Testing Peers

Welcome to a special episode of the Testing Peers to announce our Programme Committee and Theme for PeersCon 26, which is happening on 12th March 2026 in Nottingham, UK. Join our Co-Chairs David and Simon as they introduce you to the rest of the committee: * Suman Bala * Dan Ashby * Beth Marshall * Rita Avota More on the committee can be found here [https://testingpeerscon.com/2026-programme-committee/]. After the usual banter, the team dive into talking more about the theme for the conference, which is: > Context is Everything: Lessons from the Universality of Quality and Testing Across Different IndustriesQuality and testing principles may be universal, but their application varies dramatically across contexts. A quality engineer working on a highly regulated environment faces different challenges than a gaming quality engineer managing real-time multiplayer chaos, yet both share fundamental insights about risk, user impact, and systematic thinking.This theme focuses on the diversity of testing experiences across industries while uncovering the common challenges all of us can relate to. Whether you’re testing retail apps, financial systems, or manufacturing processes, your context shapes your testing approach.We’re looking for speakers from every industry and experience level to share their real-world challenges and lessons learned, hoping to provide knowledge that can be used in the audiences own context and raising the quality bar across our industry With this now discussed and their thoughts around why this was chosen, it is now time to officially open the Call for Collaborations for written and video submissions and also for VolunPeers. More on all this can be found here [https://testingpeerscon.com/collaboration/] Tickets for the event [https://testingpeerscon.com/ticket] are now live too, starting at £15 until December, when they go up to £30. And as always, we are looking for sponsors to make this event the success it has been for the last 2 years, get in touch if interested [https://testingpeerscon.com/partners/] Twitter (https://twitter.com/testingpeers [https://twitter.com/testingpeers]) LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/testing-peers [https://www.linkedin.com/company/testing-peers]) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/testingpeers/ [https://www.instagram.com/testingpeers/]) Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/TestingPeers [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 [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 and 2025, really grateful for all they do supporting the Testing Peers. www.nfocus.co.uk [http://www.nfocus.co.uk/] and info@nfocus.co.uk [info@nfocus.co.uk] for anyone wanting to get in touch. Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/testingpeers]

Welcome to episode 130 of the Testing Peers Podcast. This time join David, Russell, Chris and Dermot as we talk Knowledge Resilience. After an ice breaker where Russell poses the question to the Peers of what have we wanted to learn, but have not yet achieved. Then Dermot sets up the main topic with the following question: "what would you do with the knowledge that you acquired? If you learned it, it's fine, but if you wanted to share that knowledge. How would you transmit that? We talk about: * How people learn differently, and why a mix of formats matters * Creating living documentation that stays connected to real questions * What stops people from sharing, from fear and past experience to unspoken team dynamics * How consulting and leadership roles shift your perspective on giving away knowledge * Why rotating responsibilities and refreshing training helps surface hidden gaps * The role of psychological safety in building a culture where sharing is the norm If you've ever struggled with stale docs, tribal knowledge, or a team that relies on “just ask Dave” then this one’s for you. Twitter (https://twitter.com/testingpeers [https://twitter.com/testingpeers]) LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/testing-peers [https://www.linkedin.com/company/testing-peers]) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/testingpeers/ [https://www.instagram.com/testingpeers/]) Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/TestingPeers [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 [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 and 2025, really grateful for all they do supporting the Testing Peers. www.nfocus.co.uk [http://www.nfocus.co.uk/] and info@nfocus.co.uk [info@nfocus.co.uk] for anyone wanting to get in touch. Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/testingpeers]

Welcome to the latest episode of the Testing Peers podcast. This time, join David, Chris, Sanne and Beth as we discuss Bad Quality By Design (a more SFW term for ensh!ttifcation [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enshittification]). Where products and services become deliberately less usable or joyful over time, often to drive monetisation. This isn’t accidental degradation, but intentional design choices aimed at nudging users towards subscriptions, upsells, or ad exposure. Examples the Peers discuss include: * Getting a “premium” experience temporarily, then losing it unless you pay * Making it easy to sign up but frustratingly hard to cancel * Designing mobile apps that force you onto desktop for key actions like unsubscribing * Cookie banners and friction-heavy consent flows * UX patterns that prioritise business goals over user experience (e.g. CarPlay’s rigid UI rules) The group reflect on how this gradual decline in delight has eroded pride in product quality. AI tools, for now, feel delightful by contrast because they’re still in the VC-funded honeymoon phase, but this too may fade. The group calls out the trade-off between "good enough" and genuinely caring about quality. Twitter (https://twitter.com/testingpeers [https://twitter.com/testingpeers]) LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/testing-peers [https://www.linkedin.com/company/testing-peers]) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/testingpeers/ [https://www.instagram.com/testingpeers/]) Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/TestingPeers [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 [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 and 2025, really grateful for all they do supporting the Testing Peers. www.nfocus.co.uk [http://www.nfocus.co.uk/] and info@nfocus.co.uk [info@nfocus.co.uk] for anyone wanting to get in touch. Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/testingpeers]

Welcome to another episode of the Testing Peers Podcast. On this episode, Chris, Simon and David are joined by first time co-host Rachel Kibler. The Peers discuss the topic of making work visible. David starts us off with the banter on the topic of fashion mistakes, everything from dress down fridays to bright shirts being used as a prank. David also hints at his 80's fashion challenges and his ties he wore as a teacher. Rachel kicks off the main topic, giving the back story of where the topic came from. Having to create a coherent story on how to show when a project is good to go live and how the testing can be made visible. They all discuss the value and cost of testing and how to articulate this to PMs in projects.  The conversation goes on to different techniques to show value and how to help get everyone onto the same page. What techniques can you use to make it visible to stakeholders? Twitter (https://twitter.com/testingpeers [https://twitter.com/testingpeers]) LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/testing-peers [https://www.linkedin.com/company/testing-peers]) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/testingpeers/ [https://www.instagram.com/testingpeers/]) Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/TestingPeers [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 [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 and 2025, really grateful for all they do supporting the Testing Peers. www.nfocus.co.uk [http://www.nfocus.co.uk/] and info@nfocus.co.uk [info@nfocus.co.uk] for anyone wanting to get in touch. Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/testingpeers]

Welcome to another episode of the Testing Peers Podcast. On this episode, Chris, Russell, David and Simon talk about how we can ensure Quality has a seat at the table of discussions, projects and all such scenarios where it should be there. Before that, Mr Banter (Chris) leads us off down a wonderful trail of memories of social media when it all began, everything from MySpace, Bebo, Friends Reunited and MSN Messenger covered and of course, the old Twitter during the pandemic. Simon leads us into a the topic, and mentions a comment Stephen Platten made on one of Chris's posts about a Culture of Quality on LinkedIn. [https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:ugcPost:7312378726044889088?commentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Acomment%3A%28ugcPost%3A7312378726044889088%2C7312479320877248513%29&replyUrn=urn%3Ali%3Acomment%3A%28ugcPost%3A7312378726044889088%2C7312525299173281792%29&dashCommentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_comment%3A%287312479320877248513%2Curn%3Ali%3AugcPost%3A7312378726044889088%29&dashReplyUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_comment%3A%287312525299173281792%2Curn%3Ali%3AugcPost%3A7312378726044889088%29] Here is Stephen's comment: > "How do you see us making sure we get our feet at the table so to speak? How do we get senior stakeholders to take notice?" Of course it depends on the context, and what influence is needed. It's also about who needs to care? Depending on the context and the problem you are having. The best way to get started is to look at engaging your senior leaders or the leadership level that make decisions in the context. It may be a need to educate and showcase the value that can be provided by being involved.  The Peers dive into their own experiences and ways to help influence the decision makers to include a voice of quality. What challenges have you had in this scenario? contactUs@TestingPeers.com [contactUs@TestingPeers.com] Twitter (https://twitter.com/testingpeers [https://twitter.com/testingpeers]) LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/testing-peers [https://www.linkedin.com/company/testing-peers]) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/testingpeers/ [https://www.instagram.com/testingpeers/]) Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/TestingPeers [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 [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 and 2025, really grateful for all they do supporting the Testing Peers. www.nfocus.co.uk [http://www.nfocus.co.uk/] and info@nfocus.co.uk [info@nfocus.co.uk] for anyone wanting to get in touch. Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/testingpeers]