Leeds Testing Atelier - Home

On the 12th of May 2026, the fully independent, punk, Leeds Testing Atelier returns at The Tetley for a day of learning, collaboration and laughs!

Check out our awesome speakers!
Rick Spencer
I was a tester for almost 20 years before moving into an engineering team leader position for the last 6 for a global SaaS company. I am always focused on quality software delivery and process improvement.
Test Data Driven Development
Rather than using requirements to drive feature changes then independently written test scenarios to validate the behaviour of software, test data can be used. Over the last 6 years I have refined a development approach which starts with the requirements for a feature and with the Business Analyst or Product Owner, specifying how this feature will alter the input data to produce an output. Yes this methodology is specific for the type of features my team delivers but it can be used to identify regression in any system which processes data. With the input and output data, my engineers update the build process to insert this data and once the new features have been delivered, validate the output using UI automation, exactly as the output data was specified by the BA or PM. This approach has ensured that customer defects over the years have remained very low.
Hitesh Kataria
I’m Hitesh Kataria, currently working as Group QA Manager at Le Creuset, where I lead the QA strategy and implementation across a broad mix of technologies and platforms from cloud-native apps to on-prem systems. With over 15 years in the field, I’ve worked across front-end, back-end, mobile, and enterprise applications, building test automation frameworks and driving performance, API, and database testing practices. I’m a big believer in balancing strong engineering with human-centred practices. I’m a certified Mental Health First Aider and advocate for psychological safety in QA and tech teams. Outside of work, you’ll often find me behind the decks as a DJ or attending OurYourHouse a community-driven meetup that promotes mental wellbeing through music. It’s where my passion for tech and people meet.
Scaling QA Strategy Across a Global eCommerce Ecosystem
In this session, I’ll share the journey of transforming QA at Le Creuset from a fragmented and reactive setup into a lean, structured, and automation-first function that supports a truly global operation. Le Creuset’s digital landscape spans multiple regions, languages, tax structures, and business models. Our ecosystem includes eCommerce websites, point-of-sale systems, wholesale APIs, Microsoft D365 F&O, and Dynamics AX for warehouse and finance. Building a consistent QA approach across such varied technologies and teams was a real challenge. The shift began with moving from defect detection to defect prevention. We started embedding QA earlier in the lifecycle, focusing on building quality in from the start rather than testing it in at the end. We introduced an automation-first mindset and scaled our test execution from 1,000 runs over eight months to 1,000 runs in a single day using tools like Virtuoso and Power Automate. But the biggest lesson was that tools and frameworks only take you so far. Real transformation came from investing in people through coaching, upskilling, and creating a culture that sees quality as a shared responsibility. If you’re navigating legacy systems, expanding test coverage, or building a global QA team, this talk will offer practical insights and a few lessons learned the hard way.
Chris Warren
I fell into software testing over 15 years ago and have spent all that time in consultancy environments seeing different problems from different client perspectives. Mainly working in the test automation space I'm really excited about how AI is going to make my life so much easier or should I be worried that it's going to make me obsolete? Away from my desk I'm a husband, a dad, a football fan and a dog owner. I've also been known to go for the odd run.
I Let an AI Agent Write My Test Strategy. Here’s What Happened.
In this session, I will explore the practical capabilities of Generative AI and how it fits into the software lifecycle from a senior testing perspective. Moving beyond simple code snippets, we’ll look at what happens when you give an AI agent the keys to the repo. During this live demo, we will; Demo a functional web app built exclusively using Claude Code; Task the agent with analyzing its own repository to propose a test strategy and generate a suite of automated tests; Introduce breaking changes to the application to see how the agent adapts, "self-heals" the tests, or where it ultimately fails. This is a live demo, so anything could happen. While Claude is crunching its numbers, I’ll share thoughts and stories from a recent real-world engagement where we exclusively used Claude Code to develop and test a new greenfield application. We'll discuss the ROI, the frustrations, and why the "Human in the Loop" is still the most important part of the stack.
Crispin Read
Accidental Founder and CEO of The Coders Guild. Occasional government botherer. Long-time advocate for alternative pathways into tech and general social value busybody.
Testing for Social Mobility
Software testing is one of the most accessible routes into tech — but we’re still missing the people who’d thrive in it. At The Coders Guild, we’re starting a new initiative this quarter called Find Your Hidden Testers helping companies uncover potential testers within their own organisations.
Richard Adams
I'm a former quality coach with ~14years experience in software (plus 2 in games) across a mix of roles from testing to development. I'm really passionate about testing and quality.
Let's Go Security Testing
Through a mix of slides/explanation and hands on exercises, we'll look at performing some basic security testing, like modifying client side validation, XSS and SQL injection. People would need laptops, although I could provide a couple and pairing would be advantageous.
Colin Wren
Colin is a Senior Software Engineer by day and wannabe Product Engineer at night. He helps run the LeedsJS and MoT Leeds meet-ups, and when not writing code, can be found failing to merge Chiptune and Doom Metal into some horrible hybrid that no one but him would ever want to listen to.
How testing saved my side-hustle
Join Colin as he tells you the tale of building his first native iOS app, the struggles he encountered trying to build a new product on a new tech stack and how the simple act of writing test cases helped him succeed when everything seemed to be falling apart.
Stephen Platten
Stephen is an award winning (European Software Testing awards, TESTA) tester and QA, with a passion for test improvement and development. I have worked in most aspects of electronic engineering/software engineering. He has a passion for testing and understanding complex applications, technologies, and projects. To quote him, "I want to be the best manager, tester, and coach I can be, to be "The Stoic Tester"
When Testing Feels Uncomfortable: Using Friction as a Quality Signal
Good testing rarely feels smooth. This talk reframes discomfort, resistance, and uncertainty in testing as signals — not problems — and shows how experienced testers can use friction to guide better decisions, conversations, and outcomes.
Lakshmi Damodar
I’ve been a software test professional for over 15 years, and throughout my journey, one belief has stayed strong “quality isn’t just a process, it’s a mindset”. It’s something that should be woven into the culture of a team and an organization, shaping the way we build, collaborate, and innovate. At Leeds Beckett University, I work towards this goal every day, helping create robust, sustainable, and clean systems that don’t just meet expectations but exceed them. For me, testing isn’t just about finding issues—it’s about strengthening foundations, ensuring resilience, and driving long-term success.
From Bugs to Bytes: Making Software Development sustainable for the future
As software test professionals, we focus on eliminating bugs —but what about the hidden waste we create in the process? From excessive test environments to bloated databases and inefficient automation, software development often contributes to digital dumping, draining energy and resources. As software professionals, we must rethink how we build, test, and deploy—not just for functionality, but for sustainability. This talk will be more of a discussion to explore the unintended impact of software development on our digital ecosystem, from data waste to inefficient cloud consumption. We’ll uncover how smart testing strategies, green coding practices, and optimized infrastructure can help us transition from reckless digital expansion to a more sustainable and efficient approach. Let's build better, test smarter, and drive change—because the future of tech should be more efficient and eco-friendlier.
Mark Nolan
Senior Quality Engineer at the non-profit scientific software company Lhasa Limited. Over the past eight years, I have worked on improving test automation, CI/CD pipelines, and quality engineering practices across complex data-driven systems.
Visual Regression Testing using VRT
A short talk and discussion introducing Visual Regression Tracker, a tool that enables teams to implement visual regression testing within any automation framework.
Udeme Jalekun
Udeme Jalekun is a senior QA Engineer at Raenest, a fast-growing, VC-backed fintech. She has driven quality initiatives for some of Africa's most widely used digital platforms through roles at Interswitch, Kippa, and VigiPay, ensuring reliability for millions of users in payments, lending, and tech-driven services. Recognized as one of the Top 21 QA Professionals in 2024 and featured in African tech media as “the woman making African software work”, Udeme combines deep technical expertise with strategic insight. A seasoned speaker at events like Test Fest and Test Drive, Udeme champions quality as a business advantage, blending practical frameworks with inspiring stories.
Designing test strategies for fast-moving products teams: Balancing speed and depth of testing in startups without burning out QA teams
When I first stepped into a fast‑growing product team, I thought the biggest challenge would be flaky tests or shifting requirements. Instead, it was watching a talented QA team slowly burn out under the weight of “just one more quick release”. Every sprint felt like a race: features landing late, testing squeezed into the final hours, and quality becoming a negotiation rather than a shared responsibility. We were moving fast, but not sustainably—and certainly not smartly.This talk tells the story of how we rebuilt our test strategy from the ground up to support both speed and depth, without sacrificing the well-being of the people doing the work. I’ll share the practical steps we took to move from reactive testing to intentional quality engineering: lightweight risk‑based models that guide where to go deep, rapid feedback loops that keep pace with product ambition, and collaborative practices that shift quality left without simply shifting the burden onto QA.
Clare Norman
My name is Clare and I am a human Venn diagram. Characteristics of my younger self included a love of puzzles and k'nex as well as arts & crafts. As an adult my favourite activities are typically either highly logical or creative in nature. My profession is the perfect combination of these. I entered the tech world as a tester around 9 years ago, happily ‘breaking’ systems (and developer’s hearts) for years. Now I use that experience of testing complex systems to coach software development teams in how to produce the best quality software systems. I am passionate about making software better for the humans that use it and I sit in the overlap between the computer (which operates on logic) and the human (who definitely don’t operate on logic all of the time). I am a colourful human. Not only do I dress colourfully but I live in a colourful world. William Morris, British Textile Designer said: 'Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.' I have always striven to achieve both of these qualities for everything in my world. Outside of quality and testing you can often find me hiking, usually by the sea, North Devon and North East England are two of my favourite spots. I am a dedicated Auntie to a young nephew and niece. I also love to bake, travel, craft, lift weights, dance (ballet), journal and sketch.
Make it joyful: How to build products that make people smile
“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful”. This is a quote by English textile designer William Morris who lived and designed in the late 1800s. But I think, why not both. Why can’t we have beautiful and functional items in our homes. I believe life is too short to be plain. I genuinely believe that we can apply the same philosophy to software. One of the ways we can do this is by injecting joy into user journeys so that we build and maintain software that not only serves a purpose but brings joys to its users.
Jennifer Rose
I've been in QA for nearly 10 years, some time as a Senior, but largely as a solo QA in smaller organisations.
Leveraging AI in a Shift Left Environment
Clear, concise requirements are key to building the right product. By putting quality at the heart of development from the outset and adopting a shift-left approach, teams can reduce ambiguity and improve delivery. This talk explores how AI can be used before development begins to support analysis and testing — without replacing the critical thinking and judgement that quality professionals bring.
Adam Clarkson
I'm a Senior Test Engineer at Hippo from Leeds. I've been working in product and process quality for the past 10 years, originally starting my career in the steel industry working in labs and technical departments. For the past 7 years I've been working for software consultancies, on public and private sector web and mobile projects, more recently in quality lead roles.
Prepare for disaster: Testing your recovery process.
This session introduces audiences to the concept of disaster recovery using examples of recent cyber attacks on M&S, JLR, and Coop. We will look at the ways in which you can prepare for such an attack through immutable backups, and most importantly, how to test your project's response if disaster strikes. Throughout the session we'll keep linking back to real life examples and resources that the audience can refer to on their projects, such as NHS Red Lines. There will also be an interactive activity where the audience is given a 'disaster' scenario and is asked to talk to their neighbours about how they would prepare for this.