The QA Team of Tomorrow: How to Start Building It Today

Software testing isn’t what it used to be, and this is not bad news. Release cycles are faster. Automation is everywhere. AI is starting to impact how we test and where we spend our time. The role of QA is expanding, and with it, the expectations for QA teams are rising.

To build a high-impact team for the future, strong testing skills aren’t enough. You need quality enablers who not only verify functionality but also help drive quality across the organization.

These testers collaborate early, think strategically, and bring a user-first mindset. They understand risk, influence decisions, and help teams ship confidently.

But making that shift doesn’t happen automatically. It takes deliberate planning, upskilling, and the right team structure. In this article, we’ll explore what it means to build a future-ready QA team and how to start moving in that direction today.

Evolving Roles in the QA Organization

As demands on QA teams grow, so do the expectations for their roles. It’s no longer enough to think in terms of just functions such as “manual testers” and “automation engineers.” Modern QA organizations need a mix of specialized and hybrid roles that support quality across the entire development lifecycle.

Forward-looking QA Managers are shifting from simply filling roles to designing the right mix of capabilities. Here are some of the roles and shifts shaping future-ready QA teams:

More than Just a Manual Tester

Whether titled “Test Engineer” or “Software Tester,” the core job remains: plan, execute, and report scripted manual testing. And this role isn’t going away. Automation and AI are advancing quickly, but they still can’t replace the critical thinking, intuition, and exploratory testing that manual testers bring, especially in usability, edge cases, and fast-changing contexts.

The Rise of the SDET

Software Developer Engineer in Test, or in short SDET write and maintain automated tests and often collaborate closely with developers. As automation becomes essential for scale and speed, SDETs help QA teams build reliable, efficient testing frameworks, whether embedded in teams or as part of a dedicated automation group.

Test Architects and Quality Coaches

In larger organizations, these roles are gaining traction. Test Architects design testing strategies and ensure consistency across teams. Quality Coaches work across the org to embed quality practices, shift testing left, and build a culture of shared ownership.

The Skills That Will Matter for Software Testers

Today’s testers are expected to think critically, work cross-functionally, and adapt fast. For QA Managers, the challenge is not just meeting current needs, but preparing the team for what’s coming next.

Here are six essential skills for the near future and beyond:

1. Communication & Collaboration: Consistently ranked the #1 skill in the State of Testing™ report, communication is key. Testers need to explain risk clearly, give feedback that’s actionable, and advocate for quality in a way that earns trust across product, dev, and business teams.

2. Product & Business Thinking: Testers with strong product awareness can prioritize better, catch meaningful issues, and align QA efforts with user needs and business goals. It starts with asking the right questions and thinking like an end-user.

3. Technical Fluency: Not every tester needs to code, but they should understand automation frameworks, APIs, and CI/CD workflows. Technical context leads to stronger test design and faster root cause analysis.

4. A Continuous Learning Mindset: Technology evolves quickly. Great testers stay curious, share knowledge, and embrace experimentation. It’s up to leaders to make learning part of the team’s culture.

5. Attention to Detail: Edge cases, behavioral changes, subtle regressions, this is where detail-oriented testers shine. The best ones know when to zoom in and when not to overdo it.

6. AI Awareness: AI is already influencing how we test. From generating test cases to predicting defects. Testers don’t need to build AI, but they should understand its value, its risks, and when human judgment still matters most.

Structuring QA Teams for Growth and Agility

Having the right people on your QA team is essential, but how you structure those people matters just as much. As organizations scale and priorities shift, the structure of your QA team can either enable flexibility and collaboration or create silos and slowdowns.

Future-focused QA leaders are designing team structures not just for execution, but for adaptability.

T-Shaped Team Members: Specialists Who Can Stretch

One proven model is the T-shaped team member: someone with deep expertise in one area (like automation or performance) and a working knowledge of adjacent disciplines. These testers can plug into cross-functional teams, collaborate across silos, and step in when priorities shift.

You don’t need everyone to master everything. But you do need a team culture that encourages curiosity, shared learning, and the willingness to operate beyond defined roles when needed.

Team Models That Scale

There’s no single “right” structure for QA teams, but three models stand out:

• Embedded QA: Testers are part of product teams. This improves collaboration and speed but requires strong alignment across squads.
• Centralized QA: A single QA group serves multiple teams. It ensures consistency and governance, but risks becoming a bottleneck.
• Hybrid QA: Combines both previous models: embedded testers work on features, while a centralized team (like a QA Center of Excellence) sets strategy, tools, and standards.

Making Upskilling a Strategic Priority

The difference between a QA team that keeps up and one that leads often comes down to how well it learns, adapts, and grows together. For QA Managers and Testing Directors, upskilling should be an ongoing strategy, not a once-a-year performance review checkbox.

To build a team that’s ready for what’s next, learning must become part of your team’s DNA. Here’s how to make that happen:

1. Start with a Skills Gap Analysis Understand where your team stands today. Map current capabilities against future needs, whether that’s new tools, test architecture, or soft skills, and use it to prioritize learning efforts at both individual and team levels.

2. Create Personalized Learning Plans Every tester is different. Some are ready for leadership, while others are still building foundations. Set development plans that match individual goals and tie learning to real projects so it feels relevant and impactful.

3. Encourage Peer Learning Upskilling doesn’t always require a budget. Peer mentoring, internal Slack channels, and brown bag sessions can turn everyday work into a source of continuous learning.

4. Invest in External Growth When resources allow, fund the right certifications, conference attendance, or online courses that align with your strategy. Even giving someone time to experiment with a new tool can lead to valuable growth.

5. Track Progress and Celebrate Impact It’s crucial to measure results and not just completion. Are people applying new skills? Is the team more confident using that tool? Are communication gaps closing? Make learning visible and tie it back to business value.

Putting It All Together

Building a future-ready QA team isn’t just about keeping up with new tools or methodologies. It’s about cultivating the right mix of skills, evolving roles to fit modern workflows, and designing team structures that support long-term growth.

Whether you’re scaling automation, exploring AI, or strengthening cross-team collaboration, success ultimately comes down to your people. Invest in upskilling. Rethink roles and responsibilities. And foster a culture where learning and quality are part of everyday work.

Because in the near future and beyond, the most impactful QA teams won’t just respond to change, they’ll drive it.