Christopher Powell
Director of EU Architecture
TDD, ATDD, BDD: Architecture and Communication in the Age of AI
Architectural success isn’t just about choosing the right technologies — it’s about ensuring alignment
between developers, testers, and business stakeholders. In this talk, we’ll demystify three often confused methodologies: Test-Driven Development (TDD), Acceptance Test-Driven Development(ATDD), and Behavior-Driven Development (BDD). Though they sound similar, each serves a distinct role in shaping how teams communicate, design, and deliver software. We’ll explore how these practices influence system architecture, and crucially, why they matter even more in the age of AI-powered development. As tools like GitHub Copilot and ChatGPT become increasingly embedded in coding workflows, having well-structured, test-first design patterns becomes vital. TDD and BDD don't just help humans write better code, they guide AI assistants toward more accurate, maintainable, and intention-aligned output.
You’ll leave with a clear mental model of TDD, ATDD, and BDD, practical tips for integrating them into your architecture, and an understanding of how these methodologies help AI assistants support, not sabotage, your codebase.
Takeaways:
- Clear distinctions between TDD, ATDD, and BDD—and when to use each
- How these practices support architectural clarity and testability
- Why structured tests and specifications are essential in AI-augmented development
- Guidance on fostering collaboration between humans, tests, and AI tools
About Christopher ...
Chris currently holds the title of Director of EU Architecture at CCBill and phoenixNAP, where he leads a multi-disciplinary team of architects, supporting them in achieving business goals and their own personal growth. He boasts over 20 years of experience across various industries including Telecoms, FinTech and Infrastructure-as-a-Service.
With his background in Software Engineering and Architecture, Chris strives to maximize business value, driving company goals, and fostering progress through simple and lean solutions with an emphasis on continuous improvement. He has a passion for creating effective teams and a positive organizational culture through mentorship, team-building, and servant leadership