The German-speaking ISTQB Testing Boards (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland) rely on volunteer professionals to develop curricula, exams, and standards, each bringing distinct cultural strengths. The discussion stresses the need for better volunteer support, streamlined processes, and stronger collaboration to sustain high-quality testing education.

Richard Seidl Software Testing

This is the other podcast on Software Testing by Richard Seidl, the episodes are in spoken German but the show notes and site are written in English. Our summaries are generated from AI transcript translations.

• https://www.richard-seidl.com/en/blog/tag/podcast-software-testing
• https://www.richard-seidl.com/en/

Episode Details

• Show Notes: https://www.richard-seidl.com/de/podcast/ehrenamt-istqb-boards-dach
• Published: 2026-09-08T04:00:00Z
• Duration: 00:26:56
• Author: Richard Seidl - Experte fur Software-Entwicklung und Testautomatisierung

Overview

The podcast discusses the inner workings of the German-speaking Testing Boards (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland), which serve as local representatives of ISTQB. These boards operate with entirely volunteer-based membership, where professionals dedicate their time outside full-time jobs to tasks such as curriculum development, exam creation, and promoting testing standards. The discussion highlights the collaborative yet distinct cultures of each board - Germany’s focus on quality and practicality, Austria’s charm and relaxed style, and Switzerland’s loyalty and deliberateness - emphasizing how their combined strengths support effective operations.

A central theme is the importance of volunteer contributions and the need to support these individuals through better recognition and streamlined processes. The conversation touches on organizational milestones, such as the merger of the boards’ back-office functions, which improved efficiency by reducing redundancy. Other key topics include the evolution of board meetings - from formal and rigid gatherings to more engaging and human interactions - and the introduction of lighthearted traditions, like the symbolic “cattle feed container” used as a humorous timekeeping device. Looking ahead, the discussion emphasizes the need for closer collaboration, knowledge transfer to younger members, and maintaining high standards in testing education and certification.

What If

• What if you volunteered to support a standards body like ISTQB for one hour a week?

  • Move: Identify a local or international software standards/certification board (e.g., ISTQB, IEEE, Open Web Application Security Project) and offer one hour per week to help with documentation, proofreading exam questions, or organizing public resources.
  • Why Now?: Standards bodies are actively adapting to changes like AI in testing and need practical support; your developer perspective can improve real-world relevance of materials.
  • Expected Upside: Builds credibility, expands professional network with experienced testers, and creates indirect business development opportunities through visibility and trust.

• What if you documented your testing knowledge gaps publicly and filled them systematically?

  • Move: Publish a short blog post titled “What I Don’t Understand About Testing” listing 3 - 5 concepts you struggle with (e.g., model-based testing, boundary value analysis), then spend 90 minutes researching each and write follow-up explanations in plain language.
  • Why Now?: The podcast highlights that even long-time professionals admit knowledge gaps - now is the time to normalize learning in public and turn confusion into content that attracts peers and clients.
  • Expected Upside: Establishes authentic authority, generates leads via SEO/content marketing, and improves your own testing rigor for client projects.

• What if you created a lightweight “cattle feed container” ritual to improve focus in your solo work?

  • Move: Adopt a physical object (e.g., a specific mug, timer, or toy) as a signal to start deep work sessions - use it consistently before coding, planning, or problem-solving to trigger focus.
  • Why Now?: The anecdote about the “cattle feed container” as a meeting ritual shows how simple objects can shape behavior; as a solo operator, you need low-friction systems to stay disciplined without meetings or teams.
  • Expected Upside: Increases consistency in output, reduces decision fatigue, and creates a replicable personal workflow that scales if you later hire or collaborate.

Takeaway

• Reach out directly to organizations like ATB or ISTQB to explore volunteer opportunities in standards, exams, or accreditation support.
• Implement a lighthearted ritual or symbolic object (e.g., a “time machine” item) in team meetings to reduce formality and improve engagement.
• Propose or join initiatives that centralize administrative tasks (e.g., accreditations, reporting) to eliminate redundancy and increase efficiency in collaborative projects.
• Actively invite and mentor younger or less experienced professionals into leadership roles, accepting incremental progress over perfection.
• Build stronger cross-regional collaborations by leveraging cultural work styles (e.g., precision, charm, loyalty) to balance and strengthen joint software projects.