You're setting yourself up for failure if QA owns quality
17 Jun 2025
In this moment:
Jitesh Gosai
JItesh shared this powerful line about ownership during a The Testing Planet Cosmic Discussion: The limitations of shift-left and existing practices.
Some questions to ask yourself about your current work set-up:
1. Who owns quality?
2. Who really owns quality? (Try to answer it again with a more critical and open mind)
3. What surprised me about my answers?
4. What do I think "insert name of colleague" would say about my answers?
Now, ask one of your closest work allies to run through steps 1–4. Then, if you're feeling brave, run the exercise with more people. Continue, going wider every time you repeat.
I imagine you'll reveal some fascinating observations, have illuminating discussions and build on your work relationships with various people in your organisation.
With permission, summarise your discoveries and share them with everyone who took part, to bring everyone together around quality.
------
Link to discussion: The limitations of shift-left and existing practices
Some questions to ask yourself about your current work set-up:
1. Who owns quality?
2. Who really owns quality? (Try to answer it again with a more critical and open mind)
3. What surprised me about my answers?
4. What do I think "insert name of colleague" would say about my answers?
Now, ask one of your closest work allies to run through steps 1–4. Then, if you're feeling brave, run the exercise with more people. Continue, going wider every time you repeat.
I imagine you'll reveal some fascinating observations, have illuminating discussions and build on your work relationships with various people in your organisation.
With permission, summarise your discoveries and share them with everyone who took part, to bring everyone together around quality.
------
Link to discussion: The limitations of shift-left and existing practices
Simon Tomes
Community Lead at MoTaverse
he/him
Hello, I'm Simon. Since 2003 I've had various roles in testing, tech leadership and coaching. I believe in the power of collaboration, creativity and community. 🎓 MoT-STEC qualified. I get real joy working with and supporting our wonderful MoTaverse community.
“Thanks for making me feel so confident about myself.” | “I'm so grateful for all you do in the MoTaverse community, I learn so much as a result!” | “A simple chat with Simon in person absolutely changed everything.” | “Simon is one of the best people that I've ever met to have conversations with. He's so grounded in his way of thinking and articulates his thoughts so well and his feelings and his knowledge about community and everything.”
Open To
Write
Teach
Speak
Mentor
CV Reviews
Podcasting
Meet at MoTaCon 2026
Review Conference Proposals
Sign in
to comment
With servers in >250 cities around the world, check your site for localization problems, broken GDPR banners, etc.
Explore MoT
What I learned about influence by becoming a stakeholder
Learn with me about what Accessibility is, why it's important to test for and how to get your team started with an Accessibility testing mindset
Into the MoTaverse is a podcast by Ministry of Testing, hosted by Rosie Sherry, exploring the people, insights, and systems shaping quality in modern software teams.
