Fail more to learn faster - Chris Armstrong

Software Testing Unleashed - Better Teams. Better Software. Better World.

Why winners collect failures

Bonus Tipp: Never miss a crucial test again

"We don't really exist in a world where everything is known before we start our work. And so the value of context is incredibly important." - Chris Armstrong

In this episode, I talk with Chris Armstrong about context in testing. We talked about why "it depends" is an honest answer in complex work. Chris shows how decisive humility helps. Say what you do not know. Find the people and data to learn fast. We talk about fear, optimism, and why winners collect more failures. I ask how testers grow influence. We land on trust, social skills, and asking better questions. Challenge tools and processes with respect. Start small with clear hypotheses and visible outcomes. Remove unnecessary friction. AI comes up as a fresh field for testing. Join early, shape it. Stay curious. Context moves, and so should we.

Chris Armstrong is tester always looking to improve. His testing journey began in 2004 and has crossed several different industries. He identifies as a pragmatic agilist and quality practices geek.

He advocates for inclusion, collaboration and continuous improvement. He loves learning and storytelling, and aims for his blog to be a platform for him to process his thoughts and observations. It is not intended to be instructional, but more an insight into how he sees the world and to be an outlet.

He also podcasts as part of a group of test leadership peers, the Testing Peers

Highlights:

• "It depends" is an honest answer in complex work
• Admit unknowns and seek data to learn fast
• Grow influence through trust, social skills, and better questions
• Start small with clear hypotheses and visible outcomes
• Join AI testing early and help shape practices

Chương

1. Value of Context (00:00:00)

2. Future Tester Traits: Decisive Humility (00:04:14)

3. Understanding Team Dynamics (00:07:11)

4. Mastering Soft Skills: Harder Than Hard Skills (00:10:25)

5. Framing Questions with Respect (00:17:11)

6. Embracing AI in Our Craft (00:20:48)

7. Context-Driven Quality Engineering (00:23:30)

8. Tangible Outcomes Drive Project Success (00:24:46)

9. Polite Farewell (00:27:53)