About the ASQF e. V.
The Arbeitskreis Software-Qualität und -Fortbildung e.V. (ASQF) is the place to go for knowledge about software quality and secure systems. For over 30 years, we have played a key role in shaping the development and assurance of software quality and promoting internationally standardized training and further education for IT specialists. As an IT quality network, we at ASQF e. V. connect high-performance small and medium-sized companies, global players, universities and research institutions.
Over 1,000 members from German-speaking countries exchange information on relevant topics in the software industry in the ASQF e. V. Our specialist groups are made up of experts and decision-makers in the specialized field of software quality and related topics. We develop guidelines and offer orientation for the quality assurance of software in the AI era. We support our members in their work with regular meetings of our regional and national specialist groups and special events.
For example, the foundations for the German GTB /ISTQB- CTFL (Certified Tester, Foundation Level) certification were laid by an ASQF e. V. working group. The certificate is now considered the standard and is also widely used internationally. The training for the well-known IREB – CPRE (Certified Professional for Requirements Engineering) certificate was also developed by a working group of our expert network and is carried out by recognized training providers worldwide.
In addition, the ASQF e. V. was a shareholder of the International Software Quality Institute (iSQI), which certifies the expertise of IT specialists worldwide. As the market leader, the institute is a much sought-after training partner for both global players and medium-sized companies in over 90 countries on 6 continents in 10 languages. iSQI conducts more than 30,000 inspections worldwide every year.
Our mission
We combine people and technology with quality.
Together with research and teaching, we develop theses and requirements for software and system quality in our working groups.
Through our specialist groups, we offer an exchangeplatform for members and experts.
We explore domain-specific quality topics in depth in the specialist and working groups.
We regularly publish content in the area of software and system quality.
Together we reduce the fear of software errors.
Our members
Our Presidium
Ludger
Meyer
President
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Karin
Vosseberg
Vice President
Dr. Klaudia
Dussa-Zieger
Vice President
Richard
Seidl
Member of the Executive Committee
Nishan
Portoyan
Member of the Executive Committee
Yaryna
Yanchak
Member of the Executive Committee
Werner
Henschelchen
Member of the Executive Committee
Prof. Dr. Robert
Pucher
Member of the Executive Committee
Erika
Goericke
Member of the Executive Committee
Ingo
Senftleben
Member of the Executive Committee
Felix
Winter
Member of the Executive Committee
Ludger Meyer
Ludger Meyer was a member of the ASQF Advisory Board until 2011. He has been a member of the ASQF e.V. Executive Committee since 2011 and President since 2019.
After studying physics with a focus on nuclear physics in Cologne, Mr. Meyer joined Siemens Nixdorf Informationssysteme AG in 1991 in the field of CAD development. Quality, especially software quality, was a key focus here. In 1993, he moved to Siemens AG’s mobile communications department, where he worked on configuration management. As part of a process improvement program, he moved to Corporate Technology at Siemens AG in 1996. The topic of process improvement in development processes with a strong SW reference was a major focus of his work for many years. Process improvement and process assessments in different cultures and business units have shown him the impact of research and teaching in combination with user learning. “Processes are driven by the people who use them. This means that a change in processes must also result in a change in behavior. Process improvement is only sustainable and effective if this is successful.” For this reason, change and the design of change has been a focus of his work, which continues to this day.
Mr. Meyer is currently responsible for Collaboration and Governance at the Research and Technology Center of Siemens AG. In previous years, he was responsible for the technology field “System Process Optimization”. He is also a board member of WEIT e.V. and INTACS e.V.
Dr. Klaudia Dussa-Zieger
Dr. Klaudia Dussa-Zieger is team leader for consulting at imbus and a recognized expert in the field of software testing. Her professional focus is on test management, the continuous improvement of test processes and testing of and with AI.
With a strong passion for testing and quality, she has been involved in customer projects for more than 25 years, is a trainer for the ISTQB® Certified Tester Foundation and Advanced Level and has taught for many years as a lecturer for software testing at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. She is also a frequent speaker at conferences on testing topics that move her.
Dr. Dussa-Zieger also contributes her expertise to standardization work: Since March 2009, she has been the chairwoman of the DIN working committee “System and Software Engineering” and is actively involved in international standardization, including ISO/IEC/IEE 29119.
She has been a member of the German Testing Board (GTB) for over ten years and is currently its deputy chair. She is also President of the ISTQB® (International Software Testing Qualifications Board) and heads the AI Taskforce there, which deals with the challenges and potential of AI in software testing.
For many years, she headed the ASQF e. V. software testing specialist group and organized several ASQF Testing Days in Franconia. Further training and the exchange of experience between testers is important to her.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Karin Vosseberg
Prof. Vosseberg studied computer science at the University of Bremen with a focus on operating systems and computer networks. In 1996, she received her doctorate in the field of security in object-oriented operating systems. From 1997 to 2000, she co-founded the Informatica Feminale – Summer University for Women in Computer Science. Here she was able to contribute her professional and women’s political interests to the curricular development of computer science. She then worked for Commerz Systems GmbH in the Business Development unit for over eight years. Her focus was on the design of quality management processes. Her position gave her an insight into a wide range of projects at Commerz Systems.
Richard Seidl
Richard “Richie” Seidl is a software testing expert, agile quality coach and podcast host. Over the past 25 years, he has come into contact with a wide variety of software on his professional journey: good and bad, big and small, new and old. Software so beautiful it makes you want to cry and software that makes your toenails curl.
He has helped teams and projects in various industries such as administration, finance, automotive and logistics to improve their software quality, introduce agile testing and establish test automation.
His credo: creating exceptional software today requires a holistic view of the development process – the integration of people, context, methods and tools. Only when these elements work together harmoniously can a mindset emerge that unleashes potential and fosters innovation.
He is the author of several books on software testing, host of a software testing podcast and international keynote speaker.
Nishan Portoyan
Yaryna Yanchak
As Managing Director of Examunit GmbH, she has been responsible for the strategic management and continuous development of technical systems in the field of certification since 2021. In total, she has been working in the certification industry for over seven years and has extensive experience in the standardization and technological modernization of certification processes. A particular focus of her work is the digital transformation of certification processes in the area of software quality – from technical conception to project management and operational implementation.
In this context, it is a personal concern of hers to actively promote the topics of digitalization and artificial intelligence within ASQF e. V. as well. She is also committed to increasing the visibility, participation and promotion of women in IT and technical management.
With her professional expertise, many years of experience and her strategic understanding, I would like to use her role as an ASQF e. V. assessor to help shape the future of certification in a sustainable, innovation-oriented and diversity-conscious way.
Werner Henschelchen
Werner Henschelchen is Managing Director of GASQ Service GmbH and has been a constant in the field of software quality and certification for over 20 years. As a long-standing member of the ASQF, he is intensively involved in the further development of the software quality landscape, both nationally and internationally.
His professional career is characterized by his active involvement in numerous certification schemes. He is involved in leading organizations such as the ISTQB (International Software Testing Qualifications Board) and A4Q (Alliance for Qualification), where he contributes his extensive expertise to the development and maintenance of global standards.
Werner Henschelchen pays particular attention to the integration of future-oriented technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) into existing quality and certification processes. He sees a great need for action in anchoring the topic of AI more firmly in the ASQF in order to take up the latest technological developments and provide high-quality support.
Prof. Dr. Robert Pucher
FH-Prof. DI Dr.techn. Robert Pucher is Professor of Computer Science at the University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien. He heads the Master’s program in Software Engineering and the Master’s course in Business Analytics.
His academic education includes electrical engineering with a focus on communications engineering at Graz University of Technology (Dipl.-Ing.) and medicine at the University of Graz (first degree). In his dissertation at Graz University of Technology, he modeled cerebral autoregulation using computational methods, which formed an early basis for his later work on connecting biological and artificial neural systems.
Dr. Pucher has extensive experience in the development, management and quality assurance of complex software projects, including AI-supported systems for the medical sector. His research focuses on software quality, AI and usability. He has authored numerous scientific publications and conference papers in these areas.
In his teaching and research activities, Dr. Pucher focuses intensively on the application of AI in software development and the analysis of cognitive processes in the human brain. He emphasizes the importance of usability and user experience in the design of software solutions in order to optimally support the cognitive capacities of users.
With over three decades of experience in research, development and academic teaching, Dr. Pucher brings in-depth knowledge of software quality, AI and human-centered technology. His interdisciplinary expertise and commitment to high-quality software solutions are documented by numerous projects and publications.
Erika Goericke
As Managing Director of the ISQI Group, with over seven years of experience in this company and previous work in sales at international companies, she brings a broad perspective and practical expertise.
She is particularly interested in networking experts in German-speaking countries in order to promote the exchange of knowledge and best practices. She also sees the future in the field of artificial intelligence, which will significantly change our field of work. She would like to contribute to the targeted training of specialists in this field and thus strengthen the competitiveness of our industry.
She is convinced that her experience, commitment and vision can make a valuable contribution to the ASQF e. V.. Together, she would like to further advance quality assurance and strengthen the specialist community in German-speaking countries.
Ingo Senftleben
Ingo Senftleben is 50 years old, married and has 5 daughters with his wife. He lives in Ortrand, a small town in southern Brandenburg. He has been working for the engineering company Gicon Consult in Dresden since 2021 and is the head of the Project Management division.
He has known the ASQF for a very long time and got to know it, for example, as a powerful lobbyist during his time as a politician. Whether Bernd Hindel, Rudolf van Megen or Ina Schieferdecker – they were all lobbyists and good advisors in political decision-making processes. The recent creation of a digital ministry at federal level is also based on an old ASQF demand.
On the Executive Board, he would like to work in particular to ensure that qualification and quality become the core of the Made in Germany brand, especially in AI projects. As always with projects, it all comes down to people. He sees it as a worthwhile goal to make this clear to political decision-makers and networks and to try to get corresponding initiatives off the ground.
Felix Winter
Felix Winter has been working for sepp.med gmbh since 2018 and is currently Deputy Business Development Manager, where he is jointly responsible for the further development of sepp.med in all customer segments. He represents sepp.med in various committees, including the TAG of the German Testing Board e.V. He is currently active in the ASQF as a specialist group leader of the FG Digital Health. Prior to this, he worked for New Elements GmbH for two years as Market and Product Manager, where he was responsible for the further development of IT training concepts. Felix Winter has worked for the ASQF e.V. and iSQI GmbH in various positions since 2003. Most recently from 2011 to 2015 as Managing Director of ASQF e.V. and from 2014 to 2015 additionally as Director Public Affairs Member of the Management Board of iSQI GmbH.
Felix Winter is married and father of 2 children. He has a degree in Political Science and Economics (M.A.) and is firmly rooted in Erlangen.
Robin Baldner
Robin Baldner is Vice President of Global Agility & Quality in the Product Engineering division of SAP AG. The division is responsible for agile transformation, transparency and quality management for development and support.
Robin Baldner has been with SAP since 2002 and has held a variety of quality functions, including Quality Assurance for SAP SuccessFactors and Global Quality and Validation with a direct reporting line to the Executive Board of SAP SE. Previously, he was responsible for the integration of acquired products into the SAP development system and the management of quality assurance for the cloud business area. In addition to his technical expertise and passion for quality, he is also known for his broad product knowledge of the entire SAP portfolio.
Robin Baldner began his IT career before joining SAP as a co-founder of a network consulting company while studying physics. He holds a degree in physics from the University of Freiburg and an intermediate diploma in economics. He has 2 children and in his free time he enjoys working with innovative high-tech devices, playing volleyball or going on bike tours.
Prof. Dr. Bernd Hindel
Prof. Dr. Bernd Hindel is CEO of method park Software AG and honorary professor at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg.
Prof. Dr. Bernd Hindel began his professional career in the Central Research and Development department of Siemens AG in Erlangen. He has been Chairman of the Management Board of method park Software AG since 2001. Prof. Hindel is an honorary professor at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg and a lecturer at the Volkswagen Autouniversity. He teaches software engineering and project management there. Prof. Hindel is a member of DIN and represents Germany in the ISO working group for the definition of SPICE. He is a founding member of iNTACS, an association that strives for the standardized training of SPICE assessors. For 10 years, from 1996 to 2006, he was President of the ASQF. In 2007 and 2008 he is Conference Chair of the “International SPICE Days” conference.
Prof. Hindel is the author of several specialist books and numerous articles on the topics of software engineering and project management. Among other things, he is one of the authors of the recently published book “SPICE in der Praxis”.
Herna Muñoz-Galeano
Herna Muñoz-Galeano has over 25 years of experience in the development and management of complex IT systems. She specializes in the fields of telecommunications, automation and medical technology. Since 1998, she has founded three IT companies, most recently HMG Systems Engineering GmbH in 2014, of which she is the sole Managing Director.
The engineer and computer scientist has always been particularly interested in innovations in the IT sector. To this end, the entrepreneur has perfected methods that optimize the development process, including the integration and testing process, for pioneering, complex technical systems. She has extensive experience in standardization at ITU, ETSI and IEEE.
On July 8, 2019, Herna Muñoz-Galeano was awarded the IHK-Gründerpreis Mittelfranken 2019 for her entrepreneurial achievements and the development of the innovative medical device PGXperts. In 2016, DEUTSCHE MESSE AG honored her successful career as an engineer and computer scientist with the “Engineer PowerWoman 2016” career award.
HMG Systems Engineering GmbH was recognized as one of the TOP 100 innovators of medium-sized companies in 2016(top100.de). On December 2, 2016, Herna Muñoz-Galeano received the second prize for HMG’s PGXperts system at PerMediCon in Cologne.
Arnd Schaarschmidt
Arnd Schaarschmidt was born in Salzgitter in 1968.
After graduating with a degree in industrial engineering, he worked as an independent management consultant for process and cost optimization, primarily in medium-sized companies.
In 1996, Mr. Schaarschmidt moved to the Volkswagen Group and took on various tasks in the Production, Finance and Quality Assurance departments.
Among other things, he was responsible for QA logistics and CKD, for the Volkswagen brand warranty, for quality assurance controlling for the Volkswagen brand and for Volkswagen brand technical service.
Since 2011, Mr. Schaarschmidt has been Head of Group Quality Assurance, where he is responsible for all strategic quality assurance tasks within the Volkswagen Group.
Since May 2015, he has also been Managing Director of the newly founded Automotive Quality Institute (AQI).
Markus Nickolaus
In almost 30 years in IT consulting, Markus Nickolaus has gained extensive experience in the development and quality assurance of large-scale projects: whether in business analysis and requirements management, in the management of test and QA projects and organizations or in project management for large development programs.
Markus completed his degree in computer science at the Technical University of Kaiserslautern in 1992. He was then responsible for several development projects in an international IT consulting company, where he discovered his passion for the highest quality standards and the development of innovative topics and methods. Since 2001 Markus has been working for CGI, a leading global IT and business consulting company. CGI is a strategic and reliable partner for many local and global customers in the field of testing and quality assurance, and is also one of the largest training providers on these topics in the German-speaking world.
Markus focuses on strategic consulting and support for customers and projects in the field of quality assurance: from the definition and support of operational test activities to the establishment of effective test management and consulting for the development of an efficient test organization with a wide variety of process models. Within CGI, he plays a leading role in the methodical development of the test portfolio and supports the TQS community in the Rhine-Main region with more than 130 test professionals. Another focus in recent years has been the digitalization and automation of processes using RPA and intelligent automation methods and tools.
Walter Wintersteiger
Dr. Walter Wintersteiger has been working as an independent management consultant since 1986. In the early 1990s, he was one of the first certification auditors for ISO 9001 with a specific background in software quality management. He was Austria’s delegate in the EOQ SW Group (European Organization for Quality) and World Conferences for Software Quality (WCSQ), organizer of the 6th European Conference on Software Quality in Vienna (EOQ) and member of the program committee of the 3rd WCSQ in Munich.
Walter Wintersteiger was one of the founders of STEV (the Austrian Association for Software Quality Management), which was established in 1984, and from 1986 was the organizer and chair of the STEV conference “Software Quality Management in Practice” – one of the first and longest-running annual conferences on software quality in the German-speaking world. Today he is Honorary President of STEV.
In the course of his work, he has made a name for himself as a consultant and trainer, as a lecturer at universities and technical colleges, as an international seminar speaker and conference chair, as an auditor for certification organizations, and as the author of numerous relevant publications.
Our office
Ronald
Huster
Managing Director
Anna-Christina
Feldhusen
Management of the office
Anika
cracks
Member administration
Selma
Harbaš
Marketing
Anna-Christina Feldhusen
Anna-Christina Feldhusen has been responsible for the specialist groups and event organization at ASQF e. V. since December 2016. She works with the specialist group leaders to organize and run the specialist group meetings and ASQF Days. She is also the contact person for partner events and cooperations and is editor-in-chief of the association’s own SQ magazine.
Anna-Christina Feldhusen studied political science in Oldenburg and Potsdam. After working for the Young Liberals, she worked as office manager for Marion Vogdt, member of the Brandenburg state parliament. Most recently, she worked for the German Geothermal Energy Association and as a freelance lecturer at the Teltow-Fläming Adult Education Center.
Selma Harbaš
Selma Harbaš was born in Potsdam and has been responsible for marketing at ASQF e. V. since February 2024. She is also a member of the editorial team of the association’s own SQ magazine.
During her studies in print and media technology in Berlin, she acquired specialist knowledge of the media industry. In addition to her studies, she gained practical experience at the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft in the fields of graphic and communication design.
Anika Risse
Anika Risse has been responsible for membership administration and accounting at ASQF e. V. since May 2021.
During her studies in industrial engineering, she gained practical experience in the areas of quality assurance and production at Siemens AG. After successfully completing her studies in 2011, she gained commercial work experience at a company in the aviation industry and worked for several years in the commercial and administrative department of a leading medium-sized company for precision optical components.
Ronald Huster
Ronald Huster has been responsible for the management of ASQF e. V. since January 2026.
He began his professional career in his parents’ retail and wholesale company. During his studies, the historian (M.A.), business economist and sports scientist initially shifted his focus to academic research and teaching. When he joined the iSQI Group in 2014, he was already able to draw on his 10 years of experience in the association, federation and foundation sector, where he was primarily responsible for project management, financing and third-party fundraising as well as public relations, including supporting ASQF e. V.
