Seasons Greetings! Thank you for joining us for our fifth annual podcast at Christmastime, this year's festive cheers with the Testing Peers brings Russell, Simon, David, Tara, Beth & Chris together to refine the holiday season backlog [see the footnote after the sponsor message for more details].

Who doesn't feel the festive warm & fuzzies over a refinement session?

Before we jump in, Russell warms us all up with an ice breaker based on Christmas drink preferences.

The we all dive in.

Chris (the business - in this case) has populated a series of epics for the team of Peers to commit to delegating Christmas on time.

Christmas Tree Size Estimation Framework: From desk-sized (1) to forest-worthy (6).

• Epics:
  • Festive Décor: Lights, trees, & cosy vibes (no tinsel, for the pets!).
  • Festive Events: Baking nights, light tours & Secret Santa.
  • Gift-Giving: Thoughtful presents, no gimmicks.
  • Holiday Self-Care: Quiet evenings & avoiding burnout.
  • Traditions: Advent calendars, holiday movies, & music playlists.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays from us all here at Peers HQ

The Testing Peers Conference is happening on the 13th March 2025.

Thanks to our brand new sponsors – NFocus Testing.

nFocus are a UK based software testing company. They’ve been supporting businesses for 24 years by providing services that include burst resource, accelerated test automation, performance testing & fully managed testing services. In 2021, they launched a Test Automation Academy to create amazing testers & they’ve now created jobs for 48 people in our industry in just under three years!

nFocus were a big part of PeersCon in 2024, really grateful for all they do supporting the Testing Peers.

www.nfocus.co.uk & [email protected] for anyone wanting to get in touch.

Holiday Season Backlog

The Peers embraced their festive spirit by creating a "Holiday Season Backlog," blending testing concepts with holiday preparation! Here's the breakdown:

Christmas Tree Size Framework

• 6: Forest
• 5: Town Square
• 4: Shopping Centre
• 3: Fancy House
• 2: Modest House
• 1: Desk

Definition of Ready (DoR): 3 Peers agree it’s ready
Definition of Done (DoD): Santa’s approval! 🎅

Epics and User Stories

1. Festive Décor - Town Square

Goal: Transform spaces into magical holiday settings.

• Tasks: Fairy lights, tree decorations, wreaths, and cushions.
• Requirements: Keep it cosy and avoid tinsel (pets say no!).

2. Festive Events - Town Square

Goal: Spread holiday cheer through activities.

• Tasks: Tree-lighting ceremony, film marathons, Secret Santa, baking nights, and light tours.
• Risks: Festive fatigue from over-scheduling.

3. Gift-Giving - Fancy House

Goal: Thoughtful gifts for smiles and joy.

• Tasks: Draft gift lists, set postage reminders, donate to charity, and avoid gimmicky gadgets.

4. Holiday Self-Care - Modest House

Goal: Maintain mental well-being during the holidays.

• Tasks: Relaxing evenings, “no obligation” days, acts of kindness, and avoiding burnout.

5. Festive Traditions - Forest

Goal: Celebrate beloved seasonal traditions.

• Tasks: Advent calendars, holiday movies, music playlists, theatre shows, and family games.
• Notes: Self-care wins over endless activities.

Highlights:

• Peer collaboration: Everything was

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Thank you for joining us for episode 121 of the Testing Peers Podcast.

This time, join Chris, Tara, Russell and David as we discuss tools for testers.

Before diving into the main topic, to mark the festive period, Tara poses the ice-breaker question of the Peers' favourite Holiday movie.
It's a Wonderful Life, Die Hard, Home Alone, Spirited, The Grinch and Violent Night are included.

Then we move on to the main event.....tools for testers.

The Peers discuss screen readers and recorders, AI, computers, phones, tablets, post-it notes, to-do lists, whiteboarding tools, dictating tools and more.

As testers, we all use tools everyday. What's in your toolkit?

Are there any tools that you couldn't live without?

What are you looking for in a tool? How do you navigate the sales pitches?

Can there be one tool to rule them all?

Do we listen to music while we work?

The Testing Peers Conference is happening on the 13th March 2025.

Tickets available here: https://testingpeerscon.com/ticket/

If you wish to Sponsor the conference: https://testingpeerscon.com/partners/

If you wish to volunteer for the event: https://testingpeerscon.com/volunpeer/

[email protected]

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We’re also now on GoodPods, check it out via the mobile app stores

If you like what we do and are able to, please visit our Patreon to explore how you could support us going forwards: https://www.patreon.com/testingpeers

Thanks to our brand new sponsors – NFocus Testing.

nFocus are a UK based software testing company. They’ve been supporting businesses for 24 years by providing services that include burst resource, accelerated test automation, performance testing and fully managed testing services. In 2021, they launched a Test Automation Academy to create amazing testers and they’ve now created jobs for 48 people in our industry in just under three years!

nFocus were a big part of PeersCon in 2024, really grateful for all they do supporting the Testing Peers.

www.nfocus.co.uk and [email protected] for anyone wanting to get in touc

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Welcome to another Testing Peers podcast episode.

This time, join Chris, David, Richard Bradshaw and Al Goodall (whose surname Chris had some real issues remembering, sorry Al!)

In this episode, the Peers talk about the role of the SDET. Is it SDEad?

To break the ice, Al leads the group into a discussion about the best live albums, in our humble opinions. Shout-outs to Linkin Park, Sky, Raye, Live Aid, Iron Maiden, U2, Seal and Hoobastank!

The main topic dives into the main topic - the role of the SDET.

What does it mean? Is it a synonym for a test automation engineer? Are you a tester if you're an SDET? What does the role of an SDET look like where you work?

Chris asks his favourite AI tool for a definition to stimulate the conversation.

"The main difference between a software development engineer in test and a test automation engineer is focus and responsibility. 
An SDET focuses on bridging the gap between development and testing processes. And a test automation engineer focuses on designing and implementing automated tests."

The Peers talk about context, focus, tooling, frameworks, responsibility, problem-solving and quality!

What do you think the future for the SDET is?

The Testing Peers Conference is happening on the 13th March 2025.

Tickets available here: https://testingpeerscon.com/ticket/

If you wish to Sponsor the conference: https://testingpeerscon.com/partners/

If you wish to volunteer for the event: https://testingpeerscon.com/volunpeer/

[email protected]

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We’re also now on GoodPods, check it out via the mobile app stores

If you like what we do and are able to, please visit our Patreon to explore how you could support us going forwards: https://www.patreon.com/testingpeers

Thanks to our brand new sponsors - NFocus Testing.

nFocus are a UK based software testing company. They've been supporting businesses for 24 years by providing services that include burst resource, accelerated test automation, performance testing and fully managed testing services. In 2021, they launched a Test Automation Academy to create amazing testers and they've now created jobs for 48 people in our industry in just under three years! 

nFocus were a big part of PeersCon in 2024, really grateful for all they do supporting the Testing Peers.

www.nfocus.co.uk and [email protected] for anyone wanting to get in touch.

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Welcome to another episode of the Testing Peers. On this episode, Chris is joined by Vernon Richards, Heather Carter and Richard Hinton to talk about career journeys and making that decision around next steps.

Before that, Heather kicks off the banter by asking for 2 Truths and 1 Lie from each of the hosts. You'll need to listen to work out which ones are which.

Chris starts the conversation about what is next for our careers, and the topic moves toward Personal Brand/Professional Reputation and the importance of being able to stand out. The key aspect discussed is channelling your passion and shouting about it. Heather also talks about setting her own company and the branding related to that. Discussion moves to looking into going out on your own and Richard talks about the challenges of contracting while also setting up your own business.

Heather's business page here: https://wearetether.com/

Chris talks about his job searching experiences and how he started with his values, key quotes and some of his challenges.

There's a lot of power in sharing knowledge and continuously learning and this is a key theme in the discussion.

What are your next career steps?

The Testing Peers Conference is happening on the 13th March 2025.

Tickets available here: https://testingpeerscon.com/ticket/

If you wish to Sponsor the conference: https://testingpeerscon.com/partners/

If you wish to volunteer for the event: https://testingpeerscon.com/volunpeer/

[email protected]

Twitter (https://twitter.com/testingpeers)

LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/testing-peers)

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Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/TestingPeers)

We’re also now on GoodPods, check it out via the mobile app stores

If you like what we do and are able to, please visit our Patreon to explore how you could support us going forwards: https://www.patreon.com/testingpeers

Thanks to our brand new sponsors - NFocus Testing.

nFocus are a UK based software testing company. They've been supporting businesses for 24 years by providing services that include burst resource, accelerated test automation, performance testing and fully managed testing services. In 2021, they launched a Test Automation Academy to create amazing testers and they've now created jobs for 48 people in our industry in just under three years! 

nFocus were a big part of PeersCon in 2024, really grateful for all they do supporting the Testing Peers.

www.nfocus.co.uk and [email protected] for anyone wanting to get in touch.

Support the show

Hello and welcome to the latest episode of the Testing Peers podcast.

This time, join Chris, David, Simon and first-time host, Butch Mayhew.

Ahead of the main topic, Butch asks the group about their ideal superpower. We discuss controlling time, teleportation, flying, awareness (we'll come back to that later in the episode) and Butch's idea to have mustard and ketchup fly out of his fingers, because why not?

The Peers then dive in the topic of authenticity - inspired as a topic by Simon's post on LinkedIn.

What does being authentic at work mean to you?

Values, where I stand, hills that I will die on, credibility, ethics, boundaries.

What does that look like in terms of safety at work? Boundaries? Respect? With different audiences?

Naturally, this can all be influenced by context (it's a Peers pod, of course context comes into it).

We discuss accountability and feedback, as well as mental health, privacy and more.

The Testing Peers Conference 2025 has now launched the CFP open until November 2nd: https://testingpeerscon.com/collaboration-2025/

[email protected]

Twitter (https://twitter.com/testingpeers)

LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/testing-peers)

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We’re also now on GoodPods, check it out via the mobile app stores

If you like what we do and are able to, please visit our Patre

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Welcome to episode 117 of the Testing Peers podcast.

This time, join Chris, David, Russell and Heather as we discuss closure and letting go!

Heather kicks us off with a discussion around last-minute travel decisions and we think Russell probably wins!

The Peers then jump into a discussion about letting go.

Changing roles. What is your identity? Who am I (professionally)?
What am I good at? What do I enjoy? What will I do when I retire?
Is it out of your control?
What can we do as leaders? How can we ensure our teams are heard?

The Peers talk about adaptability and agility. The toll and fatigue that can be associated with letting go.

Russell spins the conversation around more positivity so what are the group proud to have let go of?

Heather mentions ShipItCon, specifically the talk by Charity Majors you can find a link to watch it here.

The Testing Peers Conference 2025 has now launched the CFP: https://testingpeerscon.com/collaboration-2025/

[email protected]

Twitter (https://twitter.com/testingpeers)

LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/testing-peers)

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Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/TestingPeers)

We’re also now on GoodPods, check it out via the mobile app stores

If you like what we do and are able to, please visit our Patreon to explore how you could support us going forwards: https://www.patreon.com/testingpeers

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Welcome to another episode of the Testing Peers podcast.

This time, Jesper Ottosen joins Russell, David and Chris as we discuss single points of failure.

As ever, we begin with our first email handles - as it turns out ours weren't so embarrassing and have persisted, but at least we break the ice!

Diving into the main topic, the group quickly talk about the single points of failure as people.

"what if they go on holiday?" " what if so and so wins the lottery?" and so on.

Are there robust handover processes in place?

Russell then moves the thinking to systems and processes that affect. Thinking about HR or payment systems.

The Peers discuss what mitigation looks like, continuous processes iterating as we go along, as well as validating these systems - think fire and safety drills.

We talk also about business continuity and disaster recovery.

How do you identify these in your workplace? How do you prepare?

The Testing Peers Conference 2025 has now launched the CFP: https://testingpeerscon.com/collaboration-2025/

[email protected]

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We’re also now on GoodPods, check it out via the mobile app stores

If you like what we do and are able to, please visit our Patreon to explore how you could support us going forwards: https://www.patreon.com/testingpeers

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Welcome to another episode of the Testing Peers podcast. This time, join Chris, Russell, Callum Akehurst-Ryan & Leigh Rathbone as we talk on the topic of "No Testers, No Problem".

Before the main topic, Callum asks the group for their favourite fictional AI. From GLaDOS, I.N.T.E.L.L.I.G.E.N.C.E., the Terminator and Max Headroom.

What's your favourite fictional AI?

Leigh then introduces the topics of trends in the industry, touching on his #PeersCon24 talk, are we moving towards or away from organisations hiring testers or building quality functions, as is that ok?

The Peers discuss perception, reputation, the hows and whys?

Responsibilities, expectations, the costs and historical rationale.

We cover discussions on culture, context, copy & paste models and the requirement to make informed decisions on quality & risk.

What do you think?

The Testing Peers Conference 2025 has now launched the CFP: https://testingpeerscon.com/collaboration-2025/

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We’re also now on GoodPods, check it out via the mobile app stores

If you like what we do and are able to, please visit our Patreo

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Thanks for joining us for episode 114 of the Testing Peers podcast.

This time, Ben Dowen joins Russell, David and Chris as we dive into the topic of learning fast (as a different take on failing fast).

For this episode's banter, Ben asks the group about what their reasons to be cheerful are. A lot of learning, project closing and summer time activities (or lack of activities) ahead!

The Peers then dive into the main topic. Russell explains the power of the language and cognitive biases around failure, and why he therefore opts for learning fast rather than failing fast.

Russell quotes Thomas Edison:

Ben talks about the joys as a tester of exploration and the Peers talk about how things look and feel for those of us who naturally work well in environments where everything is not and cannot be known up front.

Shorter feedback loops, humility, recognition, collaboration and exploration are further pressed into.

But what do you do with that learning? Can you change, react, be resilient, agile? How can that information work within constraints, contracts and various contexts? What are the causes and effects?

We talk about documentation, comments and the value they also provide.

Russell mentions the game Testing Jenga.

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We’re also now on GoodPods, check it out via the mobile app stores

If you like what we do and are able to, please visit our Patreon to explore how you could support us going forwards: https://www.patreon.com/testingpeers

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Thank you for joining us for episode 113 of the Testing Peers podcast.

This time, Sanne Visser & Vernon Richards join Chris & David to discuss Emotional Intelligence.

By the way, if you haven't already heard - Vernon hosts the Vernon Richard show: https://www.youtube.com/@TheVernonRichardShow

After Vernon's hot drinks ice-breaker we dive into the main topic.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotional_intelligence

https://mhanational.org/what-emotional-intelligence-and-how-does-it-apply-workplace

The Peers discuss what we view as emotional intelligence and EQ means to us in various contexts.

From awareness, experimentation, exploration, motivation, constraints, awareness, cause & affect, prediction and volatility.

We talk about what that looks like in the introvert/extrovert spectrum.

Sanne also speaks to her passion in stoicism and emotional regulation.

What does emotional intelligence look like to you?

How would you approach starting a testing team from scratch?

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We’re also now on GoodPods, check it out via the mobile app stores

If you like what we do and are able to, please visit our Patreon to explore how you could support us going forwards: https://www.patreon.com/testingpeers

Support the show