I have been working as an ISTQB qualified Test Analyst/Lead/Manager with a proven track record working in the Traffic Management, Utilities, Retail, Telecoms and Financial Institutions for over 25 years. I have extensive knowledge of testing concepts working through various project lifecycles in my testing career which includes working on multiple testing models such as the V Model, Waterfall, Iterative and Agile testing covering black box, grey box and white box testing, introducing relevant test approaches. I have been involved in all areas of testing including Component testing, Integration, UAT, End to End, Failover, Performance and Load Testing. I have helped put together Implementation plans to move between Environments and into Production. I have led and Witness Tested with Third Parties. I have excellent analytic skills showing versatility when working within a team structure or in isolated environments. I love a challenge and thrive in lively busy environments.
Technical Skills:
-
Defect Management Tools/Testing Tools – Helix, Atlassian JIRA, Mercury Test Director, HP Quality Centre V10, Bugzilla. HP ALM/HP Quality Centre, HP Quicktest, Mantis, Test Link
-
Automation Testing Tools - SOAPUI NG & PRO(Ready API), Winrunner, QARun
-
Databases - Oracle, SQL, Toad
-
Office Tools - Ms Visio, Ms Project, Ms Office suite, Ms Outlook
-
Operational System Utilities - Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 8, Windows 2000
-
Banking Systems - Phoebus, LYNX, Summit
-
Utilities Systems - Netbase, Target, Escada Telemetry Systems, Gas Flows, GIS, ODS
-
Retail Systems - POS, Zonal
-
Telecommunications - Avaya, Cisco
-
Other Systems – SAP ECC, XML, IBM Websphere, RHFUtil, SAP,Visio, Enterprise Architect, IIB Integration Bus Toolkit, Go CD, Sourcetree, UNIX
-
Traffic Management Systems – Dynac (TransDyn), Control Works V9, V11.0.0, 11.1.1 and 11.0.2, 11.0.3 and 11.0.4 JasperSoft Studio, Jasper Report Server.
Industry Qualifications
ISEB Foundation Certificate in Software Testing
Courses attended
Quality Awareness Training - 1/2 Day training covering Customer Quality Issues at MEB
Infoman Training - 1/2 Day covering Infoman Records used at the MEB on our Mainframe Computers
Change Management Training - 1/2 Day - Management Projects on the Mainframe System at MEB
Winrunner V7 and Test Director V7
Scrum Training – 2016
Agile Coaching – 2016
Controlworks V11 Training
Controlworks Admin Training
Specific Achievements:
During my Career:
-
I have led numerous small teams successfully including the Slimfast Project at Egg, where I helped to take the existing Egg Card functionality and trimmed the application process from six pages to two This project along with the other projects I have led have been delivered on time and within budget by highly motivated teams.
-
Tested and successfully launched the Egg Card in France on a new platform with existing and new functionality bought together in the French language. During this project I learnt to read French to enable me to successfully manage the challenging task. I co-ordinated the testing of the Servicing area of the Egg Card.
-
I have successfully tested a large Data capture and management system, working to tight deadlines and relatively low budgets, delivering multi-million pound savings to the Water Industry.
Professional Experience
11/18 to Present – Kapsch
Test Engineer working on a Joint Venture with Capita and Highways England to Implement a New Traffic Management System in the UK. Writing Operational Test Scripts for End to End Testing of Business Processes in both CW and Dynac. Functional and Non Functional FAT and SAT Testing of ControlWorks V11 and DS300 Comms Server. Working with the US Development teams, liasing with third parties, linking Requirements and checking coverage, running Workshops to get Script Approval.
Viewing Tomcat Logs, using WinScp and Wireshark to extract information. Using CW and Dynac Administration Tools. Data Warehouse Scripting, Testing and Witnessed Events. Building Custom Data Reports in JasperSoft Studio and Scheduling reports to run in Jasper Report Server. FAT Witnessed testing with the Third Party Client. Adding, Deleting and Configuring Devices on the Road Networks to enable Automated settings of Signs and Signals utilising Plans and LSM Functionality. Supporting UAT. Running Code Updates and Online Import using Unix commands. Providing help to L2 and L3 Support teams and testing Live Releases. Writing test scripts and Running Witnessed FAT, Failover and Load and Performance Testing events with Clients. Defect Management.
04/18 - 10/18 – EON
Test Analyst working on Work and Asset Solution Cloud Service (WACS) performing FAT and System Integration testing. Test Planning/ Estimating. Writing and executing tests in SOAP UI then checking the Data has been populated correctly and linked as expected in the WACS Application. Writing Manual Tests for FAT and SIT in HP ALM and Executing. Taking part in Workshops and Meetings with UAT and Offshore Development Teams. Finding Data in SQL and Interrogating Splunk to find Messages that have been sent to the WACS System ensuring a successful test. Attending Daily Update meetings, reporting and liasing with Offshore third party teams. Raising and Managing defects with the Third party using JIRA.
01/16 – 03/18 - Coventry Building Society
Digital Project
Agile Test Lead on the Digital Project working within an Agile Environment testing the refactored Web Services. Web Services testing tool evaluation, Test Planning, Test Matrix and Test Reports. Web Service testing using Soap UI Pro including creating Xpath and XQuery Assertions. Sprint Planning, Demos and Retros.
Common Utility Services Project
Agile Test Lead - Testing of IIB Application, Subscriber, Task and Utility Services to include: Routing, Logging, Error Handling, Monitoring and Alerting. Posting messages directly to a Queue via RFHUtil. Using SOAP UI/Ready API to perform Functional and Load Testing. Interrogating Sql Databases. Inserting data into Databases using scripts. Creating and Updating JIRA stories with Test Scenarios, Test Data and Test Completion Reports. Running Pipelines and moving code through Environments. Sprint Planning, Demos and Retros. Using Jira for project stories and defects. Confluence documentation.
Print Project
Agile Test Lead - Testing IIB Services for the Print Compositon project both in isolation (Component Testing) and End to End. Using Ready API to automate the testing of IIB Services. Creating Automated tests with assertions. Data driven testing. Stopping services to fault find using IIB Integration Bus tool kit and Websphere. Writing Sql to query databases. Weekly Reporting to Management teams. Mentoring and knowledge transfer of Ready API, Winscp, RFHUil and the Print Composition project. Batch testing for Letters. Using the Summit Sales System testing for End to End process testing calling all IIB Services. Supporting UAT and Performance Testing.
10/15-12/15 – Spirit Pub Company
Test Lead on an Integration/Regression testing project using the Zonal POS hospitality system. Writing test plans, writing test scripts in Test Link, raising defects in Mantis, weekly reporting to management. Processing POS transactions to include Gift Cards, Vouchers, Credit/Debit Card payments and bookings. Checking integration with third party systems. Testing Zonal Central , Zonal Back Office and Dimensions Reports.
05/15 – 06/15 – First Utility
Analysis and Testing of Industry changes to Gas AFMS flows, ensuring new flows update records in Customer Accounts / Billing systems as required.
11/14 -03/15 – Eclipse Group Solutions Ltd
Working on an Agile Project for the redesign of Evans website. Testing the Hybris system including WCMS and HMC components, checking the Front end Integration and specific components for each release. Using Jira to manage stories, create and execute tests and raise defects. Attending PBR’s, Reviews and reporting to the Test Lead weekly. Mobile and Ipad testing of the newly designed website.
01/14-6/14 – Spirit Pub Company
Working on the CUK SAP Upgrade project. This entailed processing Orders through Sales talk and Fnb (Fourth) for Managed, Leased and Franchise pubs and processing the orders through the systems to Invoicing using Microsoft Dynamics Navision and Fourth Fnb. Updating Product codes in Starchef master database and checking before and after product codes in all systems. Posting, Matching and approving GRN’s and Invoices in Navision. Liaising with Carlsberg and Fourth through daily meeting and conference calls. Liaising with the Business to establish the Customers, vendors and products needed for scope. Creation of the Test Plan. Writing and executing Test Scripts using Test Link and raising defects in Mantis. Producing Weekly Test Reports and a Final Test Report on conclusion of the project.
Continuing at Spirit working on the Guest Survey project. Writing a Test Plan and Producing a Matrix for test execution. Writing and executing scripts for the Surveys available to customers.
Other Mini projects included writing Test Plans and test scripts for the Microsoft Navision Upgrade project and the Pub Pages Upgrade.
05/13 – 10/13 Post Office Ltd (Fujitsu) - Test Analyst
Working on the Xanadu project for Post Office Ltd in conjunction with Fujitsu to migrate all existing customers from the BT Platform to a Talk Talk platform and to provide an online facility for new customers. My main responsibility was for all customer Communications. This entailed Creating XML data files to send to third party printing company and checking the returned letters in English and Welsh for content and layout. Creating online Web orders and managing a customer’s account online, In Life servicing of a customers order to create communications for checking. Using MDS CMP Back Office Portal to change orders resulting in SMS, Email or Letter communications to the customer. Checking all Emails and SMS messages in Microsoft Dynamics. Owning and Maintaining master spread sheet with colour coded templates and liaising with the Business Services teams and a third Party company. Daily reporting and stand up sessions with teams to ensure efficiency across the board. Twice weekly conference calls with the third party
02/11 – 12/12 Test Analyst Severn Trent Water (Various Mini Projects)
Netbase Project – Integration Testing
Testing the upgrade to the Netbase (Crowder) Leakage System that interfaces with SAP, GIS, ODS and Target systems. Included writing and executing Performance, OAT, Implementation/Cutover, System Integration and UAT scripts. Helping Business Analysts to gather the Business requirements and specifications. Inputting data into the source systems and running batch jobs to check integration – to Include adding special conditions to customer accounts (Target), Adding Assets and Areas (GIS and ODS), creating notifications using SAP ECC IW21 and IW51, Changing Notifications using IW28 and IW22, Changing Orders using IW32 and ZW37N and Processing Tasks in ZW66 Sap ECC Modules. Interrogating Oracle databases using Toad and SQL Plus to determine if the data has appeared in the correct places.
Telephony Project
Upgrading telephony from Nortel to Cisco (Trail) and a full Implementation of Avaya Systems across Severn Trent - Included Writing Tests and Testing Call Flows on both systems (Citrix and Avaya), Wall Charts, Totalview CRM System, BT Cloud Messages and IVR etc.
Broker Upgrade to V7
Writing Test Scripts and Executing using QC ALM(Quality Centre), Creating, editing and posting xml messages in Websphere MQ Broker message tool. Manual and automated testing. Using SOAP XML (Performance Testing) to inject messages onto queues. Checking Oracle databases for data injected using SQL queries. Daily reporting, Stand up meetings and suggestions for improvement. Lessons Learnt exercise at the end of the Project.
eScada Telemetry Enhancements
Testing enhancements made to the existing Telemetry system enabling WITS Outstations to talk to the existing infrastructure. Writing the Test Plan, Test Scripts and Logging Defects in QC. Weekly metrics and recommendations to the Project Manager and Test Exit Report. Posting messages to queues using Webmethods.
GIS Replacement Agile Project
Running a Mini Project to replace the old RMS system replacing it with a Java based Application. Attending SCRUM Workshops and assisting the Product Owner and UAT Team in writing and executing scripts using JIRA and gathering Business Requirements and Scenarios.
Payment Plan Alignment
Writing and executing system test scripts to test the change of Payment dates on the Target Main Billing system. Interrogating Oracle databases using Toad and SQL Plus to determine if the data has appeared in the correct places. Managing and allocating Defects to the correct teams.
09/10 – 01/11 Test Manager – Exact Mortgages
Building the Regression Pack for the Phoebus Mortgaging Servicing System. Managing Releases into all Environments including UAT. Supporting UAT Testing and managing Defects in Bugzilla. Managing a team of one. Delegating work as necessary. Liasing with the Third Party to understand what would be delivered in releases. Writing Test Plans, Reporting to Management and Third Parties twice weekly.
02/10 – 09/10 Test Analyst Severn Trent Water (DC&M Project 3)
Processing Work Orders through from eScada and Netbase through to SAP. Witness testing scada telemetry systems. MQ Interface Testing. Checking MQ Queues and databases using SQL queries for correct message flow. Arranging resourcing and planning testing. Scripting and estimating for other small projects.
09/09 – 02/10 Test Analyst – Severn Trent Water (CARMS Project)
Migration testing on the CARMS Project. Writing and excuting Test Scripts in Quality Centre. Checking Data Quality of Migrated Data, Reporting defects and progress. Setting up Test Data in various systems, Interrogating Oracle databases using SQL Plus to determine if the data has appeared in the correct places.
01/09 – 04/09 Test Analyst – Severn Trent Water (CARMS Project)
Interface testing on the CARMS Project. Liasing with Third Parties, writing Test Scripts in Quality Centre. Creating a Test Plan, Setting up Test Data. Reporting progress.
08/08 – 01/09 Maternity Leave
01/07 – 08/08 Test Manager – Severn Trent Water (DC&M Project 2)
Continuing at Severn Trent Water as a Test Manager.
Working on the second project for Data Capture & Management, managing a team of 2 testers, updating project plans, analysing progress of the project against the plans, estimating test effort, writing test strategies and test plans. Organising Environments, planning test work and liasing with development teams and project managers. Managing Integration between various projects. Co-ordinating UAT/OAT teams. Interviewing new staff and mentoring junior testers etc.
01/06 – 12/06 Senior Test Analyst – Severn Trent Water (DC&M Project 1)
Working on the Telemetry Replacement and Integration system project, which is the Data Capture and management of telemetry systems from various sources, such as ScopeX, Technolog and PMCS. This involved Creating XML messages to simulate live messages from the outstations. Posting messages to WebSphere Message Broker queues using Rhfutil. Adding, updating and managing Assets and Asset associations. Maintaining units of Measure, Signal Types, Digital, analogue readings, Events, Alarms and Control actions, Operational States and Normalisation of Data.
Running Batch Jobs to collect, transform and post data to Oracle 10G databases. Testing SQL code for Excel and html reporting, online Java code, System testing the Extract, Transform & Load Process for Oracle Discoverer reports. UAT Testing and co-ordination with users. Creating Test Cases, raising and managing defects and business requirements in Quality Centre V9, Creating Sign off testing reports. Creating User Guides for the business. Liaising with Telemetry Services teams. Co-ordinating all testing areas from environments to testers. Quality Center Administration and Training.
05/05 – 12/05 Senior Tester – Cable & Wireless
08/04 – 04/05 Senior Tester – Staffordshire Building Society
12/03 – 06/04 Senior Tester – RBS
08/03 – 12/03 Senior Tester – Perceptive
06/02 – 06/03 Senior System Tester - Egg Plc
03/02 – 06/02 Regression Tester - M&S
10/00 – 01/02 Tester/Analyst - Alliance & Leicester
04/00 – 10/00 Tester/Analyst - Intelligent Finance (Halifax)
09/99 – 04/00 Tester/Analyst - APEX Systems Ltd
02/99 - 07/99 Tester/Analyst - EQUIFAX Europe Ltd
09/98 – 02/99 Tester/Analyst - BUPA UK
06/98 – 09/98 Year 2000 Team Leader - Southern Electric Plc
02/98 – 06/98 Data Migration Analyst - De La Rue Cash Systems
10/97 – 01/98 Year 2000 Project Co-Coordinator - HFC Bank Plc
10/96 - 10/97 Help Desk Technical Support - Midlands Electricity Board
Hobbies
In my spare time I enjoy Running, Biking, Swimming, Computing, Reading, Learning, Sports and Socialising. I often run for Charity and have completed several Half Marathons and Triathlon’s. I am currently studying Mindfulness and Physiology.
Non Industry Qualifications
Level 2 Fitness
Emergency First Aid
Pilates
Diploma in Sports Nutrition
Advanced Diploma in Sports Nutrition
Voluntary Experience
I am currently a Volunteer for Dudley Council and Run Park Active Sessions every Sunday.
References
References available on request.