Testing Peers

Welcome to another episode of the Testing Peers podcast.
In this episode, Veerle, Chris, Russell and Tara explore how hobbies influence the way we learn, collaborate and grow within testing and quality engineering.
Before getting into the main topic, the Peers open with some classic banter, covering unusual fruit sizes, strange dreams and the small details that spark curiosity.
The idea for this episode comes from talks and experiences shared within the community, where hobbies such as gaming, storytelling, crafting and sport have inspired lessons that translate into professional practice.
From Vikings and Dungeons & Dragons to pro wrestling, knitting, baking and gym routines, the group reflects on how skills learned outside of work can shape communication, experimentation and continuous improvement. Bring your hobbies to work
In this episode, the Peers discuss
How hobbies help develop storytelling and teamwork skills
Seeing testing opportunities in everyday life
Different personal paths into testing and quality engineering
Learning through experimentation, failure and iteration
The role of data, metrics and context in decision making
Growth mindsets inspired by fitness, crafting and gaming
Bringing personality and individuality into technical spaces
Key reflections
This episode highlights how hobbies create spaces to experiment, adapt and learn without pressure. Whether journaling gym progress, inventing house rules in games or developing creative skills, these experiences mirror the iterative nature of testing itself.
The Peers also explore how progress is not always visible in the moment. As skills evolve, expectations rise, which can make growth harder to recognise even when it is happening. Bring your hobbies to work
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Hello and welcome to another episode of the Testing Peers podcast. This time, join Chris Armstrong, Rachel Kibler, Tara Walton, and Russell Craxford discussing what it means to create change in teams that are worn down, frustrated, or stuck in longstanding patterns. 
In this episode, the Peers talk frame the discussion around practical reflections on joining difficult team contexts, building agency, identifying friction, and shaping improvements that matter without creating burnout.
The group focuses on the difference between technical problems and people or adaptive challenges, the value of curiosity and influence, and the power of small, intentional actions that reduce unnecessary friction and build momentum toward better ways of working.
Key themes and ideas
Teams with history and fatigue
Teams carry context, history, and stories long before new people arrive. What looks like dysfunction to a newcomer may be normalised pain to those who have lived with it. Past failed efforts at change often create deep scepticism.
The “WTF list”
Rachel introduces the idea of keeping a personal “WTF list” when joining a new team. This is a record of things that confuse, frustrate, or cause unnecessary pain. It is a tool for reflection, learning what to ask about, and identifying areas for low effort improvements while separating technical fixes from people or adaptive challenges. Some items are best kept for private reflection or manager conversations rather than shared openly.
Technical problems versus people problems
Technical problems usually have known solutions and can be addressed with the right expertise. People problems require influence, trust, and time. Effective change begins by asking why things are done the way they are before assuming what should be done.
The risk of bonding over complaints
Shared frustration can bond people quickly, "trauma bonding", but venting without action often leads to stagnation. Reflection and curiosity help teams ask what could realistically be done differently next time.
Context before action
Change attempts fail when history, constraints, or social dynamics are ignored. Newcomers often see pain points that existing teams have normalised. Without understanding the background, even good ideas can trigger resistance.
Agency, choice, and acceptance
Sometimes, change is not possible in the short term. Actively choosing to accept a situation can be more empowering than feeling trapped by it. Doing nothing can be valid when it is a conscious decision rather than passive resignation.
Small wins and incremental change
Not every improvement has to be dramatic. Small changes that remove friction can build trust and momentum over time. Cultural shifts often start with fixing minor but irritating problems rather than attempting wholesale transformation.
Positivity and recognising progress
Testing roles are often framed negatively, both by others and by the people doing the work. Creating space to acknowledge progress and success helps rebalance that narrative and improves team morale.
Leadership and advocacy
Leadership involves passing feedback upwards and advocating for change even when the leader cannot fix the problem directly. Choosing where to invest influence is an important leadership skill.
Takeaways
You cannot change everything from every position.
Context and history matter more than frameworks.
Influence is more effective than instruction in people-related challenges.
Small, deliberate improvements build momentum for bigger shifts.
Conscious acceptance is still a form of agency.
Recommended Reading
Your Leadership Edge by Ed O’Malley and Amanda Cebula
A practical guide to the competencies and mindset requir
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Hello friends, and welcome to another episode of the Testing Peers podcast.
In this episode, Chris, Dan, David, and Russell come together for a wide-ranging conversation about flow, what it really means, and why it matters far beyond speed or delivery metrics. The discussion starts with some light New Year banter before quickly moving into systems thinking, value, and the often unseen friction that slows organisations down.
The group explore flow as something that exists across people, processes, and systems, not just CI/CD pipelines. Using plumbing analogies, real-world examples, and a healthy dose of scepticism about simplistic metrics, they unpack why optimising individual components rarely improves outcomes if the wider system is ignored.
A recurring theme is the idea that quality is about the removal of unnecessary friction, and that debt shows up in many forms, not just code. Documentation, onboarding, learning mechanisms, and organisational processes all contribute to how effectively value moves through a system.
The conversation also touches on how difficult flow is to measure meaningfully. While metrics like DORA can tell part of the story, they often focus on speed rather than outcomes, impact, or sustainability. The hosts discuss the importance of qualitative signals, trending over time, and understanding what good actually looks like in a given context.
A significant part of the episode focuses on the human side of flow, including onboarding, learning, feedback loops, and psychological safety. The group reflect on how better onboarding and clearer purpose can help people contribute sooner, feel more connected to their work, and understand the impact of what they do.
From a testing perspective, the discussion highlights how testers already have many of the skills needed to assess flow at an organisational level. Curiosity, critical thinking, risk awareness, and communication all play a role in identifying friction, asking difficult questions, and helping teams improve. At the same time, the hosts are careful not to position testers as uniquely gifted, recognising that good systems thinking comes from diverse roles working together.
The episode closes with reflections on trust, credibility, and the role of testers as trusted advisors. Being listened to is not about job titles or tools, but about doing the work, understanding the system, and backing up insights with evidence and experience.
Links and references
DORA metrics: https://dora.dev/guides/dora-metrics/
The Phoenix Project: https://itrevolution.com/product/the-phoenix-project/
Theory of Constraints: https://www.leanproduction.com/theory-of-constraints/
Stu Crocker on quality as the removal of unnecessary friction
Post Office Horizon IT Scandal: https://clarotesting.wordpress.com/the-post-office-horizon-it-scandal/
#PeersCon26 Tickets for the event are live for just
£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
Twitter (https://twitter.com/testingpeers)
LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/testing-peers)
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/testingpeers/)
Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/TestingPeers)
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Happy New Year, Peers!!
Welcome to the latest episode of the Testing Peers podcast, this time panel explores how testers and quality professionals can make the most of their training budgets, whether that budget is zero, modest, or stretches into several thousand pounds.
Hosts this week: Russell Craxford, David Maynard, Chris Armstrong, and Tara Walton.
The discussion is grounded in real experience and looks at how learning choices change depending on constraints, priorities, and organisational context.
Starting from Zero: Learning Without a Budget
The episode begins by challenging the assumption that learning requires money. The hosts highlight the breadth and quality of free resources available, including:
Blogs, podcasts, and community-driven content
Free learning platforms such as Test Automation University, freeCodeCamp, and edX
Vendor-provided learning resources from tooling and platform providers
A key recommendation is the free “Learning How to Learn” course by Barbara Oakley and Terrence Sejnowski, which helps people understand how they learn best before deciding where to invest time or money.
Spending Around £100: Small Budgets, Real Value
With a budget of around £100, the focus shifts to intentional, value-led choices:
Books as a focused, low-distraction way to learn:
Subscriptions to learning platforms rather than single courses
Prioritising practical outcomes over certificates
Using community recommendations to avoid low-quality content
TestSphere and RiskStorming cards
Obviously, the Testing Peers Conference, March 12th 2026
Books such as Explore It, The Phoenix Project, The Culture Code and other systems thinking titles are highlighted as high-value, low-cost investments.
Around £500: Community, Conferences, and Exposure
At the £500 level, learning opportunities expand:
Attending local conferences, meetups, or community events Leeds Test Atelier (Free to attend)
SIGiST
ShipItCon

Covering travel, accommodation, and tickets for nearby events
Investing in leadership, communication, and presentation skills
Subscriptions such as Ministry of Testing Pro (including a ticket to their #MoTaCon event) and similar learning communities
LeanPub
The hosts discuss the value of human connection, being exposed to new perspectives, and coming away from events with renewed ideas and motivation.
Certifications and Career Signals
The conversation takes a balanced view on certifications, including ISTQB:
Not a definition of quality or capability
Potentially useful for people entering the industry
Helpful as a signal when e
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