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PLATO Panel Talks

PLATO
Automation
Accessibility Testing
PLATO Testing
Indigenous Software Testing Training Program
Devops
Artificial Intelligence
Black Friday
Retail Testing
Plato
WCAG
Accessibility Assessment
Code Freeze
Promotions
Software Testing
Generative AI
Agentic AI
Predictive AI
Quality Assurance
QA Testing
Test Management Tools

Welcome to PLATO Panel Talks! Every month, we bring together a team of experts from our PLATO team and community to talk about their experiences, debate, and discuss issues in the vast world of software testing and quality assurance.

PublishesMonthlyEpisodes49Founded6 years ago
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Technology

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Artwork for PLATO Panel Talks

Latest Episodes

In this episode of PLATO Panel Talks, host Mike Hrycyk is joined by Jesslyn Dymond (TELUS) and Jason Kicknosway (PLATO) to explore what it really takes to build trustworthy, responsible AI systems.

From first-time AI testing to real-world implementa... more

This month, host Mike Hrycyk is joined by Arash Taheri (Central One Credit Union) and DJ Sicoli-Khull (PLATO) for a deep dive into the evolving intersection of DevOps, automation, and artificial intelligence. The panel explores how DevOps has shifted... more

What does it really mean to be a Test Lead? In this episode of PLATO Panel Talks, host Mike Hrycyk sits down with experienced testing professionals Sal Bugliarisi (Accenture) and Bhavya Bhatnagar (PLATO) to draw on their real-world experience across ... more

In this special milestone episode, Mike Hrycyk sits down with Keith McIntosh (PLATO CEO and Co-Founder) and Denis Carignan (PLATO President and Co-Founder) to celebrate 10 years of Indigenous Software Tester Training. Together, they reflect on how th... more

Artificial Intelligence is everywhere — but how do organizations move beyond the hype and actually create value? This month, Mike Hrycyk is joined by Emma Heo (Lead for Public Service AI and Data at Accenture Canada) and Emily Cowperthwaite (COO at P... more

Performance testing isn’t always required, but knowing when it is can make or break your product. In this episode, Mike Hrycyk and guests Ryan Hobbs (BC Pension Corp.) and Praneeth Eadara (PLATO) explore real criteria for deciding whether to invest i... more

In this episode of PLATO Panel Talks, we dive into real testing deadline stories – from last-minute showstoppers and gruelling manual regressions to automation breakthroughs, production outages, and rapid-fire pandemic response. These tales from PLAT... more

The holiday rush isn’t just stressful for shoppers – it’s make-or-break for retailers. In this episode of PLATO Panel Talks, Mike Hrycyk sits down with QA experts Susan Finley and Samta Kaura (PLATO) to unpack how teams prepare for holiday and Black ... more

Key Facts

Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Recent Guests

Keith McIntosh
CEO and founder of PQA (PLATO parent company)
PQA/PLATO
Episode: 10 Years of PLATO Training: Growing Indigenous Talent in Tech
Denis Carignan
Co-founder involved in PLATO concept
PLATO
Episode: 10 Years of PLATO Training: Growing Indigenous Talent in Tech
Kevin Jerome
Intermediate tester at PLATO testing
PLATO
Episode: 10 Years of PLATO Training: Growing Indigenous Talent in Tech
Keisha Nguyen
Graduate of the first cohort and PLATO participant
PLATO/JEDI
Episode: 10 Years of PLATO Training: Growing Indigenous Talent in Tech
Matt Amos
Former SME for the first course, now QA manager
PLATO
Episode: 10 Years of PLATO Training: Growing Indigenous Talent in Tech
Emma Heo
Head of Public Service AI and Data, Accenture Canada
Accenture Canada
Episode: AI for the Real World: Business Strategy, Governance, and Getting Started
Emily Cowperthwaite
Chief Operating Officer, PLATO
PLATO
Episode: AI for the Real World: Business Strategy, Governance, and Getting Started
Ryan Hobbs
Assistant Director of IT Engineering at BC Pension Corporation
BC Pension Corporation
Episode: Performance Testing 101: What Managers Need to Know
Praneeth Eadara
Performance testing specialist
PLATO
Episode: Performance Testing 101: What Managers Need to Know

Host

Mike Hrycyk
Host of PLATO Panel Talks

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#185
Switzerland/Technology

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Test Management Tools: The Hidden Backbone of Quality Assurance
Q: Should requirements live inside the test management tool or be linked from another system?
It's generally beneficial to have requirements linked through the same ecosystem to preserve traceability, but smooth integration between systems is crucial to avoid duplication and ensure updates propagate properly.
Test Management Tools: The Hidden Backbone of Quality Assurance
Q: Why are dashboards and reporting important?
Dashboards and reports give management visibility into coverage and progress, allow quick assessment of risk, and support data-driven decisions about whether to proceed with a release or need additional testing.
Black Friday Testing: How to Keep Retail Sites Running Under Pressure
Q: What strategies help ensure testing success during holidays?
Prioritize high‑risk areas, plan security and performance together, involve business stakeholders in monitoring plans, use synthetic monitoring, prepare rollback and feature‑flag mechanisms, and start testing early with unit and integration tests to smooth patch delivery.
Black Friday Testing: How to Keep Retail Sites Running Under Pressure
Q: What is the role of lockdown or code freeze in holiday readiness?
Lockdown periods are intended to minimize changes during peak sale times, allowing QA to validate stability, though in practice complete lockdowns rarely happen; the goal is to reduce risk by freezing high‑impact changes and preparing for patches or feature flags as needed.
Black Friday Testing: How to Keep Retail Sites Running Under Pressure
Q: Why is the holiday season so important for retailers from a testing perspective?
Because a large share of annual revenue is earned during this period, and downtime or faulty checkout can directly erase profitability. Testing focuses on stability, performance, and accuracy in payments and promotions to protect revenue and customer trust.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About PLATO Panel Talks

What is PLATO Panel Talks about and what kind of topics does it cover?

PLATO Panel Talks brings together a rotating roster of experts from PLATO and partner organizations to discuss software testing, QA governance, and the evolving role of automation, AI, and platform-based approaches in quality. Episodes tend to center on practical, real-world challenges—ranging from performance testing strategies and test management tooling to accessibility, security, and regulatory considerations in highly regulated industries. The format often features panels and guest experts sharing lessons learned, with emphasis on how to scale testing programs, embed quality across the development lifecycle, and balance speed with risk-aware decision making. A notable strength is its blend of practitioner voices, leadership perspective... more

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How many episodes of PLATO Panel Talks are there?

PLATO Panel Talks launched 6 years ago and published 49 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on PLATO Panel Talks?

Recent guests on PLATO Panel Talks include:

1. Keith McIntosh
2. Denis Carignan
3. Kevin Jerome
4. Keisha Nguyen
5. Matt Amos
6. Emma Heo
7. Emily Cowperthwaite
8. Ryan Hobbs

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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