In this episode of This Week in Testing, co-hosts Nataliia Burmei and Simon Tomes gather the community for Episode 98 and steer the conversation toward the spicy topic of performance reviews. Joined on stage by Eamon Droko, Olly Fairhall, and Milan Kumar, they explore how testers experience reviews, why they can feel so Marmite, and whether they can be made more useful, fair, or even enjoyable.

From using community contributions as evidence of impact to running bug hunts that reveal unexpected insights, the group reflects on the power of visibility, feedback, and shared learning. Nataliia shares her experiments with white-box coding using Cursor AI, while Simon spotlights MoT’s latest platform features, including new Community Stars stats and a much-requested way to follow user profiles.

Along the way, Eamon describes how community work creates value inside the workplace, Milan shares his dream of one test stack to rule them all, and Olly celebrates the fresh eyes a team-wide bug hunt can bring. And yes, there’s a surprise mic appearance from Gary Hawkes, setting the stage for the long-awaited chaos of Episode 99, next week!

Whether you dread your next review cycle or want ideas for making your work more visible, this episode offers honest stories, smart tactics, and a few Marmite moments that every tester will relate to.

#PerformanceReviews

#MarmiteDebate

#CommunityStars

#AIinTesting

#BugHunts

#CareerGrowth

#TestingCommunity

#MoTPlatform

#TeamQuality

#ThisWeekInTesting

In this episode of This Week in Testing, co-hosts Nataliia Burmei and Simon Tomes gather the community for Episode 97 and steer the conversation toward all things TestBash Brighton 2025. Joined on stage by Eamon Droko, Preeti Gupta, and Lynda Hughes, they swap meetup stories, celebrate the latest flurry of Community Stars and certificates, and plot a chaotic—but exciting—Episode 99 reunion of every co-host. Along the way they nudge listeners to help founder Rosie Sherry reach the magic “99 followers” milestone and highlight new micro-features that turn the MoT platform into a treasure hunt for testers.

From planning conference budgets and convincing budget-holders, to crafting a personal schedule, spacing out workshops, and remembering to leave camera storage free for those all-important selfies, the group shares practical tips for thriving at large events—plus reminders to keep the conversations going long after the badge lanyards come off. You’ll hear how London meetups sparked spin-off one-to-one calls, why snapping photos preserves community history, and how an Unlimited membership unlocked training, certifications, and a first-ever TestBash for one attendee. Whether you’re plotting your own trip to Brighton or looking for fresh ways to connect between meetups, this episode is packed with encouragement, real-world tactics, and that familiar MoT energy that turns “just another Friday” into a springboard for growth.

#TestBashBrighton

#ConferenceTips

#CommunityStars

#Meetups

#Networking

#LearningAndDevelopment

#BudgetingForConferences

#CareerGrowth

#TestingCommunity

#MoTPlatform

Join hosts Simon Tomes and Ben Dowen as they chat with Ujjwal Kumar Singh, Aj Wilson, Michael Close (in his first appearance!), and Judy Mosley about all things testing!

This week’s conversation kicks off with space ducks and sound effects before diving into quality coaching, job titles that don’t match the work, happy paths vs reality, and reasons to update a pull request template. It’s full of thoughtful takes, shared experiences, and plenty of laughs along the way.

In this episode of This Week in Testing, Demi van Malcot and Oleksandr Romanov uncover community stories, feature launches, and personal milestones that defined another busy week in the world of testing. Joined by Rosie Sherry, Emily O’Connor, Jesse Berkeley, and Sarah Byng, they explore how testers are making connections, shaping their careers, and finding new ways to contribute.

From discovering hidden features like Q&A stars and linking profiles, to preparing accessibility sessions and launching automation projects, the episode is packed with the small wins and big ideas that keep our community thriving. You’ll hear stories from recent in-person meetups, reflections on the value of sharing knowledge, and a conversation about building confidence to contribute—whether it’s through a post, a talk, or a one-to-one chat. And as always, there are a few secrets sprinkled in too.

#CommunityStories

#TestingMeetups

#TestAutomation

#AccessibilityTesting

#CareerGrowth

#KnowledgeSharing

#CommunityFeatures

#ExpertGeneralist

#MinistryOfTesting

#TestingCareers

#PublicSpeaking

#ContributingToCommunity

In this episode of This Week in Testing, Nataliia Burmei and Ben Dowen open the floor to a community conversation on how testers influence quality through everyday actions. Joined by Christine Pinto, Gary Hawkes, Preeti Gupta, Eamon Droko, and Demi Van Malcot, they share practical stories of leading without needing a leadership title.

From supporting remote teams and coaching others to introducing new ways of working and asking timely questions, the episode highlights how testers shape quality culture by stepping up and speaking out. Whether you're early in your career or already guiding teams, this discussion is full of insights on making a difference through action.

#QualityLeadership

#LeadWithQuality

#TestingLeadership

#QualityCulture

#ThisWeekInTesting

#MinistryOfTesting

#MoTCommunity

#QualityEngineering

#TechLeadership

#SoftwareTesting

#RiskBasedTesting

#TestingVisibility

#ShiftLeftTesting

#ContinuousImprovement

“Why are testers so good at delivering bad news?”

In Episode 92, we ask a question that hits close to home for many in the testing community: Why are testers so good at delivering bad news?

Simon Tomes was joined by contributors Christine Pinto, Aj Wilson, Ujjwal Kumar Singh, Lukas Lindinger, and Emily O'Connor, this episode dives into the emotional labour of quality work — from navigating difficult conversations to communicating risk, uncertainty, and inconvenient truths with care and clarity.

Expect open, thoughtful stories on:

The psychology of raising bugs and blockers

Balancing honesty with empathy

Building trust with developers and stakeholders

Managing reactions to “bad news”

Why testers often end up being the truth-tellers in the room

It’s a grounded, community-led conversation full of personal insight, light moments, and shared experience — for software testers, QA engineers, and anyone who’s had to say, “This isn’t quite ready… yet.”

🎙️ Exclusive from Ministry of Testing.

In this episode of This Week in Testing, Simon Tomes and Judy Mosley explore how everyday experiences shape the way we test, from catching bugs with imperfect tests to drawing on real-life situations to improve quality. They’re joined by Mariem Safi, Preeti Gupta, and Emily O'Connor, who share honest stories about starting out, finding unexpected bugs, and preparing to speak in front of others with help from the community.

Alongside updates from the MoTaverse, the episode is a down-to-earth reminder that testers don’t need to have it all sorted! It's just about being willing to get involved, ask questions, and figure things out when it counts.

#SoftwareTesting #QualityEngineering #TestingCommunity #CareerGrowth #PublicSpeaking #BugReporting #RealWorldTesting #ConfidenceInTesting #MoTaverse #TestBash #LearningThroughTesting #FirstTimeSpeakers #EverydayTesting #PeerSupport #TesterMindset

In Episode 93 of This Week in Testing, hosts Simon Tomes and Demi Van Malcot are joined by contributors Preeti Gupta, Maneesh Maddala, Oleksandr Romanov, Gary Hawkes, and Daniel Billing to explore what’s buzzing in the world of software testing.

From the surge in global testing meetups to the power of community photo memories, this episode dives deep into how testers connect, reflect, and grow together. We hear real-life stories about burnout, career development, and regaining confidence, plus a lively discussion about grey box testing, glossary-building, and the new “follow” feature in The MoTaverse.

Expect laughter, personal insight, and practical wisdom — from defining your testing identity to building a presence in the community and advocating for yourself in your QA career. Whether you’re new to testing or a seasoned pro, this episode is packed with inspiration and actionable takeaways.

Episode Keywords: software testing, QA careers, community building, Ministry of Testing, gray box testing, tester meetups, TestBash, burnout in tech, quality engineering, MOTAverse, podcast for testers, testing glossary, follow feature, tester networking