The ‘Un-Testing Conf’

The Un-Conf is a common event type these days; no scheduled speakers, just a bunch of smart people and a space to facilitate conversation. The success of these is entirely dependent on who is there. And there is the classic Testing Conf where speakers are selected, assigned slots and talk about things directly related to Testing.

But what I think I want a Un-Testing Conf. This would would be the same format of a classic conference but without topics about Testing.

Well.

Obviously about testing.

Irony Alert

I am sick of going to Testing conferences and hearing the same sort of stuff over and over. Or something that I could quickly pick up from any number of industry related books or blogs. I want to learn new, mind blowing things. And do you know where those things hide out? Hint: its not in the testing world!

Tangent. Have a single track conference; 5 or 6 concurrent tracks is too much.

So what would my Un-Testing Conf look like? Well, it would likely be expensive since you can’t just comp the speakers a ticket and expect them to graciously accept the invitation. Currently the line-up would be something like…

• Mike Monteiro – Design Is A Job
• Hugh MacLeod – Social Objects
• Austin Kleon – Steal Like an Artist
• Dirk Hayhurst – Something baseball-y
• Mary Robinette Kowal – Puppetry
• Someone who has been in the International Space Station
• Thomas Mahon – Customer Service (or something)
• Sian Beilock – Choking (or how not to)
• Mark Cuban – (Don’t know what I’d like to hear him talk about, but he is usually pretty fun and has interesting stuff to say)
• Chris Blais – Dakar, and now
• Roz Savage – Ocean Rowing

I can, without even trying, explain how each and every one of the above people have important things to say that would make testers better at their job.

That is a full two days of speakers already. Who else would you like to see? The only ‘rule’ is they cannot self-identify as a Tester.