Introduction

In this project, we worked in a mixed team of about 10 members within a 150–200 person product development division of a multinational company. The focus was on a B2B streaming platform, primarily built using cloud technologies. Our role included serving as the dedicated QA for the web component of one of the sub-products.

The Story

The company’s product was primarily built using in-house solutions, but the need emerged for a more complex interactive module to complement the streaming service. Initially envisioned as a chat feature, the module’s scope expanded over time, and integrating a third-party solution became the preferred approach over continuing internal development.

The integration project lasted approximately six months and operated under a strict go-live deadline. A task-force team of 20–25 members was assembled from various departments, including project and product management and engineering leadership, to drive the initiative forward.

We followed an agile methodology throughout the project. The backend was developed in PHP, the frontend in React, and Selenium was used for test automation in JavaScript.

The Challenge 

A major challenge in the project was managing communication and tracking constantly evolving requirements across a large team. Since we relied on third-party software, many individual needs had to be integrated into their solution. This led to initial instability, but we addressed it through frequent synchronization meetings and meticulous documentation to ensure no detail was overlooked.

Given the tight deadline, we focused on optimizing workflows, including minimizing unnecessary meetings to reduce context switching. Another challenge was testing in unstable environments. To manage this, we established clear deployment processes, assigned responsible team members for specific environments, and ensured all anomalies were captured and prioritized immediately.

To make the most of limited time, we adopted a risk-based testing approach. We identified potential risks early through stakeholder discussions and prioritized actions accordingly. A traceability matrix was created to efficiently document testing progress.

Technology and Methodology
The early stages of the project were particularly dynamic due to the many moving parts. As processes became more structured, they helped mitigate challenges, though unresolved issues toward the end introduced additional tension. Despite this, we continued to make steady progress, even when facing pressure around demos and milestones.

The Results

The project was successful. Despite the challenges, the team managed to meet expectations by the end, even though some follow-up work was still required. From our perspective in leading the QA, this was an immense learning experience. We were responsible for everything from test planning to developing approaches and methods, while also carrying out regular execution tasks. The experience strengthened our ability to manage quality across complex, cross-functional collaboration.