Colleague spotlight: Say hi to Kennedy Bonsu
Kennedy Bonsu has become one of the leading voices in Leighton for QA and accessibility, regularly sharing his knowledge at industry events.
In this month’s colleague spotlight, Kennedy talks us through his career journey so far, how QA has evolved into a more strategic and influential discipline, and where he sees his career heading in the future.
I currently work on the BAgel project for the British Airways account, where I am part of the design system team responsible for creating and maintaining reusable web components. My role is to ensure consistency, quality and accessibility across all components within the design systems, while establishing and overseeing the quality assurance strategy that supports development, testing and release.
One of my core responsibilities is defining the standards and processes that govern how reusable components are designed, built, tested and distributed to the product teams across the wider project and business. I work closely with teams to support the implementation of web components, provide guidance on best practices and ensure they are used correctly and repeatably. I also act as a governance and quality safeguard, helping teams to avoid introducing solutions that could compromise accessibility, usability, or compliance requirements by ensuring alignment with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
My primary objective is to ensure that every component we design, develop and test meets the required accessibility standards, including WCAG 2.2. This encompasses conformance with Level AA, which addresses the most common and significant barriers experienced by users with disabilities, while also striving towards Level AAA standards which represents the ‘gold standard’ of digital inclusivity. All of these components must also comply with the requirements of the European Accessibility Act. By embedding accessibility, quality assurance and consistency throughout the design system, I ensure that the products delivered across the organisation provide an inclusive, compliant and consistent experience for all users.
I have been with Leighton for four years. Before joining, I was working in the renewable energy sector, it was only by chance I got wind of a potential role working on the British Airways account. The project sounded exciting and challenging, and it was something I immediately wanted to be a part of.
While there was a lot to learn, particularly around new technologies and ways of working, what really stood out to me was Leighton itself. The flexibility, transparency and its approach to collaboration made a strong impression from the start. It was clear that Leighton valued its colleagues and fostered an environment where people could grow and contribute. In the end, it was a really easy decision to join.
I began my career in auditing and financial accounting before joining the army in 2010. After leaving the army, a friend who was already working in a senior QA position suggested that I explore a career in software testing and quality assurance. He recognised that many of the skills I had gained through auditing could be directly transferred into QA, particularly around identifying risks, validating processes and ensuring high quality standards were met. The opportunity to work in a new sector was something that appealed to me, making the transition feel like a natural next step.
To build my knowledge, I completed a number of industry recognised courses and certifications before getting a bit of hands-on experience under the guidance of my friend who helped me to learn a lot of the fundamentals of the profession. This support enabled me to develop my technical and testing skills and ultimately secure my first role as a senior tester. From there, my career progressed naturally. I moved into a test lead position before taking on the challenge of establishing an entirely new testing function for a renewable energy company. This role provided valuable leadership experience and allowed me to shape testing processes, standards and team practices from the ground up.
As my expertise grew, I progressed into a senior automation tester role and later stepped into the position of head of QA on an interim basis. During this period, I was responsible for driving quality initiatives, improving testing capabilities and supporting broader organisational objectives, before finally moving into a test manager role, where I led the introduction of new testing tools, processes and team structures to improve delivery quality and efficiency.
These experiences ultimately led me to join Leighton, where I have continued to build on my leadership, quality assurance and accessibility expertise while working on large-scale digital transformation programmes.
One of the things I am most proud of is helping to build QA teams that can function without my presence. Although this is a bit of a double-edged sword, I can look back at times throughout my career when I have made a difference to businesses and their teams and have left them in a better place to when I started.
Outside of work, I also help to run a small community to help prospective tech professionals within the QA industry with interview techniques, CV writing and best practices when trying to secure new roles. I’ve done this for several years and have helped people from varying backgrounds to get a foot in the door.
Making a difference to my colleagues and the customer. At the end of the day, the work we do is to support clients and make their products or services better for the end user. So, making a difference within the project to keep customers satisfied is a good feeling. I also think of myself as an advocate for learning and developing. I make sure that any of the skills and knowledge that I have learnt in my career so far can be transferred to help my colleagues, giving them the right tools to excel and succeed in their roles too.
Commercial awareness is essential, particularly in a QA role. It’s important to understand how your work, the product you support and the decisions you make can influence business outcomes, revenue and the various stakeholders involved. Quality Assurance often sits at the intersection of multiple teams, priorities and objectives, which means balancing competing demands can be challenging.
Success in the role comes from having a clear understanding of your responsibilities and making informed decisions. While it is not always possible to satisfy every stakeholder at once, the key is to provide the right level of guidance, quality oversight and support to help teams achieve their goals.
What stands out most to me about Leighton is the flexibility and transparency that exists across the business. There are fantastic opportunities to travel, attend and speak at industry events and to connect with a range of people and organisations. Leighton genuinely invests in its people and the opportunities for personal growth are unlike anything I have experienced elsewhere in my career.
The first company day I attended in 2022 stands out as particularly memorable. What I recall most vividly is the openness of the senior leadership team as they shared their vision for the future of the business. It was an exciting time to have just joined, and it was great to hear about the upcoming projects and partnerships. At that point, the company was still much smaller than it is today, so reflecting on how far it has grown since then gives me a genuine sense of pride and achievement.
I want to become a stronger voice within the industry, particularly in accessibility and QA engineering, where I aim to contribute thought leadership and drive best practices. Longer term, I aspire to step into a senior leadership role where I can share my experience and help develop and mentor the next generation of QA professionals.
I joined the army in 2010, becoming a combat medic and serving several tours across the world.
I spend a lot of time doing DIY. Anything that needs fixing, I love to get stuck in and get my hands dirty.
Many people assume that Quality Assurance is simply about finding bugs, fixing them, and moving software through to release. In reality, the role has evolved significantly and is far more strategic than that.
My team occupies a unique position within the project, sitting centrally between multiple product teams. We work closely with them on a daily basis, developing a deep understanding of their products, challenges, priorities and delivery goals. This requires a high level of collaboration and communication, as much of our work is focused on building relationships, sharing knowledge and providing guidance throughout the development lifecycle.
Rather than acting solely as testers, we serve as trusted advisors and advocates for quality and accessibility. We help teams make informed decisions, identify potential risks early, and ensure that accessibility and quality considerations are embedded into products from the outset rather than treated as an afterthought. By providing expertise, standards, and support, we enable teams to deliver high-quality, accessible products more efficiently and with greater confidence.
Speak the language. You can have all the technical know-how in the world, but it will only take you so far. It’s important to speak the language of the people in the room with you, particularly when you consider commercial awareness, feasibility and risk analysis. If you’re not speaking the same language as the people around you, the opportunities will not be there for you.
Take things one step at a time. Be a keen learner, invest in yourself in terms of your development and speak to people who have the experience.
Kennedy Bonsu has become one of the leading voices in Leighton for QA and accessibility, regularly sharing his knowledge at industry events.
In this month’s colleague spotlight, Kennedy talks us through his career journey so far, how QA has evolved into a more strategic and influential discipline, and where he sees his career heading in the future.
I currently work on the BAgel project for the British Airways account, where I am part of the design system team responsible for creating and maintaining reusable web components. My role is to ensure consistency, quality and accessibility across all components within the design systems, while establishing and overseeing the quality assurance strategy that supports development, testing and release.
One of my core responsibilities is defining the standards and processes that govern how reusable components are designed, built, tested and distributed to the product teams across the wider project and business. I work closely with teams to support the implementation of web components, provide guidance on best practices and ensure they are used correctly and repeatably. I also act as a governance and quality safeguard, helping teams to avoid introducing solutions that could compromise accessibility, usability, or compliance requirements by ensuring alignment with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
My primary objective is to ensure that every component we design, develop and test meets the required accessibility standards, including WCAG 2.2. This encompasses conformance with Level AA, which addresses the most common and significant barriers experienced by users with disabilities, while also striving towards Level AAA standards which represents the ‘gold standard’ of digital inclusivity. All of these components must also comply with the requirements of the European Accessibility Act. By embedding accessibility, quality assurance and consistency throughout the design system, I ensure that the products delivered across the organisation provide an inclusive, compliant and consistent experience for all users.
I have been with Leighton for four years. Before joining, I was working in the renewable energy sector, it was only by chance I got wind of a potential role working on the British Airways account. The project sounded exciting and challenging, and it was something I immediately wanted to be a part of.
While there was a lot to learn, particularly around new technologies and ways of working, what really stood out to me was Leighton itself. The flexibility, transparency and its approach to collaboration made a strong impression from the start. It was clear that Leighton valued its colleagues and fostered an environment where people could grow and contribute. In the end, it was a really easy decision to join.
I began my career in auditing and financial accounting before joining the army in 2010. After leaving the army, a friend who was already working in a senior QA position suggested that I explore a career in software testing and quality assurance. He recognised that many of the skills I had gained through auditing could be directly transferred into QA, particularly around identifying risks, validating processes and ensuring high quality standards were met. The opportunity to work in a new sector was something that appealed to me, making the transition feel like a natural next step.
To build my knowledge, I completed a number of industry recognised courses and certifications before getting a bit of hands-on experience under the guidance of my friend who helped me to learn a lot of the fundamentals of the profession. This support enabled me to develop my technical and testing skills and ultimately secure my first role as a senior tester. From there, my career progressed naturally. I moved into a test lead position before taking on the challenge of establishing an entirely new testing function for a renewable energy company. This role provided valuable leadership experience and allowed me to shape testing processes, standards and team practices from the ground up.
As my expertise grew, I progressed into a senior automation tester role and later stepped into the position of head of QA on an interim basis. During this period, I was responsible for driving quality initiatives, improving testing capabilities and supporting broader organisational objectives, before finally moving into a test manager role, where I led the introduction of new testing tools, processes and team structures to improve delivery quality and efficiency.
These experiences ultimately led me to join Leighton, where I have continued to build on my leadership, quality assurance and accessibility expertise while working on large-scale digital transformation programmes.
One of the things I am most proud of is helping to build QA teams that can function without my presence. Although this is a bit of a double-edged sword, I can look back at times throughout my career when I have made a difference to businesses and their teams and have left them in a better place to when I started.
Outside of work, I also help to run a small community to help prospective tech professionals within the QA industry with interview techniques, CV writing and best practices when trying to secure new roles. I’ve done this for several years and have helped people from varying backgrounds to get a foot in the door.
Making a difference to my colleagues and the customer. At the end of the day, the work we do is to support clients and make their products or services better for the end user. So, making a difference within the project to keep customers satisfied is a good feeling. I also think of myself as an advocate for learning and developing. I make sure that any of the skills and knowledge that I have learnt in my career so far can be transferred to help my colleagues, giving them the right tools to excel and succeed in their roles too.
Commercial awareness is essential, particularly in a QA role. It’s important to understand how your work, the product you support and the decisions you make can influence business outcomes, revenue and the various stakeholders involved. Quality Assurance often sits at the intersection of multiple teams, priorities and objectives, which means balancing competing demands can be challenging.
Success in the role comes from having a clear understanding of your responsibilities and making informed decisions. While it is not always possible to satisfy every stakeholder at once, the key is to provide the right level of guidance, quality oversight and support to help teams achieve their goals.
What stands out most to me about Leighton is the flexibility and transparency that exists across the business. There are fantastic opportunities to travel, attend and speak at industry events and to connect with a range of people and organisations. Leighton genuinely invests in its people and the opportunities for personal growth are unlike anything I have experienced elsewhere in my career.
The first company day I attended in 2022 stands out as particularly memorable. What I recall most vividly is the openness of the senior leadership team as they shared their vision for the future of the business. It was an exciting time to have just joined, and it was great to hear about the upcoming projects and partnerships. At that point, the company was still much smaller than it is today, so reflecting on how far it has grown since then gives me a genuine sense of pride and achievement.
I want to become a stronger voice within the industry, particularly in accessibility and QA engineering, where I aim to contribute thought leadership and drive best practices. Longer term, I aspire to step into a senior leadership role where I can share my experience and help develop and mentor the next generation of QA professionals.
I joined the army in 2010, becoming a combat medic and serving several tours across the world.
I spend a lot of time doing DIY. Anything that needs fixing, I love to get stuck in and get my hands dirty.
Many people assume that Quality Assurance is simply about finding bugs, fixing them, and moving software through to release. In reality, the role has evolved significantly and is far more strategic than that.
My team occupies a unique position within the project, sitting centrally between multiple product teams. We work closely with them on a daily basis, developing a deep understanding of their products, challenges, priorities and delivery goals. This requires a high level of collaboration and communication, as much of our work is focused on building relationships, sharing knowledge and providing guidance throughout the development lifecycle.
Rather than acting solely as testers, we serve as trusted advisors and advocates for quality and accessibility. We help teams make informed decisions, identify potential risks early, and ensure that accessibility and quality considerations are embedded into products from the outset rather than treated as an afterthought. By providing expertise, standards, and support, we enable teams to deliver high-quality, accessible products more efficiently and with greater confidence.
Speak the language. You can have all the technical know-how in the world, but it will only take you so far. It’s important to speak the language of the people in the room with you, particularly when you consider commercial awareness, feasibility and risk analysis. If you’re not speaking the same language as the people around you, the opportunities will not be there for you.
Take things one step at a time. Be a keen learner, invest in yourself in terms of your development and speak to people who have the experience.
Kennedy Bonsu has become one of the leading voices in Leighton for QA and accessibility, regularly sharing his knowledge at industry events.
In this month’s colleague spotlight, Kennedy talks us through his career journey so far, how QA has evolved into a more strategic and influential discipline, and where he sees his career heading in the future.
I currently work on the BAgel project for the British Airways account, where I am part of the design system team responsible for creating and maintaining reusable web components. My role is to ensure consistency, quality and accessibility across all components within the design systems, while establishing and overseeing the quality assurance strategy that supports development, testing and release.
One of my core responsibilities is defining the standards and processes that govern how reusable components are designed, built, tested and distributed to the product teams across the wider project and business. I work closely with teams to support the implementation of web components, provide guidance on best practices and ensure they are used correctly and repeatably. I also act as a governance and quality safeguard, helping teams to avoid introducing solutions that could compromise accessibility, usability, or compliance requirements by ensuring alignment with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
My primary objective is to ensure that every component we design, develop and test meets the required accessibility standards, including WCAG 2.2. This encompasses conformance with Level AA, which addresses the most common and significant barriers experienced by users with disabilities, while also striving towards Level AAA standards which represents the ‘gold standard’ of digital inclusivity. All of these components must also comply with the requirements of the European Accessibility Act. By embedding accessibility, quality assurance and consistency throughout the design system, I ensure that the products delivered across the organisation provide an inclusive, compliant and consistent experience for all users.
I have been with Leighton for four years. Before joining, I was working in the renewable energy sector, it was only by chance I got wind of a potential role working on the British Airways account. The project sounded exciting and challenging, and it was something I immediately wanted to be a part of.
While there was a lot to learn, particularly around new technologies and ways of working, what really stood out to me was Leighton itself. The flexibility, transparency and its approach to collaboration made a strong impression from the start. It was clear that Leighton valued its colleagues and fostered an environment where people could grow and contribute. In the end, it was a really easy decision to join.
I began my career in auditing and financial accounting before joining the army in 2010. After leaving the army, a friend who was already working in a senior QA position suggested that I explore a career in software testing and quality assurance. He recognised that many of the skills I had gained through auditing could be directly transferred into QA, particularly around identifying risks, validating processes and ensuring high quality standards were met. The opportunity to work in a new sector was something that appealed to me, making the transition feel like a natural next step.
To build my knowledge, I completed a number of industry recognised courses and certifications before getting a bit of hands-on experience under the guidance of my friend who helped me to learn a lot of the fundamentals of the profession. This support enabled me to develop my technical and testing skills and ultimately secure my first role as a senior tester. From there, my career progressed naturally. I moved into a test lead position before taking on the challenge of establishing an entirely new testing function for a renewable energy company. This role provided valuable leadership experience and allowed me to shape testing processes, standards and team practices from the ground up.
As my expertise grew, I progressed into a senior automation tester role and later stepped into the position of head of QA on an interim basis. During this period, I was responsible for driving quality initiatives, improving testing capabilities and supporting broader organisational objectives, before finally moving into a test manager role, where I led the introduction of new testing tools, processes and team structures to improve delivery quality and efficiency.
These experiences ultimately led me to join Leighton, where I have continued to build on my leadership, quality assurance and accessibility expertise while working on large-scale digital transformation programmes.
One of the things I am most proud of is helping to build QA teams that can function without my presence. Although this is a bit of a double-edged sword, I can look back at times throughout my career when I have made a difference to businesses and their teams and have left them in a better place to when I started.
Outside of work, I also help to run a small community to help prospective tech professionals within the QA industry with interview techniques, CV writing and best practices when trying to secure new roles. I’ve done this for several years and have helped people from varying backgrounds to get a foot in the door.
Making a difference to my colleagues and the customer. At the end of the day, the work we do is to support clients and make their products or services better for the end user. So, making a difference within the project to keep customers satisfied is a good feeling. I also think of myself as an advocate for learning and developing. I make sure that any of the skills and knowledge that I have learnt in my career so far can be transferred to help my colleagues, giving them the right tools to excel and succeed in their roles too.
Commercial awareness is essential, particularly in a QA role. It’s important to understand how your work, the product you support and the decisions you make can influence business outcomes, revenue and the various stakeholders involved. Quality Assurance often sits at the intersection of multiple teams, priorities and objectives, which means balancing competing demands can be challenging.
Success in the role comes from having a clear understanding of your responsibilities and making informed decisions. While it is not always possible to satisfy every stakeholder at once, the key is to provide the right level of guidance, quality oversight and support to help teams achieve their goals.
What stands out most to me about Leighton is the flexibility and transparency that exists across the business. There are fantastic opportunities to travel, attend and speak at industry events and to connect with a range of people and organisations. Leighton genuinely invests in its people and the opportunities for personal growth are unlike anything I have experienced elsewhere in my career.
The first company day I attended in 2022 stands out as particularly memorable. What I recall most vividly is the openness of the senior leadership team as they shared their vision for the future of the business. It was an exciting time to have just joined, and it was great to hear about the upcoming projects and partnerships. At that point, the company was still much smaller than it is today, so reflecting on how far it has grown since then gives me a genuine sense of pride and achievement.
I want to become a stronger voice within the industry, particularly in accessibility and QA engineering, where I aim to contribute thought leadership and drive best practices. Longer term, I aspire to step into a senior leadership role where I can share my experience and help develop and mentor the next generation of QA professionals.
I joined the army in 2010, becoming a combat medic and serving several tours across the world.
I spend a lot of time doing DIY. Anything that needs fixing, I love to get stuck in and get my hands dirty.
Many people assume that Quality Assurance is simply about finding bugs, fixing them, and moving software through to release. In reality, the role has evolved significantly and is far more strategic than that.
My team occupies a unique position within the project, sitting centrally between multiple product teams. We work closely with them on a daily basis, developing a deep understanding of their products, challenges, priorities and delivery goals. This requires a high level of collaboration and communication, as much of our work is focused on building relationships, sharing knowledge and providing guidance throughout the development lifecycle.
Rather than acting solely as testers, we serve as trusted advisors and advocates for quality and accessibility. We help teams make informed decisions, identify potential risks early, and ensure that accessibility and quality considerations are embedded into products from the outset rather than treated as an afterthought. By providing expertise, standards, and support, we enable teams to deliver high-quality, accessible products more efficiently and with greater confidence.
Speak the language. You can have all the technical know-how in the world, but it will only take you so far. It’s important to speak the language of the people in the room with you, particularly when you consider commercial awareness, feasibility and risk analysis. If you’re not speaking the same language as the people around you, the opportunities will not be there for you.
Take things one step at a time. Be a keen learner, invest in yourself in terms of your development and speak to people who have the experience.
Kennedy Bonsu has become one of the leading voices in Leighton for QA and accessibility, regularly sharing his knowledge at industry events.
In this month’s colleague spotlight, Kennedy talks us through his career journey so far, how QA has evolved into a more strategic and influential discipline, and where he sees his career heading in the future.
I currently work on the BAgel project for the British Airways account, where I am part of the design system team responsible for creating and maintaining reusable web components. My role is to ensure consistency, quality and accessibility across all components within the design systems, while establishing and overseeing the quality assurance strategy that supports development, testing and release.
One of my core responsibilities is defining the standards and processes that govern how reusable components are designed, built, tested and distributed to the product teams across the wider project and business. I work closely with teams to support the implementation of web components, provide guidance on best practices and ensure they are used correctly and repeatably. I also act as a governance and quality safeguard, helping teams to avoid introducing solutions that could compromise accessibility, usability, or compliance requirements by ensuring alignment with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
My primary objective is to ensure that every component we design, develop and test meets the required accessibility standards, including WCAG 2.2. This encompasses conformance with Level AA, which addresses the most common and significant barriers experienced by users with disabilities, while also striving towards Level AAA standards which represents the ‘gold standard’ of digital inclusivity. All of these components must also comply with the requirements of the European Accessibility Act. By embedding accessibility, quality assurance and consistency throughout the design system, I ensure that the products delivered across the organisation provide an inclusive, compliant and consistent experience for all users.
I have been with Leighton for four years. Before joining, I was working in the renewable energy sector, it was only by chance I got wind of a potential role working on the British Airways account. The project sounded exciting and challenging, and it was something I immediately wanted to be a part of.
While there was a lot to learn, particularly around new technologies and ways of working, what really stood out to me was Leighton itself. The flexibility, transparency and its approach to collaboration made a strong impression from the start. It was clear that Leighton valued its colleagues and fostered an environment where people could grow and contribute. In the end, it was a really easy decision to join.
I began my career in auditing and financial accounting before joining the army in 2010. After leaving the army, a friend who was already working in a senior QA position suggested that I explore a career in software testing and quality assurance. He recognised that many of the skills I had gained through auditing could be directly transferred into QA, particularly around identifying risks, validating processes and ensuring high quality standards were met. The opportunity to work in a new sector was something that appealed to me, making the transition feel like a natural next step.
To build my knowledge, I completed a number of industry recognised courses and certifications before getting a bit of hands-on experience under the guidance of my friend who helped me to learn a lot of the fundamentals of the profession. This support enabled me to develop my technical and testing skills and ultimately secure my first role as a senior tester. From there, my career progressed naturally. I moved into a test lead position before taking on the challenge of establishing an entirely new testing function for a renewable energy company. This role provided valuable leadership experience and allowed me to shape testing processes, standards and team practices from the ground up.
As my expertise grew, I progressed into a senior automation tester role and later stepped into the position of head of QA on an interim basis. During this period, I was responsible for driving quality initiatives, improving testing capabilities and supporting broader organisational objectives, before finally moving into a test manager role, where I led the introduction of new testing tools, processes and team structures to improve delivery quality and efficiency.
These experiences ultimately led me to join Leighton, where I have continued to build on my leadership, quality assurance and accessibility expertise while working on large-scale digital transformation programmes.
One of the things I am most proud of is helping to build QA teams that can function without my presence. Although this is a bit of a double-edged sword, I can look back at times throughout my career when I have made a difference to businesses and their teams and have left them in a better place to when I started.
Outside of work, I also help to run a small community to help prospective tech professionals within the QA industry with interview techniques, CV writing and best practices when trying to secure new roles. I’ve done this for several years and have helped people from varying backgrounds to get a foot in the door.
Making a difference to my colleagues and the customer. At the end of the day, the work we do is to support clients and make their products or services better for the end user. So, making a difference within the project to keep customers satisfied is a good feeling. I also think of myself as an advocate for learning and developing. I make sure that any of the skills and knowledge that I have learnt in my career so far can be transferred to help my colleagues, giving them the right tools to excel and succeed in their roles too.
Commercial awareness is essential, particularly in a QA role. It’s important to understand how your work, the product you support and the decisions you make can influence business outcomes, revenue and the various stakeholders involved. Quality Assurance often sits at the intersection of multiple teams, priorities and objectives, which means balancing competing demands can be challenging.
Success in the role comes from having a clear understanding of your responsibilities and making informed decisions. While it is not always possible to satisfy every stakeholder at once, the key is to provide the right level of guidance, quality oversight and support to help teams achieve their goals.
What stands out most to me about Leighton is the flexibility and transparency that exists across the business. There are fantastic opportunities to travel, attend and speak at industry events and to connect with a range of people and organisations. Leighton genuinely invests in its people and the opportunities for personal growth are unlike anything I have experienced elsewhere in my career.
The first company day I attended in 2022 stands out as particularly memorable. What I recall most vividly is the openness of the senior leadership team as they shared their vision for the future of the business. It was an exciting time to have just joined, and it was great to hear about the upcoming projects and partnerships. At that point, the company was still much smaller than it is today, so reflecting on how far it has grown since then gives me a genuine sense of pride and achievement.
I want to become a stronger voice within the industry, particularly in accessibility and QA engineering, where I aim to contribute thought leadership and drive best practices. Longer term, I aspire to step into a senior leadership role where I can share my experience and help develop and mentor the next generation of QA professionals.
I joined the army in 2010, becoming a combat medic and serving several tours across the world.
I spend a lot of time doing DIY. Anything that needs fixing, I love to get stuck in and get my hands dirty.
Many people assume that Quality Assurance is simply about finding bugs, fixing them, and moving software through to release. In reality, the role has evolved significantly and is far more strategic than that.
My team occupies a unique position within the project, sitting centrally between multiple product teams. We work closely with them on a daily basis, developing a deep understanding of their products, challenges, priorities and delivery goals. This requires a high level of collaboration and communication, as much of our work is focused on building relationships, sharing knowledge and providing guidance throughout the development lifecycle.
Rather than acting solely as testers, we serve as trusted advisors and advocates for quality and accessibility. We help teams make informed decisions, identify potential risks early, and ensure that accessibility and quality considerations are embedded into products from the outset rather than treated as an afterthought. By providing expertise, standards, and support, we enable teams to deliver high-quality, accessible products more efficiently and with greater confidence.
Speak the language. You can have all the technical know-how in the world, but it will only take you so far. It’s important to speak the language of the people in the room with you, particularly when you consider commercial awareness, feasibility and risk analysis. If you’re not speaking the same language as the people around you, the opportunities will not be there for you.
Take things one step at a time. Be a keen learner, invest in yourself in terms of your development and speak to people who have the experience.
