We Not Me
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Episode 103 - Being a specialist in a team
Show Notes
To bring specialists into teams with different skill sets takes good communication and a knowledge of the history of the team you’re integrating. Doing this well means everyone can point their skills at solving problems.
Ash Winter is an experienced software tester who has a particular interest in how teams and organisations work. Ash has been a software tester for over 15 years, and has experience as a consultant, helping organisations improve their testing processes.
In his role he’s seen a wide range of team structures and sizes, and he’s particularly focused on the challenges and opportunities of being a specialist within a team.
Takeaways from Dan and Pia
Three reasons to listen
- Understand the unique challenges and opportunities of being a specialist in a cross-functional team
- Explore the impact of team history and dynamics on integrating new specialists
- Learn about the evolving role of software testers and their influence in modern development teams
Episode highlights
- [00:09:14] Testing teams
- [00:14:29] The problem with "embedding" into a team
- [00:16:30] The Spotify model
- [00:19:48] Communities of practice
- [00:22:57] Agile methodologies with multidisciplinary teams
- [00:28:05] The benefits of a coaching qualification
- [00:30:19] Ash's book recommendation
- [00:31:42] Takeaways from Dan and Pia
Links
- Connect with Ash via LinkedIn
- Team Topologies: Organizing Business and Technology Teams for Fast Flow, by Matthew Skelton & Pais Manuel
- The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable, by Patrick Lencioni
- The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement, by Eliyahu Goldratt
- The Phoenix Project: A Novel about IT, DevOps, and Helping Your Business Win, by Gene Kim
- Leave us a voice note
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Meet the guests
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Ash Winter, is a software tester and international speaker on testing and testability. Ash has been working on and with teams for the past 15 years to improve their testing and ownership of quality. Outside of the usual workplace fun and games, Ash isone of the co-organisers of the Leeds Testing Atelier. Beyond that, he is a co-author of the Team Guide to Software Testability and co-host of the What a Lot of Things podcast.
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