From academic burnout to software tester in award-winning product development team

We meet at Alice and Katten in Lund, a cozy little tea and lunch spot that serves delicious food and is decorated with a charming mix of humorous and tasteful details.

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After lunch, we start talking about Johanna’s journey from a freshly graduated high school student to a highly valued software tester and test lead, with experience in Sweden, London, and Berlin.

After high school, Johanna felt school fatigue and started working at Burger King but quickly grew tired of it and decided to apply for various educational programs. Eventually, she was accepted into EC Utbildning to become a software tester. It was 2010, and shortly thereafter, she got a unique opportunity to participate in a newly established incubator initiative started by Henrik Andersson at House of Test. Through the program, Johanna gained valuable practical experience in testing and the chance to learn from experienced software testers.

During her internship (LIA), she learned more about session-based testing and realized that traditional test cases are not always the most effective way to work. Instead, she began applying session-based testing in her work, which often led to more discrepancies being discovered compared to strictly following a script. Johanna explains:
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The key to successful exploratory testing is using your creativity and curiosity to understand how a product works based on how people actually behave. Why spend time creating and maintaining test cases that specify exactly how to test when you can instead focus on the product’s actual functionality? That information can then be reported, and together with the team, we can identify which discrepancies need to be addressed.

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After graduation, Johanna started as a consultant at House of Test and got an assignment at mBlox in London. There, she was immediately thrown into the role of test lead, responsible for designing the test strategy and test plan for their product.

Johanna exudes a calm and confidence that can only come from years of experience in software testing.

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It’s easy to get caught up in the latest trends and platforms, but it’s important to limit yourself and focus on the right things. Otherwise, you risk getting lost in a jungle of choices. The key is to adapt quickly, she says.

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Her next assignment was at eBay in Berlin, where she commuted weekly and worked on testing the German version of the platform. Johanna reflects on how work culture and structures impact both the testing process and the results.

I prefer working in a group or organization with a flat structure. It should be possible to talk to my manager’s manager without causing concern or misunderstanding in the group. Sometimes, dialogues with different team members are needed to find the best way forward. If communication doesn’t work well, the process risks taking significantly longer to reach the goal.

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At Qlik, Johanna became part of a large team. She quickly noticed that the existing testing processes were not working optimally and suggested improvements to streamline work and increase business value. Since she was there on a parental leave replacement, her time ended before the changes were fully implemented. But when she returned a few years later, she saw that the process improvements had been implemented and were working very well.

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During her career, Johanna has also written user manuals for websites and taught developers at Newton. She emphasizes the importance of communication and collaboration within the team:

It can be sensitive for some developers when testers report discrepancies or bugs. Therefore, mutual respect and understanding are crucial. The role of testers is to find improvement opportunities and ensure the product functions optimally. When everyone shares this insight, the team can work toward the same goal.

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Now Johanna has been working as a consultant at Bosch for almost four years, and she is very happy with the team, culture, and leadership. She says: "When we stop creating new solutions and move into maintenance work, that’s when I know it’s time for me to leave."

Her team has received the "Innovation Award" for being the first in the market to launch new software.
"It’s always nice to be recognized for the work you do. Often, software testers are overshadowed, but this award was truly a result of teamwork," Johanna says.

Johanna currently works on testing the navigation systems for Bosch’s e-bikes. So if you see her speeding through the streets of Lund, it’s probably a test of the system’s functionality.

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If you also want a career in software testing, go to our career page Find out more about the roles we are looking for and what we offer!

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