Stephen Platten
The Stoic Tester
Kingston upon Hull, United Kingdom
Actions
I am a award-winning quality-assurance professional, with more than 18 years’ experience helping organisations in defence, utilities, finance and insurance deliver reliable, resilient software. Originally a chartered electronic engineer by training in the Royal Air Force (RAF), I have worked across the entire development lifecycles, turning complex technical challenges into clear, testable solutions.
I'm a Certified with the ISTQB, TMMi, BCS and Scrum Alliance as an Agile practitioner. I try to pair rigorous engineering discipline with a coach-like approach to teams/clients to help them grow and improve their processes. I go by the handle of, “The Stoic Tester,” I try to weave the principles of Stoic philosophy—calm focus, clarity of thought and purposeful action—into modern testing strategy, offering practical techniques for thriving under pressure while safeguarding quality.
I am passionate about lifelong learning, neurodiversity advocacy and cultivating a growth mindset, I have a single goal: to become The Stoic Tester—and to help others become—the best tester, person possible.
Area of Expertise
Topics
Testing AI Co-Pilots & LLMs through Ancient Greek Philosophy
Testing AI Co-pilots and Large Language Models (LLMs) often feels uncertain—how do I tackle hallucinations, bias, and unexpected behaviours?
In this talk, I'll share how turning to ancient Greek philosophers like Plato, Socrates, Aristotle, and others has helped me approach AI testing more ethically, practically, and confidently. Using relatable metaphors such as Plato’s Cave, Socratic questioning, Aristotle’s Golden Mean, and Heraclitus’ constant change, I'll present accessible strategies for ensuring AI systems remain balanced, robust, and aligned with human needs.
Quality in the RAF – and What It Taught Me About Testing
When I joined the RAF, “quality” didn’t mean metrics, dashboards, or KPIs. It meant survival. It meant the aircraft I worked on had to take off and land safely every single time — because if something went wrong, people didn’t just lose data or money; they could lose their lives.
That experience shaped how I see quality in software testing. The stakes are different, but the principles are the same. Whether you’re maintaining a Tornado jet or deploying an AI product, the way you approach risk, discipline, and accountability determines the outcome.
This talk explores those parallels — not in a romanticised “military precision” way, but in a practical, lived sense. The RAF taught me that quality isn’t about perfection. It’s about control, traceability, and mindset. It’s about knowing why we follow procedures, not just that we do.
Emotional Intelligence in Coaching
An exploration of how coaches can cultivate and apply emotional intelligence (EI) skills to build trust, navigate challenging conversations, and facilitate sustainable personal and professional growth. Participants will leave with practical tools and frameworks to integrate EI into their coaching practice.
Please note that Sessionize is not responsible for the accuracy or validity of the data provided by speakers. If you suspect this profile to be fake or spam, please let us know.
Jump to top