On this episode of the TestGuild Automation Podcast, host Joe Colantonio sits down with Damian Synadinos, a multifaceted expert with over thirty years of experience in software testing, public speaking, improv, and more.

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Together, they dive deep into the concept of trust in software testing, how it's formed, the dangers of misplaced trust, and why trust is more crucial than ever in today's rapidly evolving world of AI and software testing.

Damien shares how his interest in trust grew out of observing its impact not just in tech but in daily life. He highlights the importance of healthy skepticism, effective communication, and critical thinking for testers and organizations at large. The conversation also explores the challenges of navigating deepfakes, the nuance of risk-based decision-making, and the role of curiosity and questioning in creating better testers.

Whether you're a tester, developer, or just curious about AI's growing influence, this episode offers actionable insights on trust, risk analysis, prompt engineering, and how to communicate skepticism professionally within your organization.

If you've ever wondered what it means to "trust but verify" in a digital age, you won't miss this conversation!

In today’s episode, host Joe Colantonio sits down with Judy Mosley, a QA engineer at TextUs with over nine years of experience in the tech industry. Judy shares her unconventional journey from being a stay-at-home mom to becoming a respected figure in the QA world. She discusses how a development bootcamp sparked her passion for testing and her value in breaking things (and occasionally frustrating developers!).

Judy discusses the importance of mentorship, continuous learning, and building community connections, especially as an introvert. They also explore the power of writing and sharing knowledge. Judy’s blog posts have even landed in major industry newsletters. The conversation touches on overcoming imposter syndrome, embracing career changes, and leveraging both manual and automation skills to keep growing in the field.

Plus, they weigh in on the impact of AI on software testing careers, finding balance between personal growth and demanding schedules, and practical tips for anyone looking to level up their automation testing game.

Whether you’re new to QA or looking to reinvigorate your journey, this episode is packed with honest insights, encouragement, and actionable advice from someone who truly understands what it means to keep learning and adapting in their software testing career.

Today’s episode is a little different. 

I’m sharing a recording from one of our monthly live Automation Guild member trainings, and trust me, it’s a session every software tester should hear.

Get instant access to Automation Guild: https://testguild.me/youtubeGuild 

** Use code youtube30 to get 30% off.

We’ll discuss an essential topic for anyone involved in software development: accessibility and the upcoming European Accessibility Act.

Listen in as accessibility advocate and testing expert Laveena Ramchandani unpacks what’s coming with the new legislation and why building inclusive digital products can’t wait for the law to catch up.

Discover:

How to think more accessibly – Spot potential barriers and adopt an inclusive mindset. How to test for accessibility – Use keyboard navigation, browser extensions, automated tests, and assistive tech. How to help teams create accessible content – Apply the social model of accessibility, annotate designs, and follow WCAG guidelines. 

Whether you develop, design, test, or lead software teams, especially if you serve European customers, this episode will get you up to speed on the what, why, and how of making your products accessible to all, and help you get ahead of compliance before June 2025 arrives.

In today's episode, I continue my conversation with legendary software testing expert Michael Bolton as we explore the world of artificial intelligence and its impact on testing.

Checkout this weeks sponsor:  https://testguild.me/ailowcode

I know I tend to have really pro AI testing experts, and I wanted to give another point of view to balance things out. I can't think of anyone more perfect to do that than Michael

So, is AI truly the revolution it's marketed to be?

Listen to hear how Michael cuts through the hype to reveal what these tools really are: probabilistic text generators that often seduce us with their confident-sounding outputs.

You'll discover when AI can be genuinely helpful in testing and when it's likely to lead us astray. Michael shares fascinating examples of AI inconsistencies and explains why the overconfidence these systems project can be dangerously misleading.

Whether you're concerned about AI replacing testers or looking to incorporate these tools into your workflow responsibly, this episode provides the critical thinking framework you need.

Stay tuned for part two of my conversation with Michael Bolton, where we separate AI fact from fiction in the world of software testing.

In today's episode, host Joe Colantonio is joined by renowned software testing expert Michael Bolton, who returns to the show after an eight-year hiatus.

Join Michael and me at Breakpoint online event: https://testguild.me/breakpoint

In part 1 of a two-part series, Michael dives deep into software testing, reflecting on what's changed (and what hasn't!) since their last chat, the impact of emerging technologies like machine learning and AI, and what it really means to "do" software testing in 2025.

Michael explores the true essence of testing beyond the buzzwords, challenging the industry's love affair with automation and redefining its role as a tool to augment, rather than replace, human insight. Michael shares insights from his latest travels, collaborative projects, and the exciting new class he's co-developed with James Bach, focusing on smarter, tool-empowered testing practices.

Prepare for a candid, thoughtful discussion full of practical advice, personal anecdotes, and a few laughs along the way. This will include live demos, tool recommendations, and real-life stories highlighting the "secret life" of automation many teams overlook.

Also, make sure not to miss our next episode next week, in which Michael takes a deeper dive into AI's role in testing.

You don't want to miss it - listen up.

In this episode, special guest Jason Arbon will be present for a truly eye-opening conversation about the rapidly evolving world of AI-driven software testing.

Jason introduces us to the concept of MCP, a powerful AI workflow engine that’s changing how testers interact with tools and offers a behind-the-scenes look at the origins of Testers.AI is a platform that automates comprehensive software testing using AI personas tailored for everything from usability to security.

In this candid discussion, Jason explores why the testing community initially hesitated to embrace AI solutions, how the landscape is shifting, and the surprising “happy dance” moment when AI outpaced traditional test teams in speed and coverage.

The conversation doesn’t shy away from the difficult questions:

What does this mean for human testers? How reliable are AI-generated results? And what skills will testers need in the new era where AI handles the bulk of basic testing?

Whether you’re intrigued, skeptical, or just curious about how AI is reshaping quality assurance, this episode is a must-listen.

Welcome to the TestGuild Automation Podcast! In this episode, host Joe Colantonio sits down with Gaurav Mittal, a cybersecurity, data science, and IT expert with over two decades of experience.

Gaurav, recognized for his thought leadership in AI and automation with multiple industry awards, shares his insights on making How To Optimize your Automation CI/CD Pipelines in DevOps more cost-effective. Whether you're a test automation engineer or security professional or work with AI/ML, you'll want to hear Gaurav's take on implementing DevOps pipelines that reduce licensing costs and enhance flexibility without sacrificing your team's productivity.

Learn about his experiences with GitHub Actions, Jenkins, and the innovative ways he's optimized CI/CD pipelines to save resources and automate extensive testing processes, all while incorporating strong security measures.

Join us as we delve into the innovative strategies and practical advice that can help transform your DevOps practices.

Welcome to another episode of the TestGuild Automation Podcast! This time, we're diving into the archives by honoring SeleniumConf in Valencia, Spain, with a special rerelease of an interview recorded back in 2017.

Join your host, Joe Colantonio, as he sits down with Jason Huggins, the legendary creator of Selenium. Recorded live during the hustle and bustle of SeleniumConf that year, Joe takes us back to the origins of Selenium with this remarkable founder's journey.

Jason dives deep into the story behind Selenium's creation, the challenges faced during its early days, and the evolution of automation in tech. Whether you're an automation veteran or new to testing, this episode is a treasure trove of insights and inspiration you won't want to miss!

In today's episode, we're diving into proactive observability and testing with our special guest, Anam Hira, cofounder of Reveal.ai. Anam, who also has experience working at Uber AI, shares an intriguing journey where he developed "Dragon Crawl," an innovative project aimed at tackling challenges Uber faced with its end-to-end testing across multiple cities. We explore how Dragon Crawl utilized LLMs to enhance testing reliability, making tests less flaky across varied UIs.

Anam's journey didn't stop there. He co-founded Reveal, a platform that takes testing and observability to a new level by connecting end-to-end tests with telemetry data. This modern approach, termed proactive observability, allows for detecting bugs before they hit production, saving companies significant time and cost.

Join us as we explore the principles of proactive observability, how Reveal leverages telemetry for seamless integration, and its impact on testing efficiency. Whether you're a startup or an enterprise, if you're keen to ship faster without sacrificing quality, this is an episode you won't want to miss!

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In this episode of the TestGuild Automation Podcast, host Joe Colantonio chats with machine learning engineer Lakshmithejaswi Narasannagari, who boasts over fourteen years of experience working with tech giants like Intuit, Incom, and Poshmark.

Check out App Automate: https://testguild.me/appautomate2

Lakshmi delves into her fascinating career journey from Oracle developer to transitioning into machine learning operations and test automation. The conversation covers best practices for ML pipelines, testing at scale, and how to integrate testing effectively in the AI ML space.

Lakshmi shares insights on understanding machine learning models, navigating various roles within AI and machine learning, and setting up guardrails to ensure model performance and accuracy.

Please tune in to gain valuable knowledge from Lakshmi's expertise and learn how to approach testing in our AI-driven world.