Email: admin@opensourcetesting.org
A qualified software engineer with an excellent track record in test management and testing services provision at a large (150+) development company. I am a dedicated and dynamic employee with a passion for all aspects of software quality and open source.
I have extensive testing and development expertise in web applications and e-learning development, client-facing experience with major public and private sector organisations, and a successful track record in moving testing from an ad-hoc afterthought to a strategic and central part of the business.
I am looking to bring together my strong testing services management and technical skills with my experience in the open source testing tools community.
Testing services provision, managed a test outsourcing business for five years, operational management, account management, strong customer service focus.
Software test management including test process management, process improvement, setting up test teams, implementing testing tools and metrics programs, testing project management, managing team of 35 testing staff.
Test team leadership, communicating vision and working towards team and business goals, motivating and coaching staff, a well respected team leader.
Open source software is a passion and I am very involved with the open source software testing tools community though my website opensourcetesting.org.
Database-driven web development using PHP, HTML, CSS, MySQL, SQL Server, Apache/IIS, XML, RSS.
Server-side development tools, including administering and maintaining Subversion (SCM), Trac (Project Management), Mantis, Bugzilla, Problem Tracker (bug databases) and Docent (learning management system).
Interface design for usability and accessibility, in particular I am a key accessibility and usability ‘champion’ across the Epic business.
Technical writing, including e-learning white papers on accessibility, usability, testing and mobile learning, paper on ‘Achieving Quality in OSS’ in IEEE Software journal.
Analytical skills, including impact and risk analysis, often drafted in for technical and managerial problem-solving tasks across the business.
Communicating effectively from junior to board level, both internal and client facing, in verbal, written and electronic form.
Organising time and workload using a goal-oriented approach, I am a highly productive employee and consistently receive excellent feedback on this skill.
Interpersonal skills demonstrated through relationship building within testing and production, and forging strong client relationships.
Conflict resolution and diplomacy when things don’t go as planned in software projects – experienced in client-facing, trouble-shooting situations.
October 2004 to present: Technical Producer, Epic Group
The role covers technical project management, technical test management, requirements analysis, technical documentation, managing developers, and development process improvement. Key clients in this role include Ministry of Defence, Department for Work and Pensions, Lloyds TSB, O2, British Airways, Royal Bank of Scotland and Virgin Atlantic. The lessons learned and experiences gained on the ‘other side of the fence’ are proving invaluable in my career as a testing professional.
1999 to 2004: Epicentre Manager, Epic Group
Epicentre is Epic’s testing department, providing test outsourcing services as well as providing testing services to Epic’s own development team. Key responsibilities included operational management of the test outsourcing business, team leadership of a 35 strong test team, testing project management and consultancy, risk management, problem resolution and test process improvement. I implemented a structured testing process and bug database, and moved testing from an afterthought to a strategic part of the business. Key clients in this role were public sector e-learning organisations and new media publishers, including Learndirect, Becta, Cambridge-Hitachi, Oxford University Press and Nelson Thornes.
1996 to 1999: Software Tester, Lead Tester, Testing Project Manager, Epic Group
As a Tester I worked on a range of multimedia, web and e-learning projects. As my interest in testing grew I became involved in test management and progressed to Lead Tester. As Testing Project Manager I was solely responsible for test outsourcing projects and led small teams on each project. At this stage I began to formalise a structured test process and develop an interest in testing tools and software engineering.
I have a strong interest in open-source software, and run www.opensourcetesting.org in my spare time.
I enjoy technical writing and regularly write technical papers and blog articles for Epic. I conduct peer reviews for the IEEE Software journal, in the specialist area of software testing, and have my own paper - Achieving Quality in Open Source Software - published in the journal.
I am a keen cyclist and have cycle-toured around the Scottish Highlands and Norwegian Fjords in recent years and plan more of the same in the future. I also have a passionate interest in music.
