personal improvement

Person's hand on a folder with the word "empower" on it, containing evaluations Use Self-Evaluation to Stay on the Right Career Track

Employer evaluations measure your performance against expected objectives, evaluate you against other employees, and aim to keep you relevant in your company. But it’s also a good idea to perform a self-examination in relationship to your place of employment, to ensure you stay attractive to potential future employers.

Richard Estra's picture
Richard Estra
People raising their hands at a conference How to Make the Most of Your Conference Experience

You researched the conference you want to attend and gained approval to go—now what? These tips will ensure you make the most of your conference experience, from planning who and what you want to see while you're there, to starting to network ahead of time, to making sure you bring back the most valuable information.

Allison Scholz's picture
Allison Scholz
People attending a software conference Agile Tips to Make the Most of Conferences

Time spent at a conference is precious, so you should make sure there is a return on that investment. What better way than to leverage agile ideas? Here are a few tips based on the principles behind the Agile Manifesto—embrace change, collaborate with others, and more—for making the most of attending a conference.

Jeffery Payne's picture
Jeffery Payne
Person typing at a typewriter A Goal to Get You Writing

NaNoWriMo—National Novel Writing Month—is a month off, but it’s not too soon to commit to participate. The goal is to write 50,000 words (about 175 pages) during November. That may seem crazy, but there's lots of guidance and support available online and in local writer chapters. Break through that writer's block!

Naomi Karten's picture
Naomi Karten
A quality guild made up of software testers in the community Creating a Community of Testers

Many teams are divided by product or feature, with only one dedicated tester per team. How do you learn and grow in your career when you’re disconnected from your peers? One solution is to create your own community of testers that spans the organization. Here are some ideas to start and facilitate a Quality Guild.

Philip Daye's picture
Philip Daye
Team member sending an email Stop Email Overload and Communicate Better

Many of us fire off correspondence to groups and distribution lists that include more recipients than necessary, and we overcommunicate without stopping to think about exactly what needs to be conveyed. Here are some ways organizations and teams can cope with the influx of information and communicate intentionally.

Richard Estra's picture
Richard Estra
Software team member going down a list of process steps Don’t Become a Slave to Process

More mature organizations are usually very process-disciplined, especially when teams are distributed. However, it’s dangerous to become overly reliant on process. People can become too complacent, accepting a process just to avoid having to make decisions. Here are some ways to keep your processes fresh and valuable.

Richard Estra's picture
Richard Estra
Happy tester holding up a smiley face balloon How Testers Can Keep a Positive Outlook in a Negative Job

Software testers are frequently perceived as negative. While their goal is constructive—to deliver an exceptional product to end-users—getting there involves a critical mindset, which is often construed as being a devil’s advocate. Here are some ways testers can transform their thinking to a more positive outlook.

Rajini  Padmanaban's picture
Rajini Padmanaban