BugsDay

Software Testing Career and Skill Development

Chalermpol Tuchinda
Ekaluck Chaiyaporn
Jarunee Leerathanawit

December 19, 2009

THAILAND SOFTWARE INDUSTRY in
2550
• IT Turnover 20%, Gen 14% **
• Business grew 14.2% *
• Employment 49,770 in 2550 *
T h ailan d S W R e so urce p oo l

SW Developers & Testers

SW Engineers & A rchitect

6,742
14,109 IT Consultant
3,371
Project manager

2,789 BA

2,580 DB admin
4,495 7,533
documentation & Others

*Source from SW Park, June 2008

** Source from Hewitt Associates
 Technical Skills Competencies Levels

Competency Min yrs of

Definition
Level Experience

Subject matter expert with ability to provide

Expert 5 yrs
consultancy to the industry.

Provide consultancy within organization.,

Advance Obtain deep in-dept of the technology(s) 3 yrs
And business. A go to person within the org

Perform their work with minimum supervision

Intermediate 2 years
and without support from Technical expert.

Obtain good level of technical skill to

Beginner perform the assigned work. Supervision is 6 mths
Required to guide and check the work.
 Structure in a Very Small Organization

Ultimate decision maker. Provide direction, team

Owner/ structure, environment, team management.
Sr mgr Performing marketing, sales and providing funds.

Perform design, code change with multiple

Sr Developer/tester complex components to meet the
requirements.

Perform coding on small module.

Developer/tester Perform debugging or testing small
modules designed by others
 Structure in a Small Organization

Provide Leadership in determining strategic

Owner/ Direction, team structure and enabling the right
Sr mgr environment for teams to meet business needs.
And make all decisions.

Perform architecture and design role, and

Manager/ manage Team complexity through process
Team leader procedure Standards for team performance.

Perform design, code change with multiple

Sr Developer/tester complex components to meet the
requirements.

Perform coding on small module.

Developer/tester Perform debugging or testing small
modules designed by others
 Structure in a Large Organization
Provide Leadership in determining strategic
Senior Management Direction, team structure and enabling right
(Cs, Director, MD) environment for teams to meet business needs.
And make strategic decisions.
Perform resource management to ensure
Middle Management productivity and continuity through proper
(Manager) procedure & standards. Manage budget, collaboration,
and Stakeholder. Make short-term tactical decisions.

Perform staff management, PSM and act as a

First Level Management
change catalyst to the team. Ensuring team
(Team Leader) members performance and development.

Perform design, code change with multiple

Sr Developer/tester complex components to meet the
requirements.

Perform coding on small module.

Developer/tester Perform debugging or testing small
modules designed by others
 Engineering Career Track
Provide Leadership in Technical direction and
Sernior Principle,
technologies trend, Is an Subject Matter Expert
Management Guru In organization and industry.

Perform system design, analyst and

Middle Test architecture using suitable technologies
Management Architect to ensure performance, scalability and
stability with cost effective for TCO
Perform requirements analysis, detail design
First Level Technical of various specialized areas. Mentor teams
Management Specialists on technical skills and technique. Focus on
Product quality and performance

Perform design, code change with multiple

Sr Developer/tester complex components to meet the
requirements. Mentor developers/testers

Perform coding on small module.

Developer/tester Perform debugging or testing small
modules designed by others

O
 Comparative Career Roles Roadmaps

Cs
Principle, CIO Set Strategy
Director, Principle
Guru (Head of Profession) and Inspire
MD
Lead
Competency Lead Initiate Professional /
Manager Architect
Senior Manager Influence Senior
Management
Ensure Senior
Technical
Team Leader Lead practitioner Professional/
Specialists
Advise Manager

Enable
Sr Developer/tester Senior Practitioner Professional
Apply

Assit
Developer/tester Practitioner Associate
Follow

Ref BSC, UK Ref SFIA Ref EU eCF

 Testing Technical Specialist roles

System Performance Software Business

BI Automated
Integration / Load test Security Process
Testing Testing
Testing Testing Testing Testing
Specialist Specialist
Specialist Specialist Specialist Specialist
 Potential Career Related Business Roles

Principle,
Management Management
Guru

Manager Architect Program Manager Consultant Sales Trainner

Technical Sr Business
Team Leader Project Manager
Specialists Analyst

Business
Sr Developer/tester Project Coordinator
Analyst

Developer/tester

O
 Sample of Small SW Development
Organization Structure (1)
Management

Development Test Support Product Project

Architect
Mgr Manager Manager Manager Manager

Development Test Support

Technical Business
Team SA Team Consultant
Specialist Analyst
Leader Leader Team Leader

Sr SW Sr Test Sr Support
Engineer Engineer Consultant

Support
SW Engineer Test Engineer
Consultant
 Sample of Medium SW Development
Organization Structure (2)
Operation
Manager

Application Project
Manager Director

Sw Software
System Analyst Project Application Test
Development Specialist
Manager Manager Consultant Manager
Manager Manager

Sr
Software Sr System Project Test Sr SW
Application
Analyst Analyst Executive Leader Specialist
Consulting

Sr SW System Project Application Software Software

Developer Analyst Coordinator Consultant Tester Specialist

Software Development Software Analyst Project Application Testing Specialist

and design Management Consultant &
AMS

P
 Sample of Large SW Development
Organization Structure (3)
Management

Technical
Other functions
Director

Development Sr Project
Sr. Architect QA Director
Director Manager

Development Support Project Sr Business Resource

Architect QA Manager
Manager Manager Manager Analyst Management

Support
Dev Technical QA Team Project Business
Consultant
Teamleader Specialist Leader Coordinator Analyst
Team leader

Sr SW Sr QA Sr Support
Engineer Engineer Consultant

Support
SW Engineer QA Engineer
Consultant

T
Knowledge and Skills Competency
Domain &
Technical Product Process
Customer *
Knowledge Knowledge * Knowledge
Knowledge

English Communication
Technical People
language and presentation
Skill Skill
Skill Skill

Time Project Analysis

Management Management and design
Skill Knowledge & Skill Skill

Self learning
Aspiration Logical
Attitude Ethics and
and Desire Thinking
Development

Maturity
Opportunity Availability Readiness and
Confidence
O
 Commonly Lacking
• The market is becoming increasingly competitive, be ready to
demonstrate what most candidates don’t have
Fundamental testing principles & techniques

Soft Skill: Language & communication Business knowledge

Testing specific apps/technology Customer management

Agile Testing TDD ART

Performance Security Testing Testing tools

Test Management*
P
 Tester Skill Sets
• Hard Skills or Technical Skills
Mandatory:
– Operating systems, networking, database/SQL basic and technical
knowledge about the application you are working on (web-based,
banking, e-commerce,.. Security)
– Familiarity with software programming
– Testing methodologies and type (both functional and non-functional test)
– Software development life-cycle and testing process
– Technical writing
Advanced:
– Coding or scripting for automated test
– Testing and developing tools
 Tester Skill Sets (cont’)
• Soft Skills:
– Logical and Lateral Thinking
– Problem Solving
– Judgment and Decision Making
– Communication and Influencing
– Negotiation
– Presentation
– Project Management
– Process Management
Tester Skill Development
 Certified Software Testers

140000
120000
100000
80000
60000
40000
20000
0
ISTQB QAI ASQ IIST
ISEB/ISTQB Certification Level

ISEB Diploma in Software

Testing

ISEB Practitioner
ISEB Practitioner
Certificate in
Certificate in
Test
Test Analysis
Management

ISTQB
ISTQB ISTQB
Technical
ISEB Intermediate Certificate Test Test
Test
in Software Testing Manager Analyst
Analyst
Advanced Advanced
Advanced

ISEB/ISTQB Foundation Certificate in Software Testing

 ISEB/ISTQB Foundation Certificate in
Software Testing
Offered by ISEB/ISTQB (Part of BSC)
Popularity America, India, Europe, Asia
Coverage 1.
2.
Fundamentals of testing
Testing throughout the software life cycle
3. Static testing techniques
4. Test design techniques
5. Test Management
6. Tool support for testing

Exam format 1 hour w/ 40 multiple choices question in Computer

based exam. The pass mark is 26/40.

Fee £149.50 (including VAT)

O
 CSTE
Offered by QAI
Popularity America, India
Coverage 1.
2.
Software Testing Principles and Concepts
Building the Test Environment
3. Managing the Test Project
4. Test Planning
5. Executing the Test Plan
6. Test Status, Analysis and Reporting
7. User Acceptance Testing
8. Testing Software Developed by Outside
Organizations
9. Testing Software Controls and the Adequacy of
Security Procedures
10. Testing New Technologies

Exam format Multiple choices and essay

CSTE (2)
A Sample of a Testing Career
Track

CSTE
CAST

CMST

T
 Salary Report 2009-2010
Job Description Years of  Salary Range
IT Work Experience (Baht per month)

Web Application Developer / 2 – 3 years 25,000 - 35,000

Software Engineer / Programmer 3 - 5 years 35,000 - 50,000+
5 - 7+ years 50,000 - 60,000+
Software Tester 5 - 7 years 40,000 - 60,000

Business Analyst (liaise between users and 5 - 7+ years 45,000 - 60,000

IT; not technology-specific)

DBA (Oracle, SQL-Server) 5 - 7+ years 55,000 - 70,000

Applications Development Manager 8 - 10+ years 70,000 - 85,000+

- with CMM / CMMI experience 8 - 10+ years 80,000 - 100,000+

Source: © 2009, 2010 ISM Technology Recruitment Limited

Software Testing Opportunities and
Technologies
• Security
• Business Intelligence
• Multicore Cloud Computing Era
• Ubiquitous Computing Devices
 China’s View - Talents - The No. 1
Strategic Selection
• High qualified human resource development has been listed as a
national strategic task and an important measure for that
• “S&T Is The First Productive Force”
Force and “Talents Are The First
Resource”
Resource
• In the State Next (11th) 5 years plan (2006-2010), a key issue has
been listed is how to ‘Construct the IT Talents Highland’
Highland
• There is a Serious Gap in Current China’s IT Talents from both
Quantity and Quality. Lack of Middle-Level & Senior
Professionals Causes a Bottleneck Restricting Our Development
• Earlier awareness for that is favorable for us to implement a jump
development and aim at a high standard at HRD
• It’s Better For Us To Go This Direction More Consciously Right
Now Than an Enforced Adoption In The Future
 Eleven Professional Columns
-- A Learning Paradise For IT Talents
• SE Domain:
• Software Architecture CMU/SEI, iSQI
• Requirements Engineering iSQI
• Project Management + Agile/Global PM PMI
• Software Testing ISTQB, QAI, IIST
• GSE/GSD IAOP
• CSDP, SWEBOK IEEE-CS, ACM
• IT Domain:
• ITSM/ITIL ISEB, EXIN
• Information Security CISSP, GIAC
• Innovation Domain:
• New Product Development PDMA
• Innovation Methods Altshuller Institute
• Knowledge Management KMPro, KMI, GKEC
 India
• Ability to follow processes;
• Ability to work with a problem until solved;
• Aptitude towards problem identification;
• Ability to analyse the reason for defects;
• Knowledge of testing methodology; testing tools, such as WinRunner,
Rational Robot, Silk Test, Web Load, etc.

“The market for software testers in India is likely to open in a big way
due to the following reasons:

- Availability of testers and their use of automated tools.

- Indian software testing companies can offer testing services at a
fraction of the cost in most other parts of the world.
- Quality of deliverables.
- Turnaround time for delivery. “
Thank you

Q&A