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I specialize in adapting to diverse contexts to deliver high-quality software solutions efficiently, and I'm passionate about testing and tool development, they are both critical to driving software excellence and maintaining delivery speed. ==Skills==A summary of the skills and experiences I've gained through my career===Testing==={| class="wikitable"|- style="vertical-align:top;"|
===Interesting Reads===
* [https://www.satisfice.com/download/a-context-driven-approach-to-automation-in-testing A Context Driven Approach to Automation in Testing] By James Bach and Michael Bolton
* [https://www.satisfice.com/blog/archives/4947 Round Earth Test Strategy] by James Bach
:Interesting alternative to the "test automation pyramid". There are testing problems to consider at every level, ''Quality above requires quality below''.
<br>=== Test Community Events ===* Registered to go to the [https://nztestingconf.nz/ NZTestingConf 2024] in Wellington to listen to ** Shay Naiki, QA Manager @ Alphero: Creating a collaborative culture in the testing world: lessons from life in a digital agency** Nevetha Mani, Product Human @ Hectre: Off the beaten path: rethinking quality in the startup world** Emma Procter & Jonathan Shirley, @ PikPok: Finding the fun: researching and playtesting games at PikPok** Patricio Miner, Content Creator @ Free Range Testers: ETL: the testing niche you've never thought of** Toby Martin, QA Practice Lead @ Pushpay: Stop automating, start investigating: a guide to slowing down to speed up ** Ryan Bevens, QA Community Manager @ Potentia: Diary of a reluctant recruiter: your value as a tester:''== Watch this space for conference notes =='' ===Interesting Reads===* '''[https://www.satisfice.com/download/a-context-driven-approach-to-automation-in-testing A Context Driven Approach to Automation in Testing]''' By James Bach and Michael Bolton:Quote: ''"dynamically evaluating context and selecting, designing, or adjusting our actions to solve the problems that we encounter."''* '''[https://www.satisfice.com/blog/archives/4947 Round Earth Test Strategy]''' by James Bach:Interesting alternative to the ''"Test Automation Pyramid"''. :Quote: ''There are testing problems to consider at every level, "Quality above requires quality below".'' ===[[Archive What I'm Reading, Watching, Listing, Learning, and Trying Out|Archive of ]]===:Old pre-2024 entries]]''' --------
== <end> ==[[#Intro Vincent Dirks - Software Quality Engineer|Back to Top]], Send [http://dirksonline.net/cvwiki/index.php?title=Talk:Curriculum_Vitae_-_Vincent_Dirks <u>feedback</u>]
→Intro Vincent Dirks - Software Quality Engineer
== Vincent Dirks - Software Quality Engineer ==
As a versatile Software Quality Engineer, I aim to understand the nuances of the product, team dynamics, technological landscapes, and organizational structures so that I can adapt and contribute effectively. My approach extends I specialize in adapting to diverse contexts, and look beyond traditional testing methodologies; I to consider the design of the whole quality ecosystem that facilitates excellence and efficiency in necessary for delivering quality software developmentsolutions efficiently.
* Context Driven Testing
* API'sTesting* Testing Native Mobile Apps* Testing Web App and Web UI front endsApps * Testing Firmware/Embedded systems* Testability Concepts| * Observability Concepts* Exploratory Testing, eg. (Session and & Thread Based Testing)
* Visual Modelling
* Metrics Driven Development, such as (A/B Testing)* Accessibility Testing|} === Programming and Automation ==={| class="wikitable"|- style="vertical-align:top;"! style="text-align:left"| Javascript! style="text-align:left"| Java! style="text-align:left"| Other|- style="vertical-align:top;" |* Node.js, npm* Express.js* React* Jest* Cypress.io* Webdriver.io* mermaid.js|* Cucumber (BDD)* Maven* Tidal. Wave UI automation library* Selenium* REST-assured* JUnit, TestNG* LeJOS (Lego mindstorm) Robotics|* Appium* XCUITest* C#: Specflow (BDD)* SQL & [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SQL_Server_Management_Studio SSMS]* GraphQL* C++: Arduino, ESP32|} === Tools ==={| class="wikitable"|- style="vertical-align:top;"|* [https://www.splunk.com/ Splunk] (log aggregation & analysis)* Postman, Newman* VS Code, IntelliJ, Visual Studio* Github, Bitbucket* Docker, Linux* Chrome Ext's [https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/custom-javascript-for-web/ddbjnfjiigjmcpcpkmhogomapikjbjdk?pli=1 CJS], [https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/bug-magnet/efhedldbjahpgjcneebmbolkalbhckfi Bug Magnet], [https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/clear-session/maejjihldgmkjlfmgpgoebepjchengka Clear Session] * [https://icecreamapps.com/Screen-Recorder/ Icecream Screen Recorder]|* Browser Dev Tools* [https://www.telerik.com/fiddler Fiddler], [https://www.charlesproxy.com/ Charles Proxy], [https://www.wireshark.org/ Wireshark]* Jenkins, Azure Devops (TFS), Google Cloud Platform* Bash & [https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/ PowerShell] scripting* [https://www.atlassian.com Atlassian], [https://www.atlassian.com/software/jira Jira], [https://www.atlassian.com/software/confluence Confluence]* [https://www.soapui.org/ SoapUI], [https://smartbear.com/product/ready-api/ ReadyAPI]|} === General ==={| class="wikitable"|- style="vertical-align:top;"|* Banking and finance sector* AML/CFT Solutions* Online Auction Platforms* Vehicle Leasing systems* Platform Engineering
* Staff Mentoring & Induction
| * Firmware and embedded TestingAgile Squad Master* Micro-services architecture* Manufacturing Resource Planning - Logistics Manager* Physics - Weather Radar Systems, Lasers, Fibre-optics* Electrical & Electronic Engineering* Dinghy Sailing|}
===Automation=Work Experience ==[[Curriculum_Vitae_-_Vincent_Dirks#Senior_Automation_Test_Engineer_-_Westpac_.28Apr-2021_-_Nov-2023.29|''Westpac(2.5yr)'']]: '''R'''EST Assured ... XXX TBD <br/>[[Curriculum_Vitae_-_Vincent_Dirks#Test_Engineer_-_Fiserv_.28Jan_2017_-_Apr-2020.29|''Fiserv (3.3yr)'']]: '''P'''ostman & '''N'''ewman, '''J'''avaScript('''N'''ode.js, '''E'''xpress.js, '''P'''ug), '''T'''FS, '''P'''owershell, '''S'''pecFlow & '''C'''#, '''S'''oapUI, '''S'''QL.<br/>[[Curriculum_Vitae_-_Vincent_Dirks#Senior_Software_Test_Analyst_.E2.80.93_Trade_Me_.28Dec_2014_-_Aug_2016.29|''Trade Me (2yr)'']]: '''S'''oapUI/'''G'''roovy scripting, '''S'''QL, '''P'''rotractor, '''X'''PATH & CSS locators. <br/>[[Curriculum_Vitae_-_Vincent_Dirks#Software_Tester_.E2.80.93_LeasePlan_NZ_.28Apr_2013_At the moment I am taking a break from work to give myself some time for self-_Dec_2014.29|''LeasePlan (2yr)'']]: '''V'''BA/'''A'''ccess, '''S'''QLcare after some difficult periods over the last couple of years.
===Programming[[Water Services Reform, Dept of Internal Affairs (NZ Govt) - Senior Test Automation Engineer]] (Nov-2023 - Jan-2024) ==='''J'''avascript ('''N'''ode: Contracting through [https://ttcglobal.com TTC Global].jsPart of the Test Automation team for the Three Waters Project, '''E'''xpressdeveloping a UI Automation suite in Java using the [https://wave.js, '''P'''ug, '''C'''ypresstidalcode.io, '''W'''ebdriverdev/ Tidal.io), '''J'''ava (wave] Selenium, GWT, Robotics, JUnit), '''S'''QL, '''C'''#, '''P'''owershell, '''C''', '''C'''++automation library
===Other[[Westpac NZ - Senior Automation Quality Engineer]] (Apr-2021 - Nov-2023) ===: Served as a roving Automation Quality Engineer, addressing testing and automation needs across multiple teams. Conducted testing and automation for mobile apps (Appium & XCUITest), a D365 web UI (Java, Selenium, POM's), and various APIs (Java, REST Assured). Also contributed as a platform engineer supporting Splunk, and developed a React web app for visualizing test environments (Node.js, React, mermaid.js). === [[FirstAML - Test Analyst]] (Oct-2020 - Mar-2021) ===: Served as a quality coach for a startup company developing a ReactJS Web App for the AML/CFT (Anti-Money Laundering/Countering Financing of Terrorism) industry. === [[Weather Radar NZ limited - Weather Radar Systems Engineer]] (Jun-2020 - Oct-2020) ===: Contracting 4 days/week. Helping modify legacy weather radars with some embedded Arduino micro controllers. Designing new electronics, PCB''S'''plunks, maintaining power waveguide systems, and performing signal analysis. === [[Grappler- Agile Quality Analyst]] (Jun-2020 - Oct-2020) ===: Contracting 1 day/week. Developed a small solution to run a Postman collection in Google Cloud Platform and a simple Web UI (Node.js, Express.js) to trigger test runs and display HTML test reports. === [[Fiserv Auckland - Intermediate Software Test Engineer]] (Jan-2017 - Apr-2020) ===: Native Mobile App functional and accessibility testing. API testing and automation, '''S'''quad masterusing Postman/Newman, '''Specflow with C'''I#, Javascript (Postman, Node.js, Express.js), Splunk for dashboards, TFS & Powershell for System deployment automation. Created the Postman Testrunner Framework (PTF) for automated API integration checks and environment health monitoring. === [[Engel Consulting - Contracting]] (Sep 2016 - Dec 2016) === === [[Trade Me - Senior Software Test Analyst]] (Dec-2014 - Aug-2016) ===: Conducted context-driven exploratory testing for software changes to the iconic [https://www.trademe.co.nz/CDTrade Me] website, '''D'''eploy leadfocussing on the [https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors Motors] page & features. My responsibilities included testing DBs, '''P'''roduct demo'sUIs, '''T'''rainingAPIs, '''M'''anufacturing Resource Planningand mobile apps, '''L'''ogisticsleading deployments, '''E'''xternal Relationshipsconducting test planning and peer reviews, Radarsutilizing BDD and visual test tools. I gained experience with implementing agile methods, LasersSplunk, Fibre-opticsReadyAPI, PhysicsXMind, RoboticsJira, Statisticsand Confluence. I also enjoyed onboarding new staff and contributing to the test and agile guilds. {{Work Experience}} === [[Pre-2014 Roles]] ===: [[Pre-2014 Roles#Monitor Business Machines NZ Ltd - Logistics Manager (Aug-2005 - Aug-2009)|Logistics Manager]], [[Pre-2014 Roles#Primary Caregiver (Sep-2003 - Jul-2005)|Caregiver]], [[Pre-2014 Roles#Bioengineering Institute - Software Engineer (Sep 2002 - Aug 2003)|Software Engineer]], [[Pre-2014 Roles#Monitor Business Machines NZ Ltd - Development & Support Engineer (Aug 1997 - Nov 2001)|Development & Support Engineer]], [[Pre-2014 Roles#Carter Holt Harvey(Tissue Group) - Production Scheduler (1994 - 1996)|Production Scheduler]], [[Pre-2014 Roles#University of Auckland - Lab Coordinator & Physics Tutor (Sep-2003 - Jul-2005 part time)|Physics Tutor]]
== Related wiki pages ==
=== [[References_-_Full_List|References]] ===
:[[References_-_Full_List#Dept. of Internal Affairs (TTC)| TTC]], [[References_-_Full_List#Westpac| Westpac ]], [[References_-_Full_List#Fiserv| Fiserv ]], [[References_-_Full_List#| Trade Me Motors]]
=== [[Volunteering]] ===
: Laingholm & Districts Community Association, [[Ministry of Testing - Auckland Branch|Ministry of Testing]], Eastern Suburbs AFC, Glendowie Boating Club, MOTAT, Eastern Suburbs Montessori Primary School
=== [[Professional Development]] ===
: Conferences, workshops, meetups etc.
=== [[Education]] ===
: University of Auckland: ME(Elec)
=== [[Presentations, Posts, and blogs]] ===
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==What I'm reading, watching, listening, learning, and trying out in 2024==
===My '''Personal [[Observability Project]]'''===
* [https://expressjs.com/en/starter/hello-world.html Express.js basic hello world] and my [https://github.com/VincentDirks/node.js-in-the-cloud node.js-in-the-cloud] repo
* [https://www.atlassian.com/microservices/microservices-architecture/kubernetes-vs-docker Kubernetes vs. Docker] by Josh Campbell at Atlassian <br>
* Setting up Docker Desktop at home to run the [https://github.com/Splunk/docker-Splunk Docker Splunk Image]