The Problem
Joined multiple companies (TON, Entangle) during high-risk periods with zero QA processes, no documentation, no automation, and releases shipping without testing.
My Approach
Built everything from scratch: team structure, ceremonies, documentation system, test strategy, and a metrics-driven culture. Focused on quick wins first, then systematic improvement.
Phase 1: First 2 Weeks — Assessment & Quick Wins
Map all active projects, identify highest-risk areas, set up basic smoke test suite for the most critical flow. Establish daily standup (async-first via Slack for distributed teams). Create a shared Notion workspace with bug report templates.
Phase 2: Month 1 — Foundation
Write the Test Strategy document: scope, approach, environments, tools, team structure. Set up CI pipeline with basic smoke tests. Introduce structured 1:1s with each engineer — assess skills, set growth plans. Create onboarding playbook for future hires.
Phase 3: Month 2-3 — Scale
Build automation framework (Playwright + TypeScript). Implement TestOps (Allure) for reporting. Launch bi-weekly knowledge sharing workshops. Introduce QA metrics dashboard: bug escape rate, coverage %, cycle time. Establish release readiness checklist.
Team Ceremony Framework
// Team structure I implement at every company
Daily: Async standup (Slack bot) — Blockers → Done → Today
Weekly: QA sync (30min) — metrics review, blockers, planning
Bi-weekly: 1:1s with each engineer — growth, feedback, OKRs
Bi-weekly: Knowledge sharing workshop — rotating presenters
Sprint: QA planning — test effort estimation, automation candidates
Monthly: Quality report to stakeholders — trends, risks, wins
// OKR Example (Team Level)
Objective: Ship with confidence — zero critical bugs in prod
KR1: Bug escape rate < 5%
KR2: 80% automation coverage for critical paths
KR3: Average test suite run < 15 minutes