10 editions, 10 years, countless memories

In 2025 we had the 10th edition of test:fest, and oh boy what a milestone it was!!

Many of us have heard the Testing Station podcast with Marta Firlej that our Test:Fest moves to a meetup direction in 2026. That I why I decided to keep the 2025 edition summary in draft and docue more on the history of Test:Fest and myself on that train.

The test:fest conference is one of the TOP from the top in Poland and if You add that it is free for 400 people I would say it is one of the best free conferences in Europe. But this post is not just about the conference itself – it is about my personal journey that started 10 years ago.

Where It All Began – My First Conference Presentation Ever

In February 2015, a group of passionate volunteers organized the first Wrocław testing conference. 150 enthusiastic participants packed into the venue, and I was one of them – but not just sitting in the audience. test:fest 2015 was where I delivered my very first conference presentation in my life.

I ran a discussion panel on 'Exploratory Testing with enhance of Testing vs Checking' – that eternal debate in our profession. Standing in front of fellow testers, facilitating a discussion, watching people engage with the topic – I was terrified and excited in equal measure. The organizers believed in me enough to give me that opportunity on the very first edition, and looking back, that single decision changed the trajectory of my professional life.

The Years That Followed

2016 marked another milestone – my first English language presentation outside of work events. I presented 'Mind maps in discovery and exploration' to an international audience. First conference talk in Polish in 2015, first in English in 2016 – test:fest was pushing me to grow.

2017 brought 'Dev Test pairing, crack on!!' – diving into the collaboration between developers and testers. The conference was growing and so was my confidence.

2018 – I led a panel on career development for software testers with 'I am a tester now – building Your own career model'. It gathered quite an audience. People shared their stories and ideas while we mapped out career paths together. The takeaway we created – that career map showing where you are and what you should learn to achieve the next level – still resonates with me today.

2019 saw me presenting on 'Shift-left security testing' – encouraging testers to work with developers and project managers on security verification regardless of whether it is a product organization or a project delivery inside a software house.

In 2020 I was "just" an atendee, but missed most of the talks doe to networking with all the great people at the venue.

Then came the pandemic year. Conference life changed for everyone.

2022 was the comeback – I ran a workshop on metrics and dashboards. Many of You asked about the slides afterwards, and yes, I promised to share them and then forgot. I ended up extending those slides for TestWarez 2022 and finally got them out there.

2023 brought something different – 'YOU, the most important brand. Practitioner retrospective.' A step outside my standard technical subjects into more personal and soft-skill territory. I did a TED-style session on personal branding based on my own online activities. The short slot was challenging, and I made a few mistakes I would like to improve in the future. But what made the day special was spending the whole time in the corridors and near the ask:fest space discussing with all of You. For quite some time I have felt that from my speaker perspective, the networking and availability for discussions is a lot more important than sitting at other presentations.

2024 – I attended as a participant. Sometimes it is good to step back and just absorb, meet old friends, and see the new generation of speakers taking the stage.

2025 – the 10th edition – back on stage. " Critical Thinking rules in the AI-Enhanced Software Testing" - Full circle.

10 Years, By The Numbers

Over these 10 editions, I have been at every single one: 8 times as a speaker and 2 times as an attendee. The conference grew from 150 participants to over 400. From one room to multiple parallel tracks. From a small gathering to one of the most recognized testing events in Poland.

test:fest in numbers over the years: Over 3000 participants. 250 speakers sharing their knowledge. 20 partners supporting continuously. 10 years of exchanging experiences.

And for me personally: My first conference presentation ever. My first English presentation outside of work. My first discussion panel facilitation. All of these 'firsts' happened at test:fest.

Thank You, test:fest

I would like to send my love and thanks to the volunteers and organizers of the event. Marta, Anna, Tomasz, Dariusz, Mateusz, Żaneta, and everyone who has been part of this journey – You do a wonderful job. Year after year, You create something special that goes beyond just a conference. You build a community.

It is fun to see the Junior Testers I once mentored now thriving in their careers, taking stages at conferences themselves. Some of them I first met at test:fest. That is the magic of this community.

test:fest gave me my first stage. It helped me find my voice. It connected me with professionals who became friends. It opened doors to TestCon, HUSTEF, Testing United, TestWarez, and conferences across Europe. None of that would have happened without that first 2015 panel on Testing vs Checking.

Looking Forward

As I reflect on this decade, I realize how much has changed – in the industry, in the conference, and in myself. From a tester with 8 years of experience nervously leading my first panel, to now over 20 years in the field, speaking at international conferences, and trying to give back to the community that gave me so much.

The idea behind test:fest was simple: create a free conference on a Saturday and gather motivated people. People who would wake up early on a winter weekend to spend the whole day talking about testing. That motivation, that passion – it is still there after 10 years.

Hope to see You all next year. Here is to the next decade of test:fest!

– Michał