What is so special about software testing? For Timea Illes-Seifert the answer is easy: For her, quality assurance is distinguished primarily through an engineering approach and through the great variety of activities associated with it. This was the experience the software technician has made in all assignments where she was responsible for testing: during her studies, in projects in the economy or in the context of research projects. Currently, Timea Illes-Seifert also works on her professional and scientific guiding theme. In the context of her graduation at the University of Heidelberg, she is looking for indicators in completed testing projects which can help to predict the future failures of IT-systems. Or in short: How does software testing become a self-learning process?

Improvement and learning – these could also be the motto for Timea Illes-Seifert’s engagement with the GTB. In conferences and seminars she came into contact with the German section of the ISTQB® (International Software Testing Qualifications Board) and quickly realised that her own motivation and the objectives of the GTB were very well matched. Professionalisation of quality assurance, establishing of the software tester as an independent profession and the engineering perspective quickly convinced her.

Today she is mainly involved with the continuing improvement of the exams which have to be passed by all future ISTQB® Certified Testers. The idea is to make this training certification yet more valuable. This objective is also supported by the research cooperation between the GTB, the University of Heidelberg and the Cologne University of Applied Sciences, which Timea Illes-Seifert looks after on the side of the Heidelberg University. The GTB itself is also seen by her as a learning organisation. When asked about the further development of the association, she spontaneously comes up with two points: Firstly, the GTB should always use past experience and feedback in order to derive from these the improvements for the future. And at the same time, it should keep a close eye on the current developments in science and practical application of the subject-matter.

• Universität Heidelberg
  Institut für Informatik, Lehrstuhl Software-Engineering
  Timea Illes-Seifert
  Neuenheimer Feld 326
  D-69120 Heidelberg