Testing Peers

In this episode, Russell, Tara, Ben Dowen, and Al Goodall explore end-to-end testing.  
Starting with some light-hearted banter on coffee, triggered by Ben. 
From what start to what end? 
A recurring theme is being clear with what we mean when we say end-to-end
The group reflect on:
Using a term alongside terms like user journey and which user
Being clear about what 'flow' is being tested
Not to test everything
Is it a sign of low testability and a smell of something
Integrations
Often, these tests cross architecture and boundaries, and check some form of integration 
Use the smallest unit of test to validate your goal
End-to-End tests are expensive - time, effort, fragility, environments
Help reduce risk as ownership crosses teams in modern systems
They find important failures
#PeersCon27 (March 11th, 2027) is now LIVE Tickets for the event are live for the Early Bird Price of £15 until later in the year.
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In this episode, Chris, Russell, David and Vernon try something a little different. Instead of ranting about the state of the industry, the conversation focuses on optimism, momentum, and the things they are genuinely excited about in 2026.
Reasons to be cheerful
The team reflect on what is giving them energy right now, from community and conference season to new projects, new teammates, and rediscovering enthusiasm after a difficult year.
Growth, curiosity, and intentionality
The conversation explores decisive humility, cautious optimism, and the importance of being intentional in how we work, learn, and grow. There is also discussion around revisiting testing fundamentals, pushing beyond comfort zones, and embracing opportunities to learn in unfamiliar spaces.
Community and connection
The group talk about the importance of conferences, shared experiences, and meeting people through the testing community. They also reflect on the continued growth of the Testing Peers podcast, rotating co-hosts, and the excitement around PeersCon.
Looking ahead
The episode closes with personal goals, side projects, travel plans, theme parks, cars, and the simple joy of having things to look forward to.
This episode explores
Optimism in testing and tech
Community, conferences, and connection
New teammates and fresh energy
Decisive humility and cautious optimism
Intentionality and testing fundamentals
Personal goals, projects, and things to look forward to
#PeersCon27 (March 11th, 2027) is now LIVE Tickets for the event are live for the Early Bird Price of £15 until November 30th 2027.

And as always, we are looking for sponsors to make this event the success it has been for the last 3 years, get in touch if interested
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In this episode, hosts Chris Armstrong and Russell Craxford are joined by #PeersCon27 Programme Chairs, Veerle Verhagen and Callum Akehurst-Ryan, to launch the Call for Collaboration.
The conversation introduces the 2027 theme, explores what “quality on the boundaries” means in practice, and sets clear expectations for submissions. It also reinforces what makes #PeersCon different: real experiences over theory, diverse voices, and a community-first approach to shaping the programme.
Theme
Quality on the Boundaries: Where does quality begin and end, are there lines in testing that we won’t cross?
What does this mean in practice
The theme isn’t meant to be interpreted one way.
For some, it’s about the boundaries of the work itself. The systems, the domains, the tooling, the edges where things get unclear or uncomfortable.
For others, it’s about people. The boundaries between roles, between experience levels, between perspectives. Who owns quality, and where that ownership starts to blur.
It might be about pushing forward. Exploring new spaces, new ideas, new ways of working in a landscape that is changing quickly.
Or it might be about limits. The moments where things don’t work, where something shouldn’t be done, or where you’ve had to draw a line.
There isn’t a single “right” interpretation. That’s the point.
What matters is the experience behind it, and what others can learn from it.
What to do next
If you’re listening to this and thinking “I’ve got something there”… you probably do.
This isn’t about having the perfect abstract or the most polished idea. It’s about the things you’ve actually lived through. The messy bits, the decisions you made, the times it worked, and the times it didn’t.
Maybe you’ve pushed into a new space. Maybe you’ve been working at the edges of your role. Maybe you’ve hit a boundary and had to stop. Maybe you’ve crossed one and learned something the hard way.
That’s what we want.
And it doesn’t need to fit neatly into a box. Talks, workshops, or something a bit different, if you’ve got an idea that doesn’t quite fit, submit it anyway.
If you’re not a “tester”, that’s fine too. Quality doesn’t belong to one role, and neither does this conference.
If you’ve never spoken before, that’s not a blocker. Support is there to help shape your idea and your abstract.
And if you’re thinking “this might be a bit niche”, that’s okay. Not every talk needs to be for everyone.
So submit. Share your experience. Bring your perspective.
The programme itself is being shaped by a deliberately diverse committee, alongside Veerle and Callum, including Jacob Urantowka, Lisa Crispin, Parveen Khan and Jitesh Gosai.
And if you’re planning to attend, bring someone with you. A colleague, a friend, someone outside your usual circle.
Why #PeersCon exists (and why it matters)
Testing Peers exists because folks were working in isolation, and knew we weren't the only ones.
It grew from a small group of peers looking for connection into something much bigger, but the intent hasn’t changed. It’s still about creating a space where people can share honestly, challenge each other, and learn from real experiences.
It’s also intentionally accessible. Low cost, community-driven, and designed so people can attend without needing large budgets or corporate backing.
And in a world that is becoming more automated, more distributed, and in some ways more isolating, spaces like this matter more.
Not just for the talks, but for the conversations. The challenges. The different perspectives you don’t get day to day.
That only works if people show up.
If you want spaces like this to exist, support them. Submit. Attend. Bring others with you. Be part of it.
Part of that support is partnership.
#PeersCon is run by the community, for the community, but it does
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In this episode, Russell, Chris, Tara, and David explore what a testing consultancy could look like if you stripped it back and built it around values, experience, and honest reflection.
Starting with some light-hearted conference banter, the conversation quickly turns to consultancy models, what works, what does not, and what they would do differently.
Outcomes over outputs
A recurring theme throughout the discussion is the importance of focusing on outcomes rather than outputs.
The group reflect on:
Delivering meaningful change, not just activity
Avoiding long-term dependency on consultants
Measuring success by what happens after you leave
Enablement and sustainability
Rather than doing the work for clients, the conversation leans towards:
Setting up repeatable processes
Enabling teams to continue without support
Leaving organisations self-sufficient
The idea of making yourself redundant comes up as a sign of success.
Working with context
The discussion explores how consultants engage with existing client environments:
When to adapt to existing processes
When to challenge and improve them
The importance of pragmatic, context-informed decisions
There is no single answer, but a strong emphasis on informed choice and transparency.
Thought leadership vs “bums on seats”
The group question traditional consultancy models, particularly:
Staff augmentation
Long-running placements
Value tied to time rather than impact
Instead, they explore a model centred around:
Short-term, high-impact engagements
Strategic and cultural change
Supporting teams rather than filling roles
Follow-ups, iteration, and lasting change
A key challenge raised is what happens after consultants leave.
The group discuss:
Returning at later checkpoints
Supporting incremental change
Preventing regression to old habits
The idea is less one-off transformation, more ongoing iteration.
Consultancy as connection
An alternative model emerges during the conversation:
Acting as a connector of people and expertise
Matching specialists to specific problems
Leveraging community rather than a fixed bench
Blurring the line between consultancy, partnership, and network.
Who would this be for?
The group gravitate towards:
Startups and scale-ups
Organisations open to change
Teams looking for guidance, not just delivery
With less interest in:
Large-scale augmentation
Traditional long-term consultancy models
This episode explores
What good consultancy looks like in practice
Outcomes vs outputs in client engagements
Enablement and making change stick
Navigating client context and constraints
Thought leadership vs staff augmentation
Alternative consultancy models and community-led approaches
Referenced in this episode
Fiona Charles – 10 Commandments for Ethical Testers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQHt4Pao2Vs
#PeersCon27 (March 11th, 2027) is now LIVE Tickets for the event are live for the Early Bird Price of £15 until November 30th 2027.

Support the show

This episode of Testing Peers is published in recognition of International Women’s Day (8 March).
International Women’s Day is a global moment to recognise the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women, while also highlighting the continued work needed to achieve gender equality. It is also a call to action to accelerate progress and support women’s advancement around the world.
You can learn more about the campaign and its initiatives at
https://www.internationalwomensday.com/
Episode Overview
To mark International Women’s Day, this episode brings together Linda van de Vooren, Rachel Kibler, Tara Walton, and Christine Pinto for a conversation about their experiences working in software testing and technology.
The discussion ranges from workplace dynamics and technical credibility to confidence, identity, and the importance of supportive communities in tech. Drawing on experiences across different countries, organisations, and career stages, the panel reflect on the challenges and opportunities of working in the industry today. International Women's Day
Episode Highlights
Theme songs for the moment
The episode begins with a bit of Testing Peers banter as the hosts share the song that best represents their current stage of life. From Eye of the Tiger to Crowded Table and even a song from Frozen 2, the choices reflect everything from startup survival mode to building strong personal support networks.
Being a woman in tech
The panel discuss how experiences can vary depending on company culture, geography, and team dynamics. Several hosts reflect on the need to prove technical credibility, particularly in environments where testing already sits in tension with development.
Finding allies
Support within teams can make a real difference. The group share how allies often emerge through one-to-one conversations and how a single supportive voice in a meeting can change how concerns about quality or risk are received.
Competition and the “crab bucket” effect
The conversation touches on the crab bucket effect: situations where people unintentionally hold each other back in competitive or unhealthy environments. The group reflect on how workplace pressure and culture can contribute to this dynamic.
Glue work and invisible labour
The panel discuss glue work, the essential tasks that keep teams functioning but often go unnoticed. From meeting notes to coordination, these responsibilities can disproportionately fall to certain people unless teams actively share them.
Identity and personal expression
From purple hair and tiaras to red suits and owl dungarees, the hosts reflect on how personal expression can influence confidence and help people show up authentically at work.
Safety and confidence
The discussion acknowledges that confidence and self-expression depend on feeling safe at work. Moments of inappropriate behaviour or boundary crossing can quickly undermine that safety and require time and support to rebuild.
Continuing the conversation at Agile Testing Days
Towards the end of the discussion, Rachel Kibler highlights an opportunity to continue conversations like these at Agile Testing Days.
[Placeholder: add Rachel’s exact forum/session name and wording here once confirmed.]
The value of community
The episode closes by reflecting on the strength of the testing community and spaces like Testing Peers, where people can share experiences, offer support, and remind each other they are not alone.
This episode explores
Women’s experiences in software testing and technology
Building allies and support within teams
Navigating bias and workplace expectations
The “crab bucket effect” in compe
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