MoTaCon Spoiler Edition by MoT-NL lands in Groningen

For the first time ever, the Ministry of Testing Netherlands chapter headed north to Groningen, where DUO (Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs) hosted our special MoTaCon Spoiler Edition.

After a warm welcome from host Jarsto van Santen, the evening kicked off with DUO's own Fieke de Vreede, who shared a brand new talk centered on a message that has echoed through our profession for decades: testers and developers achieve more when they work together than when they work against each other. Through personal experiences, thoughtful insights, and even a brief English lesson, she reminded us that collaboration remains one of the most important ingredients for quality.

Following a dinner courtesy of DUO, it was time for a preview of one of the talks heading to MoTacon Brighton. René van Veldhuijzen premiered a story about a self-correcting bug, exploring what happens now that AI has become the newest member of the development team. Along the way, attendees were introduced to Impy, René's long-awaited bug companion, while reflecting on the opportunities and challenges of working alongside AI.

The evening concluded with Suzanne Kraaij's first public outing of The Fear-Factor in Software Testing. Suzanne examined how fear influences our testing decisions, communication, and risk perception. Her talk added another fascinating entry to the growing collection of "driven" testing approaches and sparked plenty of conversations afterward.

Of course, no Ministry of Testing Netherlands chapter meeting would be complete without community participation. During the popular 99-Seconds Lightning Talks, Veerle Verhagen once again demonstrated why she'll be taking the stage as one of the hosts at MoTacon Brighton in October, delivering another energetic and memorable performance.

What stood out throughout the evening was a common theme running through all talks: optimism, collaboration, and learning together. Whether discussing developers, AI, fear, or community, every session reinforced the idea that quality is ultimately a team effort.

A huge thank you to DUO, Jarsto van Santen, all speakers, lightning talk contributors, and everyone who made the trip to Groningen. Judging by the enthusiasm in the room, we certainly hope this won't be the last chapter meetup in the north of the Netherlands.