Modern software testing evolves from reactive to proactive methods, emphasizing continuous validation across development stages, automation, agile practices, and collaboration to balance speed and quality. The episode challenges outdated tester roles, promotes risk-based and user-focused testing, and highlights adapting to AI-driven development while redefining testers as strategic, technical collaborators.

How To Test This?

interview episodes where Mamadou N’diaye talks with with software testing experts

• https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/spidey1944
• https://www.youtube.com/@HowToTestThis
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/mamadou-ndiaye-consultant/

Episode Details

• Show Notes: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/spidey1944/episodes/How-to-Test-continuously---Callum-Akehurst-Ryan-e3ivtrg
• Published: 2026-05-06T16:07:41Z
• Duration: 00:50:52
• Author: Mamadou N’diaye

Overview

The podcast explores themes of modern software testing, emphasizing the evolution from traditional, reactive methods to proactive, integrated approaches. Caleb Akerhurst-Ryan, a seasoned test engineer, discusses his career journey from customer service to quality engineering, highlighting shifts in testing practicesfrom manual and scripted testing to automation and agile methodologies. A central focus is continuous testing, which integrates validation across all development stages (ideation, building, deployment, and post-deployment) to balance speed and quality, reduce rework, and prioritize user feedback. The discussion addresses challenges like siloed testing teams, balancing scripted and exploratory approaches, and adapting to rapid technological changes, including AI-driven development. Key practices include fostering cross-functional collaboration, proactive testing, and continuous learning to stay aligned with evolving methodologies and tools.

The episode also tackles misconceptions about testing, such as the perception of testers as non-technical gatekeepers or opponents to development teams. It advocates for redefining testing roles as collaborative, strategic contributors focused on identifying risks and ensuring quality rather than enforcing perfection. Concepts like the “good enough” principleprioritizing value over exhaustive coverageand risk-based testing, which focuses on critical criteria like security, accessibility, and usability, are highlighted. The conversation underscores the need for testers to act as technical specialists and coaches, aligning with engineering priorities and fostering adaptability in fast-paced environments. Additionally, it stresses the importance of shifting testing left (early requirement validation) and right (user feedback in production) to create robust, user-centric solutions, while addressing the growing integration of AI in testing and the necessity for testers to evolve into quality engineers capable of guiding agentic and AI-driven software development.

What If

• What if you integrated exploratory testing sessions into your CI/CD pipeline during feature development?
  • Concrete Move: Schedule brief, structured exploratory testing phases after unit tests in your pipeline, using tools like Selenium or Cypress to simulate user interactions with edge cases.
  • Why Now: Continuous testing demands early detection of non-deterministic issues, and exploratory testing complements automation by uncovering unexpected behaviors in agile workflows.
  • Expected Upside: Reduces post-deployment bugs, improves team confidence in releases, and aligns with the “shift left” philosophy of testing in collaboration with developers.

• What if you became a proactive advocate for testing strategies by leading a “Three Amigos” session during requirement reviews?
  • Concrete Move: Invite developers, product owners, and stakeholders to a workshop where you jointly analyze requirements, identify risks, and define quality criteria (e.g., accessibility, scalability).
  • Why Now: Teams often undervalue testings strategic role, but early collaboration ensures testing is baked into goals, not added as an afterthought.
  • Expected Upside: Clears up misconceptions about testing as “breaking things,” builds alignment on quality priorities, and positions you as a key contributor to product success.

• What if you prioritized user feedback in production by setting up real-time monitoring for critical user pain points (e.g., error rates, NPS)?
  • Concrete Move: Implement tools like Hotjar or Sentry to track user behavior and crashes, then link this data to your sprint planning to address issues in next deployments.
  • Why Now: Continuous testing in production is inevitable, but leveraging user feedback ensures quality aligns with real-world needs rather than assumptions.
  • Expected Upside: Enables rapid iteration based on actual user experiences, reduces the risk of costly rework, and validates the “good enough” principle through measurable outcomes.

Takeaway

• Implement shift-left testing by participating in requirement reviews and risk analyses early in the development cycle to align testing goals with product vision.
• Adopt a hybrid testing approach: Use automation for deterministic checks (e.g., unit tests) and exploratory testing for edge cases, non-deterministic scenarios, and AI-driven code validation.
• Collaborate with engineers to integrate quality into pipelines by contributing to unit/test automation, reviewing system designs (e.g., APIs, microservices), and advocating for testability in code architecture.
• Prioritize testing based on risk and user impact using the “good enough” principle, focusing on non-negotiables like core functionality, security, and accessibility while avoiding over-testing.
• Leverage production feedback by monitoring user behavior, A/B testing, and error logs to validate quality in real-world scenarios, ensuring testing evolves with user needs and product direction.