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Building a culture of quality: meet our QA Manager

With a passion for technology and years of experience in quality assurance, our QA Manager Edyta is shaping how we deliver excellence at Epinova. From defining processes to creating innovative solutions, discover how her dedication to quality and collaboration drives success across our projects.

Edyta Kalarus

From childhood curiosity to a career in Quality Assurance

My adventure with computers began as a child when curiosity about how a computer is built always ended up with taking it apart. After high school with an IT profile, I graduated from the Cracow University of Technology with two degrees in Computer Science.

I gained my first experience in software quality by testing web banking applications. My aim at that time was to work in the most popular web portal in Poland, which I managed to achieve working as a Software Tester. My next goal was to work in an international environment where, over the last 12 years, I went through the entire testing evolution starting from manual testing, automation and managing QA teams.

Why Epinova was the perfect fit for me

There comes a point when you want to move on. But you wonder what the next step will be, which company to choose, what kind of people I will work with. When I got the offer to take part in the recruitment for Epinova I did not hesitate for a moment. The job and role description was very interesting to me. The opportunity to use my know-how and experience to improve quality processes is incentive. Throughout the interviews I met great people who assured me it is the right choice. 

Building a culture of quality at Epinova

My role is Quality Assurance Manager, since it was a new role at the company when I started 2024 part of the role was to build this capability including a team at Epinova. Quality assurance ensures that products consistently meet customer expectations. Early testing is crucial because they guarantee that a product will perform as expected in various conditions and prevent costly defects. Today, I can say that it was exactly what I was looking for – I can decide on the shape of processes, create procedures, and support the project teams. 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.

The vital role of Quality Assurance

The principal goal of testing is to ensure that users will not be negatively affected by any crucial issue. By setting clear quality goals, defining criteria, and implementing testing activities, we can ensure that our products are of high quality, reliable, and efficient. Quality Assurance is a mindset – building quality from the very beginning, from the idea, through implementation, to the final product. 

two persons working at a desk and computer screen

The tools that keep quality at the forefront

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

What do you like most about your job?

I love the great atmosphere and the people, who are always smiling and helpful. It really gives me 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 quality culture, which translates into creating high-quality products.

A day in the life of a QA Manager

Every day is a little different because I am involved in many projects and building processes within the company. That's why I start each week by setting priorities and preparing a plan. For me, planning is key – 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 mindset about work and the quality that I strive to implement in every aspect of projects.

My most rewarding projects

I think two projects are particularly interesting. The first is AI Assistant for Optimizely, Epinova's proprietary project, which is an add-on to Optimizely. It allows for generating page summaries, translations, and alt-texts using AI, which significantly facilitates work, especially in the context of accessibility. The second is the 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 QA standards and appropriate practices into the team maintaining the service. It was a big challenge, but today the project runs smoothly, following the QA process, and the cooperation with the client is going great.

If you describe Epinova in three words, what would it be?

I would say family, trust, and innovation. A family atmosphere, mutual trust, and the creation of innovative products – this best describes my experiences at Epinova.

Finding joy in family and creativity

I spend a lot of time with my family. We like nature, mountains, beach and water. In bad weather we play board games for hours. When I want to flush my mind I crochet, cooking or paint with pastels.

Edyta with her family in front of a waterfall

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We have some of Sweden's nicest employees with us at Epinova. Read what they think about working with us and why you as a customer should choose us as a partner.