SUMMARY

• Tom Bedford has over 17 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, including BUSINESS ANALYSIS and software Quality Assurance testing of Windows, GUI applications using web-based, Client/Server, and Data Warehouse architectures. As a SENIOR BUSINESS ANALYST, Tom specializes in ANALYZING, GATHERING, DEFINING, AND MANAGING REQUIREMENTS, USER STORIES, USE CASES, FUNCTIONAL SPECIFICATIONS, AND REQUIREMENTS FOR TESTING. As a QA MANAGER, TEST LEAD, TEST ARCHITECT, and TEST ENGINEER, Tom specializes in STARTING-UP, RESTRUCTURING, IMPROVING, LEADING, MANAGING, and MENTORING Quality Assurance and software testing organizations, processes, practices, and people for very small to very large companies, and is also an excellent team player and resource within already-established testing environments. Tom was one of the first 1100 professional test engineers in the United States to become certified from the Quality Assurance Institute in 1999. His normal project activities include formulating business functional requirements, writing user stories, creating and managing QA project plans with MS Project, analyzing business, functional, and design requirements, developing business/user scenarios and Use Cases, and writing and executing test plans that include test strategies, test requirements, test cases, test procedures, and test scenarios for Functional, Web, Internet, Intranet, E-Business, E-Commerce, Stress, Performance, Regression, and User Interface testing. In addition, Tom investigates and tracks defects, establishes their severity and priorities, and works with Development to identify their root causes and patterns for continuous process and product improvement.
• 7 years of experience in QA MANAGEMENT TESTING LEADERSHIP: MnDOT, GE Fleet Services, PLATO Learning, Prime Therapeutics, United Health Group, Image Sensing Systems, RBC Dain Rauscher, Amcom, Agriliance, Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, Blue Cross Blue Shield, itiliti, Best Buy, MLT Vacations, Provation Medical
• 7 years of experience in STARTING UP/IMPROVING QA/TESTING ORGS PRACTICES: MnDOT, PLATO Learning, Barometer Inc., Wolters Kluwer Financial Services, Image Sensing Systems, Amcom Software, Agriliance, Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, itiliti, MLT Vacations, Provation Medical, Prudential Life Insurance, AEGON USA Life Insurance

Confidential

QA Project Management

• Processes Methodologies Test-Requirements, Test Strategies, Test Plans, Test Cases / Test Procedures Automated Capture/Playback Scripting Performance Load Testing Testing Life Cycle, SDLC, Change Management, RUP, CMM, SQL database querying, Visio System and data modeling XML and XPath electronic document encoding
• Tools Team Foundation Server, Sharepoint, Quality Center, ALM, Test Director, Jira, TestRail, Rational TestManager, Robot, LoadTest ClearQuest, Bugzilla, IssueNet, Google Docs
• Software/Hardware - Windows XP/2000/98, Office 97/2000, Outlook/Exchange, IE, Mainframe, Lotus Notes

Detail Resume of Experience:

Senior Business Analyst / Assisted Scrum Master

Confidential

Analyzed, documented, and managed client requirements, created and managed user stories in Team Foundation Server TFS , created and presented many detailed user interface wireframe/mockup designs using 'Balsamiq Mockups' tool to all stakeholders for many AGILE projects in insurance, continuing education, and bluebook mobile industries ASSISTED SCRUM MASTER IN LEADING sizing of user stories, planning of sprints, and running of daily Scrum meetings for Agile project for large insurance company, built strong relationships and worked closely on a daily basis with Product Owner, all business users, internal team, and all project stakeholders in person and remotely, assisted with testing, and wrote up defects.

Senior Business Analyst / Project Leader

Confidential

• As SENIOR BUSINESS ANALYST, ASSISTED PROJECT MANAGEMENT IN LEADING Waters' Edge AGILE project with MANY JBOSS APPLICATIONS that will be moved into a new enterprise production environment. Met and built relationships with many Managers and users, GATHERED and MANAGED REQUIREMENTS and user workflows. Wrote Agile user stories in Rally. Wrote comprehensive overviews of each application for Program Manager's status to upper Management.
• LEAD OTHER PROJECT TEAMS Materials Lab 'Grails,' TSS, Radio Log in meeting and building relationships with many Managers and users and GATHERING and MANAGING REQUIREMENTS and user workflows. Wrote Agile user stories in Rally, created Agile story maps to guide Project Management implementation decisions, and reviewed requirements and user stories with developers and testers to ensure clear understanding for effective development of code and test scenarios.
• Met and built relationships with many Managers and users, DEFINED and managed BUSINESS and FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS, AND WROTE FUNCTIONAL SPECIFICATION for another Project Manager's ADL-DS project.
• For a QA testing process-improvement committee, created and presented Powerpoint presentations for upper Management and other key stakeholders that included: schedule and cost impacts of defects found late in SDLC, in-depth recommendations for realizing adequate test staffing, improved software quality, and dramatic cost-savings on similar, future projects for subsequent 6-12-month and 3-5 year periods documented and successfully proposed a basic testing process for test organization to follow, as a way to gradually implement a very large testing process that has not been able to get implemented for five years.
• For a highly successful testing effort on an internal application, testable set of requirements from User Guide to plan comprehensive test coverage created test cases from that plan identified, documented, prioritized, tracked, reviewed many defects many severe with Management Provided daily test execution and defect status updates to Management.

Department Test Lead

Confidential

As the only Test Lead for all of GE Fleet Services that has up to 30 onshore and offshore testers, began many new initiatives, including: integrating manual and automated testing processes, analyzing UAT and post-production defects to identify tests that were missed in IT, performing Root Cause Analysis, improving structure consistency of test cases, creating test strategy and vision, and leading and advising testers on multiple project teams. Interviewed Project Managers to assess all testers. Worked in both Waterfall and Agile frameworks.

Consultant - Quality Assurance Test Lead

Confidential

• TRAINED THE ORGANIZATION ON GATHERING, DEFINING, AND MANAGING REQUIREMENTS FOR TESTING.
• As the Quality Assurance Lead, LEAD all Quality Assurance testing activities for multiple projects and releases and quickly and drastically improved quality activities for the company. Activities included: Managed 1 offshore Test Lead vendor and 7 offshore and onshore testers for many, simultaneous projects and sprints Created new, risk-based regression testing structure and streamlined it with customer, product, and company priorities a FIRST for the company Wrote and successfully implemented many Test Strategies and plans a FIRST Created, presented to the whole department, and successfully implemented and trained others on test-requirements and streamlined their usage with functional and design requirements Initiated a new product prioritization effort and streamlined testing to them Started up a new, joint METRICS creation effort with business and IT departments around the company a FIRST Trained new QA member with no prior knowledge or experience in QA Interviewed QA candidates. Worked on both Waterfall and Agile projects.

Consultant- Quality Assurance

Confidential

• TRAINED THE ORGANIZATION ON GATHERING, DEFINING, AND MANAGING REQUIREMENTS FOR TESTING.
• As one of the few Senior Managers in the company, STARTED UP, DIRECTED, LEAD, ACTIVELY PARTICIPATED IN, AND ACHIEVED all Quality Assurance process improvement and testing practices for the company. Activities included: Managed 7 testers and 15 developers participating in testing, Wrote and successfully implemented a Release Management process, Managed release cycles and made production release decisions, Wrote and implemented effective defect severity and priority standards to improve defect management, Created defect metric graphs and charts using Jira, Wrote test plans, test-requirements, and test cases using Google Docs and TestRail, Assigned, coordinated, and managed all manual and automated testing tasks to all developers and testers for each release, manually tested the software in the Test, Stage, and Production environments, and managed myself and others in the creation and execution of automated scripts using Selenium.

Consultant Root Cause Analysis and Process Improvement

Confidential

• CO-STARTED and CO-LEAD a ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS and PROCESS IMPROVEMENT EFFORT for Compliance One and Arta Lending projects. Ultimate causes, not merely the symptoms, were identified for each defect from QualityCenter. Process improvement recommendations were provided for each completed analysis. In-depth interviews, following the 5-Why's SIX SIGMA approach, were conducted regularly with software engineers and business systems and compliance services analysts. Data was captured in a database built for this purpose, which I assisted in providing input for its design. Root cause analysis and process improvement data tables were produced and presented in Microsoft Excel spreadsheets.
• Ongoing analysis was performed for enhancements and defects in ClearQuest. Each record was categorized by feature. Data tables were produced and presented in Excel spreadsheets.

Consultant Software Test Lead

Confidential

LEAD an end-to-end testing effort for the claims adjudication system and other supporting systems, to ensure data transactions received by Prime are HIPAA compliant, meet regulatory requirements, and do not negatively impact downstream systems. I documented cross-functional dependencies and functional systems needing to be tested in a Visio diagram. I wrote an end-to-end test plan that included scope and approach, testing cycles that identified what systems would be tested and when, and entrance and exit criteria for testing. I created a process that integrated test case development with test data setup, batch execution, testing results verification, and defect management, for which I defined a defect lifecycle process diagram and defect spreadsheet for creating and managing defects. I developed and maintained a detailed and high-level testing schedules and reported progress of testing tasks in form of weekly status. I facilitated testing status meetings with the project team to gather status of testing activities and discuss tasks due, upcoming tasks, issues, risks, and defects. Completed certifications in HIPAA data privacy and security.

Consultant Software Test Lead

Confidential

Co-LEAD two documentation testing projects, analyzed business rules, wrote and executed test cases, uncovered and tracked defects in Quality Center automated tool created the test infrastructure in and uploaded test cases reviewed XML. Became certified in HIPAA data privacy and security.

Consultant Test Engineer WITH REQUIREMENTS ANALYSIS

Confidential

TRAINED THE COMPANY ON GATHERING, DEFINING, AND MANAGING REQUIREMENTS FOR TESTING.

Wrote test strategies from functional requirements for multiple embedded software application projects wrote test-requirements wrote and executed test cases for functional regression testing participated in test case reviews queried databases with SQL investigated tracked defects with Bugzilla automated tool.

QA MANAGER WITH REQUIREMENTS ANALYSIS

Confidential

TRAINED THE COMPANY ON GATHERING, DEFINING, AND MANAGING REQUIREMENTS FOR TESTING.

ESTABLISHED and MANAGED a new QA System testing practice Tested embedded software applications and hardware for multiple projects Mentored, coached, and developed one direct reportto perform QA-related activities Held performance planning and reviews, counseling, and evaluations Analyzed functional requirements wrote and executed test procedures for Functional, Stress, and Regression testing Found, investigated, and tracked defects in automated defect tracking tool Introduced, implemented, and coordinated with other Managers project plans and test schedules, using MS Project Co-introduced, implemented, and trained others on a more effective framework for evaluating the severity of defects Introduced, implemented, and trained others to use a new test case format Introduced, implemented, and trained others to track root causes for defects Introduced and implemented test readiness and production release readiness review meetings Interfaced and coordinated testing activities and expectations regularly with Managers of other departments Provided long-term vision for QA best practices.

Consultant Test Lead

Confidential

LEAD a QA Testing team of 7 testers in the planning and reporting of testing for the United Status Debt Markets USDM delivery team Activities included: tracking and reporting on test case creation and execution, reporting on defects and enhancements in group meetings, facilitating meetings between business analysts for USDM and multiple downstream business departments to determine test data needs, entering, updating, and tracking requirements and defects with Quality Center.

QA MANAGER WITH REQUIREMENTS ANALYSIS

Confidential

TRAINED THE COMPANY ON GATHERING, DEFINING, AND MANAGING REQUIREMENTS FOR TESTING.

ESTABLISHED and MANAGED a new QA testing practice Tested Web-based applications for multiple projects Mentored, coached, and developed three direct reports in QA-related activities Held performance planning and reviews, counseling, and evaluations Interviewed and hired Introduced, implemented, and trained others to write test-requirements and tied them to test cases to manage test coverage Introduced, implemented, and trained others to evaluate the severity of defects enhancements resulted in 75 reduction in existing major defects Introduced, implemented, and trained others on Integration and regression testing resulted in defects found and fixed much sooner Introduced, implemented, and trained others to use a test execution folder structure that kept track of test results Introduced, implemented, and trained others to use a new test case format resulted in repeatability of test effectiveness Managed defects tracking resulted in 66 reduction Introduced, implemented, and trained others to write functional specifications resulted in more accurate estimates for delivery dates Co-introduced and implemented a workflow process for functional specifications between Development and Customer Support Services Introduced and implemented a code review practice for software Development Introduced and implemented changes to enhancement request form resulted in slashing of backlog of requests Interfaced and coordinated testing activities and expectations with other Managers Delegated authority to one report to lead the loading and removal of software onto and off of servers to support testing Provided long-term vision for QA best practices Convinced upper Management to support automated testing.

Consultant Senior Software Test Engineer

Confidential

GATHERED, DEFINED, AND MANAGED REQUIREMENTS FOR TESTING.

Key player in restructuring and implementing the testing processes and organizational test case structure for the organization, as well as fully testing the functionality of the enterprise Raptor reinsurance software application. The business functionality tested included all areas of Claims, including Disability, Managed Care, Cash Disbursements, Life, and Multi-Life. Activities included: working closely with Business Analysts to clarify requirements, creating and executing test cases in TestDirector for functional and regression testing, and creating and tracking defects in TestDirector.

Consultant Senior Software Test Lead

Confidential

GATHERED, DEFINED, AND MANAGED REQUIREMENTS FOR TESTING.

Established new QA Quality Control testing processes for company's first enterprise-wide Data Warehouse, which included 5 source systems, a reporting tool called MicroStrategy, ETL, Informatica programming language. The processes enabled Project Management to better control risk to project for all phases of testing. Some documents created activities initiated include: QA Communication plan, requirements design reviews, Test Strategies, test-requirements matrixes, test case listings, test cases, defect tracking metrics, QA status reports, QA glossary, test evaluation.

Consultant Senior Software Test Lead and Business Analyst

Confidential

• GATHERED, DEFINED, AND MANAGED REQUIREMENTS FOR TESTING.
• As a BUSINESS ANALYST, CREATED USE CASE TEMPLATE AND ASSISTED PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND BUSINESS USERS IN WRITING EFFECTIVE BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS AND USE CASES Wrote comprehensive Test Strategy Wrote test-requirements.
• As a senior software test architect, started-up, developed, and implemented a new Quality Assurance and software testing effort for an agency within the state of Minnesota. Activities included: Successfully proposing implementing numerous effective improvements to organization-wide Quality Assurance software testing process to get environment under control, resulting in creation implementation of following QA/Testing templates: Test Strategy, software test-requirements, System test case listing, User Acceptance test case listing, test cases, System test readiness review, User Acceptance test readiness review, User leadership team product walkthrough, User Acceptance defect tracking report, defect process flow, team-oriented defect review process, QA communication plan, QA Glossary, QA status report template.
• Created following documents: comprehensive Test Strategy, test-requirements, System test case listing, User Acceptance test case listing, test cases, User Acceptance test readiness review.

Consultant Senior Software Test Engineer

Confidential

• GATHERED, DEFINED, AND MANAGED REQUIREMENTS FOR TESTING.
• Coordinated QA team of 3 testersfor first phase of an end-to-end System testing effort for functionality of Captiva image capture software application Activities included: Identifying tracking requirements in TestDirector, identifying testing resources needed to perform end-to-end testing, writing overall test plan, writing executing test cases in TestDirector, tracking defects using TestDirector.
• Planned and System-tested functionality of Assetfilter loan evaluation software application, which contains electronic data interchange EDI functionality for importing bulk files from external clients, as well as Mercator functionality to map data to correct location on network Activities included: Identifying tracking requirements in TestDirector, writing overall test plan, writing executing test cases in TestDirector, and tracking defects using TestDirector.
• Assisted in planning System testing for functionality of Assetwise Direct Underwriting engine. Activities included: Reviewing XML, Writing executing test cases in TestDirector.

Consultant Senior Software Test Lead

Confidential

LEAD QA Functional testing team of 6 testers for Web Self-Service internet website Activities included: Developing functional testing processes templates, estimating testing effort, allocating testing resources, developing testing schedule, conducting test readiness reviews, assisting all testers with design execution of their respective project's test plans test procedures cases based on business functional requirements, performing functional and regression testing of Claims Benefits functionality, tracking defects with ClearQuest automated tool.

Consultant BUSINESS ANALYST

Confidential

Analyzed Business, User, software requirements for new software release. Activities included: collecting analyzing user software requirements, writing Use Cases, developing user system flowcharts.

Consultant - Senior Software Test Lead

Confidential

• GATHERED, DEFINED, AND MANAGED REQUIREMENTS FOR TESTING.
• Started-up, developed, implementednew web testing effort. Activities included: collecting requirements, developing test-requirements, writing executing test cases/test plans for web, functional, stress, performance, regression testing, investigating tracking defects with in-house automated tool.

Consultant - Senior Software Test Lead

Confidential

• GATHERED, DEFINED, AND MANAGED REQUIREMENTS FOR TESTING.
• LEAD e-Business web testing project 2 testers for internet career center website Part of another team in testing new sales automation software, which was deployed on handheld device for use in automating selling process for company's sales force. For both projects, activities included: collecting requirements, writing test strategies, developing test-requirements, writing executing test cases/test plans for web, functional, stress, regression testing, investigating tracking defects with ClearQuest automated tool.

Consultant - Senior Software Test Lead

Confidential

LEAD web testing project 4 - 6 testers for company's new internet website. Activities included: collecting requirements, writing test strategies,developing test-requirements, writing executing test cases/test plans forweb, functional, stress, regression testing, investigating tracking defects using in-house automated tool As part of Project Management Office PMO , created implemented structured testing processes to be used across all projects Mentored staff and management on new testing processes Assisted PMO Manager in integrating software testing process into overall new development enhancement request flow process.

Consultant - Senior Software Test Lead

Confidential

Started-up, developed, implemented new functional regression testing effort. Activities included: collecting requirements, writing test strategies, developing test-requirements, writing executing test cases/test plans, investigating tracking defects using in-house automated tool Created implemented Change Management processes for entire software company Co-implemented StarTeam software to support Version Control Configuration Management processes.

Consultant Senior Software Test Engineer

Confidential

• Activities included: collecting requirements, writing test strategies, developing test-requirements, writing executing test cases/test plans, investigating tracking defects using in-house automated tool Assisted Management in developing Release Planning processes.
• Achieve Healthcare - Activities included: collecting requirements, writing test strategies, developing test-requirements, writing executing test cases/test plans for functional regression testing, investigating tracking defects with Rational TestManager Developed executed automated scripts for functional testing, based on my written Test Plan with Rational Robot.
• Worthington Software Engineering - Activities included: collecting requirements, writing test strategies, developing test-requirements, writing executing test cases/test plans for functional regression testing, investigating tracking defects with in-house automated tool Developed executed automated scripts for functional testing with Rational Robot.
• BenchmarkQA - Developed Rational TeamTest Robot Test Manager training coursefor BenchmarkQA's internal software testing consultants, designed to teach them on how to use automated testing
• tool effectively -- and independently -- while at client site.
• Various other clients - Performed software testing services for clients within following industries: Human Resources, office production, word-processing, intelligent document production, and customer management.

Software Quality Assurance Analyst

Confidential

Co-started, developed, implemented new System testing effort Co-wrote a System Test Plan template, which was to be used for all future test projects Assisted in Year 2000 testing Activities included: collecting requirements, writing test strategies, developing test-requirements, writing executing test cases/test plans, investigating tracking defects using in-house tool.

Software Quality Assurance Architect

Confidential

Started-up, developed, and implemented a new functional and regression testing effort- Activities included: collecting requirements, developing test-requirements, writing executing test cases/test plans, investigating tracking defects using in-house tool Developed executed GUI automated scripts with AutoTester.