Hannah Kumah speaks to us about her role in the technology sector and shares her thoughts on Women in Tech Africa, taking place 18th-19th March in Cape Town.
Hannah Kumah, CTFL, is a certified software tester from the ASTQB with over 5 years’ experience. She is the Senior QA Engineer of Viamo Technologies, a social enterprise that uses mobile solutions to cause change in people’s lives. Hannah is also the CEO of TestHub, the premier results-based testing marketplace that creates awareness on the demand for software testing and supplies the skill for it.
Additionally, Hannah is a member of Women TechMakers, IIPGH, and Women in Tech Africa and runs THE Microscope, TestHub’s test review blog. Hannah has spoken at BarCamp and mentored young girls into IT roles.
She will be sharing her wisdom in a workshop entitled 'Building And Scaling Quality, Reliable Apps in Africa' on 18th March at 12:40. Hannah will teach attendees how to open up their market, increase their revenue and build a wider, and more loyal, customer base by paying attention to the technical applications of quality.
There's still tickets available, book now!
We caught up with Hannah ahead of the conference, here's what she had to say.
Why have you decided to get involved with Women in Tech Africa?
Women are inherently creative and we need more of this ingenuity in tech. We can do so much in the tech space, as is evident from the amazing work of women across the world, and I hope to inspire others as I have been inspired.
What are you speaking about at Women in Tech Africa?
I am speaking/leading a workshop on Building and Scaling Quality, Reliable Apps Across Africa. This session has become crucial in recent years as software technology has been making great strides across the African continent, with apps being used to help in all sectors. This includes Health, Finance, Agriculture and Governance.
The need to satisfy our customer and ensure that the specific requirements are done as expected and done well, however, is still lacking. Most software development companies are more concerned about deadlines rather than quality and, in the end, their brand/business suffers. My session will open up on the importance of Quality Assurance in development: the balance it brings to tech and the role it plays in technology to disrupt the norm.
What are you most looking forward to at Women in Tech Africa?
The opportunity to learn, share and network. It is a joy to find so many women gathered at one place talking technology and discussing ways to create impact and move the world forward through technology.
Who is your female tech inspiration? What have they done and why do they inspire you?
Dorothy K. Gordon, former Director General of the Ghana Advanced Information Technology Institute - Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence (AITI-KACE) and previously a Systems Analyst at NIIT.
Dorothy inspired me while at secondary school as the AITI-KACE introduced a program, I Too Can Program (i2CAP) where coding was taught at computer clubs and I was introduced to programming for the first time. It was quite an experience.
After completing my secondary (senior high school) education, I was given a scholarship at NIIT to learn a course following placing second in an IT quiz for secondary schools where I represented my school. And, as per my curious nature, I searched the school’s website and found there was only one woman among scores of men, their Systems Analyst! I was so intrigued and decided I would be like her. I started reading on about what being a Systems Analyst meant and found out that I needed a degree in Computer Science. It has been a great ride ever since!
Are you working on anything exciting at the moment that you’d like to share with our readers?
Yes, I have started a project to create awareness on Quality Assurance through TestHub, a startup that provides results-based testing services, in addition to training people to be Certified Testers.
Through TestHub, I have spoken at BarCamps and IIPGH’s Tech Entrepreneurs Forum to create awareness for Quality Assurance. I also have a test review blog THE Microscope where I review apps made for the Ghanaian community.
What advice would you give to women who want to pursue a career in tech?
Go all out and learn. There is great awareness about females in tech now and a lot more people to contact and learn from. This is a brilliant time to start. Explore, find your passion and go get it!
Interested in mastering the art of disruption like Hannah has?
Women in Tech Africa is taking place 18th – 19th March in Cape Town, South Africa. In addition to speeches and workshops, there will be a MEETUP stage so that attendees can converse with prominent tech innovators from across Africa on a range of subjects. This includes AI, cloud computing, blockchain, tech career paths and empowering female leadership in male-heavy industries.
There's still tickets available, book now!
