Building out a test engineering practice from the ground up

Created feature and services the data ingestion layer using Python and SQL into RedShift, micro services with Ruby, Python and Java and UI features with Ember.

Moved testing forwards from purely manual to test automation from data ingestion, micros services layer and UI

NEC is an outsourcing company specialising in biometric access control systems.Achievements:• Developed a test automation pack independently, using webdriver backed Selenium in Java, withsome JavaScript, to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of functional and regression testing.This included the creation of the regression pack unprompted with much of the coding in my owntime.• Organised the creation of a true end-to-end test environment• Introduced a number of process improvements such as involving the team members in therequirements process, a much stronger focus on regression testing, testing to the original objectiverather than the design, encouraging the QA to think of the wider business impact by considering thewider business risks and introducing tools such as CTE to improve test coverage and effectiveness.Responsibilities:• Managed a team of four• Worked closely with the developers and business customers to create test cases, resolve defects andto achieve customer signoff for a number of key project deliverables.• Performance tested using Loadrunner and presented the results to the customer.• Developed training material and, conducted training sessions and presentations for both customeremployees and the customer’s clients.Technologies:• Selenium, Loadrunner, Java, Oracle, SQL.

SNS is the telecoms division of British Sky Broadcasting, the leading pay television operator in the UK. Achievements:• Working with the developers to ramp up to a very high velocity and delivering six months early. I helped to achieve this by my ensuring all the business stories had signed off acceptance tests on the first day of the iteration, that stories with acceptance tests were ready to be brought forward and preventing defects by working closely with the business analyst to identify gaps and inconsistencies.Responsibilities:• Worked with the business analysts and developers in an Agile environment to define functional tests for each business story. These were written in HTML using Concordion and automated using Java.• Demonstrated functionality to the business stakeholders to gain UAT sign off • Tested integration with other in-house and third party components using a JRuby bespoke tool.• Used exploratory testing to find defects and identify requirement gaps.Technologies:• Java, HTML, Concordion, XML, SOAP, Solaris, Jira

CPF is a market leader in provision of insurance premium finance solutions, and is part of Close Brothers Group, a merchant bank. Achievements:• Automating the testing of business letters to ensure regression testing of branding and compliance with regulations. This reduced a two week manual regression run to a few minutes and with greater accuracy. • One memorable performance testing defect was discovering a network configuration problem where packets were dropped under load, an issue that would have had a major impact in production and allowed me to sell the importance of performance testing to the company.Responsibilities:• Led testing on business critical projects including test planning, co-ordinating other testers, UAT and post implementation review.• Automated regression tests using Rational Robot.• Improved the organisation’s performance testing by using Rational Robot in VU mode to test various infrastructure projects and code changes.• Worked closely with the infrastructure teams to test failure and recovery.• Worked closely with the business analysts in pro-actively identifying and resolving issues before the beginning of the coding phase• Managed the test environments and deployed code.Technologies:• Rational Robot, Java, Oracle, Unix