No Time To Test

From Computerworld New Zealand

Information technology is being less affected by the recession than many other employment sectors, because it is seen as a core business function.
That’s the conclusion of recruitment firm Robert Walters’ latest market update, which covers the April to June quarter just gone.

The update for Auckland notes: “Technology is considered by many organisations to be a core business function and therefore we should see a higher priority of hiring in this area compared to others.

“Projects that were put on hold in quarter four of 2008 and quarter one of 2009 have been reviewed and projects that are classified as business-critical, such as implementations and upgrades, will need to go ahead to ensure that technology moves forward and keeps up to date.

“This should result in the growth of demand for highly skilled candidates in the project space.”

However, the hiring downturn in IT which started last year continued into the April to June quarter, the update notes. But the quarter saw some light, nonetheless.

“Despite uncertainty in the market, small pockets of requirement remained.

“There was a slight increase in hiring activity in the IT contract market, which we attribute to the decrease in permanent vacancies, as large organisations significantly reduced the amount of full-time equivalent roles being signed off and reviewed their current staffing needs.

“Contract rates decreased sharply compared to a year ago, due to an increase in the number of good candidates available in the market and the flexibility with rates that candidates were willing to accept.”

Projects being put on hold resulted in lower demand for project managers, business analysts and test analysts.

In telecommunications, there was an increased demand for engineers, designers and architects, the update notes.

“Telecommunication companies invested in upgrading mobile communication networks and continued rollouts of VoIP, to meet the growth and increased competition in the fixed line area.”

ERP skills were also in demand in Auckland during the quarter, at functional, technical and helpdesk support levels.

In Wellington, the update notes, “despite the economic downturn, we continued to see demand in certain pockets of IT for quarter two.

“With the line by line review of government departments, there have been a number of restructures, resulting in positions being disestablished and new positions and structures created.

“In more business-aligned IT roles such as project managers, business analysts and IT managers, employers are finding it easier to attract candidates at reduced rates compared to 2008.”

For more technical roles, breadth of experience across more than one platform is the key to being hired, the update says.

“There has been an increase in demand for skilled system administrators and engineers with broad technical strengths across multiple platforms and networks.

“Employers now look for candidates who tick a few more boxes compared to last year.

“This is a reflection on budget and cost constraints, plus the process employers now go through to get sign-off on hiring.”

Data warehouse experts and database administrators remain in demand, the update notes.

Overall, in the capital, “the permanent IT recruitment sector will be slower this year than in 2008, based on fewer positions available and a number of projects on hold”.

When it comes to contracting, demand dropped markedly in the January to March quarter, due to employers offering contractors permanent roles.

“The first quarter also saw an oversupply of contractors available and fewer positions on offer.

“The start of the second quarter has seen demand return for IT contractors with shorter-term contracts on offer [and] a reduction in daily/hourly rates.”

In contracting, there is still demand for skill sets such as .Net, Java, PHP, SAP and SQL.

Data migration, data storage and information and records management “continue to be areas in hot demand”, and software testing hasn’t seen a reduction in demand.

From The Industry Standard

Gail Farnsley seems like a natural at networking.

She made it part of her regular work schedule while an IT executive, and it’s now part of her current job in academia.

But Farnsley, a visiting professor at Purdue University’s College of Technology in West Lafayette, Ind., says her networking skills didn’t come easily. An introvert by nature, she says she was sick with nerves the first time she had to speak to the board of directors at one of her former employers.

Nearly everyone has been unnerved at some time or another when meeting new people. But those who are introverted, shy or both usually have a more difficult time than others when faced with networking, says Naomi Karten, principal of Karten Associates in Randolph, Mass., and author of the e-book How to Survive, Excel and Advance as an Introvert.

“In general, introverts are less likely to initiate a conversation,” she says. That can be a significant disadvantage in the business world, where career success and advancement come from building solid relationships, she says. With the recession in full swing, those key connections are even more crucial.

Not to worry. Networking can be learned. Here are some steps for those who aren’t naturally gregarious.

1. Develop the right mind-set

Keith Chuvala, a manager of space operations computing at Houston-based United Space Alliance LLC, a NASA contractor, doesn’t like the term “networking.”

“It has that connotation that if you’re good at networking, you must be good at schmoozing. It always seemed the domain of the sales folks and the people who are naturally outgoing,” notes Chuvala, who says he’s no longer shy but still tends to be introspective and prefers to work on his own.

He has come to think of networking as creating and building relationships — for him, a much more natural-sounding goal that can feel less offputting.

2. Set objectives

Career coaches usually list networking as a key way to find a new job, but that’s just one of many reasons to do it. You might want to gain allies within your company to advance ideas or build support for a project, Karten says. You might need connections to find a mentor or for critical expertise when you’re looking for a second opinion.

So consider what you want to get out of the activity and make a list of what you hope to achieve — and use it to not only give your networking direction, but to give you motivation.

“For many introverts, having a purpose helps rationalize what they might not choose to do otherwise,” Karten says.

3. Work your comfort zone

Matthew Kesner, CTO at Fenwick & West LLP, a law firm based in Mountain View, Calif., is fine addressing several hundred people. He’s also comfortable socializing in really small groups. But he finds the in-between space, like cocktail parties, scary.

So, Kesner has learned to make the most of the times when he’s comfortable to build relationships. Talking to a big crowd doesn’t build personal connections, he acknowledges, but he seeks those opportunities in part because he meets people one-on-one afterward. “It has helped me introduce myself to a broad range of people,” he explains.

So, work within your comfort zone, he says, adding that age, experience and introspection can help you pinpoint what works best for you vs. what makes you most nervous.

4. Seek out opportunities

Fiona Charles, owner and principal consultant of Toronto-based Quality Intelligence Inc., which consults on software testing and test management, says so-called networking events can sometimes turn out to be little more than people passing around r?sum?s.

Charles has found that groups or events focused on shared interests are much better for meeting people and developing ongoing bonds. These are what helped her get over her shyness, she says. “It gave me a context,” she explains, “and it helps me set aside any social issues. I thought, ‘I’m here and I’m representing a competency.’ “

From Emportal

HP today announced that it will offer the Microsoft Windows® 7 operating system on consumer and business PCs beginning October 22, 2009.

To meet customers’ computing needs while protecting their investments, the company is participating in the Windows Upgrade Option Program to help customers transition easily to Windows 7.

The program will enable customers who purchase qualifying HP PCs to enjoy the benefits of a new Windows-based PC immediately and receive an upgrade to Windows 7 when it becomes available in October.

Customers who purchase an HP PC starting today may be eligible for the upgrade program. HP customers can visit www.hp.com/go/windows7upgrade to check for upgrade eligibility, register and get answers about their PCs and current operating systems.

Throughout the development of Windows 7, HP has had an unprecedented level of collaboration with Microsoft to improve the user experience. HP has made a significant investment in hardware and software testing to ensure broad compatibility and a satisfying technology experience across its commercial and consumer portfolios.

For more than two years, HP’s collaboration with Microsoft has consisted of sharing industry best practices and technology for mobility, touch innovation and printing, and working to ensure a good customer experience when upgrading to Windows 7.

From NDTV Profit

It may have been a great run for the Indian IT companies at the markets, thanks to solid earnings.

Will this mean a better job market for all software professionals?

The buzz is back at Chennai’s IT corridor. After strong Q1 results from three of the country’s largest Info Tech companies—TCS, Infosys and Wipro—hopes of an improvement in hiring in IT and ITES, are high.

On ground though the general hiring freeze still holds but the better performing pockets like testing, infrastructure and BPO are opening up to fresh hiring.

Sumitra Gomatam, senior vice-president at Cognizant, said, “Software testing is one field that every large IT company is focussing on now. What they can bank on is their already available large client base. We hire both engineers and science graduates who specialise in a particular field and train them to be testers.”

Well, L&T Infotech is increasing its workforce in the infrastructure, sales and marketing space. HCL Infotech is also strengthening its sales team and other US based IT companies having Indian operations like GE, Capgemini, Logica and many others are on a hiring mode.

From Web2.0 Journal

More software testing words of wisdom from my fortune cookie. Like the last one I blogged about, this quote captures a fundamental truth about the testing profession: Many of the bugs you find will never be fixed.

This blog post helps explain why:

“We live in a world where there just aren’t enough software developers. No matter what stage of development you may be at, your team could always use just a few more developers to build that great feature marketing wants, fix that extra bug that’s been nagging technical support, help build some tools so that software development can work more efficiently, etc. But sadly, we live in a world of constraints and that means that the marginal cost of any investment has to be paired with the marginal benefit it will bring.

From PCB007

In the last few The Bleeding Edge columns, I explained the potential for printed electronics to change our industry. This week I’ll discuss one area that can certainly benefit from change: Equipment addiction.

When I visit the average PCB shop, a few things jump out at me right away–poor air quality, poor work flow and overall messiness.

And far too much equipment. That’s one big beef I have with most PCB shops. They have a love affair with equipment. It’s like a contest, or a carnival game.

“Step right up, folks! See how much equipment you can acquire before you go bankrupt!”

And it’s a game that too many shops are playing. But not the profitable shops–they have only the quality equipment they need, and it’s nicely laid out.

The best advice I can give board shop owners and managers: To be profitable, you must STOP buying equipment. In fact, take a yearlong hiatus from your acquisition addiction.

Here’s a real example: The test manager had to have a $300,000 x-y coordinator measuring unit to measure a few boards for a special customer.

He argued a good case with the company owner and won. Now, much like his hunting-and-gathering ancestors, his adrenalin surged for the hunt. He called in sales people, acted as if he were very important and had a few free lunches. The QA manager spent days searching the Internet for the best model with all the bells and whistles. The purchase order was issued and a press release generated.

Now, realize that this new do-all measuring unit has been sitting in that shop for two years and is not being used. What do you think this machine has cost the company overall–$300,000? Not even close. How about $800,000?

From Global Security Newswire

Air Force Gen. Kevin Chilton, who heads U.S. Strategic Command in Omaha, Neb., said recently that deploying the first “prompt global strike” weapon within the next five to six years would be a “reasonable” objective, defense officials have told Capitol Hill staff aides.

Last August, the general said he wanted to see a first such missile on alert, with two spares, before the end of 2012 (see GSN, Sept. 3, 2008).

Now expected perhaps up to three years later, the exotic technology would likely be deployed at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., according to sources. Its use would probably be limited to only the most time-critical and important targets outside the range of any other fielded military systems, such as bomber aircraft or ships, senior officials have said.

Despite the top-level priority on deployment, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has repeatedly delayed conducting a first flight test of technologies slated for the first prompt global strike weapon system, the Air Force’s “Conventional Strike Missile.” The schedule slips have occurred for a variety of reasons, most recently DARPA lapses in test planning, according to sources.

From Earth Times

DUBLIN - (Business Wire) Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/f63250/software_error_det) has announced the addition of John Wiley and Sons Ltd’s new report “Software Error Detection through Testing and Analysis” to their offering.

Software error detection is one of the most challenging problems in software engineering. Now, you can learn how to make the most of software testing by selecting test cases to maximize the probability of revealing latent errors. Software Error Detection through Testing and Analysis begins with a thorough discussion of test-case selection and a review of the concepts, notations, and principles used in the book.

From Voice of San Diego

A quick drive by:

I see that the schoobrary has been given the go ahead. Councilman Todd Gloria tweeted that he’s proud the city has the “vision” needed to carry this out. True vision would see a path toward righting the city’s financial woes by recognizing the complaints of taxpayers while asking everyone to sacrifice just a little; eventually saving and investing in an infrastructure that fostered economic growth; and then, putting San Diego into position not to build something out of envy of other cities, but to build something that made other cities envious.

Nope, San Diego is happy slapping together an underfunded main library; paying for part of it by putting an unneeded school in the top two floors; closing down branch libraries; falling deeper into debt and letting infrastructure continue to deteriorate.

Nice vision.

On that note, I haven’t really spent much time looking at this from the school system’s perspective but this is kind of absurd.

Emily Alpert did a fantastic job running down the cost of the school district putting a high school in the top floors of the proposed downtown library.

Have you ever been to the new Lincoln High School? It’s unbelievable. I don’t think you can have nicer facilities and more amenities.

Yet it cost less per student and per square foot than the new school inside of a library. Yes, the school nobody wanted until it could help finance the new main library.

Remember Wild Erp? The much-delayed, over budget, brutally difficult yet very promising new computer system San Diego City Hall is trying to implement? Looks like it’s delayed again — at least one big part of it. San Diego had planned to implement a new payroll system but now city officials are saying the employee pay reductions the city implemented a couple of months ago made it impossible to launch immediately.

Who knew lowering benefits and wages was such a hard thing to do?

Because of the change, operators will have to test the new system more, according to a memo from the city’s chief financial officer, Jay Goldstone to the City Council:

These additional test cycles are needed to reduce risk and ensure the payroll in SAP will be accurate. Based on the additional testing of SAP required, our Personnel and Payroll implementation date must be revised. In order to avoid costly rework of conversion and reconciliation programming, the new implementation date must coincide with the start of a new quarter, and is now set at January 1,2010.

From TechNewsWorld

Application-testing and quality-assurance managers are under the gun. They must not only put out top-notch applications, but also deliver them fast. Effective communication between team members and across the IT department is a key component of achieving this, and some of the software to facilitate that communication is in the cloud.

Adaptability is the name of the game in our fast-paced society. In order to remain on top, every company needs to adapt to the market in which it participates.

Software and application developers (actually, the entire IT department, if you want to get technical) are particularly affected by this fast pace of change. With mobile phones, netbooks and smartbooks, as well as social networking, there are new platforms and competitors emerging every day. As a result, developers are being pressured to quickly release new, interesting and effective programs.

This means that the testing managers and QA (quality assurance) managers charged with maintaining quality and standards need to know what their teams are working on, what bugs exist and in what stages, and what (if any) feedback is coming in from clients. Furthermore, the testers themselves need to be aware of the entire project, not just the portion they are working on.

Imagine if the hospital program that held patients’ medical details crashed because of a bug? That isn’t just a PR disaster; it’s a real-life disaster.

This is where a tightly monitored testing process comes into play. Performing test cases on each function of the application or software system ensures that the program performs as designed, and that each function produces the desired results prior to public release.

Testing managers, responsible for ensuring that software is released to the public without any bugs, need to be able to efficiently organize, control and oversee the testing process so each test case is completed both quickly and precisely. Having an organized and transparent testing process is also more efficient — and, as we all know, the company first to market with the best and cheapest product wins!