> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.kenst.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # 2021 in Review - URL: https://www.kenst.com/2021-in-review/ - Published: 2022-01-31T21:53:00.000Z - Updated: 2023-02-06T21:13:41.000Z - Author: Chris Kenst - Tags: Recaps, Year in Review, Writing 2021 was an improvement over the previous year in a number of ways: more mental energy, more growth at work and a safe return to in-person conferences at the AST. Growth and the challenges at work have become inspiration for sharing in short form on [LinkedIn](https://linkedin.com/in/ckenst?ref=kenst.com) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/ckenst?ref=kenst.com). They’ve also given me more desire to write long form (the second half of 2021 was better than the first). Ultimately in 2021 I published 14 articles, recorded 2 small podcasts (rackets) and recorded a single interview all of which became articles on this site. Today, as per tradition, I summarize the most popular and important articles I’ve written over the past year. You can find previous years in review here: [2020](https://www.kenst.com/2020-in-review/) | [2019](https://www.kenst.com/2019-in-review/) | [2018](https://www.kenst.com/2018-in-review/) | [2017](https://www.kenst.com/2017-in-review/) | [2016](https://www.kenst.com/2016-in-review/) | [2015](https://www.kenst.com/2015-in-review/) ### On to 2021 in Review: ## The Five Most-Viewed Article The five most viewed articles according to page views: - [How to Export Environments from Postman](https://www.kenst.com/how-to-export-environments-from-postman/) – A simple problem I had with not being able to remember how to do something. It is far and away the most popular article I wrote last year but also the least important. - [Hiring a software tester, an analysis](https://www.kenst.com/hiring-a-software-tester-an-analysis/) – By far my most time consuming post given I had to collect and analyze data and then write a report on it. I am pretty happy it got a lot of traction. - [Better Tester Training Material](https://www.kenst.com/better-tester-training-materials/) – Reflecting on the effort Simon Peter and I put together to create better testing materials. In the end we didn’t use them but those materials are free for anyone to use. - [Not Good Enough](https://www.kenst.com/not-good-enough/) – I get the desire to criticize others when the work they produce doesn’t measure up. I do it too often. But I also recognize those who are trying shouldn’t be shamed or discouraged from getting better. It’s a delicate balance. - [Came for the Training, Stayed for the Community](https://www.kenst.com/came-for-the-training-stayed-for-the-community/) – A love letter of sorts to the AST and the context driven community I came up through. ## Challenges at Work A common theme towards the second half of the year and one I found a lot of enjoyment in we’re challenges at work: - [Learning to Balance a Maker’s and Manager’s schedule](https://www.kenst.com/learning-to-balance-a-makers-and-managers-schedule/) – was by far my hardest learned lesson. - [Good vs Bad Tests](https://www.kenst.com/good-tests-vs-bad-tests-and-why-you-shouldnt-repeat-them/) – This matters a lot and can tell me so much about how someone thinks (or doesn’t) about testing. - [Testing Community of Practice #1](https://www.kenst.com/testing-community-of-practice-cop-experience-report-1/) – I’ve run a few CoP events and this was a reflection at the first. ## Community and Creativity I write occasionally about [community](https://www.kenst.com/tag/community/) and this year I was able to combine it with some other creative endeavors. - [CAST 2021 Recap](https://www.kenst.com/cast-2021-recap/) – A summary of our in conference return including a fun little travel video I made, edited and posted. Thank you for making the time to finish reading this article. See you soon.