SWQA are just "button pushers" and "anyone can do that job."
What's something that experts/practitioners in your field universally agree upon, but that remains a "hot take" among the general public?
March 30, 2026 at 12:32 AM
SWQA are just "button pushers" and "anyone can do that job."
What's the worst bug you ever had to find?
Mine: I was working on a compiler backend for a GPU-like chip. Test programs that used memory barriers would fail non-deterministically.
Mine: I was working on a compiler backend for a GPU-like chip. Test programs that used memory barriers would fail non-deterministically.
November 19, 2024 at 1:37 PM
First: how cool is this?
Second: who do they have running their SWQA processes for testing this software? Because that'd be an awesome job!
Second: who do they have running their SWQA processes for testing this software? Because that'd be an awesome job!
The new sensor-packed Smart Play Brick will land this spring as part of a special Star Wars collection. The update adds interactive lights and sound to the Lego experience—including the Minifigs. www.wired.com/story/lego-s...
Lego’s Smart Brick Gives the Iconic Analog Toy a New Digital Brain
The new sensor-packed Smart Play Brick will land this spring as part of a special Star Wars collection. The update adds interactive lights and sound to the Lego experience—including the Minifigs.
www.wired.com
January 6, 2026 at 4:43 PM
First: how cool is this?
Second: who do they have running their SWQA processes for testing this software? Because that'd be an awesome job!
Second: who do they have running their SWQA processes for testing this software? Because that'd be an awesome job!
This is why you need a robust team of SWQA engineers integrated into your entire product lifecycle stack; the sooner we're involved the better and more thorough testing we can do to ensure that systemic failures like this don't make it to customers.
It's not just reputation at risk here; lives too.
It's not just reputation at risk here; lives too.
The future is great, huh?
"A software update to Jeep 4xE models caused major malfunctions over the weekend – leaving many owners stranded and some in danger after their power failed."
www.thestack.technology/jeep-softwar...
"A software update to Jeep 4xE models caused major malfunctions over the weekend – leaving many owners stranded and some in danger after their power failed."
www.thestack.technology/jeep-softwar...
Jeep software update bricks vehicles
“Please exercise extreme caution”
www.thestack.technology
October 13, 2025 at 2:37 PM
This is why you need a robust team of SWQA engineers integrated into your entire product lifecycle stack; the sooner we're involved the better and more thorough testing we can do to ensure that systemic failures like this don't make it to customers.
It's not just reputation at risk here; lives too.
It's not just reputation at risk here; lives too.
I've found some bugs in my day working in SWQA but never one I had to call security for:
December 16, 2024 at 11:09 PM
I've found some bugs in my day working in SWQA but never one I had to call security for:
SWQA is one of the roles you *definitely* do not want to outsource to AI; it requires thinking outside the box and probing the system in new ways - ways a system designed to copy previous efforts cannot imagine:
May 12, 2025 at 12:22 PM
SWQA is one of the roles you *definitely* do not want to outsource to AI; it requires thinking outside the box and probing the system in new ways - ways a system designed to copy previous efforts cannot imagine:
Woooooop SWQA graduates!
December 25, 2025 at 4:38 AM
Woooooop SWQA graduates!
I fell into Test Engineering by accident. A friend at GE Appliances told me to apply to their SWQA team and all the things that frustrated previous managers turned out to be strengths for this sort of role.
It allows me to combine my wide & deep knowledge of how things work and my love for details.
It allows me to combine my wide & deep knowledge of how things work and my love for details.
November 23, 2025 at 6:14 PM
I fell into Test Engineering by accident. A friend at GE Appliances told me to apply to their SWQA team and all the things that frustrated previous managers turned out to be strengths for this sort of role.
It allows me to combine my wide & deep knowledge of how things work and my love for details.
It allows me to combine my wide & deep knowledge of how things work and my love for details.
Each and every one of them are brilliant life-long learners drinking for a firehose of information and writing detailed notes about it all.
If you're not running a trained SWQA team you are missing out.
If you're not running a trained SWQA team you are missing out.
March 30, 2026 at 12:32 AM
Each and every one of them are brilliant life-long learners drinking for a firehose of information and writing detailed notes about it all.
If you're not running a trained SWQA team you are missing out.
If you're not running a trained SWQA team you are missing out.
Saw a job listing for a Director of QA role (don't worry boss; not really looking) and they are looking for someone to add a hallucination machine to their QA process - immediate NOPE from me.
SWQA requires *knowing* that your results are solid. We exist so that your can use your AI tools elsewhere
SWQA requires *knowing* that your results are solid. We exist so that your can use your AI tools elsewhere
February 3, 2026 at 1:50 PM
Saw a job listing for a Director of QA role (don't worry boss; not really looking) and they are looking for someone to add a hallucination machine to their QA process - immediate NOPE from me.
SWQA requires *knowing* that your results are solid. We exist so that your can use your AI tools elsewhere
SWQA requires *knowing* that your results are solid. We exist so that your can use your AI tools elsewhere
fred swed swqa mlqa mlkn bjkn bjhv cghv cgfx zdfx zdsp oasp oami unmi unby tvby tvcr excr exzw qpzw qpol kiol kiuj hyuj hytg frtg fred
September 24, 2026 at 12:50 AM
fred swed swqa mlqa mlkn bjkn bjhv cghv cgfx zdfx zdsp oasp oami unmi unby tvby tvcr excr exzw qpzw qpol kiol kiuj hyuj hytg frtg fred
I fell into Hardware-in-the-Loop SWQA by accident; ended up being really good at it and finally finding a spot where my weird mix of knowledge was a huge benefit instead of something that made me weird:
So much of what tech stack you focus on comes down to chance.
We all pivot and adjust over the course of a career, but a lot of it is influenced by where you start!
I’ve been thinking about that a lot as it relates to early career roles and opportunities.
We all pivot and adjust over the course of a career, but a lot of it is influenced by where you start!
I’ve been thinking about that a lot as it relates to early career roles and opportunities.
May 2, 2025 at 2:38 AM
I fell into Hardware-in-the-Loop SWQA by accident; ended up being really good at it and finally finding a spot where my weird mix of knowledge was a huge benefit instead of something that made me weird:
SWQA/Validation is the whetstone that your development team hones their craft against.
Working together everyone gets better.
Working together everyone gets better.
May 15, 2024 at 4:49 PM
SWQA/Validation is the whetstone that your development team hones their craft against.
Working together everyone gets better.
Working together everyone gets better.
One of my "Capital O Opinions" regarding a good SWQA team is that we exist to make the devs look better, not worse.
It's too easy for the relationship to devolve into the Test Engineers scoring points against the devs, putting them on defensive footing and reducing collaboration.
1/5
It's too easy for the relationship to devolve into the Test Engineers scoring points against the devs, putting them on defensive footing and reducing collaboration.
1/5
November 21, 2025 at 9:03 PM
One of my "Capital O Opinions" regarding a good SWQA team is that we exist to make the devs look better, not worse.
It's too easy for the relationship to devolve into the Test Engineers scoring points against the devs, putting them on defensive footing and reducing collaboration.
1/5
It's too easy for the relationship to devolve into the Test Engineers scoring points against the devs, putting them on defensive footing and reducing collaboration.
1/5
Well trained SWQA Engineers can identify bugs, demonstrate replication, and even help point towards solutions to shorten dev cycles.
They are product use experts/power users - they tend to know more about the product than the dev teams.
They are product use experts/power users - they tend to know more about the product than the dev teams.
March 30, 2026 at 12:32 AM
Well trained SWQA Engineers can identify bugs, demonstrate replication, and even help point towards solutions to shorten dev cycles.
They are product use experts/power users - they tend to know more about the product than the dev teams.
They are product use experts/power users - they tend to know more about the product than the dev teams.
Automation absolutely helps act as a Force Multiplier for your SWQA team, if implemented correctly, but that automation has to be very carefully maintained because once you lose faith in it the amount of effort to restore it to trustworthy is immense.
Easier to stay trustworthy than to let it break
Easier to stay trustworthy than to let it break
May 12, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Automation absolutely helps act as a Force Multiplier for your SWQA team, if implemented correctly, but that automation has to be very carefully maintained because once you lose faith in it the amount of effort to restore it to trustworthy is immense.
Easier to stay trustworthy than to let it break
Easier to stay trustworthy than to let it break
I care to count lest I crumble to dust in my coffin, more start-ups than I can remember, so many websites, busted concrete, computer vision/tracking stuff, laser scanning, and of course more recently hardware in the loop SWQA and now management.
It's certainly not been boring.
It's certainly not been boring.
January 31, 2026 at 7:40 PM
I care to count lest I crumble to dust in my coffin, more start-ups than I can remember, so many websites, busted concrete, computer vision/tracking stuff, laser scanning, and of course more recently hardware in the loop SWQA and now management.
It's certainly not been boring.
It's certainly not been boring.
Optimist: The cup is half full
Pessimist: The cup is half empty
SWQA: What happens if we add too much water? What happens if we create a vacuum in the cup? What happens if we fill it with beans? What happens if we use it upside down? What happens if we put a cup in the cup? What happens if...
Pessimist: The cup is half empty
SWQA: What happens if we add too much water? What happens if we create a vacuum in the cup? What happens if we fill it with beans? What happens if we use it upside down? What happens if we put a cup in the cup? What happens if...
November 24, 2024 at 7:33 PM
Optimist: The cup is half full
Pessimist: The cup is half empty
SWQA: What happens if we add too much water? What happens if we create a vacuum in the cup? What happens if we fill it with beans? What happens if we use it upside down? What happens if we put a cup in the cup? What happens if...
Pessimist: The cup is half empty
SWQA: What happens if we add too much water? What happens if we create a vacuum in the cup? What happens if we fill it with beans? What happens if we use it upside down? What happens if we put a cup in the cup? What happens if...
It's that attention to detail that exposes how poor their entire process is; where's their SWQA?
Odds are it's barely there or entirely missing -- bugs galore; many of which will be security bugs.
Odds are it's barely there or entirely missing -- bugs galore; many of which will be security bugs.
November 9, 2025 at 4:46 PM
It's that attention to detail that exposes how poor their entire process is; where's their SWQA?
Odds are it's barely there or entirely missing -- bugs galore; many of which will be security bugs.
Odds are it's barely there or entirely missing -- bugs galore; many of which will be security bugs.
Build a positive relationship between the dev teams and their SWQA and watch the increased efficiency from their teamwork.
This really should be a win-win relationship.
5/5
This really should be a win-win relationship.
5/5
November 21, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Build a positive relationship between the dev teams and their SWQA and watch the increased efficiency from their teamwork.
This really should be a win-win relationship.
5/5
This really should be a win-win relationship.
5/5
I'm excited to announce that after just 5 months I've been promoted to Validation Lead at my company in charge of the entire team.
We're building an amazing SWQA Automation organization.
#YouMakeItWeWillBreakIt
We're building an amazing SWQA Automation organization.
#YouMakeItWeWillBreakIt
May 2, 2023 at 8:56 PM
I'm excited to announce that after just 5 months I've been promoted to Validation Lead at my company in charge of the entire team.
We're building an amazing SWQA Automation organization.
#YouMakeItWeWillBreakIt
We're building an amazing SWQA Automation organization.
#YouMakeItWeWillBreakIt
This is the swqa content I come here for…
November 24, 2024 at 7:36 PM
This is the swqa content I come here for…
I'm into the Maker Movement, LEDs, soldering, hardware hacking, SWQA, Hackerspaces/Makerspaces, social justice, history, and more.
I believe Black Lives Matter, Trans Rights are Human Rights, and in the power of applying Kindness with Intentionality to daily life.
I believe Black Lives Matter, Trans Rights are Human Rights, and in the power of applying Kindness with Intentionality to daily life.
April 24, 2023 at 5:01 PM
I'm into the Maker Movement, LEDs, soldering, hardware hacking, SWQA, Hackerspaces/Makerspaces, social justice, history, and more.
I believe Black Lives Matter, Trans Rights are Human Rights, and in the power of applying Kindness with Intentionality to daily life.
I believe Black Lives Matter, Trans Rights are Human Rights, and in the power of applying Kindness with Intentionality to daily life.
My team has to test their code; our team should be actively helping the devs get better. That's a huge part of the value a good SWQA group brings in addition to the safeguards and assurances we provide.
February 13, 2025 at 6:10 PM
My team has to test their code; our team should be actively helping the devs get better. That's a huge part of the value a good SWQA group brings in addition to the safeguards and assurances we provide.