I'm considering a career move -- nothing radical like becoming a ballroom dance instructor or a butcher -- but a move from software development into testing/operations/support.

I've always enjoyed development, although it does have its challenges. And it's a real thrill when you see something you've written, debugged and released actually get used by other people to do their jobs and generally conduct business.

I've discovered that when I'm given a specific group of tasks -- or even one specific task -- I'm very good at what I do. When I'm left to my own devices, I'm not as good at self-directed work as I thought I was. Stuff gets done, but I'm not efficient as a one-man team should be.

My job history has been a mix of development work (which includes some testing, of course) and operations/support. While I have some great stories to tell about development, I'm also proud to tell some pretty neat testing/operations/support stories as well.

As before, when I have a single task to complete, I am tenacious about making sure it's done and done properly, and that there are no loose threads. I'm also pretty good at picking up on unusual symptoms and passing them on, symptoms which often turn out to be issues that need to be resolved.

So, this realization means I have to re-think what I do next professionally.

If I want to change careers and move to testing/operations/support, I have to find out what tools people in those areas use. I need to find out what books and magazines they read, what forums they visit. I want to join that community and see if I'm out of my depth -- or right at home. I'd like to ask you for your input.

What mix of development, testing, operations and support is your job? What resources can you recommend, so that I can continue looking for enlightenment?

Alex / talexb / Toronto

"Groklaw is the open-source mentality applied to legal research" ~ Linus Torvalds

In reply to OT: Testing, operations and support resources by talexb

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