Ben Dowen profile image
Ben Dowen
Lead Quality Engineer
He/Him

I explore the world of software development and testing. Join me as I continue my adventures, discovering the wonders of quality.

Open To
Speak
Teach
Write
Mentor
Chapter Lead
Ambassador

Achievements

TestBash Trailblazer
Avid Reader
Career Champion
Bio Builder
Club Explorer
MoT Community Certificate
TestBash Speaker
99 Second Speaker
The Testing Planet Contributor
Chapter Lead
MoT Streak
Unlimited Member
In the Loop
MoT Ambassador 2025
Collection Curator
Glossary Contributor
Meme Maker
Photo Historian
TestBash Brighton 2025 Attendee
TestBash Brighton 2024 Attendee
Cert Shaper
Course creator
 Testing Out Loud
Introduction to modern testing
99 and Counting
TWiQ Host
Chapter Event Speaker
Pride Supporter
Inclusive Companion
Social Connector
Open to Opportunities
Found at 404
Picture Perfect
Leading with Quality 2025 Attendee
Kind Click
Supportive Clicker
Insights Taster
MoT Ambassador 2026
Chapter Discovery
Call for Insights
Moment Maker
Moment Sharer
Moment Documenter
Chapter Event Host
AMA Initiate
AMA Trailblazer

Certificates

MoT Community Certificate image
Awarded for: Achieving 5 or more Community Star badges

Activity

Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
earned:
Call for Insights turns 45 image
Call for Insights turns 45
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
earned:
4.5.0 of MoT Software Testing Essentials Certificate image
4.5.0 of MoT Software Testing Essentials Certificate
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
earned:
4.3.2 of MoT Software Testing Essentials Certificate image
4.3.2 of MoT Software Testing Essentials Certificate
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
earned:
2.3.0 of MoT Software Quality Engineering Certificate image
2.3.0 of MoT Software Quality Engineering Certificate
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
earned:
Call for Insights turns 45 image
Call for Insights turns 45

Contributions

Call for Insights turns 45 image
  • Lisa Crispin's profile image
  • Ash Winter's profile image
  • Jesper Ottosen's profile image
  • Parveen Khan's profile image
  • Ady Stokes's profile image
  • Simon Rigler's profile image
  • Melissa Fisher's profile image
  • Neil Taylor's profile image
  • Brandy Brotherton's profile image
  • Lauren Lassey's profile image
  • Louise Woodhams's profile image
  • Ben Dowen's profile image
  • Rosie Sherry's profile image
  • Gary Hawkes's profile image
  • Charles Penn's profile image
  • Al Goodall's profile image
  • Deborah Sherwood's profile image
  • Chris Pratt's profile image
  • Rahul Parwal's profile image
  • Clare Norman's profile image
  • Hanisha Arora's profile image
  • Kat Obring's profile image
  • Cristina Lanca Carrageis's profile image
  • Judy Mosley's profile image
  • Emily O'Connor's profile image
  • Jessica Mosley's profile image
  • Kaarina Mikalson's profile image
  • Ujjwal Kumar Singh's profile image
  • James Pearce's profile image
  • Preeti Gupta's profile image
  • Jonathan Cole's profile image
  • Maithilee Chunduri's profile image
  • Joanna Negler's profile image
  • Heleen Van Grootven's profile image
  • Shawn Vernier's profile image
  • Martin Poole's profile image
  • Pranav Pandit's profile image
  • Cameron Browne's profile image
On the 15th of January 2026 myself and Ujjwal Kumar Singh joined a call and pressed record. We were curious to see what would happen. A few weeks later I’d done the same with Neil Taylor and Clare ...
Software Testing Live - Episode 08: Risky Business image
  • Melissa Fisher's profile image
  • Ben Dowen's profile image
  • Software Testing Live's profile image
Explore how risk can guide smarter testing decisions.
Take the 5 minute challenge! What are Risks? image
  • Melissa Fisher's profile image
  • Ben Dowen's profile image
  • Software Testing Live's profile image
During a Software Testing Live with Ben Dowen and Melissa Fisher, I was reminded of a Club post from 2017.Ā I set a little challenge that I think is fun to do again.Ā  Start a five minute ...
Tester image
  • Ben Dowen's profile image
What is Testing? Nice try! I'm not going to define all of testing here, when there are many pages of different topics on the Glossary that cover what is Testing, in so much great detail.If you really must know, and you got this far without knowing, here is a workable definition of Software Testing, from Wikipedia: Software testing is the act of checking whether software meets its intended objectives and satisfies expectations.Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_testing Also, see: https://www.ministryoftesting.com/software-testing-glossary?button=&q%5Btitle_cont%5D=testing Who are the Testers? This could be, someone who is an expert in software quality and testing, with many different possible role titles, many of them don't even have the word Tester in the name.For the most part, the term Tester is usually used for those with dedicated testing and quality roles. However, in many modern software teams, much of the testing is carried out not by dedicated specialists, but Software Development Engineers, Product Managers, Designers and other members of the team alongside their primary roles.These people who take on Testing in addition to their other roles, are no less Testers, and some of them may also have a lot of experience and expertise in Testing, regardless of their current role title. When is a Tester, not a Tester? Some time ago, I wrote a blog post about my journey in software testing, feel free to take a look if you're interested: https://www.dowen.me.uk/posts/when-is-a-tester-not-a-tester/ But, Testers do ALL these other things, don't they? Yes, many Testers also do many, many things to support their teams and companies, that go way beyond any reasonable definition of Testing. And, many then also go on to carry out other roles in Software Development Teams, including many leadership positions. Hardware Testing Yes, Testing and Testers are most definitely not limited to Software! Hardware, and probably other not-software things inbetween, also need testing, by testers.Testing and Testers also exist in many other industries, beyond Technology, shout out to my Snack Testers out there, further detail on such things are mostly out of scope for Ministry of Testing.However it's always interesting to see what we can learn from other industries and outside disciplines.
Software Testing Live: Episode 07 - Testing transparently image
  • James Lyndsay's profile image
  • Ben Dowen's profile image
  • Software Testing Live's profile image
Explore the boundaries of AI-generated software by live-testing a word search tool and using collaborative techniques to identify gaps in logic despite passing all initial automated tests.
I was absolutely right! But no one listened - Ep 133 image
  • Simon Tomes's profile image
  • Oleksandr Romanov's profile image
  • Melissa Fisher's profile image
  • Ben Dowen's profile image
  • Ibekwe Victor's profile image
  • TWiQ — This Week in Quality's profile image
A lively chat about influence without authority, from asking better questions and telling clearer risk stories to navigating stakeholders, careers, and community visibility.
Socialise the practice of software testing, while doing it live! image
  • Software Testing Live's profile image
Have you been enjoying Software Testing Live?Want to take it to the next level and help shape the future of the new Software Testing Live Chapter?!?That's right, we started an MoT Chapter for STL!J...
Software Testing Live: Episode 06 - Don't automate everything, review everything image
  • Ben Dowen's profile image
  • Emily O'Connor's profile image
  • Software Testing Live's profile image
Evaluate the shift from "automate all" to "review all" by using AI agents for test plans while applying human-led ACE feedback to ensure code quality and business relevance.
All merched up and ready for STL image
  • Ben Dowen's profile image
Getting myself in the mood for today's episode of Software Testing Live, I've gone for the "grab what MoT merch I can find" look.
That feeling when I get slack notifications with acceptance test results image
  • Ben Dowen's profile image
And today, MATT was born. The Mimica Automation Test Teller.MATT is my slack app, I can tell MATT when my tests fail, and he tells my team.Only I don't have to tell MATT, my Acceptance Tests runnin...
Login or sign up to create your own MoT page.
Subscribe to our newsletter