One of the most common questions asked in the QA space is "How can I transition from a manual QA to a more automation focused or technical QA?" Using his experience in leading his automation team, as well as teaching dozens of people with all ranges of technical experience, Ford will attempt to answer this question. With countless tools to learn and seemingly never ending amount of testing types to master, it can be very intimidating to get started. There are numerous places to start depending on your passions, and what a tester would like to achieve. You don’t have to master five programming languages in order to write your first API test, and you don’t have to be a Selenium expert to create your first record and playback test. Much like you don’t need to be a Jedi to use the force, automation can be a powerful tool in your arsenal even if you are not an automaton master. Join Ford Arnett as we go through a hypothetical automation journey, starting with self doubt and mental barriers to success then moving onto small wins and finally how to become a master of your chosen craft.​