Article: Becoming a better software tester

I found this short and simple presentation on this topic posted on a different forum. If you are a tester you will enjoy reading this presentation. Author of this presentation owns TestAssured.

Book extract: Now, Discover your Strengths

Most organizations are a puzzle put together in a darkend room. Each piece is clumsily squeezed into place and then the edges are grown down so that they feel well positioned. But pull up the shades, let a little light into the room, and we can see the truth. Eight out of ten pieces are in the wrong place.

Eight out of ten employees feel they are miscast. Eight out of ten employees never have the chance to reveal the best of themselves. They suffer for it, their organization suffers, and their customers suffer. Their health, their friends and their family suffer. It doesn't have to be this way. We can raise ths shades higher still. We can spotlight each person's strenghts. We can provide him with a manager who is intrigued by these strengths. We can build and organization that asks him to play these strengths and that honors him when he does. We can show him the best of himself and ask him to keep reaching for me. We can help him live a strong life.

With the knowledge economy gathering pace, gloabl competition increasing, new technologies quickly commoditized, and the workforce aging, the right employees are becoming more precisous with each passing year. Those of us who lead great organizations must become more sophisticated and more efficient when it comes to capitalizing on our people. We must find the best fir possible of people's strengths and the roles we are asking them to play at work. Only then we will be as strong as we should be. Only then we will win.

Blog: Joel on Software

I have not read this popular book "Joel on Software" yet, but I have been following the blog. I see Joel has very strong opinions and insight into issues business of Software Development.

I would strongly recommend visiting this blog and subscribe to posts.

I recommend reading these specific posts. Two of the posts on related to recruiting great developers. They are a little long articles but worth the time.

Field Guide to Developers
Sorting Resumes

The following article is Advice for Computer Science college students

I am sure you will find this blog useful addition to your watch list. You can join after you read the above articles.

Career: Grow by using your strengths

I have written earlier about SWOT Analysis. When we are aware of strengths it becomes to easier to utilize the strengths at work. I have read this book "Now, Discover your strengths" which has made this a very structured attempt to identify strengths of individuals. I will post a brief extract from the book in a separate post.

Based on lot of survey data, Gallup has launched a StrengthsFinder Tool which allows one to identify Top 5 Strengths of any individual which play a pre-dominant role on how we operate at work. I found this a great tool and would recommend others also to take this tool. To take the StrengthsFinder survey you need to buy one of the books listed on the website and get the code. Certainly the books are worth reading. I would recommend buying this book and take the Survey. This will be a worthwhile investment that will serve you rest of your career.

This helped me identify my Top 5 strengths which I can easily recognize. This helped me gain better insight into the same and make this as an advantage in my career.

Link to article: SWOT Analysis
Link to StrengthsFinder: https://www.strengthsfinder.com/

Tip: Do not sound Inflexible

Once we start following strict time management methods, we tend to carry that 'attitude' with us. This sounds strange to people who don't follow any time management and they start developing aversion to it.

For example, one colleague requests you to do something for him. You reply "OK, I will get that on my task list and let you know when I can get to it. Let me look at my schedule and get back to you" This makes your colleague feel that you don't consider his request important and will think twice before coming up with a request to you next time.

Choose your words carefully. How you manage your tasks is your personal style. You are using your task list to track everything you do and prioritize. No one else cares about your task list. To others, it is important whether you can do it or not.

If people start sensing that you are not flexible, then you get branded as a person who operates out of a "schedule" and "task list". When we mention task list we are trying to communicate that we are organized and we will work on it without forgetting it.

Instead of conveying on how you are operating, you just need to convey "I will work on it as soon as possible and let you know". Then go to your task list and prioritize accordingly.
This also has another impact on others. It makes others who are not following similar methods feel different. They may interpret your words that you are trying to convey others are not working in organized manner. Since everyone has their own way of getting organized, this tends alienate others.

This is one more negative aspect of following time management tools.

Link: Negative effects of time management

Blog: Robin Sharma

I have started following Robin Sharma's blog after reading his book: "The Monk who sold his Ferrari". This was a good book with inspiration to get organized and focus on important things in life.

Robin Sharma's blog has been very consistent with inspiring messages. If you are interested in getting some inspiration to your blog reader, this is one I will recommend.

Blog Link:

Book Link:

Recommending Blogs

During next few weeks I am going to add links to blogs that I am reading. Blogs I am reading are relevant to my areas of interest and which I have been following for quite sometime. There is consistency in blogs and blogger writes something that adds value to you.

Explore the blogs I recommend and subscribe to them if you like the content. I am going to write specific details on each blog I recommend and point to some content too.

Watch this space!!