Florian Sommerfeldt
@fsommerfeldt.bsky.social
👨🏻💻 Quality Engineer: https://florian-sommerfeldt.com/
✍🏻 Writer: https://atesterstoolkit.substack.com/
✍🏻 Writer: https://atesterstoolkit.substack.com/
Pinned
Testing solely through a software's graphical user interface can result in important aspects of a feature being overlooked. This can lead to either insufficient or excessive testing. (1/2)
@fayer.dev Your game made it into one of the non-gaming newsletters that I am subscribed to. 🎉
levparikian.substack.com/i/174773141/...
levparikian.substack.com/i/174773141/...
September 30, 2025 at 5:52 AM
@fayer.dev Your game made it into one of the non-gaming newsletters that I am subscribed to. 🎉
levparikian.substack.com/i/174773141/...
levparikian.substack.com/i/174773141/...
Reposted by Florian Sommerfeldt
Good morning.🌞
September 3, 2025 at 6:27 AM
Good morning.🌞
Today, I ran a workshop with my development team to discuss our approach to test a major refactoring.
We discussed organisational aspects, user journeys, test environments, test data, test ideas, data migration, observability, rollback plans, nightmare headlines, risks and priorities.
(1/3)
We discussed organisational aspects, user journeys, test environments, test data, test ideas, data migration, observability, rollback plans, nightmare headlines, risks and priorities.
(1/3)
August 20, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Today, I ran a workshop with my development team to discuss our approach to test a major refactoring.
We discussed organisational aspects, user journeys, test environments, test data, test ideas, data migration, observability, rollback plans, nightmare headlines, risks and priorities.
(1/3)
We discussed organisational aspects, user journeys, test environments, test data, test ideas, data migration, observability, rollback plans, nightmare headlines, risks and priorities.
(1/3)
I am currently working on a more personal article, and I can't stop thinking about the chapter 'Shitty First Drafts' in 'Bird by Bird' by Anne Lamott.
I really disliked my first draft. I thought it was awful. However, it's slowly coming together and improving.
I really disliked my first draft. I thought it was awful. However, it's slowly coming together and improving.
July 28, 2025 at 11:19 AM
I am currently working on a more personal article, and I can't stop thinking about the chapter 'Shitty First Drafts' in 'Bird by Bird' by Anne Lamott.
I really disliked my first draft. I thought it was awful. However, it's slowly coming together and improving.
I really disliked my first draft. I thought it was awful. However, it's slowly coming together and improving.
Reposted by Florian Sommerfeldt
Funny how we force engineers to write ADRs for every trade‑off, yet billion‑dollar strategic bets live in hallway whispers and fluffy slide decks.
What if we treated business decisions like architecture? Context, options, trade‑offs, metrics, all in a repo, version‑controlled and reviewed?
What if we treated business decisions like architecture? Context, options, trade‑offs, metrics, all in a repo, version‑controlled and reviewed?
July 17, 2025 at 3:35 AM
Funny how we force engineers to write ADRs for every trade‑off, yet billion‑dollar strategic bets live in hallway whispers and fluffy slide decks.
What if we treated business decisions like architecture? Context, options, trade‑offs, metrics, all in a repo, version‑controlled and reviewed?
What if we treated business decisions like architecture? Context, options, trade‑offs, metrics, all in a repo, version‑controlled and reviewed?
Testing solely through a software's graphical user interface can result in important aspects of a feature being overlooked. This can lead to either insufficient or excessive testing. (1/2)
July 3, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Testing solely through a software's graphical user interface can result in important aspects of a feature being overlooked. This can lead to either insufficient or excessive testing. (1/2)
Talk about what motivated you to ask certain questions or start an analysis.
Are there any risks that you want to address? Can you identify any opportunities for improvement?
Explaining your motivation helps others to understand why this work might be important and makes it easier to discuss.
Are there any risks that you want to address? Can you identify any opportunities for improvement?
Explaining your motivation helps others to understand why this work might be important and makes it easier to discuss.
July 1, 2025 at 10:01 AM
Talk about what motivated you to ask certain questions or start an analysis.
Are there any risks that you want to address? Can you identify any opportunities for improvement?
Explaining your motivation helps others to understand why this work might be important and makes it easier to discuss.
Are there any risks that you want to address? Can you identify any opportunities for improvement?
Explaining your motivation helps others to understand why this work might be important and makes it easier to discuss.
Reposted by Florian Sommerfeldt
For whimsical software that’s fine, or if you *want* to see a magic trick.
When dealing with important files on my computer, I want something safe, reliable, concrete, understandable.
When dealing with important files on my computer, I want something safe, reliable, concrete, understandable.
June 23, 2025 at 12:13 PM
For whimsical software that’s fine, or if you *want* to see a magic trick.
When dealing with important files on my computer, I want something safe, reliable, concrete, understandable.
When dealing with important files on my computer, I want something safe, reliable, concrete, understandable.
Reposted by Florian Sommerfeldt
The inherent problem with "magical" styling on UI is that as users, we have an inherent mistrust of anything that claims to be magical.
Magic suggests tricks and misdirection. It suggests the unknowable. You're not allowed to know what's happening behind the curtain.
Hmmmm.
Magic suggests tricks and misdirection. It suggests the unknowable. You're not allowed to know what's happening behind the curtain.
Hmmmm.
June 23, 2025 at 12:10 PM
The inherent problem with "magical" styling on UI is that as users, we have an inherent mistrust of anything that claims to be magical.
Magic suggests tricks and misdirection. It suggests the unknowable. You're not allowed to know what's happening behind the curtain.
Hmmmm.
Magic suggests tricks and misdirection. It suggests the unknowable. You're not allowed to know what's happening behind the curtain.
Hmmmm.
If you work with large, complex JSON structures, it is worth investing time in tools. Build something that visualises the data you regularly need in a way that makes sense to you.
I work with JSON that is ~5,000 lines long. After writing 84 lines of JS and some HTML, I save a lot of time and energy
I work with JSON that is ~5,000 lines long. After writing 84 lines of JS and some HTML, I save a lot of time and energy
June 20, 2025 at 7:55 AM
If you work with large, complex JSON structures, it is worth investing time in tools. Build something that visualises the data you regularly need in a way that makes sense to you.
I work with JSON that is ~5,000 lines long. After writing 84 lines of JS and some HTML, I save a lot of time and energy
I work with JSON that is ~5,000 lines long. After writing 84 lines of JS and some HTML, I save a lot of time and energy
While searching for a document on risk-based testing, I came across this in one of my web projects.
I have so many questions.
I have so many questions.
June 10, 2025 at 2:55 PM
While searching for a document on risk-based testing, I came across this in one of my web projects.
I have so many questions.
I have so many questions.
Most plans are flawed and derail. But if we decide to invest time and energy into a plan, we should make it worthwhile and put some critical thinking and work into it.
I have a list of questions that help me to make plans more robust and be better prepared when things go wrong. (1/2)
I have a list of questions that help me to make plans more robust and be better prepared when things go wrong. (1/2)
April 30, 2025 at 7:05 AM
Most plans are flawed and derail. But if we decide to invest time and energy into a plan, we should make it worthwhile and put some critical thinking and work into it.
I have a list of questions that help me to make plans more robust and be better prepared when things go wrong. (1/2)
I have a list of questions that help me to make plans more robust and be better prepared when things go wrong. (1/2)
I do what helps the team the most in the current situation - and that's not always testing.
This principle has helped me slip into other roles. It allowed me to learn new approaches and tools. I gained a new perspective on development processes and collaboration.
#SoftwareTesting
This principle has helped me slip into other roles. It allowed me to learn new approaches and tools. I gained a new perspective on development processes and collaboration.
#SoftwareTesting
April 16, 2025 at 6:59 AM
I do what helps the team the most in the current situation - and that's not always testing.
This principle has helped me slip into other roles. It allowed me to learn new approaches and tools. I gained a new perspective on development processes and collaboration.
#SoftwareTesting
This principle has helped me slip into other roles. It allowed me to learn new approaches and tools. I gained a new perspective on development processes and collaboration.
#SoftwareTesting
Reposted by Florian Sommerfeldt
Are you trying to improve flow, make better tradeoffs, push for more strategic alignment, or clarify what's supported and what isn't?
cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-351-th...
cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-351-th...
TBM 351: The 4 Prioritization Jobs (And Why It Matters)
After all these years, I finally put something into words about prioritization.
cutlefish.substack.com
April 15, 2025 at 1:33 AM
Are you trying to improve flow, make better tradeoffs, push for more strategic alignment, or clarify what's supported and what isn't?
cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-351-th...
cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-351-th...
In the last few weeks, I've taken a complete break from video game development and invested that time in experimenting and learning about tools I've never touched before: Ktor, htmx, MSW and Nix.
I am having so much fun.
It is so much easier to define a scope and complete or abort a project.
I am having so much fun.
It is so much easier to define a scope and complete or abort a project.
March 3, 2025 at 12:29 PM
In the last few weeks, I've taken a complete break from video game development and invested that time in experimenting and learning about tools I've never touched before: Ktor, htmx, MSW and Nix.
I am having so much fun.
It is so much easier to define a scope and complete or abort a project.
I am having so much fun.
It is so much easier to define a scope and complete or abort a project.
Is your project struggling to keep translation files in sync? Here is a simple trick:
Write a unit test.
Read a file that is the reference, e.g. the one for English. Compare the reference with the files for the other languages. Check that only keys from the reference are present in the other files
Write a unit test.
Read a file that is the reference, e.g. the one for English. Compare the reference with the files for the other languages. Check that only keys from the reference are present in the other files
February 4, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Is your project struggling to keep translation files in sync? Here is a simple trick:
Write a unit test.
Read a file that is the reference, e.g. the one for English. Compare the reference with the files for the other languages. Check that only keys from the reference are present in the other files
Write a unit test.
Read a file that is the reference, e.g. the one for English. Compare the reference with the files for the other languages. Check that only keys from the reference are present in the other files
How can real continuous improvement actually work? How can a team embrace the desire to improve and experiment with hundreds of changes over years without ever stopping?
In this post, I write about an approach that a team of engineers found to do just that.
open.substack.com/pub/atesters...
In this post, I write about an approach that a team of engineers found to do just that.
open.substack.com/pub/atesters...
Kaizen: With Marginal Gains to Long-Term Improvements
How a team of engineers embraced continuous improvement.
open.substack.com
January 29, 2025 at 7:58 AM
How can real continuous improvement actually work? How can a team embrace the desire to improve and experiment with hundreds of changes over years without ever stopping?
In this post, I write about an approach that a team of engineers found to do just that.
open.substack.com/pub/atesters...
In this post, I write about an approach that a team of engineers found to do just that.
open.substack.com/pub/atesters...
Reposted by Florian Sommerfeldt
False Secrets
as if I need to write another article about transparency...
open.substack.com
January 25, 2025 at 10:17 PM
Last year I started a habit tracker in my notebook for writing. This year I switched to my digital calendar and use it for other activities as well.
Keeping track of these activities helps me stay motivated and appreciate how much work I put into them.
Keeping track of these activities helps me stay motivated and appreciate how much work I put into them.
January 21, 2025 at 8:58 AM
Last year I started a habit tracker in my notebook for writing. This year I switched to my digital calendar and use it for other activities as well.
Keeping track of these activities helps me stay motivated and appreciate how much work I put into them.
Keeping track of these activities helps me stay motivated and appreciate how much work I put into them.
I love mornings like this:
- Continued to work on my next post with good progress.
- Could help a developer with test data to reproduce a problem and find the root cause.
- Found a way to reproduce a mysterious application crash.
It's not even 10am yet. Time for a coffee.☕
#SoftwareTesting
- Continued to work on my next post with good progress.
- Could help a developer with test data to reproduce a problem and find the root cause.
- Found a way to reproduce a mysterious application crash.
It's not even 10am yet. Time for a coffee.☕
#SoftwareTesting
January 15, 2025 at 8:30 AM
I love mornings like this:
- Continued to work on my next post with good progress.
- Could help a developer with test data to reproduce a problem and find the root cause.
- Found a way to reproduce a mysterious application crash.
It's not even 10am yet. Time for a coffee.☕
#SoftwareTesting
- Continued to work on my next post with good progress.
- Could help a developer with test data to reproduce a problem and find the root cause.
- Found a way to reproduce a mysterious application crash.
It's not even 10am yet. Time for a coffee.☕
#SoftwareTesting
On my way back to the home office after a great lunch with @pascalk.bsky.social.
We discussed software engineering, change, security, video game development and more.
Having these lunch breaks with other people on home office days feels great and often inspires or helps me in some way.
We discussed software engineering, change, security, video game development and more.
Having these lunch breaks with other people on home office days feels great and often inspires or helps me in some way.
January 13, 2025 at 12:25 PM
On my way back to the home office after a great lunch with @pascalk.bsky.social.
We discussed software engineering, change, security, video game development and more.
Having these lunch breaks with other people on home office days feels great and often inspires or helps me in some way.
We discussed software engineering, change, security, video game development and more.
Having these lunch breaks with other people on home office days feels great and often inspires or helps me in some way.
I started working on the first article for 2025. ✍🏻
It feels great.
It feels great.
January 7, 2025 at 6:53 AM
I started working on the first article for 2025. ✍🏻
It feels great.
It feels great.
Reposted by Florian Sommerfeldt
Stopping, Starting, and Continuing
a small rant on feedback
open.substack.com
December 21, 2024 at 10:10 PM