Shows
Quality BitsEthics in Tech and Games with Catherine FlickHow can we know that the products we're building are going to make a positive impact on the world? Could it be that it's only good for people like us, but does harm to others? What can we as individuals do to improve the products we're building?In this season finale episode of Quality Bits, Lina talks to Catherine Flick, a Professor of Ethics and Games Technology at Staffordshire University. Tune in to learn some fascinating research and stories about ethics, tech, and... video games. Find Catherine on:Her website: https://liedra.n...2024-05-2844 minQuality BitsWhat We Can Learn from Deming about Building Great Products with John WillisHave you ever heard of W. Edwards Deming? What about... the Toyota way? Lean? DevOps?John Willis is one of the pioneers of the DevOps movement, and, has recently released a book "Deming's Journey to the Profound Knowledge". In this latest episode of Quality Bits you'll hear more about this book, and the ideas of Deming that we can still learn so much from when wanting to build high-quality products and teams.Find John on:His website: http://www.johnwillis.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnwillisatlanta/Mentions and...2024-05-1445 minQuality BitsUnlocking Potential: Accessibility in Products & Workplace with Azra TayyebiImagine the world with no sight. No hearing. No mobility. It's hard to comprehend how to navigate the world then. It's a reality for more people than we imagine. It also may have been or might be yours - there as well may be situational or temporary times in your life when you need a more accessible world. In this episode of Quality Bits, Lina talks to an accessibility consultant Azra Tayyebi. Tune in to learn more about accessibility, its misconceptions, where we all can improve, and how we can create not only more inclusive products but s...2024-04-3033 minQuality BitsTeam Glue & Why QA is a Tech Leadership Role with Vernon RichardsWhat does it mean to be a "team glue"? Why does it matter? Why QA should be positioned as a tech leadership role? Tune in the latest episode with the inspiring Vernon Richards to get the answers to these questions and so much more. Find Vernon on:His website: https://www.vernonrichards.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vernonrichards/X: https://twitter.com/TesterFromLeicMentions and resources:Tanya Reilly on Team Glue: https://noidea.dog/glue A conversation with Kanika Selvan (could not find yet her talk Pe...2024-04-1640 minQuality BitsContinuous Learning in a Busy World with Marie CruzLearning is essential, but... It's easy to fall into a learning fatigue. It can feel like one more thing in our already overflowing to-do list. To make matters more challenging, the number of online resources to learn from is growing daily. Marie Cruz is a Senior Developer Advocate: her job is to learn and share what she has learned. In this episode, Lina talks to Marie about creating the habit of continuous learning in this busy world. You'll get a chance to learn from some of the best Marie's tips and resources on approaching your learning journeys...2024-04-0235 minQuality BitsTesting Better: Breaking Down E2E tests with Bas DijkstraAutomated E2E (end-to-end) tests frequently are the first thing companies introduce trying to reduce the efforts of manual testing: "There's this big manual testing regression suite, so why don't we automate it? Right? ... Right?"Well, Bas Dijkstra thinks otherwise. In this episode, we'll talk about automating the right things instead, and, why E2E tests are not always the best idea. You'll hear about test models, test ownership, and where to start when you want to learn more about automation in a bit less common way than most of testing courses recommend.Find...2024-03-1941 minQuality BitsModern Testing with Alan PageMore and more software delivery teams embrace the whole team quality approach. Where does testing fit into that? Modern testing principles are there to help to understand what the industry is moving towards. In this episode, Lina talks to Alan Page - one of the creators of modern testing principles. He's an avid blogger who has quite a few opinions on better software delivery. Tune into this episode to learn more about how modern testing principles can help to embrace the whole team quality approach, and more. Find Alan on:His website...2024-03-0544 minQuality BitsThe Art of Persuasion with Thomas ShipleyEver been in a situation where you're trying to make a point to someone and as much as you try to phrase it differently, it just does not go through? On the other side, have you ever had someone approach you and despite you first having the opposing point of view, they quickly convince you otherwise? Those are the persuasion skills in action. After hearing Thomas Shipley's talk on persuasion, Lina talks to him about it in this episode. Tune in to learn more about 3 Ps of persuasion, in which situations you could benefit from those skills, a...2024-02-2036 minQuality BitsInternationalization: Building Globally Aware Products with Chen Hui JingAs of February, 2024, English is the most popular language for web content. The world is not only people who speak English, though. If we do not make the content and products in other languages, how can people even know that it exists and benefit from it? In this episode of Quality Bits, Lina talks to Chen Hui Jing, a front-end developer passionate about internationalization. Tune in to learn how internationalization differs from localization, why it matters, what fairly low effort things we can do to build more inclusive and diverse products and web, and more.2024-02-0636 minQuality BitsDevOps Ideology & Testing in DevOps with Jani HaapalaWhat is DevOps? Is it just continuous releases and speed? How do we test in teams embracing DevOps? Jani Haapala is a DevOps Architect with a Quality Consultant title. In this episode, Lina talks to Jani about that fluffy word of "DevOps", the misconceptions about it, and testing in DevOps. You'll learn more about the concept, get some stories on what good quality there looks like, and gather further resources to deepen your knowledge.Find Jani on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janihaapala/Mentions and resources:Dan A...2024-01-2334 minQuality BitsBeyond Testers: Rethinking Quality in Software Development with Elisabeth HendricksonDoes a separate QA department help or hurdle the company's road towards quality? What about people having titles with "quality" in it: does it aid to drive change in the company or the opposite? Can there be a high-quality product without dedicated testers?In this episode of Quality Bits, Lina talks to the author of "Explore it!" Elisabeth Hendrickson. They debunk many myths of what a high-quality product development and testing actually is. Tune in to hear more about why testers may be on a verge of a role revolution, the power of a whole team testing...2024-01-0947 minQuality BitsLearning Culture, Collaboration, and Experiments with Andrei BechetIn this episode of the Quality Bits podcast, Lina interviews Andrei Bechet, a Senior Software Engineer at Personio. You will learn about experiments, driving change, and the power of learning cultures with Andrei. You'll also hear why chasing titles isn't the key to career growth - and what to do instead. Tune in to learn the secrets of collaboration, self-reflection, and finding the right mentors for your journey.Find Andrei on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreibechet/Mentions and resources:Simon Sinek's podcast: https://simonsinek.com/podcast/St...2023-12-2644 minQuality BitsOn Burnout with a Psychologist in Tech Antonela MandicAntonela Mandic is a psychologist who has been working in tech as well as a team coach. In this episode of Quality Bits, Antonela not only shares the parallels between pscyhology and some tech concepts like agile, but also opens up about burnout she has gone through herself.Tune in to hear more about:What burnout isThe road to recoverySteps you can take to prevent it... and so much more :)Find Antonela on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonelamm/Mentions and resources:FRIED - the burnout podcast: ht...2023-12-1237 minQuality BitsPerformance Testing with Nicole van der HoevenPerformance testing for many people in tech is a daunting task: there's an overwhelming amount of tools, frameworks, or even different types of performance testing. Where can we start? Is it all about faster applications? Are there ever cases where speed takes a back seat?This episode's guest Nicole van der Hoeven is a Senior Developer Advocate at Grafana Labs. With over 10 years of experience in software development and a focus on performance testing, Nicole has plenty of full of learnings stories to share about performance testing (and not only). In this episode, you'll learn more about...2023-11-2834 minQuality BitsMovember Edition: Men's Mental Health with Shey CromptonIn the light of Movember (a movement that aims to raise awareness about men's health, including mental health and suicide prevention) and international men's day (did you know about that?), this is a special, vulnerable, and essential episode about men's mental health. In this episode, Lina talks to Shey Crompton - a Senior Quality Manager at easyJet and the managing director of the St. Neots Man Cave in the UK - a men's mental health charity. Lina and Shey explore the concept of Movember, the societal expectations placed on men, and much more. Tune in to learn...2023-11-1443 minQuality BitsGeneric Design for Diverse Environments with Joe CooperDHIS2 is an open-source health system used in many countries. It's known for it's generic architecture and high customisability. How do you have a generic design for diverse environments and build a product that helps save lives? This episode's guest Joe Cooper is a designer working there for more than 7 years. We discuss the challenges of designing what actually matters, user satisfaction and user involvement, and humbling moments of realizing that our assumptions are wrong. As Joe notes in the episode: "I'm proud of not letting a design ego override important decisions. Sometimes that results in screenshots t...2023-10-3135 minQuality BitsMoney Value of Quality with Valentin RanshakovDo you think of money when you talk about quality? Is money vs. quality the same as speed vs. quality? How can we leverage the knowledge about money matters when talking about product quality?This episode's guest Valentin Ranshakov, a QA expert at SAP Signavio, shares many interesting ideas about money and quality trade-offs, including when it does not make sense to concentrate on money. Find Valentin on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valenso/Mentions and resources:Lina's article "How to get that bug fixed": https://qualitybits...2023-10-1744 minQuality BitsNavigating Through Layoffs and Change with April JohnsonLaid off? Or know someone who was? How do you navigate it or help someone navigate it?In this episode of Quality Bits, Lina talks to April Johnson, a change manager who recently experienced a layoff. April shares her experience and offers advice for others going through a similar situation. You'll learn about the importance of reaching out to your network, the power of community, taking care of yourself, and being open to new opportunities. Find April on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/apriljohnson/Mentions and resources:...2023-10-0341 minQuality BitsAPI Testing with Callum Akehurst-RyanAPIs - what are they? What should we keep in mind when testing an API? What are the benefits of API testing over UI testing?This episode's guest is Callum Akehurtst-Ryan, a principal test engineer at Chetwood Finance, who is on a mission to educate more testers (and not only) about APIs and their testing. Not only you're going to learn what APIs are, how to test them, or where to start, but also hear Lina and Callum discuss the terms technical vs. non-technical. If API testing sounds like a challenge, then this episode will help you...2023-09-1938 minQuality BitsFinding your WHY with Dr. Rochelle CarrDo you remember your childhood dreams? What did you want to be when you grew up? How did you imagine your life? Dr. Rochelle Carr is a coach and speaker on a mission to shift people's lives and encourage them to rediscover their why: the guiding light purpose which sparks joy in whatever we do. In this episode, Lina talks to Dr. Rochelle about finding your why, escaping society's "mold" on who we should be, drafting an "exit plan," and learning from failures. Find Dr. Rochelle on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com...2023-09-0544 minQuality BitsEffective 1-on-1s with Farai MadzimaWhat makes an effective 1-on-1? What are the key aspects of valuable 1-on-1s? Is there a difference between a leader and a manager? Why does the language we use matter?Tune in to this episode to learn more from Farai Madzima. Farai is a people leader who challenges our misconceptions about 1-on-1s and shares valuable tips on making these meetings much more helpful. In addition, during the conversation, Lina used the word "superior" instead of "supervisor" or "manager," and that sparked some interesting discussions on the significance of the language and different cultures people come...2023-05-2944 minQuality BitsUX Research with Greta RuskieneUser experience (UX) research is a field that can help us prevent issues before they take place. Greta Ruskiene knows this first-hand: she used to work as a QA and made a career shift to UX with time.In this episode, we discuss UX research, the art of question-asking, and how frequently, even when we truly believe we know our users, we may not. Find Greta on:- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greta-ru%C5%A1kien%C4%97-53183a55/Mentions and resources:WomenGoTech mentoring program...2023-05-1535 minQuality BitsObservability, Monitoring, and Platform Engineering with Abigail BangserWhat's the difference between observability and monitoring? What's a telemetry? Why do they matter, and how could we use them more beneficially? Abby Bangser shares her journey from a QA to a platform engineer in this episode. We discuss the similarities between testing and infrastructure-related areas like site reliability engineering. In addition, Abby explains observability and shares some sound advice regarding implementing it.Find Abby on:- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbybangser/- Mastodon: https://hachyderm.io/@abangser- Twitter: https://twitter.com/a_bangser...2023-05-0140 minQuality BitsData Advocacy, Machine Learning Testing, and Data Teams with Aurimas GriciunasWith over a decade in data-related roles, working with Data Science, Data Engineering, Machine Learning, and MLOps Engineering, Aurimas Griciūnas is a great role model for many people wanting to learn more about data. The author of the SwirlAI newsletter with over 7000 subscribers, Aurimas' posts with visuals explaining data have reached many more people on LinkedIn.In this episode, Aurimas shares valuable insights about what working with data means. Is it just a trend to be data-driven, or, a reality? Are all the data products big data products? Who and how should help define good business s...2023-04-1742 minQuality Bits10x Teams with Dan AbelWe've all worked with "heroes," great professionals who frequently "save the day" in the company. What if we'd instead prevent the day from needing the saving altogether? Dan Abel believes in 10x teams rather than 10x engineers. Listen to this episode to learn more about it and what aspects to concentrate on when setting up the teams for success.Find Dan on:- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-abel/- Twitter: https://twitter.com/twicezer0- Dan's 10x Teams website: https://ten-x.team- Dan's blog: https://engineeringandcareering...2023-04-0345 minQuality BitsContract Testing with Lewis PrescottIt's no surprise that this episode's guest Lewis Prescott has a website called "pactman". Pact is a popular contract testing tool, and Lewis is indeed a man who can tell quite a bit about Pact and contract testing. In this conversation, you'll learn more about contract testing, its benefits, misconceptions, and where to start. Find Lewis on:- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lewis-prescott-12409a44/- Twitter: https://twitter.com/WuigPrescott- Lewis' website: https://www.pactman.co.uk/Mentions and resources:Spotify Testing Honeycomb model: h...2023-03-2034 minQuality BitsRadical Candor: Effective Feedback and Helping People We Work with Shine with Amy SandlerAmy Sandler is a lead coach and podcast host at Radical Candor. Most of the people in tech (and not only) know the Radical Candor framework and its bestselling book. In this story-fuelled podcast episode, you'll learn what the Radical Candor framework is, why dreams matter, what communication mistakes we make and how to avoid them, and how to give effective feedback and help people we work with shine.Find Amy on:- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amysandler/- Twitter: https://twitter.com/amysandler- Amy's Website: https://www.amysandler...2023-03-0647 minQuality BitsSecurity Engineering with Aleksandra KorneckaAleksandra Kornecka turned from a QA into a Security Engineer. In this episode, Lina talks to Aleksandra to learn more about this switch, the importance of security, and its parallels with quality. You'll learn about threat modeling, where to start when learning more about security, and so much more, including some anecdotes referencing the most famous hacker in pop culture - Mr. Robot.Find Aleksandra on:- Her Website: https://aleksandrakornecka.com/- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleksandrakornecka/Mentions and resources:Elevation of privilege: https://github...2023-02-2040 min
The Product ExperienceMaking quality products - Lina Zubyte on The Product ExperienceWhat are the keys to making a quality product for quality customers? There was no one better to talk with than Lina Zubyte, Head of Quality, at Doodle AG to discuss this. Jump into this quality conversation in this weeks' podcast episode. Featured Links: Follow Lina on LinkedIn and Twitter | Quality Bits | 'What is quality?' article Our HostsLily Smith enjoys working as a consultant product manager with early-stage and growing startups and as a mentor to other product managers. She’s currently Chief Product Officer at BBC...2023-02-0838 min