Summary

In this episode - Picking Your Battles - Stu Day is joined by Ben Dowen to explore the evolving landscape of quality engineering, the impact of AI, and strategies for scaling quality practices in fast-moving teams. They share insights on mindset shifts, automation, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

Key  topics

• Impact of AI on quality engineering
• Scaling quality practices in fast-paced teams
• Mindset shifts from traditional to modern quality engineering
• Automation and feedback loops in SDLC
• Supporting multiple teams with limited resources
• Maturity models for quality improvement
• Using AI tools for debugging and release management
• Cultural shifts in quality practices

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Quality Engineering Challenges

06:09 The Evolution of Quality Engineering Mindset

12:17 Shifting Responsibilities in Testing

18:12 Building the Right Thing vs. Building Things Right

24:03 Understanding Customer Needs in Quality Engineering

30:00 Leveraging Internal Feedback Loops

31:01 Aligning Teams on Goals and Quality

33:50 Choosing Battles: Prioritising Work Effectively

36:18 Automating Release Processes for Efficiency

39:38 Context Switching and Team Collaboration

42:49 Scaling Quality Engineering Through Enablement

46:36 Understanding Maturity Models in Quality Engineering

50:19 Continuous Improvement and Quality Levels

53:26 Building Feedback Loops and Metrics

57:19 The Value of Automation in Feedback Loops

01:00:06 Exploring AI in Engineering Practices

01:03:01 The Impact of AI on Quality Engineering

01:06:09 Navigating Change and Embracing AI

01:09:53 The Commoditisation of Technology and AI

01:14:06 Maintaining Quality in an AI-Driven World

01:17:59 Final Thoughts on Quality Engineering and AI

01:23:33 End