The Evil Tester Show - Software Testing and Development with Attitude

A joint episode with the Tech League podcast. A Super Group podcast team up. Alan Richardson speaks to Toby Sears and Krisztian Fischer about AI and Testing. This episode is also available as a YouTube video on the Tech League channel, full details in the full show notes link.

This podcast episode is a chat with Dragan Spiridonov who created the Agentic QE fleet. Agentic AI for Quality Engineering. It can work with code, or websites. We will explore Agentic AI, what it means, and how to use it to improve your Software Development and Testing. Also introduce the Agentic QE Fleet and how it augments Claude Code and Claude Flow. We cover: - Introduce Dragan Spiridonov and...

Based on my experience with AI, am I optimistic or pessimistic. I gain huge value from AI during development, but have I managed the same in Testing? And how will the Tester role change, what do we need to do to adapt? I look forward to learning more and describe my next steps. 00:00 - Introduction: Am I an AI Optimist or Pessimist? 02:16 - AI, Jobs, and Management Excuses 06:33 - How AI Changes O...

The answers given during a Browserstack Community AMA session held on Discord on the 11th of December 2025, following a live LinkedIn video stream. The session focused on "Mastering Automatability for Test Automation". The main theme is the concept of Automatability, which I view as the ability to automate , this personal skill is more critical than reliance on specific tools. The discussion cover...

Should you use AI to help you migrate test automation code? And what should you actually migrate, the tests coverage hasn't changed. In this episode we discus show abstractions and AI can be used to migrate... and discuss when you shouldn't. Welcome to The Evil Tester Show! In this episode, host Alan Richardson dives into the complex world of test automation migrations. Have you ever wondered what...

Should you have an online portfolio showcasing your Software Development and Testing skills to help get a job? It really depends on the recruitment process. But... if I'm recruiting, and you have a profile then I will have looked at it. So it better be good. Most Software Developers and Testers don't have public portfolios so that means you can really stand out. We'll cover the difference between...

Software Testing deserves respect. Doesn't it? But so does every role in Software Development: managers, testers, QA, programmers, Product, Everyone. This is for you. Ever feel like you’re not getting the respect that you deserve in your job? This episode dives deep into the topic of Respect in tech, especially focusing on software testing versus programming. We look at why some roles seem to earn...

Software Testing typically confuses a Test Strategy Document with the process of strategising. Alan Richardson simplifies the over complicated world of test strategy. Drawing on years of experience creating test strategies and plans, Alan explains the real difference between strategy, approach, and plan. Explaining that what really matters isn’t following templates or writing elaborate documents,...

Are you trying to figure out how to break into the software testing job market or make your next big move? This episode of the Evil Tester Show dives deep into the realities of tech recruitment, job search strategies, and career planning for testers - with recruitment veteran Jack Cole from WEDOTech.uk - Whether you're an experienced Test manager, expert Tester, junior QA or even a programmer, Jac...

Software Testing is a skill and like all skills require practice, that's what makes you a practitioner of Software Testing. In this episode we're diving into the world of practice with the James Lyndsay. In this conversation, your host Alan Richardson chats with James about the essence of practice in software testing, exploring how exercises and real-world scenarios can enrich our skills. James sh...

Effective Software Testing is highly contextual: we adapt what we do to the project and the process. In this episode of The Evil Tester Show, host Alan Richardson describes context-driven testing. Is there really such a thing as context-driven testing, or is it just a phrase we use to describe our testing approach? Alan explores the intricacies of context in testing, discussing its evolving nature...

Software Testing and Development professionals often mention the Test Automation pyramid when describing Test Autoamtion. Let's do a deep dive and explore what that means. This episode covers the Test Automation Pyramid, created by Mike Cohen in 2008-2009 in the book "Succeeding With Agile". We will go beyond the diagram and look at the model that supports it. Then deep dive into the model to expl...

Software Testing is often taught with a focus on Test Cases and Test Scripts. But this is the 2025, we don't test like it's 1984 any more. Let's revisit how we model testing and create a more effective test process. The most common Testing Entities that I've encountered over the years are: Test Condition Test Scenario Test Case Test Script In my Testing I pretty much now have: Test Idea Test Log (...

Software Testing often looks at the exactitude of language. We look for ambiguity in Software Requirements, we find gaps in Specifications, so it's no wonder we explore the use of terms and definitions in our own Software Testing craft. Top 3 Phrases that should carry trigger warnings for the Test Community: - Manual Testing - Test Automation - Quality Assurance In this episode I'm going to talk a...

Software Testing is going through a time of change. This episode explores how we can adapt. Manual QA is dead. Companies are getting rid of their QA teams. Quality Control performed manually is phasing out of style. What can we do instead? Become coaches, assistants or advisors? We could become developers? Or we could be better testers. QA and Quality Control is not Testing. This might be how peop...

Software Testing is highly contextual and requires flexibility in our approach and thinking. But we are only human and sometimes we have beliefs and biases that limit our approach. In episode 16 of The Eviltester Show we are looking at Test Automation Biases, what they are, how to avoid them, and how to evaluate your own biases. 00:00 What is an Automation Bias? 00:29 Treat all opinions as biased...

Software Testing is often a proprietary process where we never share how we are doing it. Governmens are an exception because they make public a lot of documents explaining what they do and how they do it. In this episode we have a discussion of a UK government guide to exploratory testing. https://www.gov.uk/service-manual/technology/exploratory-testing The aim is not to criticise the document, t...

Software Testing is a hard activity to recruit for,.Recruiting Testers is hard. What we want to do is minimise the friction and barriers. In this podcast I'll share some tips on what has worked for me in the past. - remove as much ambiguity from your job spec as possible   - someone like me, will read 'the worst' into your ambiguity - send clear messages, not mixed messages, in the job spec - help...

What can someone in Software Testing do to improve their chances of getting a job? That's what we consider in Episode 013 of The Evil Tester Show covers "How To Get a Job in Software Testing". - Getting a Job is different from Doing the Job - Persistence is key to getting a job - Build an online portfolio on LinkedIn - Apply for jobs slightly out of reach - Amend your CV for each job that you real...

Ever wanted to talk at a Software Testing conference? Or even just be effective when you present over Zoom. This episode is for you. More and more conferences are going online. Speakers will have to adapt. In this post I outline some recommendations based on years of online video, webinar and course creation. If you only want the summary then... - Presenting online over video is different. - Pract...

Software Testing often doesn't get the respect it deserves so people wonder if a career in Software Testing is worth it. I do receive a lot of emails asking which way should people focus their career - Testing? Programming? Automating? And that's what I cover in this podcast. Points: - we should not have to think like this - But - we need to get a job - Getting a job is different from "What should...

Software Testing is not the same as Test Automation. But so many people seem to think so. I receive a lot of concerned emails and messages from testers. People concerned that their testing skills will not be enough to keep them in work and that the future revolves around automation which they don't know how to do. No programming experience. And should they learn API or UI? What programming languag...

Software Testing can be seen as the art of asking questions to Software. So we have to learn how to ask effective and targeted questions. That's the focus of this episode. "Why?" is an incredibly popular question. I think it has problems. I try to avoid it when I'm consulting. In this show we will examine "Why?" and under what circumstances I do use it. "Why?" is almost a default question because...

What is Software Testing?   A Hard Question. But many people want easy answers. In this episode we look at:   - popular definitions for interview answers - how definitions can help - definitions are models - your definition will change, and should change over time - my working definition, how it changes and how it helps me     Show notes: https://eviltester.com/show/008-what-is-testing/

When I'm Software Testing I use tools. We all do, even if it is just a keyboard and mouse. But we need specialised Software Testing tools to help us interact with systems fully. In this episode we look at how to choose the best test tool for the job. Have you ever built a tool list? Yes? Me too. I don't any more. And in this show I explain why, and what I do instead.   Show notes are over on: http...