Software Testing Unleashed - QA, DevEx & Quality Engineering

Software Testing Unleashed - QA, DevEx & Quality Engineering

By Richard Seidl | Software Development & Testing ExpertBusinessTechnologyEducationManagement
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Software Testing Unleashed - QA, DevEx & Quality Engineering episodes

  • Leader in Software Testing: Eight Principles from ACT2LEAD - Kari Kakkonen
    From Chaos to Clarity: Organizing Testing in Complex Environments

    In this episode, I talk to Kari Kakkonen about his Act 2 Lead model and why testing leadership is often missing in software testing. We unpack the reality that while grassroots testing within teams works well, the higher levels of organizations often lack a real understanding and leadership around quality. Kari lays out his model, a memorable eight-letter heuristic, as both a guide and a checklist for leaders at any level. It made me reflect on how companies approach testing - sometimes leaving it solely to autonomous teams but missing the big picture. I found myself wondering: is strong leadership the missing link for better quality software?

    "I think there is not enough leadership in testing." - Kari Kakkonen

    Kari Kakkonen has worked in software testing for almost 30 years. He is the Service Owner of Customer Expertise Development at Gofore, the author of Dragons Out software testing book and co-author of ACT 2 LEAD Software Testing Leadership Handbook. He’s won awards, e.g. 2021 EuroSTAR Testing Excellence Award. He works mostly with agile testing, lean, test automation, DevOps and AI. He’s active in ISTQB,

    TMMi and FiSTB.

    Highlights:

    • Testing leadership is missing at the senior level in most companies: management knows testing must happen but cannot explain what it actually involves, unlike their understanding of development or architecture.
    • The ACT2LEAD model structures testing leadership into eight areas: add testing to everything, context, transparency, automation and humans, learning, enable quality culture, adapt to risks, and diversity.
    • Enabling a quality culture (the E in ACT2LEAD) requires senior leaders to speak about testing and quality constantly, not delegate responsibility entirely to development teams.
    • Large organizations need a dedicated testing leader, such as a head of testing, to set minimum standards across teams, because autonomous teams each handling their own testing in different ways is not sufficient at scale.
    • Good testing requires diversity in techniques, people, approaches, and environments, because no single tool or method covers all the angles a complex software product demands.

      • 📘 Tool migration ahead? Teamscale playbook: migrate only 20% of tests, keep nearly all bug detection. Download for free

      20 min
    • Choosing Test Case Design Techniques: About Ten Are Enough - Rik Marselis
      Four Groups Every Tester Should Know

      In this episode, I talk with Rik Marselis about the world of test design techniques. We go into why many testers struggle to apply the methods they learn, despite their potential to enhance quality assurance. Rik shares insights on how to select the right technique for different testing scenarios, emphasizing the need for a balanced approach that combines structured methods with experience-based testing. He introduces four key groups of test design techniques and illustrates how templates and real-life examples can make these concepts more applicable. I hope this conversation inspires you to integrate effective testing techniques into your practice, reminding us that quality is ultimately a deliberate choice.

      "You should always combine experience-based techniques with test design techniques." - Rik Marselis

      Rik Marselis is principal quality consultant at Sogeti in the Netherlands. He is a highly regarded presenter, trainer, author, consultant and coach who supported many organizations and people in improving their quality engineering & testing practice by providing useful tools & checklists, practical support and having in-depth discussions. His presentations are always appreciated for their liveliness, his ability to keep the talks serious but light, and his use of practical examples with humorous comparisons.

      In 2022 Rik received the ISTQB Software Testing Excellence Award.
      A year later he received the EuroSTAR 2023 Testing Excellence Award.

      Highlights:

      • Grouping test design techniques into four categories (data, condition, process, appearance) lets testers diagnose which category fits their problem before selecting a specific technique.
      • Teaching too many techniques at once backfires: TMAP reduced its required techniques from 19 to five in the foundational course so learners reach actual working proficiency rather than exam-only recall.
      • Condition-oriented techniques like decision tables fail when the underlying problem is data-oriented, so choosing the wrong category produces low-value test cases regardless of how rigorously the technique is applied.
      • Decision coverage is more meaningful than line coverage for unit testing because decisions, not move statements, carry the real risk in software logic.

        • 📘 Tool migration ahead? Teamscale playbook: migrate only 20% of tests, keep nearly all bug detection. Download for free

        25 min
      • IT Stereotype: Only 6% of Surveyed Testers Match It - Isabel Evans
        From Arts to Automation: The Unexpected Journey of Testers

        In this episode, I talk with Isabel Evans about breaking stereotypes in the IT and testing industries. We go into the common misconceptions about testers, like the idea that they are mostly quiet, socially awkward individuals. Isabel shares her research findings, revealing that testers come from a wide array of backgrounds, including acting and arts. We discuss how this diversity enriches the field and challenges current hiring practices. The conversation opens up new perspectives on creating more inclusive environments in tech, prompting us to rethink who we see as a good fit for these roles.

        "Only six percent of testers met that IT stereotype." - Isabel Evans

        After over 30 years in industry, software quality and testing practitioner Isabel Evans is now a PhD student at the University of Malta. Her research takes a human-centered approach to the development of testing tools. This arose from real experiences in industry and led to the academic papers: 'Stuck in Limbo with Magical Solutions', 'Scared, Frustrated and Quietly Proud', and 'Test tools: An illusion of usability'. Research continues with modeling and testing a framework of heuristics to help teams develop and evaluate testing tools. Isabel is the author of the book "Achieving Software Quality Through Teamwork" and has chaired EuroSTAR (2019) and HUSTEF (2018). Her tutorials and storytelling keynotes are very popular at conferences worldwide. She is a Fellow of the British Computer Society and was awarded the EuroSTAR Testing Excellence Award in 2017.

        Highlights:

        • Only 6% of testers in Isabel Evans's survey sample matched the IT stereotype from recruitment databases, meaning the overwhelming majority of practicing testers do not fit the narrow profile those databases promote.
        • Recruitment and careers advice databases actively narrow the field by directing only stereotypically "nerdy, non-social, arts-averse" candidates toward IT, which filters out the diverse people who already make up the profession.
        • Arts graduates in the survey sample were doing test automation and technical testing roles at a rate of around 40%, and IT graduates were equally likely to be in non-technical roles, so degree subject does not predict role or aptitude.
        • The biggest quality problem testers reported with their tools was not aesthetics but operability: tools with attractive interfaces often failed to support actual testing workflows, creating what Isabel Evans calls the illusion of usability.
        • Isabel Evans distilled her research findings into 12 heuristics, framed as open questions, designed to help tool designers and evaluators think through who a tool is for and how it supports real testing work.

          • More Links with Insights:

          • Isabels Blog
          • Heuristics repository
          • History of the research
          • How to use the heuristics

            • 📘 Tool migration ahead? Teamscale playbook: migrate only 20% of tests, keep nearly all bug detection. Download for free

            25 min
          • AI Code Generation: More Legacy Code, Produced Faster - Kevlin Henney
            AI’s Impact on Coding: Will Developers Become Obsolete?

            In this episode, I talk with Kevlin Henney, author and speaker, about what software engineering will actually look like in 2034. Kevlin challenges the hype around AI code generation testing and explains why most developers using generative AI are actually removing the fun parts of their job while creating legacy code faster. We explore why programming languages won't change as radically as people think, why your testing skills will become your most valuable asset, and what recent data already shows about declining code quality on GitHub.

            "The world runs on software; that is not going anywhere." - Kevlin Henney

            Kevlin Henney is an independent consultant, speaker, writer and trainer who has contributed to the current development of programming techniques, software architecture and unit testing. He has been a columnist for numerous magazines and websites and has served on many committees. He is also co-author of "A Pattern Language for Distributed Computing" and "On Patterns and Pattern Languages" from the "Pattern-Oriented Software Architecture" series, as well as editor of "97 Things Every Programmer Should Know" and co-editor of "97 Things Every Java Programmer Should Know".

            Highlights:

            • Developers who rely on generative AI to produce code without understanding it become maintenance programmers, stripped of the creative work they find meaningful.
            • Programming language turnover is slower than the industry assumes: all but one of the top-five languages in active use were invented in the 20th century, and no language from the 2020s appears in the top 20.
            • Code quality on GitHub was already declining by early 2024, with rising code churn and more duplicate code directly traceable to AI-generated output.
            • The skills that differentiate developers in an AI-driven environment are precision, testing, and the ability to ask what software should actually do, not familiarity with any particular tool.
            • Natural language programming does not remove the need for software expertise: most spreadsheets, built by non-developers, are unmaintainable, incomprehensible, and buggy, which is the predictable result of imprecise specification.

              • 📘 Tool migration ahead? Teamscale playbook: migrate only 20% of tests, keep nearly all bug detection. Download for free

              28 min
            • AI Agents in Software Testing: Treat Them like New Hires - Szilárd Széll
              Trusting AI: The New Colleague in Software Development

              In this episode, I speak with Szilárd Széll about the transformative role of AI in software testing and business processes. Szilárd, a notable figure in the testing community, shares valuable insights on the challenges and opportunities that come with integrating AI agents into our workflows. We explore the pressing questions surrounding trust in AI, how it can enhance business agility, and the necessity for testers to adapt their strategies in this evolving landscape. With the rise of AI, we need to rethink our approaches to quality assurance, balancing innovation with caution. As Szilárd suggests, engaging closely with AI can amplify our capabilities and drive progress.

              "AI is our new workforce. We need to have a hiring process for AI." - Szilárd Széll

              Szilárd Széll is a DevOps Transformation Lead, Test Coach, and SAFe 6.0 SPC at Eficode. He has years of experience with DevOps transformation, especially in the telco industry. He has also worked as an assessor, trainer, facilitator, and coach in test automation and testing process improvement.

              Szilard is very involved in the testing community that brought him the Tester of the Year in Finland AWARD 2024 by Tieturi. He runs the Finnish Testing Meetup Group with friends, is active in International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB) working groups, and is a member of the Hungarian Software Testing Board (HTB). For many years, Szilard has been working on and supporting conferences like HUSTEF, UCAAT, EuroSTAR as PC member or reviewer.

              In his personal life, he enjoys kayaking on the sea, playing with LEGO, and being tested by his teenage daughter :-)

              Highlights:

              • AI agents in software testing need a hiring and continuous performance evaluation process, just as human employees go through selection, probation, and ongoing review before they handle business tasks.
              • Storing every prompt that generates an outcome in a log enables audit trails and statistical analysis, making it possible to trace why an agent's output changed over time.
              • Testing AI output can be done by using additional AI models to evaluate results: if a clear majority agree the output is good, it is likely acceptable, and disagreement signals a problem.
              • Keeping business process knowledge in-house is a competitive requirement because handing that knowledge to an outside AI provider strips the company of its core differentiator.

                • More Links with Insights:

                • Szilárd Infos

                  • 📘 Tool migration ahead? Teamscale playbook: migrate only 20% of tests, keep nearly all bug detection. Download for free

                  26 min
                • 25 Years of Software Testing: The Pendulum Swings Again - Richard Seidl
                  Opportunities and Challenges Ahead

                  In this first episode, I talk about the concept of “Quality as an Attitude”. I strongly believe that quality is critical in all our software development processes. Since the introduction of Agile 25 years ago, we must not only consider quality at the end of the process, but integrate it continuously. In times of AI and DevOps, it is becoming increasingly important to think how we work as testers and quality people. Quality is not just a task for testers, it affects everyone in the team. Let's work together for a better software future.

                  "The rise of AI in software development democratize creating software, but it raises questions about how to maintain quality." - Richard Seidl

                  Richard Seidl is a Software Testing Expert, Agile Quality Coach, and Podcast Host. Over the past 25 years, he has encountered a vast array of software throughout his professional journey: from the good to the bad, the large to the small, the new to the old. He's experienced software so magnificent it could bring one to tears, and others that make one cringe.

                  Richie has helped teams and projects in various industries, such as administration, finance, automotive, and logistics, to improve their software quality, implement agile testing, and establish test automation.
                  Richie is the author of several books on software testing, the host of a Software Testing podcast, and an international keynote speaker.

                  Highlights:

                  • When an entire agile team is declared collectively responsible for quality without further action, the result is that nobody is actually responsible.
                  • The tester's role has shifted from a separate specialist at the end of a waterfall process to a quality coach embedded in the team, and this shift is still incomplete in many organizations.
                  • AI democratizes software creation so that non-developers can build applications, which increases the volume of untested or poorly tested software entering production.
                  • Testing AI systems cannot rely on classical deterministic test cases because the same input produces a different output each time, requiring statistical or non-deterministic approaches instead.
                  • Non-functional requirements such as security and usability must be addressed throughout a project, not at the end, because late architectural changes are disproportionately expensive.

                    • 📘 Tool migration ahead? Teamscale playbook: migrate only 20% of tests, keep nearly all bug detection. Download for free

                    27 min
                  • Welcome to Software Testing Unleashed
                    The Software-Community Podcast for Upskilling, Learning and Inspiration

                    Hey – and welcome to Software Testing Unleashed!

                    This is your podcast for upskilling, learning, and transforming the way you work in software development and testing.

                    Every week, I bring you real stories, sharp minds, and practical ideas from the frontlines of software quality.

                    Whether you're a tester, developer, or team lead – you’ll walk away with insights you can actually use.

                    • Test automation that works.
                    • AI without the hype.
                    • Quality in agile teams – without the buzzword bingo.

                      • Why?

                      Because better teams build better software.

                      And better software? Makes the world a better place.

                      So this is the claim for this podcast: Better Teams. Better Software. Better World.

                      And who’s talking here?

                      I’m Richie – developer, lifelong tester, keynote speaker, author, and coach.

                      I’ve been helping teams build quality software for over 25 years – now it’s your turn:

                      Hit follow and check out the first episode!

                      And if you’ve got a hot topic or a guest I should talk to, head over to www.testing-unleashed.fm or write me: [email protected]

                      Let’s unleash some testing magic.

                      2 min

                    About Software Testing Unleashed - QA, DevEx & Quality Engineering

                    From the publisher's feed

                    Software testing is no longer just a phase—it’s the foundation of modern engineering and your ultimate competitive advantage.