Michael Larsen

**** ********* *****

San Bruno, CA 94066

650-***-****

ad1ltn@r.postjobfree.com

Executive Summary:

As a seasoned Software Testing Specialist, my career has been driven by my passion for ensuring software not only works but excels. With a dynamic career path and focus on software testing, I bring extensive experience testing diverse products across multiple industries, including network infrastructure, virtual computing, touch devices, video gaming, and complex web applications.

One of my most passionate endeavors is advocating for Accessibility and Inclusive Design. Through numerous keynote speeches, articles, and research papers, I have actively propelled discussions and initiatives within this space, aiming to revolutionize how the industry perceives and implements inclusive technology.

My expertise is not limited to the technical domain; I am also a recognized Content Creator, with a portfolio of written and recorded work for various high-impact online publications, including my own TESTHEAD blog. I also produce a successful podcast series for Qualitest (the Testing Show), leveraging my skills in audio editing and production.

In the realm of education and public speaking, I worked for many years as a Lead Instructor with the Association for Software Testing, teaching their Black Box Software Testing (BBST) courses. My most recent work has been with upskilling professionals, delivering comprehensive training in C# programming, automated testing through industry-standard frameworks, and cutting-edge tools like Microsoft Playwright. My influence extends to the global tech conference circuit, where I am a sought-after speaker, sharing insights on emerging trends and practices, especially around the topics of Accessibility and Inclusive Design.

A catalog of my talks is accessible on my YouTube channel:

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UB0MjJfHtg&list=PLchHOwU6F-6-eF7wBkpLClXi7QQ3YUGF7)

I encourage you to dive deeper into my professional journey and expertise on LinkedIn: (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mkltesthead/)

EXPERIENCE

Software Testing Consultant & Educational Strategist UST/xPanxion (June 2023 - Present)

In the rapidly evolving realm of software testing, I have taken on a role as a consultant to help with the upskilling of a cohort of learners for an extended period.

●I built a comprehensive curriculum focused on the C# programming language, that harnessed the capabilities of testing frameworks (MSTest, NUnit, and XUnit) and utilized Microsoft Playwright for interactions.

●I crafted hands-on learning experiences that made theoretical principles tangible. Under my guidance, participants have transitioned from absorbing knowledge to applying it in real-world scenarios.

●The capstone project focuses on developing sophisticated automated tests for the OrangeHRM open platform. This endeavor isn't just an exercise; it highlights the challenges of working with open-source HRM systems, mirroring professional expectations and standards.

Senior Quality Assurance Engineer PeopleFluent (Nov 2012 – May 2023)

I focused on active work with a variety of teams within PeopleFluent, including the adoption and maintenance of an expansive suite of cloud-based testing devices and methodologies. Key to that work was a focus and an advocacy for Accessibility and Inclusive Design.

Key Achievements:

Accessibility Advocacy: Launched and shepherded a comprehensive initiative aimed at bolstering product Accessibility. Collaborated with product teams to enhance features, ensuring compliance with legal standards and government regulations, while championing the creation of technology accessible to all.

Leadership in Accessibility: Not just adhering to standards, but actively shaping industry best practices through strategic guidance in Accessibility. My efforts here weren’t just about compliance; they were about building a culture of inclusivity and opening new markets and opportunities for the business. This extends to speaking on these topics outside of work.

Innovative Test Architectures: we maintained a diverse range of cloud-based appliances with AWS, directly contributing to effective testing of emergent features and product deployments. This hands-on approach guaranteed robustness from development to deployment within our Jenkins pipeline and product deployment.

Full Lifecycle Quality Assurance: I transformed the testing narrative from reactive to proactive, engaging with the product journey from the initial story development to the final release. This comprehensive strategy fortified the build and release phases, enhancing product stability and user trust.

Automated testing: we spearheaded development of automation frameworks utilizing Selenium, WebDriver, and Perl, markedly boosting efficiency and precision. Championed automation strategies particularly in data transformations, employing bash scripts and XML manipulation, which streamlined complex procedures and allowed for simplifying repeat interactions.

API Testing: We developed a robust set of tests with tools including Postman, C#, and xUnit, ensuring seamless integration and robust functionality in our software ecosystems.

Build and Release Oversight: Functioned as the linchpin in build and release management by maintaining the Jenkins server and overseeing our test/deployment cloud on AWS. My stewardship in this realm minimized downtime.

Content Development Lead Excelon Development, LLC Apr 2015 – Present

As an active consultant with Excelon Development, I have embraced the role of storyteller, educator, and industry thought leader. My journey has been to create impactful content that resonates within the tech community and beyond.

Key Roles and Achievements:

Pioneering Content Strategist: Developed diverse content initiatives around compelling articles, insightful blogs, authoritative white papers, and engaging podcasts, with the goals of ignites discussions, challenging perspectives, and building communities.

Podcast Producer: As the producer and co-host of 'The Testing Show,' sponsored by Qualitest, I develop a clear narrative of industry insights, guest perspectives, and foresight, aiming to give perspectives for professionals navigating our ever-evolving tech landscape.

Contributing Tech Thought Leader: I am a valued contributor to renowned platforms including Ranorex, IT Knowledge Exchange, and LogiGear. My work here not just reflects professional knowledge but a passion for sharing information and inspiring innovation.

Co-Author and Technical Writer: Currently, I am channeling years of experience and expertise into co-writing with Matthew Heusser 'Software Testing Strategies,' soon-to-be-published by Packt Publishing that aims to redefine approaches to quality and excellence in the software testing domain.

Senior Software Tester SideReel January 2011 – November 2012

As the “Lone Tester” at SideReel, I encouraged innovation and strategic thinking within the software testing realm. My role evolved significantly, especially following the company's acquisition.

Key Contributions & Achievements:

Hybrid Testing Mastery: Pioneered a dual-focused testing strategy, integrating exploratory testing methodologies with automated systems. My approach went beyond mere functionality, delving into critical para-functional software attributes to guarantee optimal performance, security, and usability.

Automated Testing Innovation: Spearheaded the development of sophisticated automated test scripts utilizing Ruby, RSpec, and Cucumber. I designed these scripts to simulate and validate forward-facing user behavior, significantly improving the reliability and user-friendliness of the final products.

Strategic Leadership in Quality Assurance: Collaborated closely with the software development team to infuse quality assurance throughout the coding lifecycle. I became an internal advocate for best practices in software testing within the organization by conducting knowledge-sharing sessions and introducing up-to-date methodologies to the development team.

VOLUNTEERING

Included in this are my involvement with the following initiatives:

●Marketing Chair for the Pacific Northwest Software Quality Conference (PNSQC): 2023

●Active Conference Speaker (PNSQC, CAST, STPCon, InflectraCon, ALM Forum, Oredev): 2010-present

●Instructor of Black Box Software Testing courses with the Association for Software Testing (AST) : 2010-2023

●Former President of AST: 2014-2015

●Former Treasurer of AST: 2011-2014

●Co-Founder and Primary Facilitator of Weekend Testing Americas: 2010-2016

●Content developer and curator of education materials for SummerQAmp (http://summerQAmp.org): 2012-2014

EDUCATION

University of Phoenix Bachelor of Science, Information Technology

Activities and Societies: Distance Learning, Online Collaboration, Discovering the benefits and limitations of Online Education available at the time.

Coursework was related to upper-division Computer Information Services, with an emphasis on Programming (C++, Java, Web, SQL), Project Management, and Systems administration of both Windows and UNIX/Linus systems.

Mission College Computer Science

Activities and Societies: Self-directed research on Computer Science Topics, Mathematics Concentration

I was able to explore and present papers and original research I was doing at Cisco Systems in my role as a software tester to meet multiple lower-division computer science requirements, including presentations on "Automation with Tcl/Tk" and "Network Management Using SNMP and Shell Scripts".

University of California, Santa Cruz Certificate: UNIX Programming

Activities and Societies: C Programming, UNIX Systems Administration, Network Administration, Web Development

This certificate focused on the C Programming language as its core, along with networking protocols, device drivers, early web development, and enterprise level systems administration skills.

SKILLS

●Accessibility (WCAG 2.0, 2.1, Section 508)

●Cisco Networking Equipment

●Content Development (Technical Writing, Podcast Production)

●Human Interface Devices

●Linux (Workstations & Servers)

●MacOS

●Microsoft Windows (Desktops and Servers)

●Mobile (iOS, Android)

●Public Speaking and Workshop Delivery

(CAST, PNSQC, ALM Forum, Oredev, Agile Testing Days)

●RDBMS (Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL)

●Software Test Automation (Cucumber, RSpec, Ruby, Selenium WebDriver, Postman, bash, C#, MSTest, NUnit, XUnit, Playwright)

●Virtualization (Virtual PC, VMware, Hyper-V, AWS)

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