Engineering Quality

In this episode of Engineering Quality, Veronika, Ale, and Royalee explore one of the most challenging and most important skills in engineering, leadership, and life: learning how to say “no”. From project requests and career opportunities to team commitments and personal responsibilities, it's easy to fall into the habit of saying yes to everything. But what happens when every “yes” comes at...

In this episode of Engineering Quality, Veronika, Ale, and Royalee are joined by developer experience leader and quality advocate Ashley Hunsberger to explore the connection between developer wellbeing, psychological safety, and software quality. Ashley shares her journey from manual tester to Director of Developer Experience, and explains why creating great engineering teams is about much more th...

In this episode of Engineering Quality, Veronika, Ale, and Royalee are joined by testing leader and industry veteran Keith Klain to challenge one of the most persistent misconceptions in tech: that quality is owned by testing. With over 25 years of experience leading global testing organizations, Keith shares a candid and deeply practical perspective on what testing really is—and what it isn’t. Th...

In this episode of Engineering Quality, Veronika, Ale, and Royalee are joined by accessibility leader and advocate Crystal Preston-Watson to explore why accessibility is not an afterthought but a fundamental part of software quality. Together, they unpack how accessibility often gets deprioritized in organizations, why it’s frequently treated as a “nice-to-have,” and what it actually takes to embe...

In this episode of Engineering Quality, Veronika, Ale, and Royalee are joined by renowned agile testing expert Janet Gregory to explore what it really takes to build a strong quality culture in modern engineering teams. Together, they unpack the realities of consulting in different organizations, how to assess quality culture, and why testing is often misunderstood as the problem instead of a symp...

In this episode of Engineering Quality, Veronika, Ale, and Royalee explore what productivity really means in engineering and why being busy doesn’t always mean being effective. Together, they unpack the myths around multitasking, discuss the impact of constant context switching, and share practical strategies for protecting focus in a world full of meetings, notifications, and competing priorities...

In this episode of Engineering Quality, we’re joined by two influential voices in the quality community: Anne-Marie Charrett, author of The Quality Coach’s Handbook, and Fiona Charles, founder of Quality Intelligence. Anne-Marie shares insights from her experience as a quality coach, explaining how the role differs from traditional testing and why quality is ultimately a leadership responsibility....

In this episode of Engineering Quality, we sit down with Ali Feldman, a seasoned tech recruiter with experience across engineering, product, and leadership roles. Ali shares her insights on the evolving tech job market, how candidates can stand out, and practical strategies for navigating recruiting challenges in today’s competitive landscape. We discuss: Current trends shaping tech recruiting, in...

In this episode of Engineering Quality, we’re joined by Shaquanna Brown, an experienced Agile coach and BizOps leader, to explore the connection between Agile maturity, team alignment, and software quality. Shaquanna shares her insights from leading Agile transformations and helping organizations embed quality as a shared responsibility. We discuss: How Agile maturity correlates with sustainable,...

We’re kicking off Season 2 of Engineering Quality with a very special guest - Lisa Crispin, a true pioneer in agile testing and one of the most influential voices in the quality engineering community. In this episode, Lisa joins Ale, Veronika, and Royalee to explore holistic testing - an approach that goes beyond “testing early” and looks at quality across the entire software development lifecycle...

In this episode, we dive into the topic of tech layoffs and their wide-reaching impact on individuals, teams, and software quality. We explore why companies downsize, how layoffs are typically handled, and what the experience is like for those affected. We also discuss the aftermath: shifting team dynamics, the toll on morale, and how leaders can respond with empathy. Finally, we share practical t...

In this episode, we explore the concept of quality leadership and how it goes beyond traditional testing roles. Quality leadership impacts the entire product lifecycle by driving continuous improvement and ensuring that quality is embedded from the start. We discuss the essential traits of effective quality leaders, such as strong communication, empathy, and technical expertise, and how these qual...

In this episode of Engineering Quality, we explore essential testing strategies for software engineers, focusing on shift-left testing and the automation pyramid. We break down what it means to shift testing earlier in the development process, how engineers can integrate quality into their workflows, and the role of different types of automated tests. You'll learn: How shifting testing left im...

Regression testing is one of the pillars of software quality, ensuring that new changes don’t break existing functionality. In this episode, we break down what regression testing is, why it’s crucial, and where it fits into a broader testing strategy. We explore real-world scenarios where regression testing is essential, from bug fixes to feature updates, integrations, and system changes. There’s...

In this episode, we dive into Continuous Integration (CI) and the crucial role testing plays in the process. We break down different environments—local, development, testing, staging, and production—exploring how CI helps streamline code integration, catch issues early, and improve development efficiency. We also discuss popular CI tools like GitHub Actions, CircleCI, and Jenkins, highlighting the...

In this episode, we explore the key roles of mentorship, coaching, and sponsorship and how they can accelerate your career in engineering. We break down the differences between mentors, who provide long-term guidance, and coaches, who focus on improving specific skills or achieving certain goals. We also discuss the often-overlooked role of sponsorship, where influential advocates help propel your...

In part 2 of our two-part series on careers in testing, we explore key topics like manual vs. automated testing, mentorship, and the future of the testing profession.  We discuss the role of automation as a tool, not a separate career path, and the evolving skills testers need to stay relevant. We also dive into common myths about testing, such as the misconception that testing is easy or that aut...

In this first episode of a two-part series, we share our personal journeys into software testing, debunking common misconceptions about the field. We discuss how we got started, why we chose testing and the unique opportunities it offers. Whether you're already in testing or considering it as a career, this episode provides insights into the path and impact of a career in testing. Stay tuned f...

In this episode of Engineering Quality Podcast, we dive into incident management—what it is, why it matters, and how to handle it effectively. We cover: Incident severity and responses. Testers’ role in incident management. Learning through postmortems. Tools and strategies like on-call rotations and pre-mortems. Whether you're looking to refine your incident response processes or understand how t...

In this episode of Engineering Quality, we dive into one of the most transformative topics in the software world: Artificial Intelligence in testing. We explore the history of technological advancements in testing, the role AI is playing today, and its potential to revolutionize the field. From writing test scripts and refining strategies to predicting bugs and enhancing test coverage, we share ou...

In our debut episode, get to know us - Ale, Royalee, and Veronika - your hosts bringing over 40 years of experience in software testing and engineering. Learn about our journeys, passions, and the inspiration behind this podcast. Plus, enjoy fun icebreakers and a sneak peek at the exciting topics ahead. Join us as we kick off Engineering Quality—your new go-to for all things software quality! 🎙️ F...

In this episode of Engineering Quality, we explore the distinction between testing as a professional role and testing as a collaborative activity in software development. We break down the contributions of engineers, designers, product owners, and testers to the testing process, highlighting the unique expertise testers bring to foster a culture of quality. Hear real-life stories, practical tips,...

Join us as we explore the role of quality in software engineering, practical tips for improving testing, automation, and processes, insights from e-commerce, ad-tech, and education industries, and why quality is everyone’s responsibility—not just testers!