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I had the privilege of sitting down with James Bach, one of the most influential voices in software testing. With over four decades in the craft, James brings a rare long-view perspective on how testing has evolved from the early days of Apple to today’s AI-driven landscape.

We covered a wide range of topics, including:

🔹 What has and hasn’t changed in testing since the 1980s and why many “new” ideas aren’t new at all.
🔹 Why testers are still misunderstood, and the emotional weight of constantly delivering uncomfortable truths.
🔹 The personal side of testing: boundaries, relationships, and how to switch off the analytical mindset.
🔹 The rising importance of independent evaluation and why testers should inform, not own, release decisions.
🔹 How AI is reshaping the craft from probabilistic testing to the return of the toolsmith, rapid “vibe coding,” and building disposable test utilities at speed.
🔹 A look at industry hype cycles, including a real story of a company that nearly replaced its entire test team with an AI tool that didn’t work.

James also shares reflections from Lessons Learned in Software Testing, Secrets of a Buccaneer Scholar, and his latest book, Taking Testing Seriously.

If you care about testing, the future of testing, or the stories behind the people who shaped it, this conversation is packed with insight, history, and plenty of challenge.

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In this episode of Tech and Test, I’m joined by Casey Rosenthal, Interim CEO, HiBeam and former Netflix engineering leader. Casey is co-author of Chaos Engineering: System Resiliency in Practice and a frequent speaker on chaos engineering and complex systems.

We dive into:
💻 Why Netflix started breaking its own systems on purpose
🤖 How chaos engineering strengthens system resilience
🛠️ How your team can start experimenting with resilience today

Curious how to make your systems resilient in the face of failure? Don’t miss this episode.

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AI is changing how we code, but the real challenge is how we design and test software.

In this episode I speak with Harish Chandramowli, founder of Flare Software. From building cloud security at Bloomberg and MongoDB to launching a ERP platform for fashion and textile brands, Harish has seen software challenges at every scale.

We explore:
🤖 Practical applications of AI agents in startups
📦 Automating error prone tasks like parsing packing lists
🧪 Generating test cases at scale that traditional methods cannot reach
🛠️ Why the future of software depends less on coding speed and more on architecture and validation

If you are curious about how startups are using AI to innovate, and what skills will matter most in the years ahead, this episode is a must listen.

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I’m joined by Oksana Kovalchuk, a former software developer who now leads a top UI/UX design agency. She started programming at age 5, built the largest app on the Parse platform (showcased by Mark Zuckerberg at F8), and now helps startups cut through feature bloat to create user-friendly, business-focused digital products.

In this episode, we explore:
🧠 Why critical thinking still matters in the age of AI
🧪 How UX design and testing work best when they collaborate
🤖 Where AI fits into product development and where it doesn’t
🎯 How to avoid design and development shortcuts that lead to long-term pain

Oksana connects deep technical experience with design thinking in a way that’s practical, insightful, and immediately useful. Whether you’re coding, designing, or shaping product strategy, this one’s packed with takeaways.

Resources:
🌐 Website – anoda.mobi
📘 Nielsen Norman Group – 10 Usability Heuristics for User Interface Design
📱 X – @oks_ios
🔗 LinkedIn – Oksana Kovalchuk

#TechAndTest #Podcast #UXDesign #AI #SoftwareTesting #ProductDesign #CriticalThinking #Startups

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🎙️New on Tech and Test! 🎙️

I'm excited to share our latest episode featuring the brilliant Raman Judge, QA Director and a truly inspiring leader in the tech world.

In this episode, Raman opens up about her career journey from QA Engineer to senior leadership and shares practical, hard-earned wisdom on:

🔹 Navigating your career path from QA Engineer to a leadership role
🧠 Developing the mindset to conquer imposter syndrome and common challenges
🌱 Identifying and cultivating the essential traits of a good leader
💛 The power of embracing empathy in your leadership style
🚀 Why it's crucial to own your career journey

Raman’s personal motto,

“Lead now, grow continuously, own your own journey,”

is a message every aspiring tech leader needs to hear.

🎧 Tune in, get inspired, and take the next step in your journey

#TechAndTest #QualityAssurance #Leadership #CareerAdvice #Podcast #SoftwareTesting #ImposterSyndrome #Empathy

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Interviewing at FAANG and big tech companies can feel intimidating—but it doesn’t have to be. In this episode, I’m joined by Mike Mroczka—Senior Software Engineer and contributing author of Beyond Cracking the Coding Interview—to demystify the process and share practical strategies to help you land your next role.

We break down what to expect in coding interviews, how to approach system design interviews, and the red and green flags you should watch out for—on both sides of the table. Whether you're preparing for your first FAANG interview or looking to sharpen your edge, this episode is packed with insights to boost your confidence and performance.

Resources & Links:

• 📘 Beyond Cracking the Coding Interview: https://bctci.co/amazon
• 📚 9 FREE Chapters of BCtCI: https://bctci.co/free-chapters
• 🤖 ChatGPT Cheating Experiment: https://interviewing.io/blog/how-hard-is-it-to-cheat-with-chatgpt-in-technical-interviews
• 🛠️ A Senior Engineer's Guide to the System Design Interview: https://interviewing.io/guides/system-design-interview

#TechInterviews #FAANG #CodingInterview #SystemDesign #SoftwareEngineering #CareerTips #BigTech #InterviewPreparation #MikeMroczka #TechAndTestPodcast

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On the latest episode of Tech and Test, I’m joined by Elliott Clark, CEO and founder of Batteries Included, for a deep and thoughtful conversation about the cost of testing, what to test (and when), and how to align engineering efforts with your company's mission.

We cover:

🧪 What testing is really worth investing in — and where to avoid the trap of "just write more tests"
⚖️ Balancing the cost of testing with the speed of product delivery
🧠 Testing ML systems — and why they require a very different mindset
📊 Using probabilistic approaches to simulate production traffic data
📈 Why choosing the right data and metrics is essential to ensuring your engineering team is actually solving the right problems
🎯 How to make sure your tests, tools, and tracking all support your company’s mission

A deep dive into the real-world trade-offs of testing at scale — the pain points, the payoffs, and how to make it all work.

#TechAndTest #SoftwareTesting #MLTesting #Startups #QualityEngineering #ProbabilisticTesting #DataDriven

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In this episode of Tech and Test, I sit down with Jesús Gianzo Villaverde, a Software Development Engineer in Test, to explore the evolving role of AI in software testing.

We kick things off by discussing Deepseek, a recent development in the world of AI, before diving into the broader landscape of LLMs and biases—how these models work, where they fall short, and what that means for software testing.

We share insights into real-world applications of AI and LLMs in software and games testing, including practical use cases, challenges, and the potential use of AI in testing.

Join us on another great episode of Tech and Test!

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