Women Behind Betabound: Aleksandra Czajka
Last week, we annnounced our Women Behind Betabound series with an analysis of the growing impact of women in tech. To kick things off, we spoke with Aleksandra Czajka, Senior Software Engineer at Fluidity, about Betabound, the importance of beta testers, and some of the stereotypes surrounding female testers.
Growing up, Aleksandra’s love of science introduced her to the art of coding, which she then studied in college. As of today, she has been involved with product development for seventeen years (and counting). Naturally, we were excited to sit down with this accomplished individual and hear her insights and experiences regarding women and tech — particularly from a product developer’s perspective.
Q: Why is beta testing an important process, and how does Betabound fit in?
A: Beta testing allows me to connect with my potential customers from the beginning. With our product, we took an interactive approach to its build — as opposed to building what our team may have thought our customers wanted. In other words, we really tried to hear from our potential customers as soon as possible so we could input as much of their feedback into our product. Announcing [our beta test] on Betabound gave me the ability to talk to those potential customers and have them be a part of that iterative process. Plus, announcing on Betabound was easy, the community was friendly, and the free cost let us adhere to our more bootstrapped goals.
Q: As a developer, what about women makes them good beta testers?
A: Women are very detail-oriented. They notice a lot of peripheral things and tiny details. Because of that, women don’t follow a mainstream path of, “Does this product work or doesn’t it?” Instead, women tend to closely observe all possible outcomes regarding bugs, color schemes, language, and overall usability. In testing, that attention to detail is everything! In my experiences, women tend to avoid getting caught up in bug hunting competitions (for example) and prefer to focus on smaller, often overlooked ideas or issues that can have a huge impact on a product’s success.
Q: Do you think tech is playing an increasingly important role in women’s lives? If so, how is beta testing affecting the quality of those products?
A: Technology is definitely playing a more important role in women’s lives through women’s increasing willingness to learn coding and business tactics within the tech space. The sense of fulfillment women get from developing these skills is giving them the necessary confidence to make their mark in the tech world. Developers can’t test their own products, just like writers can’t proofread their own work. Beta testing is not only a necessary part of product development, but it’s a space women are increasingly involved within to share their feedback regarding the products they use everyday. Plus, beta testing is a necessary piece within the grander puzzle of where women are going in tech as a whole.
Q: As a professional developer, What’s the biggest stereotype about female beta testers you’ve encountered?
A: I’ve heard women are going to “miss something because they aren’t reliable”. Unfortunately, such stereotypes arise from assumptions rather than the realities of great performances from females in beta tests. I’ve done some freelance work as well, and I’m often having to convince male clients why they should recruit female testers, rather than their involvement being obvious from the get-go.
Q: What are some pieces of advice you have for beta testers?
A: Trust your gut by listening to your intuition. If you think you’ve come across a bug or that an app could be navigated using one less click, then share that information with the product’s development team. Also, try to break the product! Not literally, of course, but don’t be afraid of fully explore all its features. My clients think beta testing is a chance to see if the product works, when in reality, it’s an opportunity to pinpoint what doesn’t work. Part of being selected as a tester for a product is earning the trust of that product’s development team that you will use their product to the best of your abilities.
According to Aleksandra, “Once women gain the confidence to fully immerse and identify themselves within the tech space, other women will follow suit. It’s not hard to fix a problem when women are equally supported to feel confident within an industry they’re already passionate about.” Aleksandra is incredibly accomplished, intelligent, and thoughtful in her observations on women’s role in the beta testing landscape. If you have any questions or comments for her, feel free to leave them in the comments section below or email us at hello@betabound.com.