This Week in Testing

In episode 106 of This Week in Testing, co-hosts Simon Tomes and Ben Dowen look ahead to TestBash Brighton with slide-writing crunch, laptop tips for workshops, and the new Leading with Quality notebook. They also celebrate the buzz of MoT meetups and remind listeners how stepping on stage, even for a 99-second talk, can grow confidence and connection. Joining them on stage, Maithi Chun shares her motivation and learning journey, Ady Stokes brings stories from Test Up North and the roots of accessibility, and Iziren John Chima sparks a lively discussion on taking lead roles without manager pay. Together, they mix career advice, community laughs, and practical tips that show why quality people gather.

In episode 105 of This Week in Testing, co-hosts Nataliia Burmei and Oleksandr Romanov contrast the reality of quality conversations with the hype of AI.Oleksandr shares upcoming MoT events in Valencia, Leeds, and Brighton, while Natalia reflects on the joy of in-person meetups and community memories. Their weeks in testing highlight the value of visualization: from earning the Software Testing Essentials Certificate to using diagrams and AI tools to clarify complex systems.On stage, Ben Dowen introduces the capture–review–update cycle for building shared understanding. Preeti Gupta brings energy from the London MoT Meetup, while Christine Pinto talks quality coaching, preparing conference talks, and excitement for TestBash Brighton.The conversation loops back to AI: the hype around tools like v0 and the steady reminder that while tools evolve, human collaboration, critical thinking, and communication remain at the heart of testing.Together, they explore how testers balance new tools with timeless skills, proving again that quality conversations are very real, even when the AI buzz feels less so.#AIInTesting#QualityCoaching#Visualization#DiagramsAndModels#CommunityMeetups#TestBashBrighton#MoTEvents#Collaboration#CriticalThinking

In episode 104 of This Week in Testing, co-hosts Demi Van Malcot and Simon Tomes embrace the chaos of testing life with the support of the MoTaverse.Demi shares a week filled with laptop migrations, budget cuts, and the upcoming loss of a quality manager. This sparks up conversations about how testers can step up, share responsibility, and keep quality work from falling through the cracks. Simon highlights fresh community content, from Rahul Parwal’s Advanced Prompting for Testers course to Ady Stokes’ new article on testing mindsets.On stage, Eamon Droko talks about the highs and lows of his first month in a new role, leaning on the community to break through a rut. Ady expands on the 11 mindsets behind “I Think, Therefore I Test” and floats ideas for games, talks, and more ways to explore them. Gary Hawkes shares lessons from influencing product direction and reflects on team resilience when leaders leave.From Worldwide Tester Day celebrations to TestBash prep, this episode shows how community support turns uncertainty into opportunity, and how the MoTaverse has your back when work gets messy.#TestingCommunity#QualityEngineering#TestLeadership#ThisWeekInTesting

In episode 103 of This Week in Testing, co-hosts Ben Dowen and Judy Mosley throw “Everyone’s invited to the QA Party!” Judy shares solo-QA tactics like a fun QA Slack channel and “Today is…” prompts that spark team chatter. Ben talks about getting developers into exploratory testing and his first look at Mac desktop automation.Guests Nataliia Burmei and Yudit Sharabi add real-world lessons. Nataliia contrasts fast delivery feedback with slow-burn strategy work. Yudit explains “testing without testers” at a startup, from process upgrades to whole-company QA parties. The group swaps tips on starting quality conversations and using AI to reduce draining tasks and improve code reviews.#TestingCommunity#QualityEngineering#TestAutomation#ThisWeekInTesting

In episode 102 of This Week in Testing, co-hosts Simon Tomes and Sarah Deery shine the spotlight on the launch of the Software Testing Essentials Certificate (STEC) — lovingly nicknamed STEC by the community.Sarah shares the years-long journey that led to its creation, from identifying gaps in existing training to surveying over 160 juniors and managers, and finally co-creating a curriculum with 59 contributors across the globe. Simon reflects on reviewing the lessons, the power of asking the right questions, and why the “portfolio of work” makes STEC different from traditional certificates.Ady Stokes joins to describe his role in shaping the article content and explains how STEC goes deeper than any other introduction to testing, covering not just techniques but also storytelling, communication, and critical thinking. Maneesh Maddala jumps in with questions about localisation, AI, and the future of certifications. The live chat adds humour and energy — from Rosie Sherry’s breaking news that she passed the exam, to debates about whether Ady should sit the test he helped write, to ideas about bug-hunting Easter eggs hidden in certificates.Whether you’re tired of the old ISTQB path, curious about how STEC was built, or just want to hear community voices reflect on shaping the future of testing, this episode is packed with insights, stories, and plenty of laughs.#STEC#TestingCommunity#CareersInTesting#LearningAndDevelopment#ThisWeekInTesting

In this 101st episode of This Week in Testing, co-hosts Mariem Safi and Demi Van Malcot discuss their excitement and preparation for the upcoming TestBash conference in Brighton. The conversation also explores the current state of the testing industry, including the growing prominence of AI and the importance of professional development.Demi kicks off the discussion by sharing her experience balancing new projects and preparing for her first-ever conference talk, "How to Start Continuous Quality in Your Team." She reveals her nervousness but finds encouragement in the advice, "No one in the room wants you to fail." Mariem echoes her excitement, detailing her own TestBash preparations and the challenge of choosing which talks and workshops to attend from the packed schedule.Judy Mosley and Maneesh Maddala join the conversation on stage to share their perspectives. Judy highlights the value of the conference's focus on foundational skills and career development, noting her appreciation for the agenda's variety over an overemphasis on AI. Maneesh, unable to attend the conference in person, raises the question of live-streaming sessions for an international audience and shares his interest in talks about making work more visible and becoming a "testing generalist."Gary Hawkes, a TestBash newcomer like Mariem and Demi, joins the discussion and talks about his excitement for the event and his plan to meet as many people as possible. The episode wraps up with a fun discussion about creating a secret signal or sticker for This Week in Testing community members to recognise each other at the conference.

In this 100th episode of This Week in Testing, co-hosts Mariem Safi and Simon Tomes celebrate the milestone with a lively, wide-ranging conversation, from MCP server hype to the surprise reality of companies making AI usage mandatory, and even tracking it.Christine Pinto kicks things off with her experiences improving performance at Epic Test Quest and ponders how MCP servers could change testing workflows. Eamon Droko shares the big news of landing a new role, plus a teaser for his upcoming conference talk. Maneesh Maddala describes how his company connects MCP servers to tools like Figma and Asana, plus what happens when AI usage is monitored across an organisation.Ady Stokes spotlights the launch of the Software Testing Essentials Certificate (STEC), a project that was over a year in the making, while Gary Hawkes finally makes a successful live mic appearance. Ujjwal Kumar Singh rounds out the discussion with hands-on stories of switching from Gemini to Claude and evaluating LLMs for automation work.From tracking AI usage at work to exploring its practical testing applications, this episode blends milestone celebrations with future-focused debates, honest stories, and practical insights from across the MoTaverse!#AIinTesting#MCPServers#LLMUseCases#STEC#CareerGrowth#TestingCommunity#ThisWeekInTesting

In this milestone 99th episode of This Week in Testing, co-hosts Simon Tomes, Ben Dowen, Demi Van Malcot, Oleksandr Romanov, Mariem Safi, Judy Mosley, and Rosie Sherry gather to celebrate the journey so far. They reflect on how the podcast started as a simple experiment and grew into a weekly space for connection, learning, and community support.Each co-host shares what it’s meant to be part of the experience. From early nerves to finding confidence in co-hosting, they talk about the joy of welcoming new voices and creating a space where everyone can share something valuable. Rosie looks back on the origins of Ministry of Testing and what it means to step forward as both a founder and a participant.The group also highlights how small actions, ike joining the chat or giving a short talk, can lead to bigger moments of growth. There are stories of encouragement, lessons in showing up, and plenty of appreciation for those who make this space what it is. It’s a warm and honest episode about building something meaningful together, one stage at a time.#Episode99#TestingCommunity#CommunityVoices#OriginStories#CoHosting#PublicSpeaking#ConfidenceInTesting#MoTMultiverse#ThisWeekInTesting

In this episode of This Week in Testing, co-hosts Nataliia Burmei and Simon Tomes gather the community for Episode 98 and steer the conversation toward the spicy topic of performance reviews. Joined on stage by Eamon Droko, Olly Fairhall, and Milan Kumar, they explore how testers experience reviews, why they can feel so Marmite, and whether they can be made more useful, fair, or even enjoyable.From using community contributions as evidence of impact to running bug hunts that reveal unexpected insights, the group reflects on the power of visibility, feedback, and shared learning. Nataliia shares her experiments with white-box coding using Cursor AI, while Simon spotlights MoT’s latest platform features, including new Community Stars stats and a much-requested way to follow user profiles.Along the way, Eamon describes how community work creates value inside the workplace, Milan shares his dream of one test stack to rule them all, and Olly celebrates the fresh eyes a team-wide bug hunt can bring. And yes, there’s a surprise mic appearance from Gary Hawkes, setting the stage for the long-awaited chaos of Episode 99, next week!Whether you dread your next review cycle or want ideas for making your work more visible, this episode offers honest stories, smart tactics, and a few Marmite moments that every tester will relate to.#PerformanceReviews#MarmiteDebate#CommunityStars#AIinTesting#BugHunts#CareerGrowth#TestingCommunity#MoTPlatform#TeamQuality#ThisWeekInTesting

In this episode of This Week in Testing, co-hosts Nataliia Burmei and Simon Tomes gather the community for Episode 97 and steer the conversation toward all things TestBash Brighton 2025. Joined on stage by Eamon Droko, Preeti Gupta, and Lynda Hughes, they swap meetup stories, celebrate the latest flurry of Community Stars and certificates, and plot a chaotic—but exciting—Episode 99 reunion of every co-host. Along the way they nudge listeners to help founder Rosie Sherry reach the magic “99 followers” milestone and highlight new micro-features that turn the MoT platform into a treasure hunt for testers.From planning conference budgets and convincing budget-holders, to crafting a personal schedule, spacing out workshops, and remembering to leave camera storage free for those all-important selfies, the group shares practical tips for thriving at large events—plus reminders to keep the conversations going long after the badge lanyards come off. You’ll hear how London meetups sparked spin-off one-to-one calls, why snapping photos preserves community history, and how an Unlimited membership unlocked training, certifications, and a first-ever TestBash for one attendee. Whether you’re plotting your own trip to Brighton or looking for fresh ways to connect between meetups, this episode is packed with encouragement, real-world tactics, and that familiar MoT energy that turns “just another Friday” into a springboard for growth.#TestBashBrighton#ConferenceTips#CommunityStars#Meetups#Networking#LearningAndDevelopment#BudgetingForConferences#CareerGrowth#TestingCommunity#MoTPlatform

In this episode of This Week in Testing, Demi van Malcot and Oleksandr Romanov uncover community stories, feature launches, and personal milestones that defined another busy week in the world of testing. Joined by Rosie Sherry, Emily O’Connor, Jesse Berkeley, and Sarah Byng, they explore how testers are making connections, shaping their careers, and finding new ways to contribute.From discovering hidden features like Q&A stars and linking profiles, to preparing accessibility sessions and launching automation projects, the episode is packed with the small wins and big ideas that keep our community thriving. You’ll hear stories from recent in-person meetups, reflections on the value of sharing knowledge, and a conversation about building confidence to contribute—whether it’s through a post, a talk, or a one-to-one chat. And as always, there are a few secrets sprinkled in too.#CommunityStories#TestingMeetups#TestAutomation#AccessibilityTesting#CareerGrowth#KnowledgeSharing#CommunityFeatures#ExpertGeneralist#MinistryOfTesting#TestingCareers#PublicSpeaking#ContributingToCommunity

In this episode of This Week in Testing, Nataliia Burmei and Ben Dowen open the floor to a community conversation on how testers influence quality through everyday actions. Joined by Christine Pinto, Gary Hawkes, Preeti Gupta, Eamon Droko, and Demi Van Malcot, they share practical stories of leading without needing a leadership title.From supporting remote teams and coaching others to introducing new ways of working and asking timely questions, the episode highlights how testers shape quality culture by stepping up and speaking out. Whether you're early in your career or already guiding teams, this discussion is full of insights on making a difference through action.#QualityLeadership#LeadWithQuality#TestingLeadership#QualityCulture#ThisWeekInTesting#MinistryOfTesting#MoTCommunity#QualityEngineering#TechLeadership#SoftwareTesting#RiskBasedTesting#TestingVisibility#ShiftLeftTesting#ContinuousImprovement

In this episode of This Week in Testing, Simon Tomes and Judy Mosley explore how everyday experiences shape the way we test, from catching bugs with imperfect tests to drawing on real-life situations to improve quality. They’re joined by Mariem Safi, Preeti Gupta, and Emily O'Connor, who share honest stories about starting out, finding unexpected bugs, and preparing to speak in front of others with help from the community. Alongside updates from the MoTaverse, the episode is a down-to-earth reminder that testers don’t need to have it all sorted! It's just about being willing to get involved, ask questions, and figure things out when it counts.#SoftwareTesting #QualityEngineering #TestingCommunity #CareerGrowth #PublicSpeaking #BugReporting #RealWorldTesting #ConfidenceInTesting #MoTaverse #TestBash #LearningThroughTesting #FirstTimeSpeakers #EverydayTesting #PeerSupport #TesterMindset

In Episode 93 of This Week in Testing, hosts Simon Tomes and Demi Van Malcot are joined by contributors Preeti Gupta, Maneesh Maddala, Oleksandr Romanov, Gary Hawkes, and Daniel Billing to explore what’s buzzing in the world of software testing.From the surge in global testing meetups to the power of community photo memories, this episode dives deep into how testers connect, reflect, and grow together. We hear real-life stories about burnout, career development, and regaining confidence, plus a lively discussion about grey box testing, glossary-building, and the new “follow” feature in The MoTaverse.Expect laughter, personal insight, and practical wisdom — from defining your testing identity to building a presence in the community and advocating for yourself in your QA career. Whether you’re new to testing or a seasoned pro, this episode is packed with inspiration and actionable takeaways.Episode Keywords: software testing, QA careers, community building, Ministry of Testing, gray box testing, tester meetups, TestBash, burnout in tech, quality engineering, MOTAverse, podcast for testers, testing glossary, follow feature, tester networking

“Why are testers so good at delivering bad news?”In Episode 92, we ask a question that hits close to home for many in the testing community: Why are testers so good at delivering bad news?Simon Tomes was joined by contributors Christine Pinto, Aj Wilson, Ujjwal Kumar Singh, Lukas Lindinger, and Emily O'Connor, this episode dives into the emotional labour of quality work — from navigating difficult conversations to communicating risk, uncertainty, and inconvenient truths with care and clarity.Expect open, thoughtful stories on:The psychology of raising bugs and blockersBalancing honesty with empathyBuilding trust with developers and stakeholdersManaging reactions to “bad news”Why testers often end up being the truth-tellers in the roomIt’s a grounded, community-led conversation full of personal insight, light moments, and shared experience — for software testers, QA engineers, and anyone who’s had to say, “This isn’t quite ready… yet.”🎙️ Exclusive from Ministry of Testing.

In episode 91 of This Week in Testing, we dive into a very meta but essential topic: how testers document the feedback they receive on their documentation. Hosted by Oleksandr Romanov and Demi Van Malcot, this episode features:Judy MoselyLukas LindingerGary HawkesMilan KumarSusanne AbdelrahmanWe also explore the tester’s role as a quality coach, strategies for knowledge sharing, challenges in test automation (especially with tools like Playwright), and why documenting technical decisions matters. Plus, we celebrate community contributions, from writing first articles to supporting newcomers in open source.Perfect for software testers, QA engineers, documentation writers, and anyone interested in quality practices, agile workflows, and continuous learning in software development.🔍 Keywords: software testing, quality assurance, QA, documentation feedback, agile testing, test automation, Playwright, test strategy, QA community, Ministry of Testing, tester podcast, knowledge sharing, testing careers, open source testing.

Rosie Sherry hosts her first solo session alongside Mariem Safi, diving into fresh takes on test management, the role of AI in testing, and why leadership in quality needs more attention. Community voices chime in from around the world; from micromanagement lessons to vibe coding skepticism and hallucinating AI agents. Plus, updates from TestBash, MoT meetups, job-hunting wisdom, and tools testers are experimenting with right now.Tune in for real tester stories, sharp insights, and a candid take on what’s shaping this week in testing.Community voices in this episode were:* Mariem Safi* Rosie Sherry* Selmen Ben Said* Christine Pinto* Emily O'Connor* Olly Fairhill* Mark O'Donnell🎧 Available now on the Ministry of Testing Podcast — on all major platforms.🔗 ministryoftesting.com#SoftwareTesting #QualityEngineering #TestingCareers #TestAutomation #QALeadership #TestingCommunity #CVTips #JobSearch #AgileTesting

In Episode 89 of This Week in Testing, software testers, QA engineers, and quality leaders come together for an honest, energetic conversation about the realities of job searching, CV writing, and community support in today’s tech industry.Co-hosted by Simon Tomes and Ben Dowen, this voice-only roundtable features insights from:Rosie SherryEamon DrokoEmily O’ConnorOlly FairhillOleksandr RomanovThis episode is packed with actionable job-hunting advice, including:How to write impact-focused QA CVs (not job description rewrites)Why visibility in the testing community opens career doorsBuilding personal portfolios and showing your thinking, not just your toolingNavigating layoffs and staying motivated through transitionsHow 99-second talks and local meetups are shaping the QA hiring landscapeIt’s an empowering listen for testers in transition, quality coaches, and leaders supporting their teams through change.🎧 Available now on the Ministry of Testing Podcast — on all major platforms.🔗 ministryoftesting.com#SoftwareTesting #QualityEngineering #TestingCareers #TestAutomation #QALeadership #TestingCommunity #CVTips #JobSearch #AgileTesting

This week in the MoTaverse, we welcome a first-time co-host as Nataliia Burmei joins Demi van Malcot to help unpack the latest updates in the world of software testing and quality engineering.From rare atmospheric events to the rise of AI-powered agents, accessibility legislation, and the enduring mystery of "how many testers are there in the world?" — this episode is packed with reflections, insights, and a healthy bit of crowd-tested humour.We also hear from voices across the testing community — including Christine Pinto, Javier Aguirre Flores, Sarah Byng, Ashutosh Mishra, Judy Mosley, and Gary Hawkes — as they share wins, roadblocks, and real-world strategies for communicating quality, managing test environments, and staying sane in the face of failing CI pipelines.There’s even a shout about speaking nerves, conference talks, and a classic testing moment: “But how are we going to test this?” (Yes, someone finally asked it in sprint planning.)If you’ve ever had to explain the value of testing, balance team buy-in, or simply survive flaky tests with a strong cup of tea, this one’s for you.

In Episode 87 of This Week in Testing, we celebrate a unique "breaking news" moment from within the Ministry of Testing community.Hosted by Simon Tomes and Rosie Sherry, with guests Ben Dowen, Mariem SAFI, and Nataliia Burmei, this episode offers practical discussions for testers and quality engineers.Key topics include:Insights from the Katalon Testing Summit: why manual testing remains critical even as automation grows.A reframing of automation strategy: focusing on automating tasks rather than automating only tests.New Ministry of Testing initiatives, including MOT Profile Verification and the expanded Community Stars program.Practical advice for preparing and delivering technical talks, particularly for first-time speakers.Reflections on how task automation and continuous learning are reshaping career paths in testing and quality engineering.This episode also features a special "breaking news" moment, as we celebrate a new addition to the Ministry of Testing family — a joyful reminder that community growth isn’t just professional, but personal too.Listen in for practical insights on automation, professional development, and community innovation — all through the lens of real-world experiences from across the Ministry of Testing universe.