Jerry, what courses do you currently teach?

The courses I’m directly involved with are Managing Outsourced/Offshore Projects, Agile High Speed Testing, Software Testing Techniques, The Test Automation Workshop, and Web Testing Fundamentals.  I also have taught a wide array of Agile related programs (since I’m both a ScrumMaster & Certified Scrum Practioner) and Unified Model Language (UML).

Can you tell our readers a little about your background?  What recent activities have you been involved in that are relevant to the courses you instruct?

I started many years ago as a compiler developer (while still in High School) and have had over 35 years working in the Information Technology sector.  My last employment was as Division Director of Test Engineering for AT&T before commencing my consulting practice in 1988.  Even from those earlier years I have also recognized the relevant importance of testing as an integral part of the software engineering discipline.  If one cannot prove that the software behavior is sound than it leaves a lot to the unknown.

What real-world skills can these courses teach people that they can take directly to their jobs?

I always try to present two dimensions in the training events; the pragmatic purest perspective and the practical implementation of the concept.  There are some things that you simply can’t bend but there is always a way to ease the implementation to make it successful in a business.

What kind of hands-on training do you use in the courses you teach?

Each of the programs is comprised of lecture, class discussions and problem/case studies relevant to the various topics covered in each course.  These problems are designed to not just reaffirm the concepts but to develop the ability to transition from concept to implementation.

What are the professions of your students?

Predominantly they are technicians but we have also seen business analysts, managers, network/performance engineers and end users.

What organizations are you a part of that help you keep in touch with the technologies you teach about?
I remain connected to the industry in a number of different ways.  It involves active involvement in a number of professional software engineering and outsourcing groups, and through the social networks as of late.

Why did you decide to teach the courses that you teach?
Two reasons; experience in the discipline and having authored the programs that I teach it made sense to continue with them in terms of delivery.  I have been fortunate to be able to balance this with other interests/activities that I have (namely the formation of the International Institute for Outsource Management – IIOM).

In the rapidly changing environment that we live in, can you give some insight as to what the future may hold for the courses you teach?

There will always be a need for software testing.  The dynamics of which require a constant revisiting and adaption to present day engineering models.  In so far as the other programs that are unrelated to testing (e.g. Managing Outsourced/Offshore Projects) I envision that this is a discipline that will require constant attention.  Because of cost constraints on continuance demands we must maintain control over these specialized project situations in order to realize the cost/benefits that we require.

To find more information on Jerry, please visit his LinkedIn page, or you can find more of Jerry’s insights on his blog.

Jerry teaches public courses but is also available for a personalized on-site training courses that can be tailored for your companies needs, for more information please visit our On-Site page.