<img alt="" src="https://secure.wauk1care.com/164394.png" style="display:none;">

Richard Turrall

Richard is our Test Consultant who have over 20 years' experience in software testing, starting with Capgemini back in 1998. He has spent the last 14 years as a Contractor and his career has spanned a wide range of industries including utilities, healthcare, finance and logistics.
Find me on:

Recent Posts

Ace Your Software Testing Estimation: Play Your Cards Right

Posted by Richard Turrall on 31/05/2024

Higher or Lower? Tactics for Mastering Software Testing Estimations

Continuing my series on career growth and learning experiences, here’s another blog about another challenge I’ve faced in my career: planning and estimating testing efforts.

Maybe not in the early days, but certainly as your career in testing progresses, one thing you will be asked to do on a regular basis is estimate a testing effort. Now, this could be for a phase of testing (e.g. a UAT), or for an entire project testing effort.

Read More

Topics: Software Testing, Testing Techniques, Test Estimation

Client Engagement Strategies & Forming Partnerships

Posted by Richard Turrall on 21/05/2024

Building Relationships in Consultancy

A vital part of consultancy work is building strong relationships with clients or project teams. One of the most rewarding aspects of this process is learning how to effectively address difficult or uncomfortable situations. Embracing this challenge is key to personal and professional growth.

Consultancy is dynamic and adaptive because it involves working with new individuals and loyal customers. Try viewing ‘difficult’ and ‘awkward’ situations as opportunities for creative problem-solving and innovative solutions for growth. The terms 'difficult' and 'awkward' can span a variety of situations.

Read More

Topics: Software Testing, Test Teams, communication

Cracking the Code

Posted by Richard Turrall on 22/06/2023

Exploring the Essential Skills SDET’s need to become a Good Communicator

After reading a previous blog that covered important basics for a career in software testing, ‘What makes an Effective Test Consultant?’; it felt to me that a more detailed look at one of these areas was needed to help illustrate how important soft skills are for people starting out in this space.


Read More

Topics: Software Testing, Test Teams, SDET

Testing Time: Thinking Beyond the Obvious & Time Travel in Test

Posted by Richard Turrall on 14/03/2023

Leveraging Time-Travel Techniques in Testing

I am often asked what are the biggest mistakes that companies, projects or testing teams make in execution. Well, aside from hiring me to do the testing in the first place, there is one area that does keep cropping up as being missed… thinking about and testing beyond the initial or obvious journey.

There are many labels attached to this – one of the best I’ve heard though is 3-dimensional testing. So, what do we mean by that?

Read More

Topics: Software Testing, Temporal Testing, Time Travel Testing

SDLC Testing & Benefits of Early Testing Involvement

Posted by Richard Turrall on 17/01/2023

Why do you test so late?

Common problems I’ve seen during my career (if that’s what you could call this collection of happy accidents), are situations where a project's timelines are placed in jeopardy because testing takes longer than expected; or the scope expands after the requirements are signed off, usually after testing starts.

Now, there may be situations where this is a genuine occurrence. Requirements change, possibly regulations change. Availability of resource may change.

Read More

Topics: Software Testing, Software Development Life Cycle, Early Testing

What makes an Effective Software Test Consultant?

Posted by Richard Turrall on 28/09/2022

The Essential Qualities of an Effective Software Test Consultant

Being involved with the selection days for our prospective SDET Graduates got me thinking about what people expect a career in testing to be and how they can be effective in this space. So, if you are considering moving into testing, what makes an effective Software Test Consultant? Good question! Wish I knew - I might have been one! 

Seriously though, that's not an easy question to answer. Every situation is different. Every client or project throws up different challenges. Testing is so broad with so many disciplines and aspects to it. However, if you are considering a career in it, some fundamentals hold true across the board. We'll try to cover some of them here...

Read More

Topics: Software Testing, Software Testing Consultancy, Tech Roles

Process Improvement - How Testing can help drive Process Improvement

Posted by Richard Turrall on 3/05/2022

The Role of Testing in Process Enhancement

Are you missing something with your testing? Do you know how testing can help drive process improvement as part of a project?

Ok, stop me if you’ve heard this one before, "...well we’ve always done it that way" or ‘"...well, we’ve always done it like that".


If I had even 10p for every time I’d heard either of those from a client, I’d be typing this on a Caribbean beach with Cindy Crawford bringing me half a lager and a complimentary dish of dry roasted nuts! 

Read More

Topics: Software Testing, improve software testing, Software Test Process

Risk Based Testing - 'Get it right or just get it in?'

Posted by Richard Turrall on 22/03/2022

Risk Based Testing - How testing can help you make the right decision

There are massive pressures associated with any IT project:

  • Bonuses
  • Timelines
  • Reputations (individuals & the company)
  • Spend already committed
  • Risk
  • Cost
  • Time
  • Old systems failing & not fit for purpose
  • Cost of maintaining existing systems
Read More

Topics: Software Testing, Risk Based Testing, Decision Making

Benefits of effective 'User Acceptance Testing' -nFocus Blog

Posted by Richard Turrall on 29/11/2021

Benefits of effective 'User Acceptance Testing' - nFocus Blog

The role of UAT and how it can be an important driver for quality and continuous improvement. How UAT is often misused or misrepresented - its usefulness and its limitations.

Read More

Topics: Software Testing, User Acceptance Testing, UAT

nFocus Blog

Welcome to the nFocus software testing blog. As thought leaders and technical innovators, we created this blog to distil our thoughts, ideas and musings on improving software quality.

Fill out the form below to receive future communications from nFocus including our latest:

  • Blog articles
  • White Papers
  • and plenty more!

Follow us

Follow us on LinkedIn to see our latest content!

Subscribe Here!

Recent Posts

Posts by Topic

see all

Posts by Topic

see all