End of August two years ago, I announced that I was going for the AST board. I kept my expectations pretty low, and I am glad that I did. Two years have passed, so I figured let’s revisit that decision from back then. Long story short: I won’t go for another two years. Read on to find out why.
Continue reading So, I went for the boardTag Archives: ast
Why you should go to CAST
Last year, when the Association for Software Testing announced the location for their next annual conference CAST 2015, Grand Rapids, MI, there was an up-roar happening on social media and back channels like Skype and private conversations. To my own surprise, I saw members of the context-driven testing community falling short of their very own principles. Rather than observing and interacting with people, it seemed that some persons preferred to derive their knowledge about Grand Rapids based upon a prior CAST conference there. Experience may be a good resource to start looking at, but I found that I should trust the folks from the local area that I knew to put together an awesome conference – more so since they could explain to me why the past experience was not so well received. When it came to the October 2014 AST board member meeting, Pete Walen, the conference chair, the guy who managed to send in a proposal prior to CAST 2014 so that the AST board could decide upon it, invited us to the conference location, so that it was easy to see for us where we were going with the proposal. Here is what I learned during my two nights in the conference venue – and why I think you should attend.
Continue reading Why you should go to CASTProfessional testing organizations
There are a couple of professional organizations out there. I joined a few of them. How did I pick the ones that to join, you ask? This blog entry serves as an overview, and a decision aid for tester folks also looking forward to become more professional in their work life.
Continue reading Professional testing organizationsGoing for the board
Several years ago, my parents send me to a local swimming club in order to learn and practice swimming. I started learning the different techniques: breast stroke, back stroke, crawlng, and butterfly. I exercised, and attended competitions. Skip forward ten years, and as a teenager I become distracted enough to give up that sport.
At a particular down I made the decision to stop swimming.
But I felt like I needed to give something back to the community that was a major part of my life so far, that made me grow, that most of my friends were a piece of.
That’s when I decided to become a swimming trainer alongside with giving back my time to the youth to come. I started as organizer of youth events, became a secretary, joined the local outdoor swimming pool community, organized trips, competitions, and dedicated lots of my time.
More than 15 years later, together with a move in jobs, I had to give that up. I never regretted the time I dedicated. I loved being part of that, I loved being part of the different boards that I was on (3 at the same time for some years). If I happen to change jobs again, I will probably consider going back.
Although, right now, the testing community to me has become a second community that I feel I need to give something back. The couple of past years, I learned so much from other people. Then there also were those folks that did the dirt-work in the back. For several years, I have been glad to have these gals and guys, sometimes without knowing it. I feel I need to give something back.
I am going for the board of directors for the AST. The elections are open right now. I want to give something back.
But what? Based on my background, I am considering the position of the secretary. I also would like to help bring an AST-sponsored event to Europe, and finally bridge the ocean from the States. I am quite certain if I become elected, I need to find out more, and I will find out more, and refine my role on the board, so I try to not make up too many promises at this point.
If you feel I can be of service on the board, (and are a member of the AST) I would be grateful if you vote for me. You will find details in your mail that you received for the elections.