Who should I follow to learn about Quality Engineering?

If you want to learn **Quality Engineering (QE)** - the modern discipline of building quality into the entire software delivery lifecycle rather than treating testing as a final phase - follow people who cover **testing strategy, automation, DevOps, reliability, architecture, and engineering culture**. [Author, QA expert extols continuous testing virtues | TechTarget](https://www.techtarget.com/searchsoftwarequality/podcast/Author-QA-expert-extols-continuous-testing-virtues?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ## Quality Engineering thought leaders to follow ### Foundations: testing mindset and craft - Cem Kaner - Great for learning testing theory, exploratory testing, risk-based thinking, and the principles behind good testing. [Cem Kaner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cem_Kaner?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - Lisa Crispin - A strong voice on agile testing, whole-team quality, and collaboration between developers and testers. [DevTestOps According to the Experts](https://www.mabl.com/blog/an-expert-talks-to-experts-about-devtestops?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - Michael Bolton - Known for critical thinking about testing, context-driven testing, and avoiding shallow “checklist testing.” ### Modern QE, DevOps, and continuous testing - Eran Kinsbruner - Follow for continuous testing, DevOps quality practices, AI in testing, and enterprise QE transformation. [Eran Kinsbruner | Perforce Software](https://www.perforce.com/author/eran-kinsbruner?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - Adam Auerbach - Good perspective on scaling QE organizations, DevOps transformation, and continuous testing adoption. [| TechWell](https://www.techwell.com/users/adam-auerbach?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - Angie Jones - Excellent for automation engineering, test design, and helping engineers grow testing skills. - Alan Page - Strong on engineering quality culture, test strategy, and moving beyond traditional QA roles. ### Automation and engineering practices - Tariq King - Covers advanced QE topics, automation, research, and quality engineering leadership. [Speakers – Technojam](https://technojam.ca/speakers/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - Elisabeth Hendrickson - Valuable for understanding quality practices in agile product teams. - Bas Dijkstra - Good follow for API testing, automation frameworks, and practical engineering techniques. ## Communities and sources worth following - Ministry of Testing - One of the best communities for practical testing discussions, articles, and events. - Association for Software Testing - Strong for testing principles and education. [Cem Kaner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cem_Kaner?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - TechWell - Good source for conferences, articles, and QE discussions. [| TechWell](https://www.techwell.com/users/adam-auerbach?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ## If you are building a QE career, I’d prioritize this learning path 1. **Testing fundamentals** - Exploratory testing - Risk-based testing - Test design techniques - Understanding user and business risk 2. **Engineering skills** - Programming (Python, Java, JavaScript, or similar) - API testing - UI automation - Database and data validation 3. **Modern QE practices** - CI/CD pipelines - Continuous testing - Observability - Performance and security testing - Quality metrics 4. **Quality leadership** - Quality culture - Coaching developers - Improving delivery systems instead of just finding bugs For a **2026-focused QE learning feed**, I would start with Eran Kinsbruner, Angie Jones, Lisa Crispin, Alan Page, Michael Bolton, and Cem Kaner, then add DevOps/SRE voices to connect quality with production reliability. [Eran Kinsbruner | Perforce Software](https://www.perforce.com/author/eran-kinsbruner?utm_source=chatgpt.com) I can also give you a **“Top 20 Quality Engineering people to follow on LinkedIn/X” list** or a **90-day QE learning roadmap** if you want.

**If you want to learn about Quality Engineering, follow practitioners who actively share insights on testing strategies, automation, and building quality into software delivery. Some of the most respected voices include Maaret Pyhäjärvi, Michael Bolton, Joe Colantonio, Lisa Crispin, and James Bach.**[Top 15 QA Influencers to Follow in 2026](https://thectoclub.com/career/top-qa-influencers/) ## 🌟 Key People to Follow in Quality Engineering Expert| Focus Areas| Why Follow ---|---|--- **Maaret Pyhäjärvi**| Exploratory testing, AI-enhanced testing, developer testing| Shares practical approaches to testing as active learning and integrates AI into testing workflows.[Top 15 QA Influencers to Follow in 2026](https://thectoclub.com/career/top-qa-influencers/) **Michael Bolton**| Rapid Software Testing, critical thinking| Co-developer of Rapid Software Testing; emphasizes testing as investigation and problem-solving.[Top 15 QA Influencers to Follow in 2026](https://thectoclub.com/career/top-qa-influencers/) **Joe Colantonio**| Test automation, DevOps, performance testing| Founder of _TestGuild_ podcast and platform, offering accessible discussions on modern QA practices.[Top 15 QA Influencers to Follow in 2026](https://thectoclub.com/career/top-qa-influencers/) **Lisa Crispin**| Agile testing, continuous delivery, quality culture| Co-author of _Agile Testing_ books; helps teams embed quality into agile processes.[Top 15 QA Influencers to Follow in 2026](https://thectoclub.com/career/top-qa-influencers/) **James Bach**| Context-driven testing, risk analysis| Creator of Rapid Software Testing; strong advocate for skilled exploratory testing.[Top 15 QA Influencers to Follow in 2026](https://thectoclub.com/career/top-qa-influencers/) ## 📚 Other Thought Leaders in Engineering & Quality * **The Pragmatic Engineer (Gergely Orosz)** – Writes long-form, evidence-based articles on engineering effectiveness and organizational design.[20 Must-Follow Engineering Thought Leaders | StandIn | StandIn](https://www.standin.co/blog/must-follow-engineering-thought-leaders) * **Engineering Directors & CTOs at mid-stage companies** – Many share valuable insights on org design and scaling quality practices.[20 Must-Follow Engineering Thought Leaders | StandIn | StandIn](https://www.standin.co/blog/must-follow-engineering-thought-leaders) * **DevEx(Developer Experience) researchers** – Increasingly frame engineering productivity and quality in quantitative terms.[20 Must-Follow Engineering Thought Leaders | StandIn | StandIn](https://www.standin.co/blog/must-follow-engineering-thought-leaders) ## ⚠️ Risks & Considerations * **Echo chambers**: Some influencers recycle theory without practical grounding. Focus on those who share case studies and real-world lessons. * **Tool bias**: Influencers may favor certain automation tools or frameworks. Balance perspectives by following multiple voices. * **Rapid change**: Quality Engineering evolves quickly with AI, DevOps, and cloud-native practices. Prioritize those who adapt and experiment rather than sticking to outdated methods. ## ✅ Next Steps * Start with **Joe Colantonio’s TestGuild podcast** for accessible, ongoing discussions. * Read **Lisa Crispin & Janet Gregory’s Agile Testing books** for foundational knowledge. * Explore **Maaret Pyhäjärvi’s talks and blogs** for modern, AI-driven testing strategies. * Follow **Michael Bolton and James Bach** for deep dives into exploratory and context-driven testing. Would you like me to curate a **starter reading list (articles, podcasts, and talks)** from these experts so you can begin learning systematically?

* **Angie Jones:** Former Senior Director of Developer Relations and creator of **Test Automation University**. Essential to follow for web automation, AI in testing, and foundational technical skills. [25 TOP INNOVATION INFLUENCERS WITH QUALITY](https://www.amraandelma.com/innovation-influencers-with-quality-assurance/#:~:text=Angie%20Jones%20is%20one%20of%20the%20most,her%20a%20staple%20for%20QA%20engineers%20everywhere.) * **Joe Colantonio:** Founder of **TestGuild** , hosting extensive podcasts and interviews covering test automation, performance engineering, and industry shifts. [Test automation experts to follow on LinkedIn - BugBug.io](https://bugbug.io/blog/software-testing/test-automation-experts-to-follow/#:~:text=Active%20Test%20Automation%20Experts%20*%20Joe%20Colantonio%20%2D%20the%20founder%20of%20TestGuild.) * **Lisa Crispin & Janet Gregory:** Co-authors of the landmark _Agile Testing_ books. Follow them for building quality-first cultures inside cross-functional Agile and DevOps teams. [25 TOP INNOVATION INFLUENCERS WITH QUALITY](https://www.amraandelma.com/innovation-influencers-with-quality-assurance/#:~:text=Janet%20Gregory%20is%20a%20global%20voice%20in,with%20a%20focus%20on%20thoughtful%2C%20user%2Ddriven%20testing.) * **Alan Richardson (The Evil Tester):** Independent consultant and author known for deep technical insights, API testing, and practical coding frameworks for testers. [Top Twenty-Five Thought Leaders in Software Testing and Automation](https://about.codecov.io/blog/top-twenty-five-thought-leaders-in-software-testing-and-automation/#:~:text=Alan%20Richardson%20is%20an%20independent%20consultant%20with,and%20REST%20API%20automating%2C%20and%20Selenium%20WebDriver.) * **Mark Winteringham:** Author of _Testing Web APIs_ and a leading voice in modern web testing architecture, behavior-driven development, and automation strategy. * **Ministry of Testing (Led by Richard Bradshaw):** The premier global community platform for software quality professionals, offering articles, slack communities, and annual conferences. [Follow These 10 QA Influencers to Boost Your Testing Career](https://medium.com/@tania-zhydkova/follow-these-10-qa-influencers-to-boost-your-testing-career-89975905a98c#:~:text=As%20an%20experienced%20coach%2C%20facilitator%20and%20public,and%20conferences.%20*%206.%20Maaret%20Pyh%C3%A4j%C3%A4rvi%20%40maaretp.) Are you currently focusing more on test automation or building a quality engineering strategy for an agile team?

To dive deep into Quality Engineering (QE), test automation, and modern quality practices, you should follow industry leaders who actively share strategies on shifting quality left, whole-team approaches, and scaling automation. Top experts and thought leaders to follow include: * _Angie Jones_ – Global Vice President of Developer Relations at Block and founder of **Test Automation University** , Angie is a premier voice in automated testing, Java, and inclusive tech education. * _Lisa Crispin_ – Co-author of _Agile Testing_ and _More Agile Testing_ , Lisa is essential to follow for integrating testing and quality into agile delivery teams. * _Richard Bradshaw_ – Known as the "Friendly Tester," he is a prominent industry leader focusing on automation, exploratory testing, and modern testing strategies via the Ministry of Testing. * _Maaret Pyhäjärvi_ – An experienced lead quality engineer, speaker, and author known for pioneering concepts like mob testing and deep exploratory testing techniques. * _Janet Gregory_ – Co-author alongside _Lisa Crispin_ of the seminal books on Agile testing, focusing heavily on whole-team quality and agile quality practices. * _Joe Colantonio_ – Host of the **Test Guild** podcast and community, Joe provides incredible tactical content around test automation, security testing, and AI in quality. * Anne-Marie Charrett – An engineering leadership and quality coach expert, and author of _The Quality Coach's Handbook_ , focusing on quality culture and coaching engineering teams. * _Martin Fowler_ – While broadly a software architecture thought leader, his foundational work on refactoring, continuous delivery, and code design principles heavily dictates modern quality engineering standards. Are you looking to focus more on **test automation frameworks** , **Agile/leadership quality practices** , or **AI-driven testing tools** so I can tailor specific resources or reading lists for you? Show less