we look forward to welcome everyone again during the next edition on March 3 and 4, 2027!
Impression
Do you want to relive the atmosphere of the day? Or did you miss this edition of the conference and would you still like to get an impression? You will find an extensive impression here:
We’ll start thinking about and discussing next year’s TAD soon. Do you have suggestions or ideas for next year (theme, speakers, etc.) or do you also want to be present as a partner? Please send an email to Joyca van Essen, joyca@ckc-seminars.nl or contact us on +31 (0) 40-2146200.