The Agentic Engineering Exosuit
Agentic engineering is not about having one impressive AI session. It is about building the systems, loops, and feedback paths that let agents safely scale your judgement.
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Writing on software engineering, testing, systems, and the craft of teams.
Essays, notes, and long-lived opinions on the work behind good software: product judgement, technical quality, facilitation, and the quiet systems that help teams operate well.
- 25 posts in the archive
- 2014 first year published on this site
- 2026 latest active writing year
- Practical writing that tries to be useful, not decorative
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A long-running archive of thoughts on testing, technical workshops, developer effectiveness, and software craftsmanship.
The Developer as Craftsman
How AI is transforming software developers from employees using company tools into craftsmen bringing their own toolkits - and why that matters.
The Language Doesn't Matter
Reflections on how programming languages have evolved from assembly to AI, and why what really matters are the outcomes - not the code itself.
When I left my team, I tried something different
Instead of the usual rushed handoff, I suggested we do a peri-mortem meeting. It turned what could have been a disruptive departure into an opportunity to strengthen the team.
My manager didn't realise we were doing stack ranking
I had a conversation that revealed how pervasive forced ranking systems had become. Even the people implementing them didn't recognise what they were doing.
Beyond the Agile Testing Quadrants: Understanding Modern Testing Ecosystems
Explore how Michael Bolton evolved the traditional Agile Testing Quadrants into a more nuanced testing ecosystem. Learn about context-driven testing approaches and how modern teams can think holistically about quality and risk management.
I was terrified to teach my first technical workshop
I had no idea how to get 30 people from different backgrounds all writing working code in a few hours. Here's what I learned about creating a safe space for learning.
The first time I ran a retrospective, I was terrified
A team asked me to facilitate their retrospective, and I had no idea what I was doing. Here's what I learned about creating space for honest team reflection.
Discovering the Agile Testing Quadrants
How Brian Marick's Agile Testing Quadrants model provides a framework for communicating different types of testing and countering the 'automate everything' fallacy.
Context-Driven Testing: A Personal Journey from Process to Critical Thinking
Exploring the context-driven testing movement and its emphasis on critical thinking over rigid processes. Learn about the five schools of software testing and why context matters more than best practices.
The Hidden Category: Vestigial Software Features
Beyond external, internal, and deprecated features lies a fourth category that plagues enterprise software: vestigial features whose purpose and value remain a mystery.
How I evaluate potential coaches and teachers
I've developed a simple framework for choosing trainers and mentors. Here are the six criteria I use to avoid wasting time on ineffective learning experiences.
Overwhelmed by JavaScript testing frameworks
Every framework tried to solve everything at once. I learned to break it down into three separate problems: writing tests, running them, and making sense of the results.
Test Reporting Integration: Limited Options, Clear Choices
Exploring test reporting formats and integration opportunities across different frameworks, with practical recommendations for consolidating test results.
JavaScript Unit Testing Framework Evaluation
Comprehensive evaluation of JavaScript unit testing frameworks including Chai.js, Mocha, Jasmine, and QUnit with practical recommendations for team adoption.
Research Session: JavaScript Unit Testing Tools
A research session exploring JavaScript unit testing tools, comparing TDD vs BDD approaches, and evaluating test runners available (2014).
I realized I was testing a domain of knowledge
A colleague asked me to investigate JavaScript unit testing options, and I had an epiphany: I'm testing something, so why not use test session methodology to structure the research?
Selected for CAST 2014: First Conference Presentation
From first-day challenge to conference acceptance - getting selected to present at CAST 2014 in New York City and preparing for my first professional conference talk.
I was tired of hearing 'it works on my machine'
Microsoft's free virtual machines solved our cross-browser testing headaches. No more hardware zoo, no more licensing issues, just isolated environments ready to use.
Informed Failure: Modern Strategies for Test Debugging and Failure Diagnosis
Learn how to implement effective test failure diagnostics including video recording, screenshots, logs, and modern debugging tools. Transform test failures from mysteries into actionable insights for faster bug resolution.
A Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss: Farewell to Paul Holland
Reflecting on the departure of mentor Paul Holland, whose brief but impactful time with our team left lasting lessons about testing methodology and continuous learning.
Understanding APIs Through Context
Essential questions for effective API testing: understanding consumers, defining minimum viable checks, and building comprehensive testing strategies that match real-world usage.
Finding Balance: Manual Testing vs Test Automation
Reflections on discovering the complementary relationship between manual exploratory testing and automated regression testing. Learn when each approach delivers the most value.
I was a stranger to my new testing team
I had been reading testing blogs for years, but joining the team was different. I realized being an internet consumer of testing content is nothing like being fully immersed in the day-to-day challenges.
Beginning My Journey as a Test Automation Tools Developer
Starting a new role focused on test automation tools development. Exploring the landscape of automation opportunities, building tools to empower testing teams, and sharing insights from the beginning of this career transition.