Ministry of Testing Code Of Conduct

tl;dr Be human. Be kind. Be respectful. Be supportive. Be inclusive. Be open-minded. If you see or experience something you don’t like, respectfully ask for it to stop. If you need support, our MoT staff will be happy to help. MoT reserve the right to suspend or permanently ban access to our online services and events for behaviour that does not align with our community principles outlined in this code of conduct.

This code of conduct applies to all Ministry of Testing spaces both online and off, including but not limited to our events, online forum, and Slack. It also applies to our staff, community members and sponsors.

The Ministry of Testing is a forward-thinking and inclusive community that supports, celebrates and grows many aspects to advance the craft of software testing.

We create inclusive, friendly, safe and supportive environments for all, based on treating all individuals as good human beings.  This is regardless of gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, medical conditions, nationality, ethnicity, religion, physical and personal appearance, politics, ideology, software preferences, level of experience, nationality or other similar characteristics.

We can’t always be aware of everything going on, but you can expect that we will do our utmost to address a situation that our staff or community members feel is inappropriate. We encourage anyone to come forward if they need support.

Do You Need Support?

Contact MoT by emailing: hello@ministryoftesting.com or, if you're at an event, approach an MoT event helper wearing "I'm here to help" clothing.

MoT Community Principles

The principles below set out the ethos of our community and the foundations upon which the MoT Code of Conduct is built.

Be Human. 

• Understand that everyone is on their own journey which you may not fully understand or be aware of.
• Any spamming, trolling, flaming, baiting, or other attention-stealing behaviour is simply not welcome.
• Apologise for mistakes - no one is perfect, we can all make mistakes. 

Be Kind.

• Please be kind and courteous. There's no need to be mean or rude.
• This includes private harassment. No matter who you are, if you feel you have been or are being harassed or made uncomfortable by a community member, please let MoT staff know immediately. 
• Seek to become aware of people’s context and culture before jumping to conclusions.
• Resolve peacefully. We believe peer to peer discussions, feedback, corrections can help build a stronger, safer, and more welcoming community.
• If you think an action of a staff member, volunteer or moderator was unjustified, please take it up with them first, or with a different MoT, in private. Complaints about bans in-channel are not allowed.

Be Respectful.

We believe in valuing respect over opinions.

What does respectful behaviour include?

• Being considerate, kind, constructive, and helpful.
• Avoiding negative, demeaning, discriminatory, harassing, hateful, or physically threatening behaviour, speech, and imagery.
• Differences of opinion will always exist, deal with it respectfully.
• If you're not sure, ask someone instead of assuming.

Be Supportive And Inclusive.

• Consider your language and how this may impact or exclude people in socially marginalised groups.
• Avoid using overtly sexual nicknames or other nicknames that might detract from a friendly, safe, and welcoming environment for all.
• Help others in trouble - we encourage you to reach out to a MoT staff member if you see someone being treated disrespectfully 
• Consider how you can be helpful and supportive to the community around you.
• Seek to support and converse with those who are new to the community.

Be Open-minded.

• Respect that people have differences of opinion and that every design or implementation choice carries a trade-off and numerous costs. There is seldom a right answer.

Final Words From MoT:

• We expect participants to follow these principles at our events, event-related social events, and in our online spaces.
• If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact MoT staff immediately. 
• If we determine that a participant's behaviour does not align with this code of conduct, we may take any action we deem appropriate, up to and including expulsion and exclusion from the event or online service without warning or a refund.
• As organisers and service providers, we will seek to resolve conflicts peacefully and in a manner that is positive for the community.

Contact MoT by emailing: hello@ministryoftesting.com. Alternatively, if you're at an event, approach an MoT event helper wearing  "I'm here to help" clothing.