By Vernon Richards and Richard Bradshaw
The podcast currently has 5 episodes available.
In this episode, Vernon and Richard answer questions from their audience. They discuss what they would do if they weren't in software testing, the primary mission of a tester, advice for their younger selves, their stance on pineapple on pizza, and their preferences as trainers, mentors, consultants, and coaches. In this conversation, Vernon and Richard discuss various topics related to testing and quality.
They explore the meaning of quality and how it can vary depending on the context and individual perspectives. They also discuss the importance of testing and whether there are situations where testing may not be necessary. Additionally, they delve into the concept of a testing mindset and whether it is something that individuals are born with or can be developed. Finally, they reflect on what advice they would give to their younger selves, focusing on the themes of confidence, self-kindness, and self-care.
Links to stuff we mentioned during the pod:
00:00 - Intro
01:42 - Joëlle Burkhardt: What would you do if you weren't in software testing?
06:41 - James Thomas: You have to summarise what a tester's primary mission for a team is in a snappy one-liner that applies across contexts. What's your one-liner?
09:15 - Aj Wilson: What advice would you give the version of yourself, that was 2 years into software testing if you could, what would older wiser Richard advise new blood Richard?
15:10 - Mark Gillott: Why is pineapple on pizza still not illegal?
18:25 - Leigh Rathbone: What do you prefer, being a trainer (providing instruction and direction), a mentor, a consultant, or a coach?
22:30 - Deb Sherwood: What does quality mean for you?
28:36 - Mark Tomlinson: To test, or not to test.
32:45 - Anna Royzman: Testing mindset - are you born with it?
38:42 - Melissa Fisher: If you could jump in a tardis and go back in time, what would you tell your younger self?
In this episode of the Vernon Richard Show, Vernon and Richard discuss alternative names for the show and reflect on their recent activities. They talk about the Leeds Testing Atelier conference and highlight some of the workshops and talks they attended. They discuss the importance of play in the workplace and the impact of bugs in software development. They also mention the Post Office Horizon scandal and the need to consider the human impact of software failures.
The conversation covered various topics including testing chatbots, the importance of accessibility and user flow mapping. The speakers discussed their experiences with chatbots, highlighting both positive and negative interactions. They also talked about the significance of screen readers and the need for proper web app design to improve accessibility. User flow mapping was mentioned as a useful technique for building a joint team understanding of work tasks. The conversation also touched on the challenges of communication with anxiety and the benefits of being open about mental health in the workplace.
Various other topics were also discussed including reducing anxiety in the workplace, the concept of spoon theory, and the balance between speed and quality in software development. The speakers discussed the importance of building relationships and understanding how to communicate effectively to reduce anxiety. They also explored the idea of spoon theory, which relates to managing energy levels and prioritizing tasks. Lastly, they delved into the challenge of achieving both speed and quality in software development, emphasizing the need for a learning mindset and continuous improvement.
Description Generated by AI
Links to stuff we mentioned during the pod:
Troy's LinkedIn
00:00 - Banter (new name suggestions from James Thomas)
01:09 - The actual intro 😅
01:55 - Footy content warning 🚨
02:42 - What we intend to cover during this episode
04:42 - ⚽️ Footy (1 min)
05:10 - Jit's post about Leeds Testing Atelier
In this conversation, Richard and Vernon discuss the experience of being rejected for conference talks and the importance of actionable feedback. They emphasize the need for clear and compelling abstracts, as well as the value of networking and building relationships within the industry. They encourage individuals to continue sharing their stories and knowledge through alternative platforms such as YouTube, blogs, and meetups.
The conversation also touches on the power of diversity in conference lineups and the importance of providing opportunities for underrepresented voices. In this conversation, Richard and Vernon discuss the importance of networking and building relationships in the software testing industry. They emphasize the value of nurturing connections and being present in the network, rather than only reaching out when you need something.
They also discuss the challenges of onboarding onto a new team and share their experiences and strategies for effective onboarding. They highlight the importance of asking for help, sharing knowledge, and finding the right balance between asking for help and helping yourself. Overall, the conversation emphasises the power of relationships and continuous learning in the testing profession.
00:00 Introduction and Positive Feedback
09:01 Creating Clear and Compelling Abstracts
16:21 The Importance of Actionable Feedback
33:10 The Power of Networking
45:33 Finding the Balance: Asking for Help vs. Helping Yourself
53:06 The Importance of Continuous Learning
Links to stuff we mentioned during the pod:
08:00 - Richard's legendary advice about how to structure your conference proposal
10:07 - Sarah Deery on LinkedIn
13:00 - Clear not clever explained by Nicolas Cole
17:09 - Posts from Lena, Emna, and Jenna
20:00 - The Mash Program
20:20 - I couldn't find anything about Speak Easy but you can find the founder Anne-Marie Charrett
25:21 - Lisa Crispin's website and LinkedIn page
27:00 - Abby Bangser on LinkedIn
27:30 - Ash Coleman Hynie on LinkedIn
31:30 - Vernon Scott II on LinkedIn
34:00 - Marie Cruz and Lewis Prescott's book
45:47 - Lisi Hocke's website & Ben Dowen website
46:08 - My old pal
49:55 - The First 90 Days book on Amazon
56:37 - What's AWS?
58:50 - What about Google Cloud?
58:51 - What's Heroku?
The second episode of the Vernon Richard show discusses the PeersCon conference and highlights some of the key talks. Topics covered include the concept of minimal shippable risk, the importance of psychological safety in creating a productive work environment, the challenges and learnings of stepping into a leadership role, and the role of DevOps in organisations.
We express our appreciation for the speakers and their valuable insights. The conversation covered various themes, including the importance of embracing DevOps and the role of testers in the process. The concept of glue work, which involves technical leadership and ensuring collaboration and success, was discussed. The negative impact of debates on LinkedIn and the need for respectful and curious engagement were highlighted. The importance of framing conversations and choosing the right medium for discussions was emphasized. The idea of thinking like a scientist and valuing getting right over being right was also explored.
* Generated by AI.
00:00 - Introduction
00:47 - Our overall thoughts about the inaugural PeersCon event
03:00 - Heather Reid's presentation "Wait! That's not tested"
12:05 - Jit Gosai's presentation "Psychological safety – The link between speaking up, complexity and high performing teams"
16:48 - Al Goodall's presentation "Things I Learned being a new(ish) Quality Manager"
20:43 - Beth Clarke's presentation "Being the Glue: The Role DevOps in Testing"
26:38 - Leigh Rathbone's presentation "The history of testing and why its important as it feeds our future"
27:44 - Debates on LinkedIn
32:05 - Choosing the right medium for sharing ideas and managing your energy
35:04 - The challenges of online debate
39:44 - Preachers, Prosectors, Politicians and thinking like a Scientist
Links to stuff we mentioned during the pod:
In this episode, Vernon and Richard introduce their new podcast and discuss the concept of smoke testing and knowledge work. They explain that smoke testing is a quick test to determine if something is alive or valid, often used when deploying new builds or testing in production. They also discuss the challenges of testing in production and the importance of health checks. In regards to knowledge work, they define it as cognitive work that involves manipulating and processing information based on expertise. They reflect on the recent arguments and discussions on LinkedIn and emphasize the need for nuance and understanding in these conversations.
The conversation explores the challenges and misconceptions surrounding knowledge work in the context of software testing and automation. The speakers discuss how the intellectual effort and expertise involved in testing are often overlooked or undervalued. They highlight the importance of specialised knowledge, innovation, problem-solving, and continuous learning in testing. The conversation also touches on the perception of automated tests and the need to strike a balance between explicit test cases and exploratory testing.
Yes, we are trying to keep this lean, and the above was generated by AI.
00:00 Introducing the Vernon Richard Show
04:47 Exploring the Concept of Smoke Testing
14:32 Understanding Knowledge Work
16:33 Introduction to Knowledge Work
17:11 Defining Knowledge Work
18:03 Characteristics of Knowledge Work
19:22 Perception of Testing as Knowledge Work
24:29 Perception of Programming as Knowledge Work
27:48 Challenges in Communicating Testing Work
31:05 Automated Tests as Test Case 2.0
34:46 Balancing Test Cases and Exploration
35:56 Conclusion and Call for Feedback
Links to stuff we mentioned during the pod:
The podcast currently has 5 episodes available.