Our first software testing event was a success!

Thank you for attending Test Up North #1

Date: Thursday 25th September 2025

Time: 09:15 - 16:30 (all day)

Location: Hippo Campus, Aireside House, Aire Street, Leeds

Cost: Free

Test Up North #1 was a new software testing mini-conference, which happened on Thursday 25th September. It was a full day of learning, sharing and socialising.

Attendees learnt about new testing technology and industry trends, heard real stories of problems and solutions from professionals, and gave their views on topics as part of our group debate. Plus, there was loads of time to get to know other members of the testing community.

A wide range of sessions throughout the day included topics such as accessibility and mobile testing through to AI ethics and performance testing.

Test Up North #1 was a full-day event with arrival from 9:15, and finished around 16:30. There was plenty of breaks, a buffet lunch and refreshments provided throughout the day.

Who was it for?

Although it was a testing-focused event, it was open to anyone working in or around the software development lifecycle with at least basic testing and technical knowledge.

It was a perfect event for those who want to build on their existing knowledge and experience of testing, who wanted to come away with practical examples and information that they can use in their role.

The sessions

These were the sessions at the event:

• Accessibility testing, jigsaws and systems thinking

  

  Ayesha Saeed

  Accessibility Test Lead - Solirius Reply

  Inspired by a new-found love for jigsaws, is a talk on how systems thinking can aid an accessibility testing approach. I will touch on how awareness of the many parts of a wider system can improve understanding, identify patterns and highlight underlying systemic challenges. The takeaways will include identifying what you can and can’t control and what you can start to grow influence over.

• Building Trustworthy AI: Ethics and Quality Assurance Hand-In-Hand

  

  Vas Ntokas

  Lead Test Engineer - Department for Work and Pensions

  This interactive demo showcases a practical framework for embedding ethical principles and quality assurance throughout the AI development lifecycle. We will navigate the complexities of recent AI regulations, such as the EU AI Act, and demonstrate a hands-on approach to the ethical testing of AI systems.

• Putting together a CV that really showcases the type of tester you are

  

  Emily O’Connor

  Principal Test Engineer / Independent Researcher

  In her previous consulting role, Emily was a hiring manager and worked to upskill a variety of test engineers. She noticed a common theme in CVs; lots sound scarily similar and didn't fully convey a persons skillset. In this interactive session, Emily will go through her technique to create a CV that shows employers your unique skills and contribution to their business. Attendees should come equipped to take notes, but needn't bring a CV or draft.

• First QA Hire at a Startup - Where I went wrong and how I'd do it better next time

  

  Eamon Droko

  Quality Engineer

  Coming into a startup as their first QA hire can sound like a great opportunity to shape a culture of quality. In this talk, I'll tell you about how I initially messed it up and share the lessons I learned to do better next time.

• Requirements engineering and the power of being pedantic

  

  Andy Sockett

  Senior Test Engineer - Hippo

  Dive into the refinement mindset in this group session where we'll try to unpick the worlds most exacting request. Try to decode what is being asked for and see where assumptions could have consequences.

• Strategies to transform mobile testing cycle

  

  Suman Bala

  Quality Engineering Manager - Leighton

  Discover proven strategies that reduced regression testing cycles from two weeks to just one day without compromising quality. This session covers strategic test automation, early integration techniques, and collaborative approaches that transform development workflows and dramatically accelerate time-to-market.

• The power of mutation testing and how it beats code coverage

  

  Harry Young

  Senior Developer - Hippo

  A short session showing how muntation testing can be a more powerful and useful tool than code coverage scans to improve quality in your codebase.

• The Great Testing Debate

  

  Group session

  Are you ready to make your case in support or objection to some controversial testing topcs?

*Sessions are subject to change.

Venue

Our venue was Hippo Campus on the ground floor of Aireside House, a dedicated event space kindly provided by Hippo. It’s only 2 minutes from Leeds Train Station, has gender neutral and disabled toilets, and is accessible for those with reduced mobility.

Sponsors

More info

Test Up North is organised by Adam Clarkson, a Senior Test Engineer from Leeds, with help from others from the software testing community. Our first event was kindly sponsored by Hippo, Ministry of Testing, and Ady Stokes.

This is an inclusive and respectful event. Please read our Code of Conduct for more details.

This was fringe event of Leeds Digital Festival.