The erosion & rebirth of quality

Returning to the university stage after 25 years in the field, this talk explores a startling dissonance: while our technology has leaped into the future, the Quality mindset of organisations today is often still anchored in a 1960s manufacturing model. This session traces the erosion of quality—from its origins in industrial control to its mid-era commoditisation—and advocates for a rebirth centred on human experience and business confidence in the age of AI.

We will journey through three critical pivots in the history of quality:

• The Manufacturing Ghost: How the industry’s reliance on “Scientific Management” created a legacy of “Test Factories” and “Zero Defects,” often resulting in high-profile digital failures when intangible software experiences were treated like tangible car parts.
• The CX Resurgence: Moving beyond “inspection and sorting” to adopt the wisdom of gurus like Deming and Juran, where quality is defined by the customer.
• The AI Evolution: In a new era of “throw-away code” and non-deterministic systems, the role of testing shifts from simple bug-hunting to generating Business Confidence.

Attendees will discover why a human-centric approach—fostering a clear line of sight between Business, People, and Technology—is the only way to drive true organisational excellence. We conclude with real-world “scar tissue” from 25 years on the front lines, proving that in the age of AI, the human element is not just relevant—it is the ultimate arbiter of quality.

Speaker’s profile

Todd Pasley is the Global Quality and Testing Practice Lead at NCS. He has dedicated his 25-year career to quality & testing and has helped more than 100 organisations improve the quality of their digital services and technology implementations. A First Class Honours graduate in Software Engineering, Todd leverages his deep technical background to bridge the communication gap between business strategy and engineering execution. His commitment to the field extends to thought leadership and education, including teaching at universities, contributing to the development of testing certifications, and establishing special interest groups with the Australian Computer Society.