Pinku Jain, Systems Tester for Harvest Technology Group.
An early love of maths and problem-solving spurred Pinku to a career in STEM as a Systems Tester at Harvest Technology Group. With a Masters in Technology, Pinku is a valuable asset, bringing her passion for technology and positive attitude to the growing development team. Driven by her continuous desire for learning, she ensures the quality of software and hardware products for Harvest’s customers.
Joined Harvest: 2022
Qualifications: Bachelor of Technology in Electronics and Communications Engineering, Master of Technology in Electronics, Diploma in Electronics and Communications Engineering, and ISTQB Certification.
Tell us about your role and what you’re responsible for at Harvest.
As a systems tester, I’m responsible for testing Harvest’s software and hardware. I also set test plans for each product and ensure our offerings are error-free and function as intended so we can deliver high-quality solutions to our customers.
Have you had any other roles at Harvest, if so what were your responsibilities?
Yes, I first joined as a Junior Systems Tester and worked under the Automation Test Engineer who was responsible for creating the test plan for each product. As the Junior Tester, I executed the test cases after each software update and conducted retests of previously identified bugs once they were fixed by the developers. After a few months, I achieved my certification from the International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB) and was promoted to Systems Tester. Now I can create and complete my own testing plans!
What does system testing involve?
Systems testing is one of the final steps for verifying quality before deployment. When I get a new product or feature, I first talk with the developers to understand what it is, how it works and the functionality and requirements for the customer. Once I understand the scope, I write a testing plan to cover all functionalities. For example, some of the functionality tests for the Nodestream™ Android application include installation, connection, and settings testing. The developer’s role is to create a product or feature and it’s the tester’s role to break it or make it crash so that improvements can be made.
What happens if you do find a bug or error?
When I find a bug it means I am doing my job right! First, I try to reproduce it; some bugs are reproducible and some occur randomly. Each bug is raised with its description, information to reproduce the bug, software version the bug was found in and assigned to the developers in GitHub.
At Harvest, we use the agile development approach, which means development and testing work in parallel; in collaboration. Typically, developers implement one or more features, release a version for testing, and while we’re testing that version, the developers will create the next version with more features and bug fixes identified in the current version.
What does a typical day look like?
Our team follows an agile iteration cycle, planning tasks in fortnightly blocks. I split my tasks into week one and two, then work out what I need to do each day, checking my progress against how many tasks are left for the iteration and reassessing priorities. Priorities can change if a critical bug is fixed and the fixed version is released for testing, this means we’ll need to retest before testing other lower-priority products, features or non-critical defects.
What got you into technology, was it something you were always interested in?
From childhood I always enjoyed maths; it runs in my family as both of my parents are maths teachers and I always enjoyed problem-solving. Growing up my family had fun together playing riddles and solving puzzles. At school, my favourite subjects were maths and physics which lead me to my engineering degree, and technology felt like a natural progression. Once I graduated university, I was looking for a position where I could apply the skills I had gained through my education and receive the support and mentoring to learn testing practices. I find it really satisfying to be using my technology and maths skills and applying them day to day.
Do you have any advice for other women looking to get into STEM?
If you have an interest in technology and like to learn, don’t think you have to sacrifice your family to have a career. I don’t believe that family or career is more important than the other, I see both being equally important. As a mother of two, it has taken time to adjust, but I know my children will grow up seeing a working mum and they’ll have a positive approach to balancing work and family.
What do you love about your job?
I love that we’re always working on something new at Harvest. There is always new technology and new interfaces for our team to test, so I am constantly learning new tools and techniques. It is important to me to always challenge and extend myself to gain more knowledge.
How do you measure success in your position?
Success as a tester is when you deliver a quality solution to the customer and they are satisfied with its function. If I find a lot of bugs when I’m testing something, I consider that a success. This means my testing has identified issues before they reach the customer. For me personally, success is continually learning. If you fall short of a goal but gain knowledge or experience, it’s still a success.
Do you have good mentors at Harvest?
Yes. When I first joined, my line manager Dhivya gave me a thorough introduction and training in systems testing. Dhivya authored our testing policies and procedures and is a great mentor. She has a lot of experience in testing but is also very approachable so I always know I can go to her if I need her help. Olesia, our team leader is another fantastic mentor, she is very hard-working with a passion for new technologies. I have a lot to learn from her.
What’s the most remote location you would like to visit?
I haven’t travelled a lot, I was born and brought up in India and moved to Australia after I was married. I’d love to visit Switzerland; I have heard great things about how beautiful it is.
What’s your theory as to why a Perth company is leading the way for remote operations?
New innovations and new technology are Harvest’s point of difference. The technology we use here is high-class and built with a team of experienced developers. Our team develops cutting-edge, good-quality technology with fewer system requirements.
What do you like to do outside of work?
Outside of work, I love spending time with my family, I have a 6-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter. So sometimes after work, it feels like there aren’t enough hours in the day!
Follow Harvest Technology Group on LinkedIn for our latest news and updates.