Tom Harris
About Tom Harris
Tom Harris is a Software Process Engineer with extensive experience in software quality assurance and process improvement. He has held various leadership roles at Cisco and other organizations, focusing on Agile methodologies and enhancing productivity in software development.
Work at Ribbon Communications
Tom Harris has been employed at Ribbon Communications as a Software Process Engineer since 2020. In this role, he focuses on enhancing software development processes and ensuring compliance with established standards. He designs and deploys key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure performance and improve overall project outcomes. His responsibilities include guiding software development managers to enhance productivity and quality while promoting security practices across various departments.
Education and Expertise
Tom Harris holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from Swarthmore College. He has also studied at David Yellin Academic College, where he achieved qualifications from the Hofen Institute for Experimental Education. Additionally, he participated in programs at GNT NGO and Power of Balance at Vertigo Eco-Art Village, focusing on integrated education and dance teaching methodologies. His educational background supports his expertise in software process engineering and Agile methodologies.
Background in Engineering and Software Development
Tom Harris has a diverse background in engineering and software development, with significant experience in various roles. He began his career as an Electronics Engineer at the National Library of Medicine from 1983 to 1987. He later worked at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Cisco in multiple capacities, including Software Testing Group Leader and Agile Transformation Group Leader. His extensive experience spans over three decades, contributing to his knowledge in software quality assurance and process improvement.
Achievements in Software Quality Assurance
Throughout his career, Tom Harris has made notable contributions to software quality assurance. He served as Software QA Manager at INEX TECH from 2015 to 2018 and held various positions at Cisco, including Code Quality Staff Engineer and Process Improvement Staff Engineer. His work involved designing decision-oriented status reports, establishing clear definitions of done for projects, and conducting internal audits to discover improvement opportunities. He has also coached integrated software teams in Agile Scrum practices.
Mentorship and Coaching Experience
Tom Harris has been actively involved in mentorship and coaching since 2006 at Talk About Quality. He mentors teams in lessons-learned and risk management practices, helping them navigate project challenges. His coaching extends to training Product Managers in effective product prioritization and focus. He also guides software development managers in enhancing team productivity and removing obstacles to success, emphasizing the importance of security practices across development and delivery processes.