I'm a software testing practitioner and educator specializing in the topics of software testing and career development.

My mission statement:

I help my clients to improve their software;

I help my students to improve their lives.
Email: roman@qatutor.com      Skype: Chat with me

My LinkedIn references

Staff QA Developer

mywaves

"Roman is not just a QA engineer. He is dedicated to the profession of Quality Assurance as a doctor is to medicine. Roman's ability to test in depth and to program and automate ongoing monitoring and maintenance testing has been a large contributor to our success." July 21, 2008

Michelle Six, Chief Architect, mywaves
managed Roman at mywaves

"Roman is perhaps the most passionate person I've worked with at MyWaves and his QA talents were also largely noticed and appreciated far outside his own department. Engineers and non-engineers alike can attest to his focused pursuit of improving the company in any way he can." July 6, 2008

Billy Ramirez, Deployment Specialist, MyWaves
worked with Roman at mywaves

"Roman is a first-class QA Engineer who really knows is stuff and was a great asset to have on my team. His test plans were always thorough and very well thought out, from the highest-level perspective down to the smallest details. With Roman on my team, I could trust that if my code passed QA, it was ready to roll to the live site. Plus, with Roman's automation skills, I could have the confidence that my code would continue to be tested regularly. If I had the chance, I would definitely work with Roman again." July 5, 2008

Jason Fisher, Senior Server-Side Software Engineer, Mywaves
worked directly with Roman at mywaves

"Roman is the brightest QA engineer I've ever encountered in my professional career. He has superior QA skills in all areas; developing test strategies for complex projects, creating detailed test plans, writing automation test suits. Roman is a true team player, works well with all levels within the company, and has a very high positive attitude. His development and QA peers respected him and have expressed how much they enjoyed working with him. I offer my most sincere recommendation of his skills and would appreciate the opportunity to provide additional information." June 27, 2008

Alexander Babichev, Senior Software Engineer, Mywaves Inc
worked directly with Roman at MyWaves.com

"I recruited Roman to MyWaves when he chose to leave PayPal. Roman is a top caliber QA Developer and a great asset in any start-up or large company. I look forward to working with Roman again soon." December 28, 2007

Peter Ashley, Vice President, Mywaves Inc
worked with Roman at MyWaves.com

Sr. QA Architect

PayPal

"If you're ever lucky enough to work with or hire Roman Savenkov, seize the moment and thank your lucky stars for the opportunity. He doesn't just make a product better - he makes your team better. Roman is always patient, and generous with his knowledge and his time. At PayPal, he developed numerous tools in python which improved testing not just for his group but for several others. His diligence, thoroughness, and technical skills made PayPal's services better, and his co-workers life easier. Above all, Roman is pleasant to work with, day-to-day or when the chips are down." November 27, 2007

Stephen Bagger, Senior SQA Engineer, eBay / PayPal
worked directly with Roman at PayPal

"Roman has a great knowledge of PayPal system and possesses excellent technical and human skills. He takes quality of PayPal application seriously and consistently tries to improve it with best practices and solutions, like prioritizing testcases for regression testing or writing fast, effective and easy to maintain automation scripts. He is always ready to sacrifice his personal time for the sake of the company and happy to share his knowledge with others. I'd be delighted to work with him again." March 7, 2007

Sergei Nikolaev, Staff Software Engineer, PayPal.com
worked with Roman at PayPal

"While working with Roman, I was quickly impressed with his work ethic, results-oriented attitude and, most importantly, his passion for going beyond simply what needed to be done. Roman did both what needed to be done and what *should* be done - even if the latter meant extra long hours. He had a desire to show his full range of capabilities while also looking to expand his opportunities and abilities and not to stop growing and evolving. He was an excellent hire and I am proud to have had him as a key employee during my QA Directorship time at PayPal." February 22, 2007

Cameron Bigger, Director, Quality Engineering (SQA), PayPal
managed Roman at PayPal

"Roman is an excellent SQA Engineer. He has very strong technical skills. Using his Python skills, he created a library of Python scripts that made the QA engineers more efficient. Also, he set up Python classes to help educate other QA engineers about how we use Python at PayPal. He is definitely an asset to the organization. We are lucky to have him." February 7, 2007

John Canicosa, SQA Engineer, PayPal - eBay
worked with Roman at PayPal

"I worked with Roman for over four years at PayPal. He is a dedicated, hard-working, enthusiastic employee and knowledgeable in the Software Development Life Cycle. Roman not only is an expert in Python but takes initiative to teach fellow QA Engineers. He is an asset to anyone who is looking for a strong leader on a team." February 5, 2007

David Carlisle, QA Manager, PayPal
worked directly with Roman at PayPal

Sr. QA Engineer

Andale, Inc

"Roman was a stellar QA engineer and was the QA department during the early days of Andale. He setup processes, automation and hired others from his network into the company. Roman was passionate about quality, so work was never work for hire. There were times that he would work and sleep at the office for days, but he was able to do it with a smile because he really loved his job. I recommend him wholeheartedly and I see him having a great career. I do hope I can work with him in the future." January 3, 2008

Prashant Nedungadi, Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, Andale Inc,
managed Roman at Andale, Inc

Feedback from my students

I just wanted to drop you a line and let you know that our boss from our QA department made us read through your tutorial. I wanted to thank you and let you know that your tutorials were a pleasure to read, not boring and dry.
Nancy M.

Just want to thank you. Your material is so well delivered, so well organized, so cleverly put together that had I not had already this passion for testing in me I would have gotten passionate about QA just from reading your course.
Yana Y.

This is an excellent overview of how to do professional software Quality Assurance. The text is very detailed with many examples and exercises covering both the philosophy and specific tactics of testing. There's even a section on how to find a job in the industry that's, despite my general distaste for most how to land a job advice, is actually quite charming and effective. I've hired many QA engineers, and can vouch for the effectiveness of much of the material here...If you're serious about becoming a software tester, I can't think of a better way to start.

Phil L.

I read Roman's book How to become a software qa tester : This material is one of the best introductions to testing I've read, and it gives the non experience tester a view of how important qa role is, this is especially important for folks who have been thrown into testing. This is the kind of book you'll want to read from cover-to-cover,. I highly recommend this book to anyone who needs to learn about software testing at the beginning level!
Klavdia G.

I must thank you for the well written Practical Course. It gave me a total different view on Software testing...After a few minutes searching on google I found your site. Started reading and got hooked... I'm now confident that I can become a software tester and will go by your advices.
Dennis A.

Thank you for your book on software testing. That is the only one I actually took with me to USA when moving. And can say now that have never seen any more practice and result oriented one
Alex F.

I want to express my gratitude for your amazing book. I hope that it will serve as a valuable source of knowledge for many generations of Russian software testers.
Alex G.

Every subject must be taught in a way Roman teaches software testing.
Sergey

This author has a very unique style of writing; you have an impression of sitting and drinking beer with him, chatting in a friendly and humorous manner. Nevertheless, he educates the reader about very important topics and generously shares practical advice from his own experience.
GrinD3R, LiveJournal

I recommend this book to both QA newbies and QA gurus.
eye4u, GovorimPro.Us

it is real deal. solid indeed. innovative approach and excellent easy-to-read style.

SOLID AND COMPREHENSIVE WORK

Excelent book for SW testers !!!

A very good text book for beginner testers. I would recommend this to anyone who want to start your software testing.
Reviews at Google Books

This book explains the ABCs of testing in a simple way. Although, the primary audience is beginners, the book contains substantial knowledge on the subject.

This book will also be useful for experienced testers - at least to find any omissions in their testing practices.

I'd recommend starting with this book and then moving to Kaner's Testing Computer Software. That way the latter will be much easier to understand.

At last I've found a book that helps me totally understand the gist and main objective of a QA job! Its target audience are folks who have no idea about testing or the world of software development.

Testimonials on www.oz.by

This textbook has a style similar to internet blogs; here you won't find any academic definitions or methods. All subjects are covered in lively language in an easy-to-understand way. Amusing stories from real life, funny illustrations, good advice on how to communicate with potential employers and colleagues - all this makes the reading very interesting. Time spent with this book is well spent!
Igor K.

Although this is technical reading, it was amazingly captivating. There are little omissions, but overall this is the best book out there for beginner testers.
Anonymous, moikrug.ru

Roman's recommendations are simply invaluable. The materials presented in his book systemized my understanding of testing and changed the way I do my job. There are only a few books like this that have such a joyful and simple way of explaining things. Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge with us!
I regret that I didn't read this book a year and a half ago...
Nikita S.

The author uses simple language and has a fascinating way of explaining the principles of a tester's work in an internet company (although in my opinion, this book is great not only for testers of internet startups, but for anyone in software development)... I personally found a lot of interesting information...
Dr.Linux at Linuxforum.ru

The humorous style makes this book easy to read, and at the same time the author communicates very important aspects of software development. ... All the materials can be practically applied as you read this book... This book belongs to the must have kind.
Alex S.

I'm sure that everyone who wants to develop testing skills can easily pass an interview after studying your book.
Ilya D.

Roman's approach to teaching is targeted towards the practical aspects of testing; there is no excessive theory here.
Anna G.

This book will take just a little of your time, but it will give you both a deep understanding of testing and the practical tools to start a new career.
Vadim P.

This is a must-have book for everyone who wants to be a tester
Oldman, software-testing.ru

This book really impressed me. It's written in an easy to read manner. It's all about practice. Testing is presented not as a boring obligation, but as a lifestyle :)... I think that this book will be useful for testers of all levels of professional expertise.
Kseniya, www.ozon.ru