Creating value through testing: a woman's journey in tech

Katerina Ragkousi shares her inspiring, non-traditional journey into software testing, highlighting how testers drive value, quality, and innovation in technology through curiosity, collaboration, and continuous growth.

In this talk, Katerina reflects on her unexpected path into the world of software testing, starting with a leap of faith at Microsoft and progressing through roles where she was often the sole tester on a team. Through these experiences, she developed resilience, problem-solving skills, and a deep appreciation for the role of testing beyond bug detection — as a driver of quality, structure, and team improvement. She details how her journey led her to embrace automation and performance testing at NoviBet, where she now contributes to a collaborative, quality-first development culture using modern tools and continuous integration practices.

Katerina also shares valuable advice for aspiring testers: be curious, think critically, stay up-to-date, communicate well, and always keep the end user in mind. She emphasises the vital role women play in the testing industry and advocates for more female representation in technical and leadership roles. 

Her talk is both a personal story of growth and a motivational call to see software testing not just as a job, but as a meaningful career that shapes the future of technology.