This Week in Quality

Ministry of Testing
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Stay up to date with the world of software testing, quality assurance, and quality engineering. This Week in Quality is your weekly podcast from the Ministry of Testing community, hosted by Simon Tomes and joined by testing professionals from across the MoTaverse. 🎙️ Tune in for thoughtful conversations, testing news, and community insights covering everything from QA trends to quality engineering practices. Whether you're a software tester, QA specialist, quality engineer or quality advocate, this welcoming space will help you stay informed and connected to the wider community. Join the live session every Friday or catch up on past episodes wherever you get your podcasts.

  1. How clean code led to continuous cleaning - Ep 136

    5 DAYS AGO

    How clean code led to continuous cleaning - Ep 136

    What does it really mean to write clean code? And does it even matter if nobody uses your product? This week, Demi and Simon explore the tensions between readability, legacy codebases, and shipping something that works. Rolf brings 30+ years of perspective on why clean code is a mindset, not a rulebook, and Nadja shares how the Berlin chapter is tackling the AI wave. From code smells and SonarQube to WET feet and Uncle Bob, the community delivers. Plus: the glossary hits 550 terms, Moments go live mid-episode, and someone nearly gets away with saying the A-word. Join the TWiQ Chapter for updates.

    57 min
  2. Quality thinking and the role of epistemology - Ep 135

    15 MAY

    Quality thinking and the role of epistemology - Ep 135

    In this episode of This Week in Quality, host Simon Tomes is joined by Shawn Vernier and Ady Stokes to explore how epistemology – the philosophy of knowledge – shapes everyday testing and quality decisions. Drawing on questions from the MoTaverse community, they dig into what testers can really “know” about a system, how beliefs, assumptions, and evidence interact, and why the reliability of our information sources matters when we make risk calls. Alongside highlights from the wider community and events, the conversation connects abstract philosophical ideas with practical testing practices, encouraging listeners to rethink how they measure quality, interpret metrics, and navigate uncertainty in their work. Join the This Week in Quality Chapter today. A place to gather with quality people.

    59 min
  3. Too much vibe not enough quality wins - Ep 134

    8 MAY

    Too much vibe not enough quality wins - Ep 134

    Ady kicks things off with a reminder that we don’t celebrate ourselves enough, then invites everyone to share their weekly wins. Simon highlights two fresh Call for Insights launches (with Lauren Lassie and Gary Hawkes) and bigs up Rahul’s AI Guardrails masterclass. Ady shares his own wins: progress on book models using NotebookLM as a thinking partner, upcoming talks, and - massively - three Leeds chapter events scheduled, plus a shout-out fundraiser for assistance dogs. The community jumps in with their wins: Nadja’s agentic AI hackathon, Melissa’s “small wins” mindset, Louise’s nightmare bug caught before it hit production (all users accidentally had admin permissions!), Gary’s coaching journey + influencing teams around AI usage, and Ibekwe’s focused learning on OWASP API vulnerabilities.

    52 min
  4. I was absolutely right! But no one listened - Ep 133

    1 MAY

    I was absolutely right! But no one listened - Ep 133

    Co-hosts Simon and Oleksandr theme the episode around influencing without authority, inspired by Suzanne Abdurahman’s work on influence in the Software Quality Engineering Certificate and recent community conversations. They unpack what influence looks like day-to-day, why “being present” matters, and how to adapt your message to different stakeholders. The group also explores what happens when you’re right about a risk but nobody acts, why some stakeholders only “get it” after impact lands, and how to make your work visible through contributions on the Multiverse. The episode closes with advice for junior QAs on getting noticed, plus a rapid-fire discussion on the hardest stakeholders to influence.

    54 min
  5. You're absolutely right! I have a love hate relationship with AI - Ep 132

    24 APR

    You're absolutely right! I have a love hate relationship with AI - Ep 132

    Judy and Clare kick off “Hot Take TWIQ Day” with wins (mobile automation in the cloud!) and community joys (finding your “match” in the MoTaverse), before diving into spicy opinions: should old bugs be deleted or archived, why manual testing is still a creative superpower, and how AI changes the thinking required of quality professionals. As the conversation heats up, the group tackles whether developer AI agents actually accelerate delivery, why skepticism is a paid skill, and the uncomfortable truth that QA can advocate - but leadership controls the resources that make quality possible.

    55 min
  6. MoTaCon 24/7/404 - Ep 131

    17 APR

    MoTaCon 24/7/404 - Ep 131

    Diana drops out of the MoTaverse (and returns via incognito mode) just in time for a deep dive into MoTaCon: what it is, why the name matters, and how the lineup reflects the MoTaverse's shift from “testing-only” to a broader tech conference with quality at the core. Along the way, the hosts celebrate fresh SQEC-qualified members, explain how MoT profiles and year-round community participation shape who gets invited to contribute, and share ways to make the most of Pro membership - from attending MoTaCon (and related socials) to capturing learnings with Moments and meeting more people through challenges like the stamp sheet.

    59 min
  7. SQEC ready. Pair ready. Glossary ready - Ep 130

    10 APR

    SQEC ready. Pair ready. Glossary ready - Ep 130

    It’s a busy, energizing TWIQ: Natalia returns with fresh experiences from her new job, including tackling mobile testing, planning an accessibility audit, and levelling up her AI learning through the new AI chapter. Simon spotlights recent Call for Insights conversations, then announces the big milestone: the Software Quality Engineering Certificate is now fully live with all modules and the exam available. The chat and guests bring the community vibe, from job news and chapter celebrations to practical “how we work” topics like flaky tests, learning by pairing with developers, and using the glossary to align on what terms actually mean in different teams.

    51 min
  8. Joy Scrolling - Ep 129

    27 MAR

    Joy Scrolling - Ep 129

    In this episode of This Week in Quality (Friday 27 March 2026), Simon Tomes is joined by Judy Mosley for a joy-fuelled tour through what’s been lighting up the MoTaverse. They kick off with a relatable tester classic: time zones and daylight-saving bugs, including a behind-the-scenes nod to MoT’s own chapter scheduling whack-a-mole. Judy highlights an Observatory gem from Patrick Peirl’s on why context matters, especially when using AI, and Simon calls out Judy’s “A Day in the MoTaverse” video as a great example of showing others how to participate. They also celebrate Jessica Mosley’s arrival in the community, and Simon invites listeners to weigh in on a big SQEC conversation starter: how do you actually calculate the cost of a bug? The pair share more community sparks, from Helene’s painfully accurate “Is it in Dev yet?” meme, to reflections on AI-generated vs human-written test cases, to the growing Ask MoTaverse Anything trend and how imposter syndrome shows up (and can be worked through) when you put yourself out there. They then pivot into the week’s biggest theme: the MoTaverse isn’t doom-scrolling, it’s joy scrolling—a place designed to leave you more hopeful, more curious, and more connected than when you arrived. Later, Neil Younger joins to announce and champion the brand-new Engineering Leadership & Engineering Management chapter, sharing why it feels like “coming home” and why quality folks absolutely can become engineering managers. They wrap with shout-outs to Software Testing Live, playful “Thursday Night Live” banter, and a reminder that being “MoTawhelmed” by great community content is a genuinely good problem to have.

    52 min
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About

Stay up to date with the world of software testing, quality assurance, and quality engineering. This Week in Quality is your weekly podcast from the Ministry of Testing community, hosted by Simon Tomes and joined by testing professionals from across the MoTaverse. 🎙️ Tune in for thoughtful conversations, testing news, and community insights covering everything from QA trends to quality engineering practices. Whether you're a software tester, QA specialist, quality engineer or quality advocate, this welcoming space will help you stay informed and connected to the wider community. Join the live session every Friday or catch up on past episodes wherever you get your podcasts.

Information

  • Creator
    Ministry of Testing
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    78
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    This Week in Quality