Etin’s Blog

This question has become imperative and I need someone with insight to help. For many of us who have lived aboard for serveral years we see wonderful things and attempt to replicate them in Nigeria to add to the value of the country and provide a useful service. First reaction is you are trying to defraud them, If we make the service affordable then we are accused of getting items through credit card scams, or fake goods to avoid this you make it expensive them you are told ‘ Jand price’ Another interesting thing I have noticed is the average Nigerian is an authority on very thing, anything he doesnt know is fake or a fraud. His mind is not opened to the possibility that there just might be something he does not know! He is so busy”Shinning his eyes” he still cant see! What a tragedy.

How do you get through to people like this to move them into the 21st century

You sometimes read about other peoples experience and wonder if they are in a different world. Well I recently had one of those and I bet it would be hard to beat. In was Wednesday morning and I had to drop my daughter at school and dash for my 10am job interview at Barclays Bank in docklands. I finally found the place and got there in good time signed in and it was all good (or so I thought).The Test Team lead came down and led me to the meeting room were the interview was to take place and as soon as we got in , before the lights were even switch on. A loud voice boomed through the telephone instructing all occupants of the building to evacuate immediately specifying which exit each wing was to use. - It was a fire drill except this time the scenario was for a Bomb. We walked down the many numbers of steps to the ground fall and then walked to the other end of the street. The street was filled with hundreds of suited workers strolling in one direction and in the midst of all this I was having my interview ! walking on the street, car horns blaring and people chatting and all of the chaos that comes with a bomb drill for a building with more than 20 floors.

I kept my cool and tried to see the funny side of it. The interview ended on the walk back to the building and that was it. I never did hear from them again and wonder if my interviewers where able to remember any of the answers I gave as they could not write it down? on the other hand I guess I am relieved not to be working with a team that fixes an interview at the time of a scheduled bomb drill.

A day in the life of a Tester
Monday

Its my first day at work and I am all geared up for the project. I meet the team they seem okay (well don’t they always!). I haven’t got access to the system (not surprised it sometimes takes 6 weeks !). The Team leader sorts out my pass so I can now get into the building and on to the ladies without borrowing a pass. I am given literally hundreds of pages to study consisting of Functional Specification, Design Document and Component Design document. I try to get my head around it without falling asleep (yes this is a real challenge on a new project the monotony of reading technical sometimes badly written stuff). I make note and go on to check my understanding with the Project Manager -I am on the right course phew - good to know.

Start Earning as a Software Tester

Lots of people are aware of how lucrative a career in Software Testing is but do not have any ideals on how to start. I would like to start by saying Software Testing on its own would not get you very far. It is preferable that Testing Skills are your secondary training and you have a primary training in some other discipline to which you would ideally specialise in testing ie Banking , Accounting, Database, Networking, Retail, Electronic Payment,etc

It is important to know the mindset of a Tester is to find bugs in the System or Application as the case may be. To this end an eye for details is required and a determination to apply various methodologies under not too stable environment.

Now we have established what testing is about the next question is how do I start?

1. Go on a basic software testing course with one of training providers which can be found on British Computer Society website http://www.bcs.org/server.php?show=conWebDoc.2064
This would give you hands on introduction to working as a tester

2.Having learnt the basic testing skils and methodology go on to take the ISEB foundation in Software Testing. This will ensure you are certified and there deemed as a professional Tester. It is common to see lots of people starting here and then going on to get contracts which they cant execute because they skipped step one and have an understanding of all the terms but have no practical experience.

3. Apply for testing role in your primary Industry ie if you where primarily trained as an Accountant apply for test roles on accounting applications you background in or primarily field would give you an edge.

4.After you have got your first role invest in books and time to study using online resources to consolidate your skills. At this point you would probably have an idea where you need more training or what area you would like to branch into.

5. Get specialised training for other kinds of testing like web testing, performance testing. and possibly and vendor product which is prevalent in your sector.

6. Keep abreast with new technology (now this is the challenge of all IT Practitioners) versions updates etc and watch the money roll in.

I looked forward to your coming at Christmas
Moyo had saved you her book on Christmas

Jimi still kisses the belly you once lay in
Dad still has your name and birth year as login

I wondered if you‘ll be a girl or boy?
I imagined my boys –you my little one and Jimi my big boy

I imagined if you turned out to be a girl
Moyo my pink big girl and you the little pink girl

I never did hear your heartbeat
I never did see your form
I never felt you move or kick
I never will know your sex

Now I have to accept you aren’t going to be here
Moyo is waiting and assumes you will be a girl
She calls you Amy you were to be her little girl

I was anxious to see you leave drop by drop
It was painful when it changed to clots by clots
It left me vacant that I had no memory of the final lot

Adieu Weyinmi may God keep you and preserve your Spirit & your Soul. Amen