QA

At TippingPoint I tested web based front end (HTML) and CLI back end hardware and software devices designed to 'filter' internet traffic preventing hackers and malware infiltrating the local network. I created new test plans, new test cases, and improving the existing test plans and test cases for the quality assurance team. These test plans were checked in to CVS for source control and then the Test repository would auto build every 15 minutes if a change was detected. I quickly moved into a more active role testing hardware and software. I eventually began participating in the daily engineering team standup meetings fostering better communication between testers and the engineering team and directing testing efforts more effectively.

At StoredIQ I was a member of the 'story QA' team focused on testing newly implemented product features. I created test plans, test cases and then executed them. Their application was based on a set of PostgreSQL databases and the features I focused on testing were based on the database. While there I worked with a number software product build trains. Some of these build trains were for existing customers and some for branding agreements with third parties.

At Motion I was successful in moving the product failure rate from approximately 20% to below 5%. I achieved this by creating a processes to move data from support through sustaining engineering and quality assurance into engineering decreasing support costs, improving future product quality and increasing repeat business. I insured future product quality through documenting lessons learned. I demonstrated using support data could quickly identify issues easily fixed impacting quarterly costs within the next quarter.

While at Motion I participated in the interviewing and hiring of quality assurance team members, both americas and international level 2+ support team members, and international sales engineers.

I was responsible for identifying customer needs based on feedback from support and sales engineers then driving issue resolution with our software vendors finally through Motion's own verification process. I worked directly with the QA Manager to pull resources from his team, manage them, and then I managed (change control checkins, creating documentation, etc.) the release of the software to the customer impacted, to the build manager for addition in the next version of the shipping OS build, and eventually to the web site for download availability.
I participated in core team meetings interacting with all functions of the company to insure requirements were not overlooked and to verify adequate time was budgeted for quality and sustaining engineering. I would also host bug scrub meetings cross company and meet with the support team and the sales engineering teams on a weekly basis to keep communication flowing from customers into product engineering.

I am a proven leader having built my career creating successful quality assurance teams, support teams, quality processes, and managing quality projects through their product life cycle. I understand business decisions and mitigating risk to maximize profit and customer loyalty.

Robert Rankin
http://www.linkedin.com/in/robertrankin