In this episode of the Vernon Richard Show, Richard and Vernon discuss the challenges and opportunities in coaching software engineers on quality engineering. They explore personal updates, family dynamics, and the importance of perspective in quality and risk management. The conversation delves into the significance of code quality, effective communication, and the role of engineers in ensuring quality. They also touch on the need for hands-on learning and practical application in quality engin...
Jul 21, 2025•54 min•Ep. 26
In this episode of the Vernon Richard Show, Richard and Vernon discuss the growth plans for testers in test automation, focusing on the importance of coding skills, exploratory testing, and the balance between generalist and specialist roles. They explore the need for measurable targets in personal development plans and the significance of understanding the context of problems in software development. The conversation also touches on the impact of AI on software engineering and the necessity for...
Jul 01, 2025•57 min•Ep. 25
In this episode of the Vernon Richard Show, the hosts discuss the significance of social media and community interaction in the software testing field. They explore how social media has evolved, the importance of content creation, and the balance between personal goals and professional networking. The conversation also touches on their favorite podcasts and books, as well as future directions for their own show. 06:10 - Olly Fairhall Olly's LinkedIn Olly's Bluesky 11:27 - Chris Armstrong Chris's...
Jun 17, 2025•1 hr•Ep. 24
In this episode of the Vernon Richard Show, Vernon and Richard discuss various topics, including personal updates, mental health, the role of gatekeeping in quality assurance, mentoring experiences, and effective onboarding strategies. They emphasise the importance of community support, advocating for mental health awareness, and the nuances of being a gatekeeper in professional settings. The conversation also delves into the dynamics of mentoring, the significance of setting clear goals, and th...
Jun 09, 2025•57 min•Ep. 23
Summary In this engaging conversation, Vernon and Richard celebrate Liverpool's recent football victory while seamlessly transitioning into a discussion about automation in testing. They explore the definitions of automation, the importance of having a unified codebase for tests, and the challenges of choosing the right programming language for testing tools. The duo emphasizes the significance of collaboration between developers and testers, the need for regular review of tests, and the impact ...
Jun 02, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 22
In this episode, Richard and Vernon discuss various aspects of job stability in the tech industry post-pandemic, the impact of innovation on job longevity, and the dynamics of accidental management. They explore the changing landscape of tech roles, the importance of ratios between developers and testers in projects, and the evolving nature of go/no-go decisions in software releases. The conversation emphasizes the need for clear metrics and standards to facilitate smoother decision-making proce...
Apr 28, 2025•57 min•Ep. 21
In this episode of the Vernon Richard Show, Richard and Vernon delve into the intricacies of career journeys in software testing, discussing the significance of job titles, the importance of positioning oneself within a role, and the challenges faced in consulting. They explore how to define one's role and impact, navigate client expectations, and the evolution of job descriptions in the tech industry. The conversation emphasizes the need for continuous learning and adapting to different context...
Mar 31, 2025•56 min•Ep. 20
Summary In this episode, Vernon and Richard reflect on their experiences at the PeersCon conference, discussing the engaging keynote speakers, insightful workshops, and the overall atmosphere of the event. They share their thoughts on various talks, emphasizing the importance of communication, quality, and personal growth in the software testing industry. The conversation highlights the value of community and collaboration, as well as the significance of learning from both successes and failures...
Mar 24, 2025•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 19
In this episode of the Vernon Richard Show, the hosts delve into the nuances of Continuous Delivery and Continuous Deployment, exploring how testing practices evolve in these environments. They discuss the skills required for testers, the importance of risk management, and the cultural shifts necessary for effective quality assurance. The conversation highlights the need for collaboration within teams and the role of testers as facilitators rather than gatekeepers. The episode concludes with ref...
Mar 04, 2025•56 min•Ep. 18
In this episode, Vernon and Richard celebrate their love for the software testing community, discussing the importance of people, tools, teaching, and the thrill of conferences. They reflect on personal growth, the challenges of production issues, and the joy of mentoring others. The conversation emphasizes the connections made within the industry and the shared experiences that enrich their careers. Links to stuff we mentioned during the pod: 10:28 - Selenium The Selenium website The BiDi spec ...
Feb 17, 2025•39 min•Ep. 17
In this conversation, Richard and Vernon delve into the evolving landscape of AI, particularly focusing on the concept of agentic AI. They discuss personal updates, including their health and fitness journeys, before transitioning into a detailed exploration of AI technologies. Richard shares his recent experiences with AI training and projects, emphasizing the differences between traditional generative AI and agentic AI. The discussion highlights the importance of goals, tasks, and tool awarene...
Jan 20, 2025•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 16
In this episode of the Vernon Richards show, the hosts discuss their goals for the new year, reflecting on the past year and sharing strategies for achieving personal and professional aspirations. They emphasize the importance of journaling, creating structured routines, and building accountability through community support. The conversation also touches on the significance of intentional content consumption and the benefits of sharing progress publicly. Overall, the episode serves as a motivati...
Jan 13, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 15
00:00 Introduction 02:00 Happy to be Employed 05:00 Vernon Wrote a Book 08:00 Talking at a Developer Conferences 16:20 PeersCon 20:24 Our Podcast 21:50 Agile Testing Days Experience 22:20 Our Podcast again 28:30 Bluesky 32:30 Vernon’s New Newsletter 41:00 Generalist Specialist and AI 51:00 Discipline and Consistency 54:00 Vernon’s Personal Reflection 55:40 Richard’s Personal Reflection Links to stuff that we mentioned: 05:00 - Mark’s and Nicola’s Book - The Software Tester’s Journey 05:01 - Nico...
Dec 24, 2024•58 min•Ep. 14
This conversation captures the vibrant atmosphere of Agile Testing Days in Potsdam, highlighting the importance of community, targeted automated testing, and the exploration of tester identity. The hosts discuss their experiences at the conference, including workshops, networking opportunities, and a unique musical performance that showcased the talents of attendees. They delve into the significance of understanding tester identity and the symbols associated with it, emphasizing the need for con...
Dec 02, 2024•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 13
#contentcreation #softwaretesting In this conversation, Richard Bradshaw and Vernon discuss various themes including veganism, personal achievements, the writing process, and the importance of collecting ideas for content creation. They explore the significance of networking within the software testing community and reflect on the dynamics of social media, particularly Twitter and LinkedIn. The conversation also highlights the value of storytelling in professional settings and shares insights fr...
Nov 11, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 12
In this episode of the Vernon Richard show, Richard and Vernon engage in an AMA format, discussing various topics including their collaborative projects, future aspirations, the impact of their quality testing mindset on daily life, memorable swag from testing events, experiences in uncomfortable establishments, significant learning moments, and the importance of testing environments. They emphasize the need for continuous content creation and the desire to connect with their audience for future...
Oct 07, 2024•55 min•Ep. 11
The conversation revolves around the challenges faced by testers and the lack of understanding and support they receive from leadership. The hosts discuss the misconception of the value of testers and the need for leaders to create an environment where testers can thrive. They highlight the importance of addressing the frustrations and unhappiness of testers and the need for leaders to take responsibility for creating a supportive and nurturing culture. The conversation also touches on the chang...
Sep 09, 2024•53 min•Ep. 10
In this episode, Richard and Vernon discuss the topic of hiring and share their thoughts on the annoying things that companies and hiring managers do. They emphasize the importance of seeking clarification and understanding the context behind red flags on a candidate's CV. They also discuss the power dynamic in the hiring process and provide advice for job seekers on how to mitigate potential problems. They highlight the value of storytelling and narrative in CVs and suggest cherry-picking relev...
Aug 27, 2024•55 min•Ep. 9
In this conversation, Richard and Vernon discuss their use of AI in their lives and then explore the topic of working at their dream companies. Richard expresses his fascination with SpaceX and the incredible engineering and technology involved in space exploration. Vernon shares his love for video games and the art and science behind their creation. They also touch on the emotions involved in software testing and how they can be clues to underlying problems. The conversation explores various em...
Aug 15, 2024•44 min•Ep. 8
The conversation discusses the CrowdStrike outage caused by a kernel bug in a Windows update. The impact of the outage was widespread, affecting airports, medical professionals, banking, and even news channels. The hosts emphasize the need to understand the complexity of software testing and not jump to conclusions or blame testers. They highlight the importance of continuous improvement, learning from mistakes, and taking ownership of problems. The conversation also touches on the debate around...
Jul 29, 2024•49 min•Ep. 7
In this conversation, Richard and Vernon discuss the need for manual test cases and manual testing in the future, particularly in the context of the rise of no code automation and AI. They explore the underlying skills and activities involved in testing, such as critical thinking, analysis, communication, and understanding oracles and heuristics. They also touch on the importance of context and problem-solving in determining the appropriate testing approach. The conversation highlights the value...
Jul 08, 2024•57 min•Ep. 6
In this episode, Vernon and Richard answer questions from their audience. They discuss what they would do if they weren't in software testing, the primary mission of a tester, advice for their younger selves, their stance on pineapple on pizza, and their preferences as trainers, mentors, consultants, and coaches. In this conversation, Vernon and Richard discuss various topics related to testing and quality. They explore the meaning of quality and how it can vary depending on the context and indi...
Jun 25, 2024•45 min•Ep. 5
In this episode of the Vernon Richard Show, Vernon and Richard discuss alternative names for the show and reflect on their recent activities. They talk about the Leeds Testing Atelier conference and highlight some of the workshops and talks they attended. They discuss the importance of play in the workplace and the impact of bugs in software development. They also mention the Post Office Horizon scandal and the need to consider the human impact of software failures. The conversation covered vari...
Jun 03, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 4
In this conversation, Richard and Vernon discuss the experience of being rejected for conference talks and the importance of actionable feedback. They emphasize the need for clear and compelling abstracts, as well as the value of networking and building relationships within the industry. They encourage individuals to continue sharing their stories and knowledge through alternative platforms such as YouTube, blogs, and meetups. The conversation also touches on the power of diversity in conference...
May 06, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 3
The second episode of the Vernon Richard show discusses the PeersCon conference and highlights some of the key talks. Topics covered include the concept of minimal shippable risk, the importance of psychological safety in creating a productive work environment, the challenges and learnings of stepping into a leadership role, and the role of DevOps in organisations. We express our appreciation for the speakers and their valuable insights. The conversation covered various themes, including the imp...
Apr 22, 2024•46 min•Ep. 2
In this episode, Vernon and Richard introduce their new podcast and discuss the concept of smoke testing and knowledge work. They explain that smoke testing is a quick test to determine if something is alive or valid, often used when deploying new builds or testing in production. They also discuss the challenges of testing in production and the importance of health checks. In regards to knowledge work, they define it as cognitive work that involves manipulating and processing information based o...
Apr 07, 2024•37 min•Ep. 1
