TestCon Europe 2026
October 20-23
Vilnius & Online
Mikko Vaha | Anssi Lehtelä
About
Mikko Vaha is a seasoned QA professional with over 20 years of experience navigating various software environments. From leading teams to diving into agile product development, he has done it all - and still enjoys every part of the journey.
With more than nine years of hands-on leadership experience, Mikko is passionate about fostering a collaborative and enjoyable work environment where everyone can thrive. He believes in the power of teamwork and enjoys bringing diverse roles together to tackle challenges head-on.
Anssi is a software tester, and product & team developer, who likes building products that make an impact. Also a football player, coach, referee and fa
Mikko Vaha | Anssi Lehtelä | Shi(f)t Happens – Workshop
1. Abstract
Shi(f)t Happens - Skills That Matter Even More in the AI Era
This workshop isn’t about AI. It’s about the human skills that become more valuable as AI takes over the routine parts of software development.
As AI automates more of the coding, generating, and scaffolding work, what stays firmly in human hands are the things machines still struggle with:
- Figuring out the real problem behind the request
- Spotting risks, gaps, and inconsistencies early
- Sharing understanding across roles — Dev, QA, Product, UX
- Making good decisions when things are messy or unclear
- Challenging assumptions before they cost time and quality
- Connecting technical solutions with real user and business needs
- This workshop lets you practise these skills through hands‑on, energetic activities.
- It’s not theory — you learn by doing, by misunderstanding, by discovering, and by seeing how people think differently.
Why this matters now
The AI shift is real. AI can already write code, draft tests, generate docs, and automate repetitive tasks.
But it cannot yet: - Understand team dynamics or social nuance
- Prioritise in the middle of business ambiguity
- Make value‑based tradeoffs
- Sense misalignment before it becomes a defect
- Replace the critical eye of a skilled QA or tester
- These human strengths are becoming the core of modern software work.
2. Agenda
- Intro
- Workshop Part 1
- Lunch
- Workshop Part 2
- Break
- Workshop Part 3a
- Break
- Workshop Part 3b
- Wrap up
3. Objectives
What participants walk away with
- Better awareness of how they think and communicate under pressure
- Tools for creating shared understanding in mixed teams
- New insight into cognitive biases and common traps
- Confidence to ask better questions and frame problems clearly
- A shift from “doing tasks” toward “understanding purpose”
4. Target audience and Prerequisites
Who this is for
Developers, QAs, testers, product people, designers, architects — anyone who works with other humans to build software.
Technical requirements
Analog Tech: Post-it notes, pens, and paper for active brainstorming and sketching.