Simon Stratton, Developer in Cardiff, United Kingdom
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Simon Stratton

Verified Expert  in Engineering

Bio

Simon has been a technical tester for over 18 years. He started at IBM, moved to EADS, then Fujitsu, and now runs his own company providing specialist IT training, and hands-on consultancy. He has created test automation frameworks in Java, JavaScript, TypeScript, and .NET. Simon has also built applications using TDD (Test Driven Development), and BDD (Behavior Driven Development) techniques.

Portfolio

Safebear, Ltd.
Azure DevOps, Visual Studio, Node.js, Apache Maven, Git, Cucumber, Kali Linux...
TrakCel, Ltd.
Amazon Web Services (AWS), Mobile App Testing, NMap, OpenVAS, Jasmine, Python...
Fujitsu UK
Networks, Cisco, Firewalls, AIX

Experience

  • Test Automation - 16 years
  • Selenium - 10 years
  • API Testing - 10 years
  • Performance Testing - 10 years
  • Docker - 6 years
  • Continuous Integration (CI) - 5 years
  • Penetration Testing - 4 years
  • OWASP Top 10 - 4 years

Availability

Part-time

Preferred Environment

Cypress, Jenkins, Git, JavaScript, Protractor

The most amazing...

...thing I've built was a test automation, performance, and security CI pipeline that passed regulatory audits for medical software.

Work Experience

Full-stack Test Consultant - IT Security, Test Automation

2017 - PRESENT
Safebear, Ltd.
  • Consulted with, and taught client testers test automation frameworks in Java, JavaScript, TypeScript (Angular) and .NET. I developed test automation strategies for major financial firms. The consultancy covered version control with Git, package, and build management (e.g., Maven, npm, NuGet), test automation with Cucumber, Selenium, and various other frameworks such as Cypress, and Protractor.
  • Consulted with, and taught client testers ethical hacking. I performed penetration testing with Kali Linux, Burp Suite, OWASP Zap, and the ASVS standard to cover all the various attacks, and vulnerabilities.
  • Consulted with, and taught client testers BDD (Behavior Driven Development), and TDD (Test Driven Development) in .NET (SpecFlow, and NUnit), and Java (Cucumber, and TestNG). I consulted with blue-chip companies on BDD, and TDD strategies.
  • Consulted with, and taught client testers performance testing using JMeter. I wrote performance test strategies and risk assessments and integrated JMeter into CI environments.
  • Created the Blockchain course based on Ethereum, and Hyperledger. I also consulted with numerous companies about the technology.
  • Created the course on Microservices and API testing. I also performed consultancy in this area, using REST Assured, and Postman.
Technologies: Azure DevOps, Visual Studio, Node.js, Apache Maven, Git, Cucumber, Kali Linux, OWASP, Postman, Apache JMeter, Protractor, JavaScript, .NET, Selenium

Test, and IT Security Manager

2014 - 2017
TrakCel, Ltd.
  • Developed, and implemented the test strategy, and test frameworks for manual, and automated testing for Web and Android Apps. The strategy and frameworks passed regulatory audits for medical device software. I performed GAMP 5 quality assurance reviews, including risk, and regulatory assessments, specifically 21 CFR Part 11, and Annex 11.
  • Developed, and implemented the performance test framework with JMeter. I incorporated it into the CI pipeline, and generated reports that demonstrated we met customer SLAs.
  • Implemented a security test framework using OWASP Zap, OpenVAS, nmap, and OWASP dependency checker that integrated with our CI pipeline. I performed penetration tests on all releases.
  • Trained new staff in the latest function, and automated test techniques. I helped the company grow from a team of five employees to over sixty worldwide, and satisfied the QA requirements of our clients; some of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies.
  • Supported ITSCM testing with our DevOps team using Cloud Native technologies.
  • Integrated our test strategy into the company's Agile Scrum SDLC.
Technologies: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Mobile App Testing, NMap, OpenVAS, Jasmine, Python, OWASP, Apache JMeter, Jenkins, Selenium

Infrastructure Test Manager

2011 - 2012
Fujitsu UK
  • Developed, and implemented the test strategy for platinum-build Wintel and AIX VMs, and the production network.
  • Created test plans for a team of six testers, estimated project costs, and handled test budgets and defect management for changes to both Wintel, and AIX (Unix) systems. I reported the testing status daily to project, and senior managers.
  • Created the test strategy for network and firewall projects (across secure domains), including significant changes to the infrastructure.
  • Managed the test strategy and phases for a rollout of over a hundred LPAR, and VM builds through to completion (the EPS Project).
  • Implemented a build verification automation through BMC.
Technologies: Networks, Cisco, Firewalls, AIX

Availability Test Lead

2008 - 2010
EADS UK
  • Established the non-functional test team on the FiReControl project, which dealt with system performance, and availability.
  • Wrote test plans from a high, and low level, and contributed to the overall non-functional test strategy, including code control, and release management. Chaired customer meetings, and produced daily status reports.
  • Developed Facilita Windriver automation scripts using C#, and Visual Studio.
  • Developed, and executed QTP automation scripts using Visual Basic.
  • Created, and ran LoadRunner scripts for performance testing. I also trained other team members in the use of these tools, along with Perfmon, and SAR.
  • Oversaw Quality Centre for test case storage, defect management, and status reporting.
  • Wrote, and executed performance tests on Oracle databases, SQL databases, and Windows systems running .NET applications. I wrote and performed availability tests (resilience, failover, and latency) on Oracle databases, SQL databases, and VMware. I used SoapUI (XML) to test web services.
Technologies: SoapUI, VMware, .NET, SQL, Oracle, LoadRunner, Visual Basic, QTP, C#, Visual Studio

Test Manager, and Technical Test Analyst

2001 - 2007
IBM UK
  • Led the testing on multiple accounts for the NTL Project, and developed the overall test strategy for the program.
  • Led an offshore test team (India), who performed much of the functional testing.
  • Created the high level, and detailed test plans for projects covering ST, SIT, and UAT.
  • Provided clear requirements, and design documentation for the customer, and technical teams.
  • Led the Data-Migration test team for a legacy systems data extraction, and migration testing project.
  • Provided test estimates for new projects using metrics recorded during testing.
  • Led the team through the whole test lifecycle of system test, system integration test, performance, regression, and operational acceptance test.
  • Received an IBM Bravo Award for rescuing a troubled project to replace legacy hardware on the CRM systems.
  • Created, and executed non-functional test cases, covering failover, performance, latency, and scalability on the CLS banking project.
  • Created infrastructure test cases for DB2, MQ, Websphere, Tivoli, and AIX.
  • Created automation tests using the Rational Test suite and Selenium.
  • Performed performance testing using JMeter, Perfmon, SAR, netstat, and shell scripting on AIX.
  • Led a CLS Bank Test team through the whole test lifecycle of the system test, system integration test, performance, regression, and operational acceptance test.
  • Created high-level, and detailed test plans for projects from customer requirements.
  • Reported status to the customer, and managed handover to UAT.
  • Produced estimates for the testing on each new project using test metrics gathered on similar projects.
  • Defined test environment needs, and installed new test systems.
  • Managed, and tracked defects reported in the test phases, and chased when necessary.
  • Mentored new starters, and ensured the team had the skills and knowledge to create, and execute the test cases.
  • Created, and executed test cases on a Websphere based messaging system for the POS till systems.
Technologies: IBM Rational Functional Tester (RFT), QTP, Apache JMeter, AIX, Selenium

Experience

Test Automation Tutorial for the WebdriverIO Framework

https://github.com/go-automate/tutorial-webdriverio
Here's a tutorial I wrote to help clients get started with the WebDriverIO framework for Test Automation. It's hosted on GitHub. Follow the README to get started.

Test Automation Tutorial for Windows Applications

https://github.com/go-automate/tutorial-winappdriver/tree/master/WinAppDriver.AcceptanceTests
This is a tutorial I wrote to help clients start automating their tests for Windows Applications they were developing. It's hosted on GitHub. Follow the README to get started.

Test Automation Tutorial for the Cypress Framework

https://github.com/go-automate/tutorial-cypress
I wrote this tutorial to help clients get started with the Cypress framework for test automation. It's hosted on GitHub. Follow the README to get started.

JavaScript Tutorial

https://github.com/go-automate/tutorial-javascript
This is a short JavaScript tutorial I wrote to get a client's manual testers started with the language.

TypeScript Tutorial

https://github.com/go-automate/tutorial-typescript
This is a short TypeScript tutorial to help a client's JavaScript developers and testers understand the language. Please note; you must be familiar with Object Oriented Programming techniques.

API Testing with Postman

https://github.com/go-automate/tutorial-postman
I wrote this tutorial to get a client's manual testers started using Postman for API testing. You must have the Postman application installed on your machine before continuing.

Test Automation Tutorial for the Protractor Framework

https://github.com/go-automate/tutorial-protractor
This is a tutorial I wrote to help clients get started with the Protractor framework for test automation (JavaScript). It's hosted on GitHub. Follow the README to get started.

Education

1997 - 2001

Master's Degree in Physics

University of Warwick - Warwick

Certifications

JANUARY 2018 - PRESENT

The Linux Foundation LFS171x Certified

The Linux Foundation

MARCH 2015 - PRESENT

CSTP Ethical Web Application Hacking

CREST

OCTOBER 2006 - PRESENT

IBM Advisory Accredited Professional

IBM

JANUARY 2003 - PRESENT

ISTQB Foundation Level

ISTQB

Skills

Libraries/APIs

Selenium WebDriver, Selenium Grid, Node.js, Chai

Tools

Apache JMeter, Cucumber, Visual Studio 2019, IntelliJ IDEA, OWASP Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP), Git, Postman, Jenkins, Apache Maven, GitHub, Travis CI, GitLab, Docker Compose, Docker Hub, Visual Studio, NMap, QTP, LoadRunner, VMware, SoapUI, IBM Rational Functional Tester (RFT), MSTest, Mocha, Jira

Languages

Python, C++, Java 8, JavaScript, Gherkin, TypeScript, Visual Basic, C#, SQL, Solidity, Bash, HTML

Frameworks

Selenium, Cypress, Protractor, JUnit, TestNG, NUnit, Jasmine, OpenVAS, .NET, Appium, Angular

Paradigms

Test Automation, Penetration Testing, Behavior-driven Development (BDD), Continuous Integration (CI), Load Testing, Automated Testing, Unit Testing, Test-driven Development (TDD), REST, Azure DevOps, Agile, Scrum, Stress Testing, Model View Controller (MVC), Microservices

Platforms

Linux, Visual Studio Code (VS Code), Docker, Kali Linux, AIX, Oracle, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Kubernetes, Amazon EC2, Ubuntu, iOS, Ubuntu 16.04, Debian, CentOS, Azure

Other

OWASP Top 10, Test Automation Frameworks, Ethical Hacking, Integration Testing, API Testing, Performance Testing, QA Automation, UI Automation, Automated UI Testing, Quality Assurance (QA), Data Analysis, ISTQB, HTTP, OWASP, Firewalls, Cisco, Networks, Contract Testing, Mobile App Testing

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