Activity

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.
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
earned:
<a href="https://www.ministryoftesting.com/memories/meeting-these-two-amazing-humans-outside-our-hotel" rel="noopener nofollow">Meeting these two amazing humans outside our hotel</a> image
Meeting these two amazing humans outside our hotel
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
earned:
<a href="https://www.ministryoftesting.com/memories/famous-chips-in-brighton" rel="noopener nofollow">Famous chips in Brighton</a> image
Famous chips in Brighton
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
earned:
<a href="https://www.ministryoftesting.com/memories/99-second-talk-queue" rel="noopener nofollow">99 Second Talk Queue</a> image
99 Second Talk Queue
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
earned:
<a href="https://www.ministryoftesting.com/memories/james-wadley-gwen-diagram-and-ben-dowen-at-pre-bash-social" rel="noopener nofollow">James Wadley, Gwen Diagram and Ben Dowen at pre-bash social</a> image
James Wadley, Gwen Diagram and Ben Dowen at pre-bash social
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
earned:
<a href="https://www.ministryoftesting.com/memes/mot-unlimited-members" rel="noopener nofollow">MoT Unlimited members</a> image
MoT Unlimited members
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
earned:
<a href="https://www.ministryoftesting.com/memes/the-best-thing-about-jane-is-theres-so-many-of-jane" rel="noopener nofollow">The best thing about Jane, is theres so many of Jane</a> image
The best thing about Jane, is theres so many of Jane
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
earned:
<a href="https://www.ministryoftesting.com/memes/it-s-ok-we-ve-got-the-motaverse-v2" rel="noopener nofollow">It's ok. We've got the MoTaverse. v2</a> image
It's ok. We've got the MoTaverse. v2
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
earned:
<a href="https://www.ministryoftesting.com/memes/gotta-collect-all-those-meme-badges" rel="noopener nofollow">Gotta collect all those meme badges</a> image
Gotta collect all those meme badges
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
earned:
<a href="https://www.ministryoftesting.com/memes/that-time-ttp-news-quoted-jane-allll-the-time" rel="noopener nofollow">That time TTP news quoted Jane allll the time</a> image
That time TTP news quoted Jane allll the time
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
earned:
<a href="https://www.ministryoftesting.com/memes/when-you-tell-testers-to-ignore-your-post-so-you-go-viral" rel="noopener nofollow">When you tell testers to ignore your post, so you go viral</a> image
When you tell testers to ignore your post, so you go viral
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
earned:
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
earned:
<div>Used MoTaverse LinkedIn Profile banner.</div> image
Used MoTaverse LinkedIn Profile banner.
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
contributed:
Learning by watching other testers do their thing helps visualise concepts and gain insight into how the activities of testing are executed. image
Learning by watching other testers do their thing helps visualise concepts and gain insight into how the activities of testing are executed.
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
earned:
<div>Ambassadors, Rahul Parwal, Cassandra Leung, James Wadley, Jesse Berkeley, Ben Dowen, and Scout Beughardt,  answered <a href="https://club.ministryoftesting.com/t/where-do-you-educate-yourself/84201" rel="noopener nofollow">Rosie's call to support the message that MoT is an awesome place to learn about testing</a>.</div> image
Ambassadors, Rahul Parwal, Cassandra Leung, James Wadley, Jesse Berkeley, Ben Dowen, and Scout Beughardt,  answered Rosie's call to support the message that MoT is an awesome place to learn about testing.
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
earned:
<div>This is the best talk to set the scene for todays episode, love it by the way. </div> image
This is the best talk to set the scene for todays episode, love it by the way. 
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
earned:
<div>Ben Dowen reviewed<a href="https://club.ministryoftesting.com/t/have-you-tried-using-mission-based-charters/83761" rel="noopener nofollow"> club post for mot stec activity</a> and spotted error with image and order of note-taking stucture list in activity. He edited his club post activity immediately and told Sarah what to do with the image.<br><br>
</div> image
Ben Dowen reviewed club post for mot stec activity and spotted error with image and order of note-taking stucture list in activity. He edited his club post activity immediately and told Sarah what to do with the image.
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
contributed:
Explore whether testers should automate tasks over tests. Join Ministry of Testing as they discuss automation trends, career growth, and innovation. image
Explore whether testers should automate tasks over tests. Join Ministry of Testing as they discuss automation trends, career growth, and innovation.
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
contributed:
Can you find Bug, Cosmo the Space Duck and Space Seagull? image
Can you find Bug, Cosmo the Space Duck and Space Seagull?
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
contributed:
23/04/25: Ben Dowen and Brittany Stewart explored during a Software Testing Live session. They had the best fun, and so did the audience. 

Watching professionals explore is a powerful technique ... image
23/04/25: Ben Dowen and Brittany Stewart explored during a Software Testing Live session. They had the best fun, and so did the audience. Watching professionals explore is a powerful technique ...
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
achieved:
This badge is awarded to members who contribute content towards a Ministry of Testing certification. image
This badge is awarded to members who contribute content towards a Ministry of Testing certification.
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
earned:
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
earned:
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
earned:
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
contributed:
This Week in Testing #86: Testing Skills, Career Growth & Community Wins image
This Week in Testing #86: Testing Skills, Career Growth & Community Wins
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
contributed:
<blockquote>
<strong>Vibe coding</strong> is where you use an LLM or, like, AI based tool to write the code for you.<br><br>But rather than writing any code for yourself, you completely give over. And, basically, what you do is you just keep asking more and more times for the LLM. So if it doesn't work the way you want, you don't read the code.<br><br>You just keep talking about talking back to the LLM.<br><br>And, you just you just keep, like, if there's an error, you just feed it straight back in. No context, just give it the error.</blockquote> image
Definitions of Vibe Coding
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
contributed:
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
achieved:
This badge is awarded to members who confirm their tickets to TestBash Brighton 2024 image
This badge is awarded to members who confirm their tickets to TestBash Brighton 2024
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
achieved:
This badge is awarded to members who confirm their tickets to TestBash Brighton 2025 image
This badge is awarded to members who confirm their tickets to TestBash Brighton 2025
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
contributed:
This debate explored the role of quality coaching, how it differs from quality engineering and where it is most effective image
This debate explored the role of quality coaching, how it differs from quality engineering and where it is most effective
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
achieved:
This badge is awarded to members who create their first collection, organising learning content for themselves or others. image
This badge is awarded to members who create their first collection, organising learning content for themselves or others.
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
achieved:
This badge is awarded to members who contribute a new term or an alternative definition to the software testing glossary. image
This badge is awarded to members who contribute a new term or an alternative definition to the software testing glossary.
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
achieved:
This badge is awarded to members who have added their first meme to the MoT platform image
This badge is awarded to members who have added their first meme to the MoT platform
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
achieved:
This badge is awarded to members who share a photo memory from the community. image
This badge is awarded to members who share a photo memory from the community.
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
contributed:
Unpack quality coaching, job titles, happy paths, and pull request templates in an episode full of candid chat and personal stories image
Unpack quality coaching, job titles, happy paths, and pull request templates in an episode full of candid chat and personal stories
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
contributed:
Explore accessibility testing with Ben and Jane image
Explore accessibility testing with Ben and Jane
Emily shares her understanding of the meaning of “automated testing is a tool” image
Emily shares her understanding of the meaning of “automated testing is a tool”
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
contributed:
Where you work, makes a huge different to the opportunities you have to explore and execute on different parts of your job, different tools from your tool box you get to use. image
Where you work, makes a huge different to the opportunities you have to explore and execute on different parts of your job, different tools from your tool box you get to use.
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
contributed:
That time Ministry of Testing missed the brief, and instead of unlimited membership, built unlimited members. image
That time Ministry of Testing missed the brief, and instead of unlimited membership, built unlimited members.
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
contributed:
That time Jane joined This Week in Testing trice, and MEMEs needed to be made. image
That time Jane joined This Week in Testing trice, and MEMEs needed to be made.
We’re beyond excited to unveil the full lineup of speakers, teachers and hosts for TestBash Brighton 2025!  image
We’re beyond excited to unveil the full lineup of speakers, teachers and hosts for TestBash Brighton 2025!
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
contributed:
By socialising the activities involved in testing software, we can share our experience and promote the craft while having some fun. image
By socialising the activities involved in testing software, we can share our experience and promote the craft while having some fun.
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
contributed:
When you need the community to help, because you don't have a community of testers at work you can vibe off, it's ok. We've got the MoTaverse. image
When you need the community to help, because you don't have a community of testers at work you can vibe off, it's ok. We've got the MoTaverse.
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
contributed:
Folk in the road MEME, straight ahead reads "Quote literally anyone else", the turn off reads "Quote Jane D'Cruze" then at the bottom it reads "Testing planet new presenters" image
Folk in the road MEME, straight ahead reads "Quote literally anyone else", the turn off reads "Quote Jane D'Cruze" then at the bottom it reads "Testing planet new presenters"
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
achieved:
This badge is awarded to those who subscribe to the software testing news weekly newsletter. image
This badge is awarded to those who subscribe to the software testing news weekly newsletter.
Have a browse of our upcoming community-led meetups image
Have a browse of our upcoming community-led meetups
We’re thrilled to officially announce our 2025 MoT Ambassadors image
We’re thrilled to officially announce our 2025 MoT Ambassadors
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
achieved:
This badge is awarded to members who Log in to MoT five days in a row. image
This badge is awarded to members who Log in to MoT five days in a row.
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
contributed:
That moment when, you want to make a MEME about collecting all the badges, because you get a badge for posting a MEME... image
That moment when, you want to make a MEME about collecting all the badges, because you get a badge for posting a MEME...
To understand where we are going, look at what the people are writing image
To understand where we are going, look at what the people are writing
Ben Dowen
Ben Dowen
contributed:
<div>Human driven testing activities, that are not using or focused on building automated checks. Manual testing may still make use of tools and code, but is driven by a human and not a computer.<br><br>A potentially broad term, manual testing could be applied to any part of software testing. However there is a good chance, people use the term manual testing to mean, human driven test execution.<br><br>The term can be controversial, because it is sometimes used to down play the skill needed for testing, outside of the value of automation.<br><br>It used to be said, that there is no such thing as manual testing, because all testing is manual in the same way that all development is manual. This line of thinking is currently being challenged by the introduction of generative Ai tools that are, with varying degrees of success, attempting to automate development, as well as testing.</div> image
Definitions of Manual Testing
Subscribe to our newsletter
We'll keep you up to date on all the testing trends.