Beyond Bugs: How QA Builds Trust at Scalable. Interview with Kirill, Head of QA

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Ever thought QA was just about clicking through test cases? There’s a lot more to it. At Scalable, QA is about building trust, asking sharp questions, and shaping how products are made — from idea to release.

We sat down with Kirill, our Head of QA, to explore how the team works, what they’ve achieved, and what makes a great QA mindset.

Meet Kirill Markidonov, Head of QA

Before leading QA, I worked as a programmer. I wrote in PHP, JS, C++ QT, Java, and Python, and also explored deployment and Windows administration. When the team needed someone to focus on testing, I stepped in and discovered a new passion.
Later, I led a development team and worked part-time as an analyst. That blend of experiences gradually pulled me toward management.

Over the years, I’ve tested spacecraft systems, online booking platforms, and trading tools. Now I work on the exchange side. I thrive on structure and clarity. I believe you can’t solve problems in chaos, and problem-solving is my favorite part of the job. I'm a big fan of the kaizen mindset — small, constant improvements that create lasting impact.

Outside of work, I’m into long-distance running (my personal best is 63 km in Cappadocia), board games (MTG forever), and my poodle named Cerberus.

Fun fact: I have a tattoo that says “In bugs quality we trust.”

What does the QA team do at Scalable?

At Scalable, QA isn’t just about finding bugs, and it’s definitely not about “breaking things.”

Our mission is to build trust in every release by balancing speed, test coverage, and risk management.

We get involved early, even before the first line of code is written. During feature discussions, we ask the right questions, clarify requirements, assess risks, and design test cases. We think through edge cases from the start.

We also help shape team processes and rhythm because quality is a shared responsibility across the whole team and the entire company.

Key achievements we’re proud of

Over the past year, we’ve achieved a lot. Here’s what we’re especially proud of:

Built automation that works.
From a handful of tests to thousands of automated checks covering UI, API, integrations, and end-to-end flows. They run nightly, catch bugs before regressions start, and save hundreds of hours of manual work.

Improved testing speed.
In some teams, regression time dropped by 30%. In others, it went from two hours to just 20 minutes. We improved test stability and automated repetitive tasks.

Brought order to chaos.
Some projects had zero tests or processes. Now they have nightly runs, metrics, automation, and confidence in every release.

Kept delivering through change.
Even with shifting priorities and team changes, we maintained quality and shipped key features.

What’s the culture like in the QA team?

Our QA specialists are embedded across different product teams but connected through shared expertise. Most of us collaborate more with cross-functional teammates than with other QAs day to day, so our internal QA community is especially important.

We stay in touch through our cozy Slack channel where we share insights, troubleshoot together, and support one another.

Every month, we host a QA Tea Party — a one-hour session where we share challenges, exchange insights and updates, brainstorm, and learn from each other. And every Friday is MemeFriday, where we trade QA and IT memes. Because in our work, humor is essential.

How we work

Most of our teams use Kanban, focusing on a steady, continuous flow of tasks rather than fixed-length delivery cycles.

Our go-to tools include Jira, Allure, and GitLab. We work primarily with Python and Pytest, and we’re moving from Selenium to Playwright for browser automation.

We follow a shift-left approach, catching issues as early as possible.

In some teams, testing is fully automated, with tests included in the Definition of Done. In others, acceptance testing is done manually, while automation handles regression.

We document bugs and make sure they don’t get forgotten. Developers also test their own code so testers can focus on higher-level quality instead of chasing obvious bugs.

What makes someone a great QA specialist?

Great QAs are curious thinkers with a strong sense of perfection and responsibility. They ask “What if?” and explore the answers thoroughly.

What we look for:

• Strong test design skills and the judgment to know when to apply them
• Understanding of client-server architecture
• Python automation basics and the ability to read others’ code
• Confidence in using the console
• Clear, calm communication, curiosity, and attention to detail

Great QAs don’t just check if a feature works. They ask whether it solves the right problem. They know how to dig deep and explain what they find clearly.

Advice for newcomers: Ask questions early and often. And remember — a bug isn’t a failure. It’s a chance to improve the product and make users happier.

One myth about QA you'd like to bust?

“QA is just clicking around until something breaks.” Not quite.
A good QA is part analyst, part critic, part detective, and just a little bit of a magician.

Thinking like us?

If QA for you means thinking ahead, solving problems early, and helping shape the whole product, we’d love to hear from you. Explore our open roles and help us build products users trust.