What I Test

Web applications (Websites)

I have been involved in numerous projects for several websites, including Autotrader, Moneysupermarket & Volvo Trucks.

Most of the projects I joined at their conception, so I was involved in all the preparations for testing, as well as the test execution itself.

I have provided usability studies for some of the smaller sites after the site has been live for several months. The aim of one study was to try improve the User experience of a franchise site which was connected to a larger parent site. It had its own challenges, such as complex navigation - it was very easy for the User to unintentionally navigate away from the franchise site to the parent site. The Client did not want this, so the study focussed on clearly identifying where the User was & if they were going to navigate away from the franchise site.

Desktop applications

Several projects have involved the testing of desktop applications. Both Thales & BAe Systems developed desktop software - Thales has a Wonderware solution to manage & maintain the Manchester Metrolink tram network. BAe Systems develop the Bowman technical communications system which is deployed across the Armed Forces

Mobile applications

For Sony Ericsson, I was part of the team responsible for ensuring the handsets were localised across 40+ different languages. This doesn’t mean I speak those languages, more that I can identify when a translation doesn’t fit in the container in which its designed to fit. Towards the end of the project, we introduced automation to identify if the translation was too long.

As a side, the project gave me great awareness of testing handsets. This awareness is now being enforced by my work with uTest - all of projects I have been involved in are for testing applications on a smartphone (Galaxy SII)

Computer games

I have been fortunate enough to test Sony Playstation games on their PS2 console. This was an enlightening project & a great ice breaker! Titles tested include “Singstar”, “Athens 2004″, “Killzone” & “The Getaway”

Interactive content / games on digital TV

My first project was testing html based games on digital TV platforms such as Telewest, Cable & Wireless & Sky. These were very basic, but gave me a great grounding in how to test software, including liasing with Devs & Management.

In my time at Two Way TV, we moved onto providing intereactive content for Sky - This allowed Users to play along with TV shows at home, such as “15 to 1″, “Telly Addicts”, “Antiques Roadshow” & Sky football matches with “Sky Play”