RitaPatel-SoftwareQA-062409

SUMMARY

An experienced and self-motivated detail oriented Software Quality Assurance Engineer utilizing extensive skills and knowledge of Software Quality Engineering, structured testing techniques and procedures in all phases of the software development life cycle. Skilled in testing of Client/Server and Web applications developed in Java and C++ with SQL Server backend on Windows platforms. Extensive demonstrated capability of completing all assignments and projects per schedule with effective, detailed and meticulous results. A determined and dependable team player with easy-going and positive attitude, dedicated to improve and find better testing solutions. Persistent promoter and follower of QA processes and standards to fortify the team to the next level. Strong analytical and communication skills. Looking for opportunities in Atlanta area.

TECHNICAL SKILLS

Operating Systems: Windows 2000/2003/2008 Server; Windows XP, Vista; UNIX/Linux (Earlier experience and basic commands and vi)

Databases: SQL Server 2000/2005/2008; Oracle (Earlier training and experience)

Test Case Management and Defect Tracking Tool: Mercury Quality Center 9.0; FrameMaker Desktop Publisher (Earlier experience)

Automation Tool: Mercury QuickTest Professional 9.1; Mercury Xrunner Test Tool (Earlier experience)

Virtual Machines and Imaging Tool: VMWare Infrastructure Client; VMWare ESX Server 3.x; Symantec Ghost Client/Server Environment

Other Applications: Microsoft Office; Lotus Notes 7; TCP/IP Networking; Internet Protocols such as HTTP, FTP familiarity

TESTING SKILLS

Testing methods and practices for various SDLC methodologies: Waterfall approach, Agile Development approaches (Extreme Programming, Test Driven Development, Feature Driven Development)

Test phases and types of testing: GUI, Functional, Integration, Iterative, Usability, Smoke, Acceptance, Regression, System, and End-to-End testing

Test techniques: Black-box, Grey-box, White-box and Adhoc

Test identification techniques: Functional analysis, Risk analysis, Boundary value, Path analysis and Equivalence

Test lab environment: Setup, configuration and maintenance of systems through periodic updates to OS, security patches and images

Test Case and Defects management: Mercury Quality Center

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

IBM INTERNET SECURITY SYSTEMS, Atlanta, GA 1999 – 2009

Staff Software QA Engineer

Provided accurate and timely QA estimates; setup, configured, maintained Windows test lab environments; created and updated virtual VMWare and ghost images; developed comprehensive requirements based test plans; wrote and executed test cases and test scripts for manual and automated testing of Functional, Iteration, Acceptance, Regression and System test phases for an enterprise-level Java based security management software product that uses the Agile Development methodology; and tracked defects until its resolution.

Key Achievements:

•Pioneered the development of test document templates, which provided structure and a consistent approach across multiple QA teams. The templates were adopted as the ISS QA test documents standard

•Improved the structure and effectiveness of regression tests by employing known test identification techniques thereby increasing the test case robustness for subsequent regression test runs

•Accomplished highest (95%) test effectiveness rates for defect management in the team, with a very low rejected defects count by routinely identifying accurate and reproducible defects in compliance to the guidelines

•Received World Class Achievement award and management recognition for outstanding effort working with offshore contractors and demonstrated strong and effective communication and organizational skills

•Attained management recognition for exceptional team focus that ensured the team met its quality and delivery goals

•Earned User Experience team recognition and an award for proactively reporting usability issues in the user experience area, and improved customer satisfaction of the product

•Represented the QA department in a cross-functional Contextual Design initiative to improve the product by soliciting customer inputs. Techniques used consisted of Inquiry Interviews with users, Interpretation Sessions, Work Models and Affinity diagrams for Visioning, Storyboarding, User Environment Design and Paper Mock-up Presentations. The outcome of this was enhancements in the product that made our product more usable to customers

•Helped in department sponsored automation directive by participating in the team-wide training efforts. Volunteered to research and document the Automation Standards. Created, documented and implemented the Peer and Code audit processes that increased compliance of the automation standards for the team and improved consistency, reliability and quality of automation test scripts

•Coordinated training and guidance to offshore QA team to bring the team members up to speed on the assigned functionality testing

•Conducted in-depth and thorough technical training presentations as subject matter expert to educate and prepare the internal Technical Support staff on new functionality

•Preserved test lab environment integrity by ensuring initial proper lab network setup and configuration; installing the OS and security patch updates to assigned lab machines; and maintaining up-to-date ghost images

•Performed tests on various assigned platforms of databases and operating systems simultaneously with optimal time management to ensure total test coverage

•Contributed in testing a high-profile Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliance functionality that allowed IBM Internet Security Systems to become an approved PCI scanning vendor

SITA, Atlanta, GA 1996 – 1998

Software Test Engineer

•Created System test plan, test descriptions and test reports utilizing Framemaker Desktop publishing application for the following projects implemented in C++ under UNIX (Solaris 2.6).

-Accounting Information Processing (AIP) – Billing system. Responsible for UNIX shell scripting.

-Service Performance Report (SPR) – Web based statistical tool providing quality of service reports to customers

-TypeB-X400 Gateway SNMP Agent – Non-standard SNMP agent for traffic tracking and management

-SITA Messaging Management (SMM) – GUI application for monitoring messages in airline industry

•Enhanced existing and created new automated test scripts using Mercury’s Xrunner testing tool

•Exceeded all job objectives by applying new techniques learned at the QA conferences attended

TSW INTERNATIONAL, INC., Atlanta, GA 1992 – 1996

Software QA Specialist

•Demonstrated a natural ability to learn and understand complex software logic and became a contributing team member by delivering high-quality software solutions very quickly

•Created comprehensive test plans, test cases and test reports in accordance to Software Quality Engineering’s STEP (Systematic Test and Evaluation Process) methodology that uses the IEEE Standard Document templates as a recommended guideline for document structure and content

EDUCATION

Diploma, Computer Programming and Information Systems, GPA: 4.0, InterActive Learning Systems, Marietta, GA

BTEC National Certificate, Business and Finance, Harrow College of Higher Education, London, UK

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

•Mercury Quick Test Professional (6 months automation scripting experience but desire more)

•Mercury Quality Center (Test Director)

•Testing Conferences – STAREAST (2006); International Software Quality Week (1998); STARWEST (1997)

•Introduction to Oracle SQL and PL/SQL ; Oracle8 Database Administration courses

•Networking Fundamental course

•ISO 9000 Quality Systems Assessor (Certification # 00162)

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