Quality Analysts (QAs) are not there to assure quality.
They are there to analyse quality and quality practices and advise on approaches to system quality. They are particularly good at helping mitigate quality risks because of their trained ability to question what seems to be there.
They are neither the gatekeepers of the releases, nor meant to be the bottlenecks for testing, nor the owners of quality.
We always need testing and feedback, but do we always need testers?
Sometimes we do, and sometimes we don’t. This talk is knowing when one is relevant and then knowing HOW to be relevant. This includes looking after your career as QA and staying ahead of the curve and remaining employable.