Ready, Test, Go. — The Podcast on Software Quality and Digital Experiences

Many technology leaders view data quality as purely an IT issue, which leads to fragmentation and siloed efforts. The challenge lies the lack of organizational alignment and clear, human-centric data intelligence. In this episode, Roberto Maranca, data excellence practitioner and author of Data Excellence: How Data Leadership Can Drive Stronger Organizational Performance joins us to reframe data g...

Testing teaches us to look for hidden assumptions and treat failure as valuable information. But when the standard for professional quality is high, the friction of everyday life can feel like a series of critical defects. Without the right framework, these "bugs" lead to emotional burnout and strained relationships rather than insight. In this episode, Alison McGuigan, Director of Enterprise Qual...

Automation is at the core of modern software delivery, enabling enterprises to surface risk earlier and operate with greater speed. That means everything from developer-native security to AI-assisted code generation. However, increased activity and scale do not guarantee quality or confidence. As AI accelerates code production, the risk landscape expands, raising questions about accountability and...

The era of AI-assisted development is here. The rise of vibe coding puts an emphasis on speed and instant code generation. But, at what cost? While this lowers the barrier to entry, it also introduces substantial risk. A singular focus on velocity can undermine the fundamentals of sound software engineering, leading to quality issues when crucial practices like accountability and explainability ar...

Many organizations are struggling to balance rapid innovation with high-quality user experiences. From inaccessible interfaces to the "black labyrinth" of generative AI, professionals face the daunting task of building products that are functional, ethical and inclusive. In this "Best of 2025" episode, host David Carty highlights key insights from a prestigious group of experts. The discussion spa...

Inclusive design and accessibility research are reshaping how teams define software quality — and the benefits are both strategic and altruistic. Accessibility research expert Jamila Evilsizor joins us on this episode of the Ready, Test, Go. podcast to explore why real user voices matter more than guidelines when building reliable digital experiences. Jamila shares how first-hand accessibility res...

Agile testing pioneer Lisa Crispin joins the Ready, Test, Go. podcast brought to you by Applause to unpack holistic testing, whole-team quality and how to build reliable digital experiences at scale. Lisa is an independent consultant, co-founder of the Agile Testing Fellowship with Janet Gregory, and co-author of Holistic Testing: Weave Quality Into Your Product . Some software quality insights fr...

Sandy Pentland, Senior Research Fellow at Stanford HAI, discusses how innovators are grappling with the societal impact of technology, the challenges of creating reliable products in a world driven by narratives and the concept of abductive reasoning in validating AI applications. Pentland also introduces the Four Horsemen of Social Failure and practices to mitigate AI risks. About the guest: Alex...

Listen as William Reuschel, Inclusive Design Practice Lead at Applause, joins the podcast. He digs into the critical importance of inclusive design, exploring how it transcends compliance to become a significant competitive advantage and catalyst for innovation. He also discusses what differentiates companies that prioritize accessibility from those that view it solely as a legal risk, especially...

Many product teams focus on the largest group of users, but what if the key to your product's growth lies in the hands of the “lizard users,” the small segment of users who go against the grain and interact with your system in unexpected ways? It's a truth that many successful products stumble upon success by what feels like serendipity — but it doesn't have to be random. In this episode, software...

The rapid advancement of AI is fundamentally reshaping how businesses operate and experiment, promising unprecedented productivity gains and new avenues for growth. However, for many organizations, the path to widespread, aggressive enterprise AI adoption remains fraught with challenges, from navigating technical complexities to establishing robust governance and data quality strategies. Businesse...

Organizations across all sectors are increasingly exploring with and implementing artificial intelligence, with significant opportunities and complex challenges abound. How should organizations deal with the concerning ethical considerations and the potential for unintended consequences? How can they minimize risk and help ensure that AI systems are developed and deployed responsibly? In this epis...

Brands are increasingly recognizing the potential of AR and VR technologies to create immersive experiences that captivate and engage consumers. However, navigating the complexities of these technologies and their implementation presents significant challenges, including device fragmentation, environmental considerations and high consumer expectations. Fostering high quality across these diverse p...

As organizations face increasing pressure to release quickly, launches often comes at the expense of thorough testing. Blind spots in the development process can result in costly errors and a diminished user experience, yet teams often fail to achieve alignment around software testing priorities. Michael Bolton, a renowned expert in software testing, discusses the evolution of digital quality. He...

AI's rapid advancement across industries is undeniable, but what about its potential to understand and influence human behavior? Where is the ethical line as businesses fight tooth and nail to gain a competitive edge. Sandra Matz, a computational social scientist and professor, joins the podcast to dig into the nuances of AI's persuasive capabilities and the ethical considerations surrounding its...

The digital divide between the Global North and the Global South is a growing concern for technology companies and enthusiasts. This divide is particularly evident in how technology is viewed and used, as well as the role it plays in our culture. In this episode, Payal Arora, professor of inclusive AI cultures at Utrecht University, discusses the importance of optimism in the Global South and how...

Generative AI is rapidly changing the way we design and develop applications. But, to create truly effective and engaging enterprise Gen AI-infused solutions, we need to prioritize usability and functional quality. In this episode, Richard H. Miller, a technology advisor, coach and author of the book, UX for Enterprise ChatGPT Solutions, provides some practical guidance for enterprises. Reflecting...

The rise of generative AI and large language models created a frenzy of excitement and apprehension. Organizations are eager to harness the potential of AI but face challenges in navigating the hype and establishing realistic expectations for implementation. Many struggle to identify practical use cases and measure the true impact of AI on their business. In this episode, Ben Van Roo provides a gr...

A few brief moments can make or break your customer experience. Friction, failures and blind spots in the customer journey can undermine even the best digital products. When harnessed and implemented correctly, a data-driven, customer-centric approach can uncover issues that lead to churn. In this episode, Todd Unger, Chief Experience Officer at the American Medical Association, digs into the nuan...

Digital transformation in healthcare promises improved patient outcomes and streamlined services. But the pace of innovation currently lags behind its potential, slowed by regulatory challenges, a complex healthcare ecosystem and safety concerns. Yet the need for high-quality, consumer-centric digital health solutions is more critical than ever. In this episode, Dr. Liz Kwo explains why a digital...

Media companies have thrust themselves headlong into the subscription management business as a means of achieving and maintaining profitability. But that approach hasn’t been without its challenges, as everything from the adoption model to revenue streams and subscriber expectations have changed dramatically over the last 10 years. Stewart Frey, a media technology and solutions leader, joins us to...

Businesses face a critical task in maintaining ethical data practices in the midst of our AI revolution. How can we avoid putting the biases and harms of yesterday into overdrive with bad data that fuels prejudiced AI decisions? Jason Mills of Snowflake joins the podcast to talk about the challenges of reducing bias, ensuring data diversity and the essential role of audits and transparency in crea...

The future of AI is being written every day. Data scientists and engineers must weigh the potential advantages of AI adoption against its considerable risks when applied insufficiently or recklessly. In this episode from Open Data Science Conference East 2024 in Boston, Josh Poduska of Applause reflects on key insights gleaned from the show, including the emergence of AI as a dominant force in dat...

The rapid pace of AI evolution and the rush to use it as a business differentiator challenges ethics-minded engineers to act quickly and decisively to enforce substantive change. In this podcast episode from ODSC East in Boston, Rishu Gandhi of Wells Fargo discusses some of the challenges in building AI-infused digital products, including integrating Responsible AI into business and development pr...

Humans use digital products. While AI and automation have made great strides in the last few years in accelerating tasks that people would otherwise manage, the human perspective is just as important as ever in building and validating digital products. In a job market that seems to increasingly devalue that human perspective, some QA professionals argue it’s time to reprioritize the power of peopl...