Hello there,
As we near the end of 2023, I sit back and reflect on it. It went pretty fast like every other year 🙂
2022 was a super busy year with many talks, blogs, and workshops. This year, I had to focus on multiple things and upskilling. So I had to invest time in learning, reading, spending quality time with my family, focusing on my health, etc. I love writing, and it’s always been my favorite space. I wrote many blogs this year too.
When I think about 2023, I can’t help but wonder about the beginning and the twists and turns that happened. This year is not just about testing, another year of learnings, failures, travels, giving back to the community, blogs, and so on. And yes, my love for API still grows, it will never fade.
Table Of Contents
Wins – Conquering New Horizons:
It might be a bit boring listing down my achievements, but this is not about bragging (maybe a little 😁) It is my self-reflection, and many pleasant memories surfaced while writing this blog. I hope the tales below inspire you rather than annoy you 😊
I am proud of many of my achievements, the most notable of which is that I traveled to the United States and presented at the Agile Testing Days conference. The audience loved my workshop, it’s about API Testing. I took my family along, and they were so proud of me and yes we had a wonderful holiday after the conference. The United States was always my dream, and when I got through the paper selection, I was most excited and glad I could make it to the conference.
In recognition of Women’s History Month, I am delighted to announce that I am listed among the top 100 women in technology to follow and learn from. This is a really inspiring and diverse list. I am honored to be included on this incredible list: https://lnkd.in/gT-kn3cc
I have been nominated for the Globant Awards 2023 under the “𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫” category ❤️
I traveled to a few conferences, and when I got invited to a Software Testing conference in Malaysia, I couldn’t expect anything more 🙂 How wonderful it is to be able to attend a fantastic conference from your location 😍
I presented on a topic about “Career Branding” to my fellow Billenials. They enjoyed the talk and many started to work on their branding and I am so elated to see the improvements after my talk. Isn’t that every speaker looks forward to? This one topic and this session, remain close to my ❤️
I am deeply honored to have received the prestigious “Best Test Leader” award by LambdaTest and I couldn’t be more grateful for this recognition. This award isn’t just about me; it’s about the incredible individuals whom I have had the pleasure of working with, the obstacles we’ve tackled together, and the unwavering support of mentors, my team, colleagues, and friends who have served as a guiding light ⚡
I celebrated four years with Billennium this September.
I am thrilled and deeply humbled to share that I am listed as one of the “Strong Women in IT 2023” by the Strong Women in IT community. This recognition means the world to me, and I am immensely grateful to everyone who has been a part of my journey ❤️ You can read the report here: https://lnkd.in/gJMQFsBY
AI is Everywhere, and this year there’s been a lot of hype around that topic. As a Tester, we need to learn about the tech and tools. So I dived deep and took many courses regarding AI and Machine Learning. I had a great time learning and that’s how the topic of “Prompt Engineering” picked my interest. The LLMs behind the AI systems are evolving. They might not be a replacement for humans, but they can assist you to SOME EXTENT. I realized that learning how to write efficient prompts makes a big change to the output from the AI Systems. So based on it, I gave a talk about it at this year’s TestFlix.
Fails – Embracing the Lessons:
Ah, yes you read it right. After seeing all the above achievements, did you think Pricilla’s life was perfect? Oh no my friend! Nothing is perfect.
This year, I encountered my fair share of failures and glitches that made me question my abilities. But with each failure came a valuable lesson. Yes, trust me.
On the work front, there were a lot of changes in the hierarchy, ways of working which were a bit stressful and needed to be more adaptive. We all survived though. Fortunately, I have a great team, they were very supportive and caring ❤️
I was handling a lot of mental struggle, which made me unfit to focus and hampered my concentration. And yes some health issues, which made me motivated to lose a few pounds. I feel much better now 😍 and gearing up for 2024!!
Biggest Learnings
As every year, 2023 gave and taught me so much.
In the ever-evolving world of software testing, the biggest learnings often extend beyond the lines of code. Testing is not just about finding bugs; it’s about building bridges between teams, fostering a culture of shared responsibility, and ensuring that the final product is usable. I learned the importance of usability and accessibility of the products, which made me learn and implement more about it.
Some things can wait, so no pressure. One at a time, and not overwhelm yourself. Even if not, it’s fine. I can be okay without knowing everything.
Sending off 2023!!
As the year comes to a close, I’m grateful for the victories, humbled by the failures, and inspired by the stories that molded my path. Reading about the layoffs and people losing jobs was so painful, and I am glad that I have a job and I love doing that ❤️ I tried to help many through my free mentoring classes, master classes, blogs, and talks.
It has been a journey of discovery, resilience, and the unwavering spirit of a software tester navigating the ever-evolving seas of technology.
A Message for 2024 – Embrace the Unknown
As we stand on the cusp of a new year, my wish for our testing community is to embrace the unknown with courage and curiosity. May your wins be plentiful, your failures be stepping stones to greatness, and your bug tales be stories that spark the imagination. Let’s continue to build bridges, share knowledge, and navigate the ever-shifting currents of technology with resilience and a pioneering spirit.
Here’s to a year of learning, resilience, upskilling, and the steadfast spirit of a tester navigating the ever-changing technological environment. Happy testing, and cheers to the limitless possibilities that lie ahead in the lines of code and beyond ❤️
