Interview with Edyta, Quality Assurance Manager

Łukasz: Hi Edyta, please tell us about your professional career.

Edyta: I have been working in Quality Assurance for over 15 years. I always place great importance on quality, both at work and in other aspects of life. I think my traits, such as precision and accuracy, allow me to carry out projects and tasks with attention to the smallest details. Sometimes this can be a disadvantage, especially when it comes to daily household chores, which take more time because of it. Nevertheless, I believe that precision is mainly an advantage.

Since May 2024, I have been working as a Quality Manager in the Swedish Epinova team. After work, I divide my time between family and my passions. I am largely self-taught - if something interests me, I try to delve into the topic until I reach a satisfactory level. For example, I taught myself to paint with pastels, crochet, and bake perfect cakes - all of which I mastered on my own.

What prompted you to join our company?

Edyta: For 12 years, I worked in one of the largest corporations in the world. Working there required adapting to imposed methods, technologies, and processes. Implementing changes was difficult and required the involvement of many people, often ending in failure.

When I decided to take the next step in my career, I knew I didn't want to return to a corporation. The role of Quality Manager at Epinova, which involves building QA processes and standards from scratch, seemed both exciting and challenging to me. Today I can say that it was exactly what I was looking for - I can decide on the shape of the processes, create procedures, and support the team.

What are your experiences working in a team on projects?

Edyta: Only positive! My role involves a big challenge - I am changing the way the entire company works, introducing new procedures and QA standards from the very beginning of each project. This also means changing work habits, which is a difficult task.

Everyone in the company is involved in building quality, which is a huge support for me. We also work directly with clients, which allows us to continuously adapt processes to their needs.

I remember my first days at Epinova very well - I spent them at the office in Stockholm, where I could meet the team in person and understand the Scandinavian work culture.

You mentioned that your work involves changing habits and routines. That's a very difficult task. People rarely change their habits unless they have a strong incentive. How do you deal with that?

Edyta: It's not easy, but I think my traits, such as precision and good organization, help me. I am introducing the concept of Quality Assurance as a holistic approach, not just testing. I try to find a common language with the teams but also ensure that our goals are aligned.

Quality assurance is a way of thinking - building quality from the very beginning, from the idea, through implementation, to the final product.

Step by step, I work with teams on changing the approach, showing the benefits of working according to the QA process. It convinces them that thanks to small changes, work becomes easier and more efficient.

What do you like most about your job?

Edyta: I love the great atmosphere and the people who are always smiling and helpful. It really adds energy. I also like the Scandinavian work culture, based on trust, equality, and teamwork. The company's successes, such as winning the Optimizely Platinum Partner and Optimizely One Partner of the Year awards, show how effectively we work together. I have the opportunity to fulfill myself by building a culture of quality, which translates into creating high-quality products.

That's amazing. You mentioned the Scandinavian work culture - autonomy, trust, and partnership. Would you like to talk about the tools you use?

Edyta: We use many testing tools, but I would like to highlight two. The first is Cypress - I'm just starting to work with it, but it's very promising. The second is Percy.io - a visual testing tool that compares pages before and after changes are made. For test management, we use Azure DevOps, which is extremely versatile. Personally, I also love Excel - I use it for everything, both at work and in my personal life.

What does your typical day or week at work look like? Do you have any routines that help you stay productive?

Edyta: Every day looks a bit different because I handle many projects and build processes in the company. That's why I start each week by setting priorities and preparing a plan. For me, planning is fundamental - it helps me stay organized and efficient. I even have a saying that I often repeat: "A goal without a plan is just a wish."

I also have a favorite motto: "Quality is not an act, it is a habit." This sentence perfectly reflects my approach to work and the quality I strive to implement in every aspect of projects.

What are your plans for the future? Do you plan to make any changes in 2025 to lighten your workload?

Edyta: We definitely plan to expand the team. We are analyzing whether it's better to hire a manual tester or an automated one who would also perform some manual tests. In the long run, it's inevitable - handling everything alone would require two full-time positions!

Which of your projects so far has been your favorite?

Edyta: I think two projects are particularly interesting. The first is AI Assistance, Epinova's proprietary project, which is an add-on to Optimizely. It allows for generating page summaries, translations, and alt-texts using AI, which greatly facilitates work, especially in the context of accessibility.

The second is a project for Elite Hotels - a new service based on Optimizely DXP. I joined the team when the service was already in production, and my task was to implement standards and appropriate QA practices for the team maintaining the service. It was a big challenge, but today the project runs smoothly, in accordance with the QA process, and the cooperation with the client is going great.

If you had to choose three words that best describe the work atmosphere, what would they be?

Edyta: I would say in English: family, trust, and innovation. A family atmosphere, mutual trust, and creating innovative products - this best describes my experiences at Epinova.