Introducing the Visual Studio ALM Rangers – Doug Owens

Who you are?

I have been a generalist in the application development domain for my entire career. I’ve been a developer, tester, project manager, business analyst, DBA, and data modeler… always with a slash (/). Although not a developer of recent vintage, I identify most closely with developers. In my current job with Microsoft as a Test Strategy Consultant, that identification drifts toward tester every day.

In real life, my primary role is husband and father of two teenage boys. At 6’6”, I just might be the tallest Ranger J.

What makes you “tick”?

Two things… helping people in their jobs and education.

In an internship during college, I vividly remember helping transition a near-retirement office admin from being afraid to touch the keyboard to be proficient and unafraid to use her computer. That has stuck with me through all the years – there is nothing more that I like than seeing someone “get it”… whatever “it” is.

Closely related is education (knowledge transfer, mentoring). For me, almost every work situation, at some point, involves a healthy dose of education. Probably the engagements I enjoy most are DPS (Deployment Planning Services) engagements, as I get to work with organizations just starting out with TFS and who are needing LOTS of education.

Where you live?

Currently, St. Louis MO USA… also home of the St. Louis Cardinals, who are a big part of my non-work life. My wife and I are facing an empty nest around 2020 or so and are looking forward to searching out other places to call home.

Why are you active in the Rangers program?

For me, the Rangers are a unique, world-class group of individuals with goals that directly align with my professional goals. So the mission is a big part, but so is wanting to “be known by the company you keep”.

What is the best Rangers project you worked in and why?

I’ve contributed in a behind-the-scenes capacity (i.e. reviewer) to a small number of Rangers efforts and am currently seeking the opportunity to become more active and front-and-center. That said, I am in the midst of delivering a series (the ALM Readiness Series) internally within Microsoft geared toward the department I work in, but broadcast widely within Microsoft. The series is doing a lot of the 100-200 level topics that, IMO, can benefit a lot of roles within Microsoft. The recordings of my series can be found in source control on the Rangers’ VSO site. Given the support I’ve had from the Rangers in promoting the series, I consider it minimally a project in the Rangers spirit, and perhaps even a pseudo-Rangers project.

This post is part of an ongoing series of Rangers introductions. SeeRanger Index (Who is Who?)for more details.

Comments

• Anonymous
  February 25, 2015
  Welcome, Doug!