Test Up North
Test Up North #1 was a new one-day conference for Leeds' software testing community. First run on Thursday 25th September, it was a full day of learning, sharing and socialising.
Test Up North is a specialised software testing mini-conference that debuted as part of the Leeds Digital Festival in September 2025. It was designed to bring together the Northern testing community for a full day of learning, networking, and practical skill-sharing.
The inaugural event, Test Up North #1, took place on September 24–25, 2025, at the Hippo Campus (Aireside House) in Leeds. It was organised by Hippos Adam Clarkson, Senior Consultant Test Engineer, with assistance from Nick Judge, Senior Consultant Test Engineer, and Emma Thornton, Marketing and Events Coordinator.
Key Event Highlights
The conference moved away from pure theory, focusing instead on real-world stories and interactive sessions. Major themes included:
- AI and Machine Learning: Discussions on the ethics of AI, testing machine learning models and "prompt sweep testing" (checking AI response consistency).
- Accessibility: A major focus on embedding accessibility from the start of the development cycle, rather than as an afterthought.
- Quality Engineering: Sessions on "Mutation Testing" (evaluating the quality of automated tests) and modernising mobile testing strategies.
- The "Power of Being Pedantic": A session by Hippo’s Andy Sockett on the critical role of requirements engineering.
- Knowing yourself: How to share your skills with others, instil a culture of quality and communicate your unique contributions, even if you don't get it right first time!