Meet a Community Test Lead: Shabana

In Meet a Community Test Lead, we feature passionate QA experts from our network who help our testers’ community thrive while delivering amazing customer experiences to our clients. With a background in computer science and a deep-rooted passion for testing, Shabana is one of the amazing Test Leads that make our community great. Originally from Chicago, she currently lives in Columbus, Ohio – America’s 15th-largest city.

Tell us a bit about yourself, who are you, where are you from?

I was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, and currently live in Columbus, Ohio with my husband and children. I have three children: 14-year-old twins (son and daughter) and a 12-year-old son. I completed my bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Loyola University Chicago.

My favorites hobbies are traveling and cooking. I love learning about different cultures. I can also cook food from different countries around the world.

How did you end up testing for Testlio?

I was looking for a job in the technology sector that I could do from home. When a friend told me about Testlio, it sounded exactly like the type of work opportunity I was looking for. I signed up, took the onboarding tests, and within 2 weeks I was set up with my first project. After about a year of testing for Testilo, I was offered a position as a Community Test Lead for our U.S. team which I gladly accepted.

What are your favorite things about working at Testlio?

The wonderful community! Everyone is very caring and always trying to help each other out. I also like being able to work remotely, and having a flexible schedule.

What inspires you in software testing?

One of my favorite quotes that I have come across is: “Software testers do not make software; they only make them better” – Anonymous.

I find this especially true when testing a brand new product that has not yet been released to the public and seeing it improve and evolve into a better product thanks to our testing efforts. The proudest moment is when it is finally released to the public, and knowing you had a part in making that product what it is today. Part of testing is being a leader and helping the client find and solve issues to achieve their goal. Also, being able to provide a quality product to the client and consumers is an important part of what we do.

How was your transition from tester to Community Test Lead?

My transition was pretty smooth thanks to my project managers, who trained me and were with me every step of the way until I was comfortable enough to lead projects on my own.

Did you face any challenges?

As a Test Lead, one has to make decisions that are in the best interest of the client, as well as ensure that our community testers are happy and treated fairly. Sometimes conflicts occur that need to be rectified in a way that makes both the client and tester happy.

What’s your role as a Community Test Lead?

My role as a test lead would be to provide support to our community testers and assist project managers with setting up and running project cycles efficiently.

What skills does a good Community Test Lead need?

Good communication skills are vital as a Test Lead since you will be communicating heavily with not only testers and project managers, but occasionally with the client as well. 

Time management skills are also essential as you will need to keep track of multiple cycles in possibly different projects that are running simultaneously. 

A CTL will also have to ensure that testers have started working on their tasks and will finish on time. Most projects require a quick turn around, so you need to work efficiently to be certain that results are not delayed to the client. 

It is also important to be detail-oriented, especially when it comes to triaging issues and confirming that testers have completed all aspects of their tasks correctly.

What’s your advice to someone looking to become a Community Test Lead?

The role of a Community Test Lead is very rewarding, albeit it comes with a lot of responsibilities. Both testers and project managers will be counting on you for support, so it is important to make sure you are able to fulfill your commitment to take on all the responsibilities that come with this position.

Interested in becoming a tester at Testlio? Here’s all you need to know.