My first MoT London
18 Sep 2026
In this moment:
MoT London
I went to my first Ministry of Testing London event last night — and what an experience.
The people I spoke to were brilliant. Was I nervous? Yes. Did I show it? You can be the judge of that! 😅
This is something I’ve never done before. I was surrounded by a room full of people I didn't know, yet after the first speaker, Nadim Rohani, I found myself being the first person to put my hand up and ask the first question.
I didn't really think about it at the time.
But afterwards, I realised just how new that was for me — speaking up first, amongst a group of strangers, and putting myself out there without overthinking it.
And that, in itself, felt like a little personal win.
One thing Nadim said really stuck with me:
“Bit by bit… day by day.”
It was said in the context of testing and breaking down legacy systems, but I think it applies to so much more than that.
Sometimes we look at a problem as one enormous mountain and wonder how we're ever going to get to the top.
Instead, break the mountain into hills.
Break the hills into steps.
Break the steps into small enough challenges that you can handle.
Break the hills into steps.
Break the steps into small enough challenges that you can handle.
And if you can't handle it, maybe it's not small enough yet.
We often hear that the pyramids weren't built overnight — so why do we expect our own problems, challenges and career journeys to be solved overnight?
Progress doesn't always have to be a giant leap. Sometimes it's simply taking the next step.
And then another one.
Bit by bit. Day by day.
There were also some really insightful sessions from Julius Mong, Blessan Thomas and Simon Devon, each giving me plenty to think about and take away from the evening.
I'm still reflecting on everything I heard and the conversations I had, but I'm really glad I pushed myself to go.
First MoT London event — definitely not the last. 🙌
Helen T
QA Engineer
She/Her
Career Changer | QA Tester
Transitioned into tech through the Mercator Academy in May 2025. Now 1+ year into my QA career, building hands-on experience across functional, API, E2E and automation testing.
Open To
Work
Speak
Write
Podcasting
Meet at MoTaCon 2026
Rosie Sherry
Yes, I have the 'bit by bit, day by day' stuck in my head. That's how we build the MoTaverse, heh.
And very cool to see you stick your hand up first. I was at an evening talk with Corey Doctorow recently, they had time for Q&A, one of the rules they set was the first question had to come from a woman...as the data says it means more women are likely to ask questions. We should remember to encourage this kind of behaviour in, I feel.
Love that you've just gone for it with a Moment...and it was great to meet you too!
Simon Tomes
What a wonderful Moment. Thanks for sharing, Helen. Great to see you in person! 🤩
And big (bug) congrats on asking that question and posting this Moment.
Sign in
to comment
Cases, runs, evidence, requirements, and releases in one AI-powered platform for authoring, execution, and automation.
Explore MoT
Thu, 1 Oct
A tech conference to help you navigate the ever-shifting landscape of Quality Engineering, AI, Leadership, Product, Accessibility and Security.
Boost your career in software testing with the MoT Software Testing Essentials Certificate. Learn essential skills, from basic testing techniques to advanced risk analysis, crafted by industry experts.
Debrief the week in Quality via a community radio show hosted by Simon Tomes and members of the community
