PLATO Panel Talks

PLATO

Welcome to PLATO Panel Talks (formerly PQA Panel Talks)! Every month we bring together a team of experts from our PLATO team and community to talk about their experiences and debate and discuss issues in the vast world of software testing and quality assurance.

  1. HACE 1 DÍA

    10 Years of PLATO Training: Growing Indigenous Talent in Tech

    In this special milestone episode, Mike Hrycyk sits down with Keith McIntosh (PLATO CEO and Co-Founder) and Denis Carignan (PLATO President and Co-Founder) to celebrate 10 years of Indigenous Software Tester Training. Together, they reflect on how the program began in Fredericton, New Brunswick, the vision behind its creation, and how it has grown into a national model for building Indigenous careers in technology. From early challenges and lessons learned to scaling workforce development across Canada, this conversation explores what it takes to create lasting impact in tech education. The episode also features reflections from members of the very first cohort, Kevin Jerome, Keisha Nguyen, and Matt Amos, sharing how the training shaped their careers and perspectives over the past decade. As PLATO continues recruiting for a new cohort in 2026, this 10-year reflection, with real-world insight from the leaders and graduates who helped shape the journey, looks back at what’s been achieved and forward to the future of Indigenous talent in Canada’s technology sector. Episode Transcript ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ Find us at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://platotech.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/plato-testing/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/PLATOTechGroup/

    42 min

  2. 2 FEB

    AI for the Real World: Business Strategy, Governance, and Getting Started

    Artificial Intelligence is everywhere — but how do organizations move beyond the hype and actually create value? This month, Mike Hrycyk is joined by Emma Heo (Lead for Public Service AI and Data at Accenture Canada) and Emily Cowperthwaite (COO at PLATO) for a practical, candid conversation about what AI really means for businesses today.  Drawing from real-world experience at both a global enterprise and a growing technology services company, Emma and Emily share practical insight on how AI is being used today to improve productivity, streamline processes, and support better decision-making — along with honest discussion about how organizations can start small, build AI literacy, and responsibly experiment without losing sight of governance, trust, and business value and why AI success isn’t measured by the number of models deployed. Episode Transcript ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ Find us at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://platotech.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/plato-testing/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/PLATOTechGroup/

    39 min

  3. 5 ENE

    Performance Testing 101: What Managers Need to Know

    Performance testing isn’t always required, but knowing when it is can make or break your product. In this episode, Mike Hrycyk and guests Ryan Hobbs (BC Pension Corp.) and Praneeth Eadara (PLATO) explore real criteria for deciding whether to invest in performance testing, what’s at risk if they decide to skip it, how to scope a first project, and what managers should consider before committing time and budget. Whether you’re a QA manager, developer, or business stakeholder, this panel will help you to understand the value (and limits) of performance testing – and how to plan for it long before peak load becomes a problem!  Episode Transcript ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ Find us at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://platotech.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/plato-testing/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/PLATOTechGroup/

    42 min

  4. 01/12/2025

    Testing Deadline Stories: When Project Schedules Go Off the Rails

    In this episode of PLATO Panel Talks, we dive into real testing deadline stories – from last-minute showstoppers and gruelling manual regressions to automation breakthroughs, production outages, and rapid-fire pandemic response. These tales from PLATO testers reveal how teams adapt under pressure, make tough calls, and turn scheduling chaos into shared resilience and learning. If you’ve lived through your own unforgettable deadline or have a story that shaped your testing career, we’d love to hear from you. Connect with us on PLATO Testing's social media or on our website! Episode Transcript ⁠here⁠ Find us at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://platotech.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/plato-testing/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/PLATOTechGroup/

    24 min

  5. 03/11/2025

    Black Friday Testing: How to Keep Retail Sites Running Under Pressure

    The holiday rush isn’t just stressful for shoppers – it’s make-or-break for retailers. In this episode of PLATO Panel Talks, Mike Hrycyk sits down with QA experts Susan Finley and Samta Kaura (PLATO) to unpack how teams prepare for holiday and Black Friday testing.  They dive into the real risks of downtime, the importance of performance and functional testing, and why code freezes never quite hold. From managing last-minute patches to coordinating with third-party systems, the panel shares lessons learned from years in retail QA and offers tips for keeping sites stable when traffic and tension are at their peak.  Episode Transcript here Find us at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://platotech.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/plato-testing/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/PLATOTechGroup/

    30 min

  6. 06/10/2025

    Too Small to Hack? Security Testing from Startups to Enterprises

    Think your company’s too small to be hacked? Think again. Hackers don’t care how big you are, and our experts, Joel Vautour (PLATO) and Roberto Salgado (Websec), join Mike Hrycyk to break down how to get started with security testing. From PCI compliance to phishing scams, they share real-world insights on spotting vulnerabilities, choosing the right testing approach, and how AI is reshaping the cybersecurity battle.  Episode Transcript ⁠here⁠ Find us at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://platotech.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/plato-testing/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/PLATOTechGroup/

    38 min

  7. 08/09/2025

    Test Management Tools: The Hidden Backbone of Quality Assurance

    This month, host Mike Hrycyk sits down with QA experts Snehal Lohar (Slalom) and Richard Bird (PLATO) to talk all things test management tools Whether you're still using spreadsheets or navigating your way through ADO, qTest, TestRail, or Jira add-ons, this conversation covers why having the right tool matters – and how to make it work for your team. If you're evaluating tools or just want to get more out of the one you already have, this episode’s for you. Episode Transcript Here Find us at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://platotech.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/plato-testing/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/PLATOTechGroup/

    34 min

  8. 12/08/2025

    Trust Issues: QA’s Role in Securing the iGaming Experience

    In today’s digital world, customer trust is everything, especially when money, data, and emotion are all on the line. In this episode, Mike Hrycyk is joined by Neha Batta (Director of Delivery Services at BCLC) and James Hurst (QA Manager at PLATO) to explore what it takes to build and maintain trust in the online gaming space. From the complexities of gaming compliance in Canada to the real-life ripple effects of software bugs, this panel dives deep into how quality assurance acts as the first line of defence. You'll hear about the layers of regulation, the role of testers in securing fair play, and why even non-financial bugs can drive players away. Tune in to learn how QA is more than just testing. Episode transcript here Find us at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://platotech.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PLATO LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/plato-testing/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/platotesting/

    38 min
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Welcome to PLATO Panel Talks (formerly PQA Panel Talks)! Every month we bring together a team of experts from our PLATO team and community to talk about their experiences and debate and discuss issues in the vast world of software testing and quality assurance.

Información

  • Creador
    PLATO
  • Años de actividad
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodios
    46
  • Clasificación
    Apto
  • Copyright
    © PLATO
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    PLATO Panel Talks