The Evolution of Digital Assurance:

Trends and Future Outlook

Dr Arun Kumar Singh

In today's dynamic digital landscape, ensuring

the success of digital initiatives has become
increasingly complex. Businesses are under
constant pressure to deliver high-quality digital
products and services that meet the evolving
needs and expectations of users. This has led to
the emergence of digital assurance as a
comprehensive approach to ensure the success
of digital initiatives. Organizations rely on digital
assurance—a comprehensive approach that
encompasses quality engineering, project
management, and assessment of assets
including people, processes, and systems. This
article explores the evolution of Digital
Assurance, current trends, and the future outlook of this vital field.

The Foundation of Digital Assurance:

Digital assurance serves as the foundation for ensuring the reliability, security, and
performance of digital solutions. It involves a systematic approach to verifying and
validating digital assets, including software applications, websites, mobile apps,
digital platforms, people, processes and systems. Digital assurance encompasses a
wide range of activities, including quality engineering, project management, and
assessment of people, processes, and systems. At its core, digital assurance aims to
instil confidence in the quality and reliability of digital solutions in an increasingly
digital-centric world.
Integration of Quality Engineering, Project
Management, and
Assessment Practices:
Quality engineering, project management, and
assessment practices are integral components
of digital assurance, ensuring that projects are
executed efficiently and effectively while
evaluating the performance of people,
processes, and systems. By integrating these
practices, organizations can enhance their
ability to deliver high-quality digital solutions
that meet customer expectations and drive
business value.

The Evolution of Digital Assurance

Digital Assurance has its roots in traditional Quality Assurance (QA) practices that
focus on detecting defects at the end of the development cycle. However, with the
advent of Agile and DevOps methodologies, the focus shifted towards preventing
defects and ensuring quality throughout the entire process. This evolution marked
the transition from QA to Quality Engineering (QE), where the emphasis is on
building quality into the product from the outset. Project management plays a
significant role in ensuring on-schedule, within budget and right quality product
/service delivery, hence it is included in the ability of digital assurance. The asset
quality has a direct impact on the outcome, hence assurance includes them in its
span of work. The assets could be people, processes or tools/systems.

Current Trends in Digital Assurance

1. Cloud-Native Adoption: The move towards cloud-native platforms has been
a game-changer for Digital Assurance. With over 95% of new digital
workloads projected to be implemented on cloud-native platforms by 2024,
the scalability, agility, and cost-efficiency of cloud-native architecture are
driving this trend.
2. Generative AI & AI Integration: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is playing a crucial
role in application modernization. The integration of AI and Machine Learning
 (ML) into defect detection is a key trend, with AI-driven tools excelling in
pinpointing code issues and continually improving through adaptive learning.

GenAI is transforming project management by automating tasks like designing

project plans, preparing resource allocation, monitoring project progress, and
generating content for reporting and documentation.
3. Cybersecurity: As digital platforms become more prevalent, the importance
of cybersecurity in Digital Assurance is paramount. Ensuring the security of
digital assets is a top priority, with organizations investing heavily in advanced
security measures to protect against cyber threats.
4. Quality Engineering (QE) Transformation: The Deloitte 2023 Quality
Engineering Trends Report highlights the transformative influence of rapid
technological advancements and AI on QE. The report identifies key trends
that are revolutionizing QE, leading to enhanced efficiency, accuracy, and
productivity across various industries.
5. Increased Focus on Automation: Automation is becoming more prevalent in
project management, with AI being used to automate low-value-added tasks.
This allows project managers to focus on more strategic aspects of their
projects, such as decision-making and optimizing resource scheduling.

Future Outlook of Digital Assurance

Looking ahead, the field of Digital Assurance is set to become even more integral to
the success of digital initiatives. The following are some of the anticipated
developments:
1. AI and Predictive Analytics: The use of AI and predictive analytics in Digital
Assurance will continue to grow. These technologies will enable organizations
to anticipate issues before they arise, leading to more proactive and pre-
emptive assurance strategies.

AI will continue revolutionizing project management by automating routine

tasks, enhancing decision-making processes, and predicting potential project
risks.

GenAI is being integrated into the assessment of people and processes,

automating tasks like performance reviews and process optimization. This
allows for more dynamic and personalized assessments that can adapt to
individual employee needs and organizational goals.
2. Increased Automation: Automation in testing and quality checks will become
more prevalent, reducing the reliance on
manual processes and increasing the speed
and reliability of assurance practices.
3. Shift towards Autonomous Testing: As AI
and ML capabilities continue to mature, we
may see a shift towards autonomous testing,
where intelligent bots and algorithms are
capable of autonomously generating test
cases, executing tests, and analysing results
with minimal human intervention.
4. Holistic Asset Assessment: The
assessment of assets, including people,
processes, and systems, will become more comprehensive. Digital Assurance
platforms will provide deeper insights into the performance and alignment of
these assets with digital strategies.
5. Emphasis on Employee Well-being: Enterprises are increasingly prioritizing
employee satisfaction, mental health, and professional development within
their assessment strategies. This reflects a broader trend towards recognizing
the importance of employee well-being in driving productivity and engagement
6. Remote Project Management Evolution: The shift towards remote work has
redefined project management. In 2024, this trend will continue to evolve,
necessitating the adoption of collaborative tools, virtual communication
platforms, and innovative methodologies.
7. Sustainability and Ethical Considerations: As digital transformation
accelerates, there will be a greater focus on sustainability and ethical
considerations within Digital Assurance. Organizations will need to ensure that
their digital products and services are not only high-quality but also socially
responsible and environmentally sustainable.
8. Integrated Quality Engineering: We can expect to see a more integrated
approach to quality engineering, with organizations breaking down silos
between development, testing, and operations teams to foster collaboration
and alignment throughout the software delivery lifecycle.
9. Focus on Continuous Assurance: Continuous assurance will become the
norm, with organizations adopting DevOps and continuous delivery practices
to ensure that quality is built into every stage of the software development
lifecycle. This shift towards continuous assurance will enable teams to
respond quickly to changing requirements and deliver value to customers
more effectively.
Conclusion
The evolution of Digital Assurance is a testament to the dynamic nature of the digital
world. As organizations continue to navigate the complexities of digital
transformation, the trends and future outlook of Digital Assurance provide a roadmap
for ensuring the quality, security, and reliability of digital assets. With the integration
of AI, increased automation, and a holistic approach to asset assessment, the future
of Digital Assurance looks promising. By embracing emerging trends and integrating
quality engineering, project management, and assessment practices, organizations
can position themselves for success and drive innovation in an increasingly
competitive landscape. As we look to the future, the role of digital assurance will only
continue to grow in importance, serving as a catalyst for digital transformation and
driving business success.

Note: Our platform PIEDAP or Pion Intelligent Enterprise Digital Assessment

Platform in Bangalore is created by practitioners for practitioners to provide
comprehensive next-generation digital assessment services which are described
above. We strive to keep it updated with and for the latest technology in the future.
You can find more at www.piedap.io

Reference
1. https://www.cigniti.com/blog/fifteen-top-digital-engineering-digital-assurance-
trends-2024/
2. https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/about-deloitte/articles/press
releases/deloitte-launches-2023-quality-engineering-report.html
3. https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/in/Documents/strategy/in-digital-
engineering-report-2022.pdf
4. https://www.gartner.com/en/articles/9-future-of-work-trends-for-2024
5. https://hbr.org/2024/01/9-trends-that-will-shape-work-in-2024-and-beyond