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Ayesha’s Quality Assurance (QA) journey started as an Associate QA Engineer at Virtusa. She joined Virtusa while completing her bachelor’s degree at Curtin University. She didn’t stop there; she continued her further studies with SLIIT while working at Virtusa as a fresher. Ayesha always thrives for the best and successfully completed her second Bachelor’s Degree with a second upper class. During her final year, she worked on building a framework with her team, “Common QA framework for Saving business flow in the banking system” and published it at SLIIT Research Symposium in 2008. Ayesha is a natural leader who showcases her leadership skills in almost everything she is engaged with. Ayesha brings a lot of skills to her professional life by being a basketball player at school. She has played basketball for many years at school, Kurunegala district, Northwestern province, and the national youth pool. Her captaincy has helped those teams to win many championships. She has continued to play basketball at SLIIT and she was the secretary of the first sports council at SLIIT. Sports has helped her to strengthen her personality as a leader and excel in her professional career. At Virtusa, she got the opportunity to work as an automation tester on her first project. She is a quick learner and adapted well to new tools. This was a big milestone of her automation journey as it helps her to continue to learn many automation tools like QTP, WATIR, Robot framework and Selenium, etc, and move on to various projects within Virtusa. Ayesha is a tech-savvy individual who has self-studied WATIR tool & Ruby language and built an automation framework for her project. Later, she became the official trainer for WATIR tool in Virtusa. Further, she has submitted white papers on the WATIR tool in QA days. Her automation excellence helps her to be part of the “CMB Test Automation Specialized Group” that works on automation initiatives in Virtusa. She has worked in Banking, Telecommunication, Content Management and Network threat analysis domains. She was a top performer at Virtusa and within a time span of 8 years she excelled in to Associate QA Manager role. This includes 5 promotions; QA Engineer, Senior QA Engineer, Consultant and Senior Consultant and Associate QA Manager. She became the Overall lead for a 30+ testers pool that worked across 6 projects as a “Center of Excellence” across Banking and Financial Services (BFS) account. She is a well-known individual within Virtusa as an interviewer and also as a trainer for future QA engineers. She is an all-rounder who stepped into various activities within Virtusa. Another example of her engagement is to achieve CMMi level 5 in 2012. Ayesha has won many awards within Virtusa for her excellent service to the QA community, “Training Excellence Award”, “Service Excellence Award”, “Quality Award” and “Participation Award for CMMi Level 5 Achievement”. . As a Virtusan, she got the opportunity to be a visiting lecturer for Quality assurance (QA) subject at 2 leading universities, the National Institute of Business Management (NIBM - Sri Lanka) and the University of Colombo. While Ayesha is excelling in her career, she is also focused on getting her postgraduate qualification “MBA in IT” at the University of Moratuwa. She started her Masters when she reached her leadership level so that she could practice her learnings within the professional environment. This is a competitive academic qualification and Ayesha completed her master's degree within 2 years as class rank one (batch top). She not only excels at her career but also at academics. Her master's research was on “CMMi adoption of Sri Lankan software development companies”; she reached out to various companies to carry out the analysis and got the opportunity to engage with a wider audience in the Sri Lankan IT industry. This opened up many doors for her and she got invited to do a visiting lecture at the University of Moratuwa for postgraduate students. Ayesha’s family moved to New Zealand in 2016; she left great memories with her Sri Lankan IT professionals who are still in contact with her. She was a great leader/ mentor/ coach/ trainer/ teacher for many Virtusans and university students. In a new country, she again started her career from scratch as an Automation analyst at Datacom. Settling down in a different country with a young family is always challenging. Ayesha took the first few years to adapt to the country, IT industry, and ways of working. Her background of working with US and UK projects helped her to understand the team dynamics, technologies and culture. She has worked onsite with a few clients and built a good rapport with IT professionals. Later, she moved to ANZ bank as a Senior Test Engineer with a new challenge of learning Data warehouse testing. It was the first time she stepped into ETL testing and she accepted the challenge. She always takes these opportunities to expand her knowledge and add more skills to her technology spectrum. She learned cloud technologies and integrated data warehouse solutions with the latest technologies like AWS. She was a quick learner and adapted quickly to new project contexts. Once again, she showcased her leadership skills and was promoted to Test lead role within two years. She continues to excel in her career by moving to her next role as Chapter Lead at ASB Bank. She has been into the banking domain for more than twelve years (this includes 8+ years of PEGA testing). Being an Associate QA manager before helps her to settle down quickly within the Chapter lead role. Currently, she is managing more than 20 testers within engineering practice. Ayesha enjoys her new role as it involves working on new initiatives, learning opportunities for new domains & technologies, and people management with diversified team members & culture. She is a mentor in the “Women in Tech” program at ASB and also leads a few initiatives within Engineering practice. After working for a few years in New Zealand, she became a committee member of the Institute of Engineers Sri Lanka New Zealand (IESL NZ) chapter and contributed to supporting the Sri Lankan community in NZ. She was a member of the advisory panel in a Webinar organized by the IESL NZ chapter for migrant engineers. She is an active committee member and contributes to organizing various events for Sri Lankan Engineers living in NZ. This was another opportunity for her to build a network with like-minded professionals. Ayesha lives in Auckland with her husband and daughter. She loves spending her leisure time with friends and family. She still continues to play social basketball in NZ. She has volunteered to coach basketball and netball for kids in NZ. Ayesha’s QA journey shows how sportsmanship helps to build key niche skills that help to survive in the IT industry. Her story empowers next-generation QA engineers to build confidence and start their QA careers with high standards. Lastly, she mentioned that setting up a mindset of continuous learning, taking risks, accepting challenges, and working towards passion would make you unstoppable. Check out our newsletter! #vitesters #career #journey #software #softwaretesting #softwarequalityassurance

In the fast-paced world of software development, the journey of a software testing professional can be both challenging and rewarding. Today, as the blog introducer, I'm sharing the story of me, a seasoned software testing professional with over 15 years of experience. I hope it will be an inspiring one. Through dedication, perseverance, and a commitment to excellence, I have navigated the ever-changing landscape of software testing, emerging as a leader in the field. From the outset of my career, I demonstrated a keen interest in software testing. However, Software testing was not my start. I was in the Software development track. As there was no separate QA team, we developers did the testing part, too. I would like to say that I missed the bugs in my codes. The same happened to others, too. Haha... Therefore, we found some bugs after the production deployment or in UAT sessions. When there were such loopholes in the last stages, it brought blasts in every circumstance. I hope you can understand those pathetic situations. However, I found the bugs of colleagues when doing the peer reviews. That's how I gradually moved to the Software Quality Assurance track. It was one of the correct decisions I've ever made. It was a nice beginning. Everything was new. New tasks, new challenges, new work schedules, new friends, new tools, and new work cultures made a new career beginning. Over the past 15 years, the software testing landscape has undergone significant transformations, fueled by advancements in technology and evolving industry trends. I adeptly navigated these shifts, embracing new methodologies and tools to stay ahead of the curve. From manual testing to automated testing, from waterfall to agile methodologies, I remained adaptable and resourceful, leveraging my experience to drive quality and efficiency in testing processes. Throughout my career journey, I encountered numerous challenges, from tight deadlines to shifting project requirements. Learning new domains, and new tools, adhering to the latest quality assurance processes, and procedures, working with cross-functional teams, and leading different teams were some of the key challenges. However, I approached each challenge with resilience and determination, finding creative solutions and rallying the team to overcome obstacles. Whether faced with resource constraints, communication gaps, or unexpected technical issues, I remained steadfast in my commitment to delivering high-quality software products. I have achieved numerous milestones and accolades throughout my 15-year tenure in software testing. From leading successful testing projects to implementing process improvements that resulted in tangible efficiency gains, my contributions have been invaluable to the organization. My dedication to quality and the relentless pursuit of excellence have not gone unnoticed, earning them the respect and admiration of colleagues and industry peers alike. Despite the extensive experience, I remain committed to continuous learning and professional development. I stay updated with the latest industry trends, pursue certifications, and actively seek out opportunities to expand my skill set. In conclusion, my story serves as a testament to the transformative power of passion, perseverance, and lifelong learning in the field of software testing. Through my journey from novice to veteran, I have inspired and empowered countless others to pursue excellence in careers. As we reflect on our achievements, let us be reminded of the importance of embracing challenges, seizing opportunities, and continuously striving for improvement. Here's to Vishaka and to all those who dare to dream big and reach for the stars in the world of software testing. Software Quality Assurance is a challenging and responsible role. It needs a detective mindset that is going with focusing on attention to detail, asking the right questions, and finding bugs in the exceptional flows. Someone may ask what can you do if there is no development. But I would like to ask what can you do if there is no quality assurance. I can give you multiple answers based on different views. Developers, are you confident enough to deploy a production release without a testing cycle? Product owner, would you like to accept the latest features to the live system without a testing cycle? BAs, would you like to do a demo in a not-tested environment? End users, if you know the system is not a tested one, then would you like to negotiate with that system? I hope you may have different views on this. You may be a developer, client, product owner, business analyst, or project manager. You may have a different thing to tell. Share it with us. Share your valuable feedback with the Software Testing community. I appreciate your feedback. I would request you QAs to share your software testing journey with us. The hurdles you faced, the achievements you gained, and the different career steps you built will encourage our community members. It's high time to reveal your journey. Have a great day! Subscribe to our newsletter..

In the world of software testing, Raghav is a shining example. He's known for being innovative, leading others, and always sharing what he knows. Raghav's influence reaches far and wide, inspiring people all over the world who dream of working in this field. Today, he is a teacher and founder of AutomationStepByStep.com . His website, AutomationStepByStep.com , has helped lots of people who want to learn about testing software. Raghav continued his journey as an Automation Architect, a role that would serve as the cornerstone for his future endeavors. Leading multiple teams of Automation, he traversed the landscape of automation testing for over a decade. It was a period characterized by continuous learning, collaborative projects, and the nurturing of invaluable relationships within the industry. As Raghav worked hard on projects and led teams, he realized something important. He saw that not everyone had easy access to knowledge about automation and DevOps. This made him want to help more people learn about it. So, he decided to become a teacher. He was determined to make things simple and easy to understand for everyone. This led him to create AutomationStepByStep.com , a website where people can learn about automation and DevOps no matter their skill level. As Raghav started teaching, he became even more focused on his goal: to help anyone who wants to learn about automation and DevOps. He carefully planned and worked hard to create courses and tutorials that would make these topics easy to understand for everyone. Today, Raghav's days are a testament to his dedication to education. He spends the majority of his time teaching and mentoring on various platforms, sharing insights on automation, testing, DevOps, and continuous integration (CI). From his home base in India to classrooms in the United States, Raghav's influence transcends geographical boundaries. Yet, beyond the technical intricacies of his teachings lies a deeper ethos—an ethos encapsulated by Raghav's own words: "We often need someone to hold our hand and help us take the first few steps before we learn to walk and run. I am on a mission to spread education and make it available to anyone willing to learn." These words serve as a guiding light, illuminating the path for aspiring professionals embarking on their own journeys in automation testing. Raghav's story serves as a testament to the transformative power of knowledge sharing. From his roots as an Automation Architect to his current role as an esteemed educator, his journey embodies the profound impact one individual can have on an entire industry. Aspiring professionals, take heed—Raghav's story is a beacon of inspiration, reminding us of the boundless possibilities that await those who dare to share their knowledge with the world. This expanded version provides a deeper insight into Raghav's journey while maintaining a comprehensive overview of his contributions to the industry. Subscribe to our newsletter

This is the journey of Iziren Chima . He is an ASTQB CTFL-certified test engineer with over five years of experience as a QA software tester. Iziren graduated from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria, in 2010. For two years, Iziren struggled to secure a job. He began teaching because he enjoyed it, but after getting married, he knew that his income was insufficient to support the family. Therefore, he had to re-strategize and seek a new source of income to meet their needs. However, a turning point came when a friend introduced him to the opportunity of becoming a software tester. It was a milestone of his life. The promise of significantly higher pay ignited Iziren's curiosity, prompting him to delve into the world of software testing. It was over 500% more than what he earned as a teacher. With determination and a thirst for knowledge, he immersed himself in research, eager to understand the intricacies of the field. He began researching software testing. Who is a software tester? What do software testers do? How can I become a software tester in two weeks to pass the interview? Everything stood still, and he focused on more research. He was very enthusiastic about the software testing field. During his exploration, Iziren found invaluable guidance from mentors like Neeraj Kumar Singh, Raghav Pal, and Valentine, who played pivotal roles in shaping his understanding of software testing. Recognizing the importance of communication, he even made efforts to learn Indian English to better grasp the nuances of the subject matter. Joining the Association of Nigeria Software Testers (ANSTESTERS) in 2019 provided Iziren with a supportive community and further opportunities for growth. His journey took a significant leap forward when he secured a contract with a fintech company, eventually leading to a permanent position as a QA tester at Swifta Systems and Services. Iziren's own words: "After the initial four-month contract, I returned for another three-month contract. At this point, I knew he needed a permanent, full-time job. In 2020, Swifta offered me a full-time position as a QA tester, and I hit the ground running. I had a secured job from a fintech company (Swifta Systems and Services) and was seconded to MTN Nigeria. For the first time, I stayed in a five-star hotel (Intercontinental Hotel). That night, I couldn't sleep because I knew I couldn't go back as a mathematics and science teacher." Today, Iziren stands as a Senior QA Test Engineer at one of Nigeria's leading banks, a testament to his perseverance and dedication. But his journey doesn't end there. Fueled by his passion for teaching, he has taken on the role of mentor, guiding over 20 junior QA testers through his online mentorship program, QA Testers Squad. Throughout his journey, Iziren remains deeply grateful to the various learning platforms, mentors, and individuals who have supported him along the way. He would like to give his gratitude and special thanks to all learning platforms like YouTube videos, Udemy learning, Linkedin learning, ChatGPT, and all those I met along the way, including my Cypress mentors Bhadmus, Raghav Pal, Filip Hric, and others. Iziren said that my objective is to keep learning and continue exploring new depths. With the commitment to continuous learning and exploration, Iziren's story serves as an inspiration to all aspiring professionals, reminding us of the power of determination, resilience, and the pursuit of knowledge. Subscribe to our newsletter

Hello Everyone, This is the journey of Varsha Tomar. Varsha began her career as a trainee software tester, progressing to QA tester. At her first job with a startup, she was the sole QA in a team of six developers. As the company expanded, so did the QA team, and her role grew with it. Through dedication and hard work, she rose to the position of Senior QA Engineer and later QA Lead. Despite the company experiencing ups and downs, Varsha never wavered in her commitment. She always gave her 100% in work. Her colleagues—whether developers, QAs, business analysts, or project managers—were supportive, and she fondly remembers working with them. Without her approval, nothing went to production, emphasizing her pivotal role in the team. She completed five years with her first employer. Varsha then joined a new company as Senior QA Lead, where she faced different domains, larger team sizes, and a distinct work culture. Her exceptional performance earned her an opportunity to work with an onsite client in Malaysia. Although the project was based on SAP, a technology entirely new to her, she quickly adapted and delivered the project in just six months, garnering significant praise from the client. Upon returning from Malaysia, Varsha was assigned to a challenging new project for the same company. She faced various challenges working with different teams and people, but she always gave her 100% and never declined a task. To ensure thorough testing and validation, she implemented processes to prevent issues from reaching production. If problems arose in production, she took responsibility, without letting the blame go to her team. When there was a production issue, she took immediate action while coordinating with developers and support teams to resolve them quickly. Furthermore, she analyzed the root causes to prevent future occurrences. Varsha's consistent performance and leadership led to her promotion to QA Manager, overseeing the entire QA team, including functional, database, automation, and API testing, as well as the customer support team. This role required multitasking and balancing various responsibilities, but her dedication and hard work helped her manage everything effectively. Her colleagues respected her, often calling her "Varsha Ma'am" and many still seek her guidance for work-related issues. She valued learning and self-improvement, acquiring new skills without formal training. Currently, she's preparing for her Project Management Professional (PMP) certification to transition into project management. In her personal life, Varsha is married to a government teacher, who is very supportive, and they have two daughters. Her family has been a source of strength throughout her career. So, Varsha's journey from a software tester trainee to a QA Manager demonstrates her determination and adaptability. Her commitment and hard work were clear as she took on increasing responsibilities, coordinating closely with her team to ensure high-quality output. Varsha's journey is a prime example of the value of persistence and continuous learning. For those following a similar path, her story offers valuable advice: Embrace Challenges: Don't shy away from difficult tasks or new technologies. Approach them with an open mind and a willingness to learn. Take Responsibility: Owning your work and its outcomes builds trust and respect among your peers and superiors. Focus on Teamwork: Build strong relationships with your colleagues, as collaboration is key to success in QA and beyond. Invest in Self-Improvement: Keep learning new skills and exploring growth opportunities, even without formal training. This proactive attitude can open doors to career advancement. Overall, Varsha's journey shows the importance of hard work, adaptability, and a positive attitude in achieving career success and personal fulfillment. Subscribe to our newsletter! #vitesters #linkedin #newsletter #blogging #journey #softwaretesting #softwarequalityassurance

Hayasinth's journey in the software industry is truly remarkable. Starting as an Associate Software Quality Assurance at Virtusa, she faced the daunting challenge of navigating a new industry, domain, and technology landscape like many newcomers. Her dedication and hard work enabled her to grasp domain and technologies quickly. Each day brought new challenges and opportunities for growth as she worked diligently to familiarize herself with the intricacies of software quality assurance. As the project expanded, Hayasinth's capabilities stood out, leading to her promotion to Senior QA Engineer in a remarkably short time. Hayasinth's commitment, adaptability, teamwork, and leadership skills propelled her further, eventually becoming a QA lead. In this role, she managed projects in different domains like Telco, and banking domains, demonstrating versatility beyond generic testing projects by excelling in transition and migration projects as well. Her direct interactions with clients from the UK, US, and Canada underscore her effectiveness in global engagements. Under Hayasinth's leadership, the QA team flourished, growing from just 06 members to a formidable 30-person team comprising manual testers, automation specialists, performance testers, content management experts, and accessibility testers. Notably, Hayasinth's responsibilities extended beyond team management to encompass production testing and UAT support, showcasing her multifaceted expertise. Hayasinth's consistent performance and leadership did not go unnoticed, leading to her promotion to Engineering Manager. Throughout her journey, she actively participated in the entire Software Development Lifecycle, leveraging her client-centric thinking in the requirement phase to identify enhancements that align with customer needs and facilitate business operations. Hayasinth's contributions extend beyond management and technical expertise. Her involvement with the process team for CMMI certification highlights her commitment to quality and organizational excellence. Being part of the team that achieved CMMI Level 5 certification in Virtusa (Colombo) is a significant accomplishment, demonstrating her dedication to maintaining and improving process standards. Furthermore, her background in academia from her time at the University of Colombo has endowed her with teaching skills and a passion for knowledge sharing. This is evident in her collaboration with the training team, where she continues to impart her expertise to others, ensuring the transfer of knowledge within the organization. Hayasinth's engagement with the broader QA community through SLASSCOM is commendable. By representing Virtusa and participating in the SLASSCOM QA Forum, she not only enriches her own perspective but also brings valuable insights and best practices back to her project teams. This collaborative approach fosters innovation and continuous improvement, ultimately benefiting both Virtusa and the wider QA community. Hayasinth's multifaceted involvement in process improvement, training, and community engagement underscores her holistic approach to leadership and her commitment to driving excellence both within her organization and the broader industry. The personal life of her is equally enriching, with a supportive family providing a strong foundation for her professional endeavors. Her marriage to a customs officer reflects a partnership built on understanding and support, essential qualities that have undoubtedly contributed to her success. With two daughters, her family life is undoubtedly filled with love, laughter, and shared moments of joy. Balancing the demands of a thriving career with the responsibilities of family life can be a challenging feat, but with the unwavering support of her husband and the joy of raising their daughters, Hayasinth finds fulfillment both personally and professionally. This harmonious balance between her personal and professional life underscores her holistic approach to success and well-being. Hayasinth's story is a testament to the power of dedication, continuous learning, and effective leadership in driving success in the software industry. Check out our newsletter!

Hi everyone, this is the career journey of Bas Dijkstra, a Test Automation Consultant and Trainer. Bas has a background in Computer Science, which was quite rare when he began his career in Software Testing back in 2006. He joined a well-known consultancy firm in the Netherlands alongside 25 other young professionals, but only two of them, including Bas, had studied Computer Science. While many in that group became excellent testers, Bas’s Computer Science degree led him to focus on test automation early in his career. He found the mix of software testing and development fascinating and never looked back or considered anything else since. In the earlier years of his career, he was mostly contracted out to companies by his employers, which means he has had the opportunity to work with many different companies in the Netherlands, in all kinds of sectors. His task, mostly, was the same: help build out the test automation. In those days, that often meant 'automate as many of the regression tests as you can'. Not the best approach, in hindsight, but that's a completely different story. After eight years, Bas felt something was missing. Though successful, he was bored with being just a Test Automation Engineer. He had learned much about automation and wanted to share his knowledge by writing, speaking at conferences, running workshops, and teaching others. By that time, Bas had gained significant insights into the world of test automation. He had learned what it takes to implement automation effectively, recognizing the best practices and strategies for success. Equally important, he discovered the common pitfalls and mistakes that can hinder automation efforts. This knowledge came from his own experiences, including both successful projects and those that didn't go as planned. Realizing the value of his accumulated knowledge, Bas felt a strong desire to share what he had learned with others. He wanted to help fellow professionals avoid the mistakes he had made and adopt the best practices he had discovered. This desire to educate and mentor others led him to explore various avenues for sharing his expertise. Bas began writing articles, documenting his experiences and insights into test automation. He also started speaking at industry conferences, where he could reach a broader audience and engage with other experts in the field. Additionally, he developed and ran workshops, providing hands-on training to help others improve their test automation skills. Furthermore, Bas found joy in teaching, and guiding individuals and teams through the complexities of test automation. By sharing his knowledge and experiences, he aimed to equip others with the tools and understanding they needed to succeed in their automation efforts without repeating the same errors he had encountered. This shift from being a test automation engineer to a mentor and educator marked a significant transition in Bas’s career. It allowed him to have a more profound impact on the industry and contribute to the professional growth of others, which he found immensely fulfilling. Lacking the freedom to do this while employed full-time, he became an independent consultant. In the first couple of years, he still mostly worked with clients as a Test Automation Engineer, but gradually, that shifted to less time spent as an individual contributor in a development team and more time working on the things he liked to do best: helping others, that is individuals, teams and organizations, do better when it comes to test automation. Bas writes and teaches mainly about API testing and contract testing but also covers other tools and techniques like mutation testing, Behaviour-Driven Development, and general object-oriented programming principles. The best part of Bas’s current work is the freedom it offers. As an independent consultant, he has the flexibility to choose which projects he takes on, allowing him to work on topics and challenges that truly interest him. He can also set his own schedule, giving him the ability to balance his professional and personal life more effectively. One of the most rewarding aspects of his career is the opportunity to travel. Bas frequently attends conferences and visits clients, primarily within Europe but increasingly across the globe. These trips allow him to share his expertise, learn from others, and stay updated with the latest industry trends. Moreover, traveling enables him to immerse himself in different cultures, meet diverse groups of people, and enjoy a variety of local cuisines. This combination of professional growth and personal enrichment makes his work exceptionally fulfilling. Outside of work, Bas spends time with his wife and two sons, aged ten and eight. He enjoys riding his racing bike, walking, learning Italian and recently started playing bridge. "In Bas’s words: "If there's one lesson to learn, it's that trends come and go, but mastering the fundamentals will always serve you well. In our field, that means understanding good software testing and recognizing that test automation is also a software development. You can never go wrong by learning a little more about the fundamentals of software development, especially object-oriented programming principles and patterns." He is running a public workshop on API security testing on September 09th, 2024. You can buy the Tickets via https://www.eventbrite.com/e/api-security-testing-workshop-with-bas-dijkstra-tickets-920821902097 To book a 1-on-1 consultation with Bas, please visit https://www.ontestautomation.com/book-time-with-me/ Check out our newsletter!

Neelam's tech journey began when she earned her B.Tech in IT in 2005. Shortly after, she joined NIIT as a technical trainer, teaching Java and SQL. But Neelam always dreamed of diving into the corporate world as a Software Engineer. This dream came true in August 2006 when she landed a job at Wipro Technologies through an off-campus recruitment drive. Neelam started with mainframe training and support projects, but her defining moment came six months later when she stepped in for a departing colleague. This was her first taste of test automation using QTP and QC. Thanks to her coding skills and problem-solving knack, Neelam mastered the tools in a day and started contributing immediately. This experience ignited her passion for automation testing, where she quickly grasped the nuances and selective nature of automation in the full test life cycle. Despite her rapid rise, Neelam faced setbacks. One major challenge was a critical project where her automation scripts failed just days before release. The pressure was immense, and the client was anxious. Her initial scripts, though technically sound, couldn't handle the complex scenarios of the real environment. It was a potential career-derailing failure. Instead of giving in to the pressure, Neelam showed her resilience and problem-solving skills. She worked tirelessly, often late into the night, to identify the root causes and devise robust solutions. Her meticulous approach and calm demeanor under pressure enabled her to revamp the scripts, making them more adaptable and resilient. This not only salvaged the project but also earned her deep respect from her team and clients. Neelam's dedication and expertise didn't go unnoticed. In June 2007, she received the prestigious "Feather in Cap" award, followed by a letter of appreciation from British Petroleum for her exceptional work. Between 2006 and 2014, Neelam's roles evolved from team member to Team Lead. She became a mentor, trainer, and interviewer. When she relocated to Pune, a new chapter began. She became the go-to person for automation tool assessments and market competition analysis. Though she advanced to team manager, she found more fulfillment as a Test Architect and discovered a new passion for sales. Neelam's humility, excellent communication skills, and unwavering commitment to excellence have consistently earned her admiration from clients and colleagues alike. What sets her apart is her ability to handle failures and setbacks. She approaches challenges with a positive mindset, viewing them as opportunities to learn and grow rather than obstacles. A pivotal moment in her career happened during a visit to the UK. An unplanned dinner conversation with a Royal Mail employee led to a successful business acquisition for her company. This sparked her interest in direct sales, and she has since been instrumental in securing additional sales within the accounts she manages. With over a decade of experience, Neelam is not just a Test Architect but a dedicated mentor and coach in test automation. She's passionate about making a difference in people's lives, mentoring over 100 testers, and equipping them with the skills to lead test automation projects effectively. Neelam also shares her knowledge on LinkedIn and through whitepapers, writing extensively about test automation tools and processes. Neelam's journey is a testament to her passion, resilience, and continuous pursuit of excellence. As she continues to mentor and inspire the next generation of test automation professionals, her story stands as a beacon of dedication and success in the tech industry. Her ability to overcome failures and turn them into stepping stones for success highlights the qualities that make her an exceptional coach and leader. Check out our newsletter! #vitesters #softwaretesting #journey #softwarequalityassurance #careerjourney

Hello Everyone, This is the journey of Biswajit . Biswajit began his career as a SQL developer and DBA in a number of companies. Accidentally, he became a DB tester at Microsoft India as a TCS resource. After transitioning to the testing field, he discovered a profound satisfaction in identifying defects, recognizing that his efforts played a crucial role in enhancing the overall quality and reliability of the product. In those days, not many test automation tools were present in the market, and he developed in-house test automation frameworks using available technologies such as .NET, SMTP, Windows Task Scheduler, etc. In India, he wore many hats, serving in various QA roles such as Test Lead, Test Manager, Head of Quality, and more across different organizations. The next destination for Biswajit was the United Kingdom. He led and managed testing and test resources for various companies such as Siemens Business Systems (BBC), Nokia, Ticketmaster, Aimia, etc. In consulting, he served various financial services clients such as Canada Life, Nationwide, Lloyds, etc., where he exclusively worked on building test strategies, planning test efforts and test execution, and managing the testing workforce. Along with work, Biswajit loves to author books and teach and mentor people. He is the author of two test automation books, one on Selenium and another on Cypress, and is currently working on his third automation book. Based on his strong SQL background, he is running two Udemy courses on SQL and database testing. Biswajit strongly believes that good testing principles are timeless. Irrespective of the SDLC models the projects employ, a few core principles make QA a success. If these principles are respected well, success is guaranteed. These principles are: Collaboration and Clarity: Collective understanding and clarity of business needs are crucial. Effective Planning: Effective planning of testing is essential for addressing product and project risks. This involves identifying all activities that ensure the quality of deliverables, such as scrutiny by SMEs and Business Users. Automate Regression Tests: Automate all or most regression tests and categorize them (Smoke, Functional Areas, etc.) for quick verification of the solution as required. Reporting and Traceability: Reporting and traceability of tests are essential to demonstrate the value of testing. Currently, he is working as a Principal Engineering Manager in QA with Synechron Consulting Ltd, a prominent global consulting and technology services provider renowned for its expertise in the financial services industry. Headquartered in London, Synechron combines innovative technology solutions with deep domain knowledge to drive digital transformation and business growth for its clients. Currently, Biswajit is leading QA for a large program with one of Synechron's most prestigious clients, a leading global stock exchange company known for its excellence in the financial industry. Outside of work, Biswajit loves to author posts on LinkedIn and itqaworld.com . His areas of interest are QA and leadership. As far as his hobbies are concerned, he loves Bollywood and Independent Music and has worked with renowned Bollywood singers such as Sadhna Sargam, Kumar Sanu, and Hema Sardesai. He practices Sahaja Yoga Meditation and believes in the power of meditation to stay balanced. Biswajit's journey from a SQL developer to a Principal Engineering Manager in QA demonstrates his determination and adaptability. His commitment and hard work were clear as he took on increasing responsibilities, coordinating closely with his team to ensure high-quality output. Biswajit's journey is a prime example of the value of persistence and continuous learning. For those following a similar path, his story offers valuable advice: Be Curious: Cultivate a mindset of curiosity by constantly seeking to learn and understand new concepts. Go the Extra Mile for Your Clients: Take ownership of your work and its outcomes, as this fosters trust and respect among colleagues and leaders alike. Exhibit Empathy as a Leader: Truly understand and connect with the feelings of your team members to foster a supportive environment. Commit to Self-Improvement: Continuously pursue new skills and growth opportunities, even without formal training. This proactive approach can unlock new career paths. Lead by Example: Inspire your team through your actions by demonstrating hard work, dedication, and commitment in everything you do. Overall, Biswajit's journey shows the importance of hard work, adaptability, and a positive attitude in achieving career success and personal fulfillment. Here are Biswajit’s links to his books, publications, and artistic works: Selenium WebDriver Book - Explore here Cypress Automation Book - Discover here Blogs - Read his insights Medium Articles - Follow his writing Additionally, you can check out Biswajit’s artistic works (Bollywood Vocalist): YouTube Channel - Watch his videos Check out our newsletter! #vitesters   #softwaretesting   #journey   #softwarequalityassurance   #careerjourney

Pioneering Excellence in Quality Assurance In the dynamic realm of IT, Sheela Dubey stands out as a beacon of innovation and leadership, with over 17 years of experience propelling her to the forefront of Quality Assurance. Her career, characterized by a proven track record and exceptional expertise, underscores her role as a result-oriented QA leader who consistently delivers excellence across diverse industries including Healthcare, Banking, and E-commerce. A Legacy of Success and Versatility Sheela’s career is a testament to her versatility and proficiency in various testing methodologies. Her hands-on experience spans functional, black box, white box, smoke, system integration, regression, and user acceptance testing, showcasing her ability to adapt and excel in varied testing environments. Her comprehensive approach ensures thorough validation and seamless performance of applications, crucial for maintaining the highest standards of quality. Championing Automation and API Testing A trailblazer in the field of test automation, Sheela has expertly designed and implemented robust automation frameworks utilizing cutting-edge tools such as Selenium, TestNG, Maven, Jenkins, GIT, Rest Assured, and CBT. Her strategic contributions have significantly enhanced testing efficiency and accuracy, setting benchmarks for automation practices. Her prowess extends to API testing, where she has demonstrated exceptional skill in evaluating REST and SOAP Web Services. By leveraging tools like Postman, ARC, and SoapUI, Sheela ensures the reliability and performance of critical APIs, which are essential for the smooth operation of modern digital ecosystems. Mastering Test Management and Agile Methodologies Sheela’s proficiency in test management tools such as Jira, Bugzilla, Rally, QC, and Software Planner has facilitated seamless coordination and meticulous tracking of testing activities. Her adept use of these tools ensures that projects remain on track and quality standards are upheld. As a staunch advocate of Agile methodologies, Sheela excels in conducting scrum of scrum meetings, defect review and triage meetings, QA sprint planning, and task allocation. Her Agile expertise drives efficient project delivery, fostering a collaborative environment that enhances productivity and responsiveness. Leadership, Mentorship, and Communication Excellence Her leadership extends beyond mere management; Sheela has mentored and guided teams of over five members, including offshore teams based in India, cultivating a high-performance work culture. Her role in leading both onsite and offshore QA teams for over three years highlights her ability to manage complex testing projects from inception to successful implementation. Known for her exemplary problem-solving skills and effective communication, Sheela excels in troubleshooting integration issues, interpreting JSON messages, and ensuring smooth production deployment and business testing verification. Her approach not only resolves challenges but also enhances overall project outcomes. Commitment to Continuous Learning Sheela’s commitment to professional growth is evident from her recent accomplishments, including completing the DataDog Foundation Certificate, Selenium Certification, and Scrum Master Certification. Currently, she is pursuing PMP certification, reflecting her dedication to expanding her expertise and staying ahead in the evolving IT landscape. In conclusion, Sheela Dubey’s remarkable journey in Quality Assurance embodies a blend of deep technical knowledge, strategic insight, and exemplary leadership. Her unwavering commitment to quality and innovation makes her a standout professional and a valuable asset to the IT industry. Check out our newsletter! Subscribe to our YouTube channel! #vitesters #softwaretesting #journey #softwarequalityassurance #careerjourney

Today's story will bring you a bit of difference. Sebastian Clavijo, a talented writer, dedicates himself to creating insightful content to share his knowledge and support the community. Enjoy his story, told in his own words. (Disclaimer: All views expressed in this post are solely my own and do not represent the views of my current or past employers, or any organizations or individuals I have worked with unless explicitly stated otherwise.) A letter to my fellow Software QA Engineers Hi friend testers, One day, I told my wife, “I want to be a QA engineer!”. Her stunned response was, "What?! What is that?" Confusion on her face, she asked, "Why would you want to change what you're doing to do that?". She had never even heard of the job. But let's not get too ahead of ourselves. Let’s start from the beginning. As a kid, my parents always called me curious. With just a few clues, I could figure things out quite accurately. They said I had an innate ability to notice when things were not quite right—this trait has been both a blessing and a curse and played a significant role in my journey towards QA. Early on, I was fascinated by computers. In 8th grade, I learned COBOL while my friends played games. I spent my time hacking games on my Amstrad 128K from audio tapes to 3" floppy disks. Those were fun times and early signs of my passion for quality and attention to detail. Let’s fast forward… On the brink of completing my computer science engineering degree, I wanted to broaden my horizons and explore other cultures. I got a scholarship to teach in Buenos Aires, Argentina. When I told my mom, she asked, "Why? Aren't you fine here?" But I knew it was something I had to do, and I was right; it was one of the most enriching experiences of my life. Teaching in college in another country was fun, but the personal experiences and people I met made it unforgettable. Visiting a deprived area school where one of my new friends taught highlighted the stark realities of life, deepening my empathy, and leaving a lasting impact on me. My majors were in Computer Architecture and Technology of Communications, but I loved maps. They tell good stories, and who does not like a good story? I started working with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and loved it. As an intern, my first job after college involved creating by myself the first GIS in Spain to manage both High Voltage and Distribution for electric companies. It was both cool and fun—nothing beats creating something from scratch. Soon, I became a mentor and technical supervisor to several engineers, emphasizing the importance of quality and precision. I believe one thrives best in a small company or startup. These companies let you wear many hats and help you understand a product from inception to release, and what users really need because you hear directly from them. So, when a Spanish startup asked me to join them, I jumped at the opportunity. We were just a handful of people, working in the owner's garage. It was risky—I was about to marry my wonderful wife (yes, the same one who questioned QA at the beginning of this story). In this small company, I faced many technical challenges, including creating a model for network topological analysis over an Oracle 8i database, before this was even supported by Oracle Spatial. Unsure how to proceed, my manager proposed, "Give it to Sebastian. If somebody can do it, it's him. He will figure it out". With no margin for error and an aggressive deadline, I developed and hammered the model until the last nail was in place—through massive and brutal tests. Many years later, I heard this model was still being used. After my challenging but fulfilling experience at the startup, I realized just how much I thrived on problem-solving and ensuring the quality of complex systems. I was asked many times during my career as a developer why I spent as much time testing my own programs as implementing the solution, and my answer was always the same: "Somebody is going to use this, so it has to work flawlessly. I owe it to them to ensure they have the best experience possible. Also I want to sleep well at night", with a smile on my face. After a few years helping this company grow from 6 to over 100 employees, I had established a strong reputation in the GIS ecosystem in my home country. I was leading a group of engineers, supervising multiple projects, working as a consultant, and acting as the liaison between developers, clients, and users. My role had evolved beyond just technical challenges; it involved strategic planning, team building, and fostering client relationships. This holistic experience gave me a deep understanding of both the technical and business aspects of product development. And that's when I proposed to my wife that we move to the US and try something different. I received an offer to work for an emerging startup that was creating a very innovative product. The excitement of being part of something new and groundbreaking was exhilarating. This startup was focused on leveraging cutting-edge technology to revolutionize the user experience in the realm of outage communication. I have to say that the first 4 months were some of the hardest in my life. Not only did I have to learn multiple technologies and programming languages I had never worked with in just a few weeks, but I also had to adapt to a completely different work culture and operate in a language I was not proficient in at that time. To make things even more challenging, the company was in a different state, so I worked remotely from the Pacific Northwest—this was 12 years before remote work became the new normal due to the pandemic. It was tough, but I knew that if I could make it, nothing could stop me. I started working with this promising new product for publishing power outages over maps on the internet, enabling people to be informed of their service interruptions in practically real-time. The position of the outages had to be precise, and the information provided to users needed to be accurate and reliable. Thanks to my programming skills, holistic approach to projects, familiarity with clients and users, and unwavering pursuit of quality and a superior user experience, I progressed through almost every role in software and product development: developer, support, analyst, architect, technical lead, and finally product manager. As product manager, I took charge of overseeing the quality process, devising and designing comprehensive load and scalability performance testing. My goal was to fine-tune the system to handle enormous loads without compromising reliability. This rigorous approach paid off significantly. During one of the most severe winter storms in US history, our system withstood several million page visits in a single day, performing exceptionally under extreme conditions with no downtime. It was a testament to the robustness and resilience built into the product through meticulous QA planning and execution. All this effort was highly rewarded as the product became the indisputable market leader in its class, used by over 50 major utilities and providing services to 40% of the population of North America. It was also considered the most reliable outage map with the best user experience in the market. To me, what made the difference between a just OK system that simply does the job and a leader in its class is a superb user experience, and that the system is there for you when you need it the most. Performance, reliability, and usability are the three keys to successful products. Product managers are not only the visionaries and the image of the product in front of the client, but most importantly they are the voice of the customer, the user. In this role, you truly understand how important the user experience is, how frustrating it can be when the system is slow or does not do what it is supposed to do, or when an interface is not intuitive. I enjoyed and learned from all the different roles I worked in. However, quality in software was always one of my top priorities in all the work I had done. My deep interest in the new testing frameworks that were emerging led me to spend personal time getting familiar with the technical aspects and best practices in automation testing. Additionally, as a parent of a neurodivergent child, my personal life was filled with enough chaos that I couldn't continue with the additional stress and demands that came with the position of a product manager. After working successfully for several years in this position and nurturing a product that I helped create and grow from a mere seed, I came to my wife and told her: “I want to be a QA engineer.” Her stunned response was: “What?! What is that?" Confusion on her face, she asked, "Why would you want to change what you're doing to do that?". She had never even heard of the job. With a smile on my face, I explained in detail what the job of a QA engineer entails, what they do, and what their motivations are. And my wife, who knows me better than anyone in the world after a quarter-century together, responded to me: "Hahaha, you were totally made for THAT JOB!!!". Since then, I have helped my company improve and standardize the QA processes and become an integral part of our Architectural Review Process. I introduced visual testing, created multiple plugins and programs on our platform to eliminate redundancies and reduce maintenance overhead, started a QA cross-training program with workshops focused on best practices, and streamlined the review process with junior QA members. I also started a Cypress blog a few months ago that tackles complex themes and has gained significant popularity within the QA community. Additionally, I actively contribute to the Cypress Discord and other QA forums, sharing my experiences and insights. I also publish open-source plugins that address long-standing gaps in the Cypress ecosystem, including areas like Accessibility and JSON Schema validation. The other day, I was telling my wife, "It has been a long time since I enjoyed and had so much fun doing my work." She smiled back at me and said, "I can tell!" Looking back on my journey, it’s clear that every experience, role, and challenge has led me to where I am today. From my early days of curiosity and problem-solving to my deep dive into cutting-edge technology and quality assurance, every step has been a learning experience. The transition from product manager to QA engineer wasn’t just a career move; it was a return to my core passion for attention to detail, quality and user experience. Cheers! “I believe I have worked in nearly every role within the world of software and product development: analyst, developer, support, consultant, software engineer, tech lead, and product manager. But one day, I had a realization... Sometimes, you need to reinvent yourself to rediscover your true self. That's how I became a Software QA Engineer.”— Sebastian Clavijo Suero Blog: https://dev.to/sebastianclavijo GitHub: https://github.com/sclavijosuero NPM: https://www.npmjs.com/~sclavijosuero Check out our newsletter! #vitesters #softwaretesting #journey #softwarequalityassurance #careerjourney #blog

Background : A leading e-commerce platform regularly introduces new features and updates to stay competitive in the market. However, the rapid pace of development often led to regression issues, impacting user experience and revenue. As it was a short-term project, the test automation effort was not done. Strategy: The testing team adopted an agile approach to regression testing, aligning testing cycles with development sprints. As usual, the sprint lasts for two weeks. Test planning was done at the Sprint planning stage itself. The effort required for testing the stories and bug verifications was decided and the QA workload for a particular sprint was identified. A test plan was created outlining the testing activities to be performed during the particular sprint. A high-level test strategy and approach for testing was developed by identifying testing objectives, scope, and business priorities. Prioritize Test Cases: The team prioritized test cases based on the risk associated with changes and maintained a comprehensive regression test suite that had some repetitive tests. Identify and prioritize test cases based on their criticality to the application's functionality and the likelihood of regression. Focus on testing high-impact areas and critical business processes first. With this approach, we completed the testing of risky areas first. It helped identify the critical bugs first. Manual Execution Strategies: Optimize manual test execution by employing efficient testing techniques such as pairwise testing. Leverage experience-based testing to uncover potential regression issues intuitively. Pairwise testing empowered with experience-based testing was one of the best strategies we used. Because we had to use many data inputs to test the e-Commerce system. This methodology helps reduce the time and required resources for testing. Test data management was done carefully to avoid the drawbacks of pairwise testing. The team prepared and maintained relevant test data sets required for regression testing. Ensure data integrity and consistency across test cycles to replicate real-world scenarios accurately. Because identifying the right set of inputs is a challenging job here. If this part was not done well, then the required test coverage won't done. However, it managed well with e-commerce experts who have industry experience in testing vast e-commerce systems. Apart from using this methodology for functional testing, the team heavily used this mechanism in cross-browser and cross-device testing . The benefits of all pairs testing are many. One of the main benefits of pairwise testing is that it can help identify defects that may not be discovered through other testing methods. For example, consider a system that allows users to customize the search filter based on size and color. Without all pairs testing, attempting to test every potential combination of these variables would pose a considerable challenge. However, with pairwise testing, testers can swiftly and effectively generate test cases covering all feasible combinations of size and color, including other search filters. This ensures that the software operates as intended, minimizing the likelihood of users encountering unexpected issues or errors. Challenges and Solutions : As you know, challenges are part of this job and they're unavoidable. There were instances during some sprints where unexpected stories and bugs arose. In such cases, we had to change our plans. As usual, such situations caused frustration and tension within the team, and I won't deny that reality. It made them crazy. Consequently, the team had to prioritize and address the new stories and bugs over the previously planned ones. Hence, the team had to override the planned stories and bugs with new ones. As a result, some stories were dragged to the next sprints. Avoiding unplanned stuff for the sprint was not unavoidable. Therefore, to overcome this challenge, fostering open communication and collaboration among cross-functional teams, including developers, testers, business analysts, and stakeholders was helpful for us. Share insights, feedback, and observations to facilitate a collective understanding of regression risks and mitigation strategies. The impact associated with the bugs and new features were identified and impact analysis for testing was done accordingly. Keeping proactive communication helped the team to avoid misunderstanding the releases and requirements. The delays in the development tasks were another challenge. Because within two weeks, the QAs also need to finish their jobs. Therefore, releasing the features and bugs at the eleventh hour gave a huge QA workload to do within a short time. The finding of bugs towards the end of the sprint added significant pressure to everyone involved, requiring additional testing cycles. You know uncertainty is everywhere. Therefore, as Quality Assurance professionals, making timely and informed decisions is crucial. If you recall the Money Heist series, the professor exemplified this concept effectively, demonstrating the importance of remaining calm and making decisions under pressure. I think similar credit should go to QAs. :D Results : The agile regression testing approach significantly reduced the time and effort required for regression testing, enabling faster feedback loops and accelerated time-to-market for new features. Moreover, it enhanced software quality by catching regression issues early in the development cycle, leading to fewer post-release defects and improved customer satisfaction. How's your experience in Regression testing with the agile approach? Let's discuss your strategies, the challenges you faced, and the solutions you take. Thanks for your time. Subscribe to our newsletter