The document discusses the career of a tester, emphasizing the importance of their role in improving product quality. It highlights the challenges faced by testers in the industry, such as low recognition and career advancement opportunities, while also noting the need for a diverse skill set and the ability to work under pressure. The text contrasts the mindsets of testers and developers, focusing on their differing approaches to problem-solving and product understanding.

1. CAREER IN/WITH
TESTING
Maaret Pyhäjärvi
Lead Quality Engineer

2. © F-Secure Confidential2
TESTER
= PRODUCT IS
BETTER BECAUSE
I EXIST

3. 3
January 2007

4. 4
January2007

5. © F-Secure Confidential5
SOFTWARE
INDUSTRY
DOUBLES EVERY
FIVE YEARS

6. © F-Secure Confidential6
PRODUCTIVE
GENERATIVE

7. THINKOFCAREERDIFFERENTLY
7
CAREER
– and in testing?
Basic income
Measure of respect
from organization
Relative
MONEY
RESULTS
RESPECT
Own group
Own organization
Within testing field
POSSIBILITY TO CHOOSE
Moving to other
positions
At dead-end or
crossroad?
FUN
Motivation
Relevance
Participating in
decision-making
Scope of influencePOWER
Responsibility

8. 8
RESULTS

9. © F-Secure Confidential9
DO I HAVE A
CAREER?

10. MYGOOD CHOICES
▪ Speaking to Learn
▪ Side job permission
▪ Leaving Test Manager positions to be a tester
▪ Becoming a programmer
▪ Routines of introspection and discussions
▪ Blogging
© F-Secure Confidential10

11. GROWTH OFATESTER
Architectural
Emphasis
Managerial
Emphasis
”just really good at
testing”, understanding
risks and consequences
Testing
Generalist
Testing
Specialist
Deep knowledge of a
kind of testing
”guiding and directing
others”
Wide competence of
many things testing
Two directions: domain vs.
technology -oriented

12. KUKA HALUAA
OLLATESTAAJA?.
Itsenäisesti ajattelevaa, laatusuuntautunutta
henkilöä, jolla on laaja liiketoiminta- ja
teknologiaymmärrys sekä loistavat
ihmissuhdetaidot haetaan epäkiitolliseen
työhön, jossa on huonot ylenemis-
mahdollisuudet, palkka alle keskipalkan ja
alhainen status organisaatiossa. Pakollisena
vaatimuksena kyky työskennellä jatkuvan
paineen alaisena ja tuottaa jatkuvasti hyviä
tuloksia riittämättömään tietoon perustuen.
Source: Erkki Pöyhönen, 2004

13. TESTERVS.DEVELOPERSOURCE:ADAPTEDFROMBRETPETTICHORD.2000.TESTERSANDDEVELOPERSTHINKDIFFERENTLY
Tester Developer
Need of Mastery
Focus of Modeling
Focus of Thinking
Tedium and
Conflict
Get up to speed quickly
Generalist
Domain knowledge
Ignorance is important
Thorough understanding
Specialist
Knowledge of product internals
Expertise is important
Model user behavior
Focus on what can go wrong
Focus on severity of problem
Model system design
Focus on how it can work
Focus on interest of problem
Practical
Empirical: What is observed
Sceptics
Theoretical
How it is designed
Believers
Tolerate tedium
Comfortable with conflict
Report problems
Automate tedium
Avoid conflict
Understand problems
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