Building Beta Programs That Go Beyond Bugs with Keith McDonald

Posted on

October 16, 2024

In this episode, Chris Rader sits down with Keith McDonald, Beta Testing Lead at Square, to discuss the art of building beta programs that go beyond just finding bugs. Keith’s career spans more than a decade, including significant roles at Sonos, where he led beta testing for flagship products like Playbar, Move, Amp, and Beam. Now at Square, he continues to innovate in beta program management, focusing on improving customer experiences and product quality through deep user feedback and strategic testing.

Keith shares his journey, the lessons learned along the way, and his thoughts on building high-performing teams with a blend of technical expertise and customer empathy. He also provides insights into the future of beta testing, including how AI could play a role in enhancing, but not replacing, the human touch in testing. Tune in to hear how beta programs can transform product development and why a focus on user experience is key to success.

In this episode

(0:00) - Intro

(3:26) - Early challenges in testing at Sonos, launching the Playbar and other hardware products.

(10:21) - Keith’s transition to Square: Managing beta programs for hardware teams.

(14:10) - Building a beta testing team that balances technical and customer-focused skills.

(19:44) - The importance of user feedback and its role in shaping products.

(28:41) - Going beyond bugs: How to focus on enhancing user experience in beta programs.

(34:14) - Keith’s thoughts on AI’s role in the future of beta testing.

(40:00) - Rapid-fire questions

About Our Guest:

Keith McDonald is a hands-on leader in beta testing, currently heading the beta programs at Square. With over a decade of experience at companies like Square and Sonos, he's been at the forefront of shaping user experiences through real-world testing and feedback, ensuring products are fine-tuned before they reach the market. As a manager, he's the type of leader every employee hopes to work with—he leads by example, always willing to step in and help with any task, no matter how small. He inspires his team to achieve their best and makes the work enjoyable, even on the most challenging days.

Keith has served as an essential liaison between various internal teams, consistently prioritizing the end-user experience. He's known for his excellent communication skills and his ability to break down barriers between teams, fostering strong relationships that result in incredible collaborations. Keith’s talent for breaking down technical problems and translating customer insights into impactful improvements allows him to build a bridge between diverse teams and ensure seamless teamwork. Outside of work, Keith stays active by training for marathons and currently runs for Boston Children's Hospital. He also enjoys spending quality time with his family as much as he can.