Q. Can you share the story of how you first became interested in coding and what motivated you to pursue it as a career?
I started very late although my first year of undergrad course had c language course but it did not pique my interest. I got another chance while I was doing my undergrad project thesis in final year. Task was to make the electric grid intelligent based on java programs called agents. I learned the Java language, optimization of data storage and program performance. I started solving puzzles via code. Thinking about implementation logic while sitting idly was fun. Coding felt like playing chess without a chess board. I then received a job offer which involved significant coding work, and I was delighted and have never looked back since.
Q. How do you keep up with the rapid advancements in AI technology? Are there specific resources or strategies you rely on to stay informed?
The AI landscape is changing so fast. Open source contribution has quickened its pace compared to earlier years when I got interested in 2014. There are multiple areas within AI space. I use medium.com to read articles. I'm subscribed to some Youtube tech channels and receive notifications whenever something interesting comes out. This information keeps me in touch but to work actively on some project I believe I require deeper knowledge.
I would definitely take courses which would be related to my task. It could be from Coursera, Udemy, Databricks or any other learning platform. If you are interested in the basics and deep knowledge behind them then Youtube has MIT lectures about AI basics and algorithms.
Q. What has been the most rewarding experience or achievement in your coding career?
Most rewarding experience for me is to solve problems like puzzles. The intellectual exercise feels amazing. I contributed to some places which are used by the public and it made a difference in their lives so it's good to know that my skill has been put to good use. Career in coding has other benefits like working from any place or working with people all over the world sitting in one corner. It pays well too, I've been able to travel to various countries due to my coding career. It is hard to put a finger on one single experience but it is a collective achievement.
Q. What advice would you give to someone just starting out in coding ?
I have one simple piece of advice. Just pick any area of your interest and jump into it. Do not over plan it. Sometimes I over plan it in the name of smart work but it simply delays. Efficiency will follow later. We can not be efficient from day one. Let's take an example: if I am a student who wants to learn coding then just simply go to Youtube, type whatever topic is interesting and start watching. If you are a reader, search on the internet and start reading blogs about it. That is the starting point, once you have basic knowledge you can jump into practical things like installing recommended software and start with a small program. There is no right or wrong. Same goes with AI learners. My 2 cents are that effort is never wasted, even if we don't get to use that knowledge in our current work.
Q. Can you share the story of how you first became interested in coding and what motivated you to pursue it as a career?
My first job was as an equity research analyst, where I was involved in analysing healthcare stocks. During this role, I gained extensive experience in data analysis using Excel sheets. Gradually, I realised the limitations of Excel and began learning VBA, marking the start of my programming journey. Later, I pursued a Master’s in Finance from NUS, Singapore, and worked as a Quantitative Analyst with Credit Suisse. Overall, I have over 15 years of experience in coding, primarily in Excel and Python.
Q. How do you keep up with the rapid advancements in AI technology? Are there specific resources or strategies you rely on to stay informed?
YouTube is undoubtedly the best place to keep up with technological advances, particularly in AI. There are hundreds of excellent channels dedicated to AI and programming, allowing you to get started for free.
Q. What has been the most rewarding experience or achievement in your coding career?
Throughout my career, I have worked with many companies on a variety of interesting projects. One particularly notable project was with Royal Mail, where I was involved in identifying someone’s residence at a specific address by analysing the frequency of the mail they received. This project utilised advanced text-based and statistical techniques.
Q. What advice would you give to someone just starting out in coding?
Coding is an incredibly diverse and complex field, and it can be overwhelming due to the vast amount of content available. Start with something simple, such as replicating a calculator or building a small app on an iPhone. If you persist with coding, you will eventually discover your interests and potentially even make a living from it one day.
Q. Can you share the story of how you first became interested in coding and what motivated you to pursue a career in automation testing? How did you transition from general coding to focusing on testing?
My journey into coding began with a fascination for how software applications are built and a passion for solving problems with code. As I tackled more complex projects, I realised that writing code was just one part of the equation; ensuring its reliability through thorough testing was equally crucial. This realisation sparked my interest in quality assurance and automation testing, The idea of breaking things down, finding edge cases, and ensuring that software is reliable intrigued me. Transitioning from general coding to automation testing came naturally, driven by the need for scalable and structured solutions. I immersed myself in popular tools like Selenium and frameworks like TestNG, Zephyr and JUnit, motivated by the challenge of automating tasks and ensuring system stability.
Q. Given the rapid advancements in AI and automation technologies, how do you stay updated with the latest trends and tools in your field? Are there particular resources, communities, or strategies you find most effective for keeping your skills and knowledge current?
To stay current with rapidly evolving AI and automation technologies, I regularly enroll in in-depth courses on platforms like Udemy, Coursera, and Pluralsight, focusing on new tools, frameworks, and best practices in areas like DevOps and CI/CD. Websites like Medium, Dev.to, and industry-specific blogs (like Ministry of Testing) are invaluable for staying updated with new tools, trends, and technologies. With the rise of AI tools for testing, I regularly follow blogs from thought leaders in AI, automation testing, and software development and also read articles or Linkedin posts from leading tech companies and universities to understand the innovations driving this.
Q. What has been the most rewarding project or achievement in your automation testing career? Can you describe a specific instance where your coding skills made a significant impact on a project or team?
One of the most rewarding projects in my automation testing career was at HMCTS, where I was part of a team tasked with rewriting automation scenarios and transforming the release regression process. We aimed to create a robust, scalable, and maintainable automation framework with clear, visible test scenarios that could be understood and signed off by the BPO. Achieving a pass rate of over 90% was a key challenge, but we leveraged ADO pipelines to optimize wait times and rerun failed tests automatically, ensuring fast feedback and high repeatability.
A standout example was when I was automating a particular scenario, the automation detected a major issue before it reached the System Integration Testing (SIT) phase, preventing significant delays. Although the code had been tested and signed off by the BPO, a change caused an entire UI section to be missed. The Automation script caught this during STE, ensuring a smooth release that would have otherwise been delayed in SIT. This project highlighted the value of automation in improving efficiency and reliability across the team.
Q. For someone just starting out in coding and considering a path in automation testing, what advice would you offer? Are there particular skills or experiences that are especially valuable in this niche of coding?
For beginners in coding considering automation testing, start by mastering core programming skills and understanding software development principles. Learn automation tools like Selenium, Playwright and frameworks such as TestNG or JUnit. Familiarize yourself with AI-powered testing tools to stay current with industry trends. Gain experience with version control systems (e.g., Git) and continuous integration tools. Developing a keen eye for detail, problem-solving skills, and understanding the software development lifecycle will also be crucial. Practical experience through real-world projects or contributing to open-source testing tools can enhance your skills.
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