Meet Fredric Test Engineer at Fortnox
Fredric is the student who dropped out of his university studies and became a developer but found his calling in testing. Today, he works as a Test Engineer on a team at Fortnox. He is exactly where he wants to be, and here he tells us why.
This is how we work with test
At Fortnox, software testers work in agile development teams, and participate throughout the process. They formulate and conduct tests in a service-oriented architecture, with a sharp focus on quality.
The usual types of tests carried out are API testing, performance testing, automated testing and manual/research testing, and there is tremendous scope for skills development. Fredric Johansson is one of our testers, and you can learn about his story here.
Fredric Johansson’s path to Fortnox is not a typical one, nor is it particularly unusual. There is more than one way to land in a role as Test Engineer at Fortnox. The keywords are commitment and interest.
- I studied computer technology and programming at Linnaeus University in Växjö with the intention of becoming a developer, but I missed working and started looking for jobs before I was finished. I landed in a position at Fortnox, but quickly realized that testing was what I really wanted to do. As luck would have it, there were opportunities at Fortnox to enter into a different role and now, as a Test Engineer, I feel that I have finally found my place, Fredric says.
"What happens if I press this button 1,000 times? I’m happy every time I manage to break something, because that means we can fix it and the user has an even better experience."
Fredric Johansson
Test Engineer
What drew Fredric to testing was not only a broader, quicker workflow but also a sharp focus on the question of why.
- I’ve always been interested in software, and always had an opinion on how all games are made and how web sites look. I’m fairly assiduous, I see details and always ask why I’m seeing what I’m seeing, and that’s a perfect starting point if you’re working with testing and quality, he says.
The fact that it dealt with finance and financial tech did not hurt, and working with a product – going deep and getting to know it well – suits him.
In his role as Test Engineer, Fredric is responsible for quality assurance of the team’s deliveries. The goal is a clear one, but Fredric chooses the path to get there himself. Sometimes it is just a simple test, other times a great deal of planning and advance tests in several steps are required.
- What happens if I press this button 1,000 times? I’m happy every time I manage to break something, because that means we can fix it and the user has an even better experience, Fredric says.
Bringing the user perspective along at every step is therefore important. Fredric says that it’s a matter of always asking questions. Is this intuitive? Does the user understand what they have to do? Is there a risk the user will make a mistake? In his work, he develops theories and tests them, and he knows that what he is doing increases the quality of the product and makes a difference.
But even though Fredric has his role and his area of responsibility, he is rarely alone and the boundaries are never absolute. The team is incredibly important. Everyone supports one another and actively participate in discussions, as well as in work tasks as needed.
- We’ve become very tight. It’s not ‘us’ and ‘them’, it’s just ‘us’. And the fact that our competence is broad, and that we can support one another at various stages when needed, not only creates a sense of security but also provides variation and opportunities for development. That’s a bonus.
Being able to grow in his role is a key driver for Fredric, and it is managed well at Fortnox.
Skills development is a natural part of the job. Fredric has already completed a Scrum Master course and is now taking a course in accounting; there may be another programming course later on. All courses are parts of what make him better at his job, and can be implemented immediately in his work day. And if he wants to try another product, there are tremendous opportunities for internal mobility at the company – but leaving the team? No, probably not.
- I think testing is the best job in the world. I get on very well with my team and Fortnox is a fantastic employer, so I’ll stay as long as I keep moving forward. Provided the curve keeps going up, I could stay here forever, Fredric concludes.
Det är okej att lära sig längs med vägen. Man jobbar lite utanför sina roller och det gör att man lär sig mer. Och när många människor hela tiden lär sig lite mer – ja, då lär ju sig bolaget mycket mer. Snabbt.
Idén om att det var just Fortnox han ville till mognade fram. Först hörde han en kollega prata om bolaget: “Det där, det var en spännande arbetsplats!”
Här är det viktigaste det som finns under huven, så att säga. Det som varje person levererar och bidrar med. Hur man tillsammans tar saker till nästa nivå. Och nästa. Och nästa.