QA Sapper guide: Stable releases and controlled explosions
Marcin Pieprzowski
Ubisoft Kyiv, Software Test Project Manager
- When:
- 14.07.2022, 14:00–15:00
- Hall:
- Yellow Sea Hall (mix)
Imagine you are called in, there is a bomb that is going to explode very soon. It is huge, there is tension on a verge of panicking, you get into your bomb suit, you approach the the huge package, with the support of the team you establish a plan, you analyze all the risks, slowly execute and successfully disarm it. I was the sapper called in May 2020 for Ubisoft connect to disarm the risks and deliver stable release. This the story of how I did it.
What the talk is about
Marcin Pieprzowski describes how, in 2020, six months before launch, he joined Ubisoft Connect as a test project manager and secured a stable release, likening the job to defusing a bomb. First, know your QA team: hold one-on-ones, build a safe atmosphere where people admit mistakes, mentor them and shape the team structure to the project. Second, gather allies across departments, learn the tools and automation, and list every risk with a chosen response. Third, plan visually, maximize the value of testing, prioritize with the MoSCoW method, and send short daily reports with meaningful KPIs. He also covers hiring juniors when headcount was short, controlled explosions backed by communication plans, a release war room, and celebrating success. Useful for QA managers, leads and producers.