Enhance Team Technical Skills! Registration Opens for 'Test Design Contest '26' to Compete in Japan's Top-Class Testing Technology
Registration has opened for the 'Test Design Contest '26' hosted by ASTER, a tech competition for software test engineers. Featuring OPEN and U-30 divisions, participants receive previous finalists' work as a benefit.
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The Software Testing Technology Promotion Association (ASTER), a non-profit organization, announced the start of registration on May 14, 2026, for the 'Test Design Contest '26,' an annual event aimed at allowing software test engineers to compete and share their test design skills.
This event, which has been held since 2011, will be conducted in two divisions: the 'OPEN class,' with no eligibility requirements, and the 'U-30 class,' for young engineers aged 30 and under.
Three Benefits of Participating
The contest provides the following values to participating engineers and companies:
Acquisition of Practical Skills: Challenging oneself with test analysis and design under constraints different from daily work expands the toolkit of a test engineer and serves as an educational opportunity.
Rediscovery of the Joy of Testing: Experience that testing is a creative and fun task through a competitive format.
Team Building and Junior Development: Improving skills while enjoying the process with colleagues leads to overall improvement in QA departments and increases motivation for young staff.
Schedule
Registration Period: May 14, 2026 – July 20, 2026
Qualifying Rounds:
OPEN Class: October 3, 2026 (Online National Qualifying)
U-30 Class: Mid-September 2026 (Document Screening)
Finals:
OPEN & U-30 Classes: January 23, 2027
Division Overview
OPEN Class: Open to everyone regardless of qualifications.
U-30 Class: Limited to those aged 30 and under.
Fees and Benefits
All participating teams will receive the artifacts of the teams that reached the finals in the previous contest.
Corporate/Educational Team:
55,000 JPY per team (tax included, max 8 members).
General Team:
OPEN Class: 7,700 JPY per team (tax included, max 8 members).
U-30 Class: 5,500 JPY per team (tax included, max 8 members).
How to Apply
Please apply through the official contest website.
URL: https://aster.or.jp/testcontest/
This event, which has been held since 2011, will be conducted in two divisions: the 'OPEN class,' with no eligibility requirements, and the 'U-30 class,' for young engineers aged 30 and under.
Three Benefits of Participating
The contest provides the following values to participating engineers and companies:
Acquisition of Practical Skills: Challenging oneself with test analysis and design under constraints different from daily work expands the toolkit of a test engineer and serves as an educational opportunity.
Rediscovery of the Joy of Testing: Experience that testing is a creative and fun task through a competitive format.
Team Building and Junior Development: Improving skills while enjoying the process with colleagues leads to overall improvement in QA departments and increases motivation for young staff.
Schedule
Registration Period: May 14, 2026 – July 20, 2026
Qualifying Rounds:
OPEN Class: October 3, 2026 (Online National Qualifying)
U-30 Class: Mid-September 2026 (Document Screening)
Finals:
OPEN & U-30 Classes: January 23, 2027
Division Overview
OPEN Class: Open to everyone regardless of qualifications.
U-30 Class: Limited to those aged 30 and under.
Fees and Benefits
All participating teams will receive the artifacts of the teams that reached the finals in the previous contest.
Corporate/Educational Team:
55,000 JPY per team (tax included, max 8 members).
General Team:
OPEN Class: 7,700 JPY per team (tax included, max 8 members).
U-30 Class: 5,500 JPY per team (tax included, max 8 members).
How to Apply
Please apply through the official contest website.
URL: https://aster.or.jp/testcontest/
FAQ
テスト設計コンテスト'26の参加資格はありますか？
参加資格はクラスによって異なります。OPENクラスは制限なく誰でも参加可能ですが、U-30クラスは30歳以下の方限定となります。
コンテストの開催スケジュールはいつですか？
エントリー受付は2026年5月14日から7月20日までです。OPENクラスの予選は10月3日、U-30クラスの予選は9月中旬を予定しており、決勝戦は2027年1月23日に開催されます。
参加料金はどのくらいかかりますか？
企業・学校法人枠は1チーム55,000円（税込）です。一般チーム枠はOPENクラスが7,700円（税込）、U-30クラスが5,500円（税込）となっています。いずれも最大8名まで参加可能です。
コンテストに参加するメリットは何ですか？
実践的なスキルの向上、テスト業務の創造性の再発見、チームビルディングや若手育成の機会が得られるほか、参加特典として前回決勝戦進出チームの成果物が提供されます。
ASTERとはどのような団体ですか？
特定非営利活動法人ソフトウェアテスト技術振興協会（ASTER）は、2006年に設立され、ソフトウェア品質向上に関する教育・調査・普及振興を行うNPOです。