Automating Testing Without Automatic Thinking

Abstract

Sarah Dagger was a semi-finalist in the 2026 UBC Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition. Sarah presented the research titled “Automating Testing Without Automating Thinking.” Software bugs can often be traced back to a deceptively simple cause: a scenario that nobody thought to test. AI tools can now generate hundreds of software tests in seconds, but speed doesn't close that gap; it just makes it easier to miss. This research aims to address this gap through TestCurator, a tool that helps developers review the scenarios that AI-generated tests check. TestCurator observes how tests behave to extract the scenarios, or cases, each one actually checks. The goal is to ensure that as we automate the writing of tests, we don't automate away the thinking. Sarah Dagger is completing a MASc in Electrical and Computer Engineering in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering under the supervision of Dr. Julia Rubin. #3MT is an academic competition that assists current graduate students with fostering effective presentation and communication skills. Participants have just three minutes to explain the breadth and significance of their research project to a non-specialist audience. For more information or to participate in UBC’s Three Minute Thesis (3MT) visit https://3mt.grad.ubc.ca.