Associate - Contract Test Architect and Performance Engineer

• Jul 2017 - Present

Accelerate QA believes that every organisation has the potential to deliver better software, faster. Its expert engineers have more than 20 years of industry experience offering straightforward services combining rigorous automated testing with repeatable automated delivery processes. At Accelerate I have built numerous, successful, test automation frameworks, often embedding them into CI/CD systems such as Azure DevOps and Jenkins and promoting a Behaviour-Driven-Development (BDD) approach. Most of these projects have been built from the ground-up using C#, Java or JavaScript/TypeScript making use of Selenium WebDriver or TestCafe. I also created many performance testing solutions, again embedded into CI/CD pipelines. Typically these have been completed using Gatling and Scala technologies. I have a sound knowledge and experience of understanding and creating realistic loads, configuring hardware and network options. Show less

Director

• Jul 2014 - Present

Test Manager

• Oct 2009 - Jul 2014

dunnhumby is a marketing firm best known for their data insight work with Tesco Clubcard. I joined as a Test Manager for one of their solutions areas and am in charge of testing for a number of Agile teams. My role has expanded to focus on developing test automation frameworks and covered the following areas: - Test automation - Developing a hybrid keyword data-driven framework using Ranorex and CodedUI in C# and .NET. My role also encompasses incorporating and promoting the framework's use into test processes. I have also developed bespoke API test automation tools which have became a core part of the development teams process. - Managing testing within a SCRUM team – Managing teams of 1-15 testers while successfully introducing various Agile testing practices such as structured exploratory testing and behaviour driven development. - Performance testing – Completing full cycles of designing, writing, executing and reporting. - Integration and configuration testing – Planning and execution, making use of virtual machines. - Client liaison – Reporting and getting feedback from market representatives. - General management – line management, interviewing prospective employees and QC administration. Show less

Software Test Lead

• Sep 2008 - Dec 2010

Distribution Technology is a financial software provider. As Test Team Lead I was highly involved in both the process and people side of the Test function. I was involved in the following activities:- Line management - Leading teams of 3-8 people onshore and up to 12 offshore.- Test management - Estimating for projects, writing test plans and producing management reports. I had significant input into team processes, tool selection, the team's use of Mercury Quality Centre and interviewing.- System test and User Acceptance Test (UAT) - I successfully oversaw the testing of a number of key projects, during which I obtained invaluable experience dealing with clients during difficult UAT phases.- Manual functional and regression testing – Both hands-on and overseeing.- Automated functional and performance testing - using Borland Silk Performer and Mercury QTP. Show less

Senior Test Analyst

• May 2007 - Aug 2008

Performance Test Manager

• Sep 2004 - Sep 2006

At IBM I managed performance and capacity testing for the Reuters account. My role covered test management where I was in charge of estimating effort, producing plans and reports, delegating work to ‘virtual’ teams in India, evaluating and purchasing software and training test engineers (sometimes remotely). I also completed performance testing on the webclient version of Siebel Customer Relations Management (CRM) using Borland Silk Performer and Silk Test. I also gained good experience of functional testing and basic web security testing. Show less

Graduate Technical Manager

• Sep 1999 - Sep 2005

I worked at Reuters as both a Business Analyst and a Test Manager. I worked on a number of Reuters products including Reuters Messaging and the internal Siebel CRM system. As a Test Manager I looked after performance testing. I conducted test requirements analysis sessions with stakeholders, identified potential performance and capacity risk areas and performed hands-on testing. I also developed a number of capacity planning/cost-of-use spreadsheets. As a business analyst I documented business requirements for the Reuters Actionable Data product by writing a high-level product summary, conducting requirements meetings with stakeholders, producing documentation using UML and Rational Rose and performing technical gap analysis. I also mapped and made recommendations for the flow and usage for a variety of internal systems including Reuters CRM email. Results were encapsulated in swim-lane diagrams. Show less