Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Accomplishments
Languages
Timeline
Generic
CALE MADHAVA WERAKE

CALE MADHAVA WERAKE

Burnaby,BC

Summary

Seasoned QA Professional with 14+ years at industry leaders like PWC, EA, Activision, and Lululemon. Expert in Agile and Waterfall methodologies, blending a passion for mentorship with a track record of elevating QA standards. Known for strategic leadership and a hands-on approach in diverse development environments.

Overview

18
18
years of professional experience

Work History

Quality Assurance Manager

PriceWaterhouseCoopers
03.2022 - Current
  • Developed comprehensive QA best practices documentation, adopted across PWC Canada, standardizing quality assurance processes and enhancing overall testing efficiency
  • Designed intuitive project dashboards, enabling easy monitoring of project health and facilitating clear communication with stakeholders and project managers
  • Led and coordinated diverse onshore, offshore, and vendor teams, ensuring seamless collaboration and high-quality deliverables
  • Created an AI Agent through Copilot Studio for the organization to use across Canada.
  • Efficiently managed multiple projects with varying requirements, ensuring timely delivery and adherence to quality standards
  • Actively collaborated with stakeholders to validate project requirements and demonstrate effective testing methodologies
  • Developed and delivered insightful presentations to director-level executives, showcasing team efficiency and output
  • Collaborated with UAT testing teams to ensure accuracy and reliability of test data
  • Spearheaded the recruitment process, crafting detailed job descriptions and selecting top talent for the QA team
  • Optimized testing processes by implementing a tiered approach and advocating for the automation of repetitive tests, significantly enhancing team efficiency and productivity

Quality Assurance Team Lead

Precision OS
03.2021 - 03.2022
  • Pioneered the company's QA processes as the first Quality Assurance Lead, establishing a robust framework from the ground up
  • Strategically hired and adeptly managed both internal and external QA teams, fostering a high-performance testing environment
  • Developed a personnel management system that balanced accountability with growth, leveraging coaching and management principles to enhance team performance
  • Championed the integration of test, development, and product teams, promoting cross-disciplinary cooperation and streamlined project execution
  • Advocated for the test team's work-life balance, successfully negotiating with leadership to maintain a 40-hour workweek
  • Oversaw the QA budget for both internal and external testers, devising a strategic two-year growth plan to optimize resources and team capabilities

Quality Assurance Consultant

Habanero Consulting Group
05.2018 - 03.2021
  • Spearheaded the QA process for the Suncor customer website, overseeing all phases from initial conception to successful production release
  • Strategically coordinated QA strategies, aligning both client and in-house QA teams for optimal testing efficacy
  • Collaborated with internal and external teams to develop and implement effective testing solutions, ensuring high-quality outcomes
  • Took charge of the GTAA website's QA processes mid-development, significantly enhancing release quality leading up to the final production deployment
  • Instrumental in creating the Service Now proof of concept for internal HR, conducting customer interviews to inform development
  • This POC later became a successful offering at Habanero
  • Managed comprehensive QA for various projects including Sitecore, SharePoint, Teams, and SharePoint Modern, ensuring top-tier quality across platforms
  • Active participant in Habanero's coaching program, mentoring three employees and contributing to their professional development and growth

Quality Assurance Team Lead

Lululemon
02.2017 - 02.2018
  • Significantly enhanced the productivity of both offshore and in-house contract testers through the implementation of improved documentation practices and more stringent deadlines
  • Expertly coordinated and communicated with global testing teams across India, Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco, ensuring synchronised efforts and consistent quality
  • Developed a detailed monthly budget report for ShopApp, providing clear insights into cost versus output for informed decision-making by the Director
  • Played a pivotal role in reducing annual manual QA costs from $365k to $70k by strategically shifting focus to API and UI automation
  • Established live feed updates to keep managers informed of ongoing testing activities across geographically dispersed QA teams
  • Curated a comprehensive QA section in Confluence, centralizing all QA-related documentation such as test accounts, procedures, devices, and strategies for upcoming features
  • Transitioned all QA documentation to TestRail, fostering a unified and accessible environment for various departments including back-end teams, contractors, and in-house QA
  • Provided critical input on upcoming feature designs during the planning phase, contributing to the development of user-centric and quality-focused products

Quality Assurance Lead

Plenty of Fish Media
12.2015 - 01.2017
  • Efficiently managed multiple project workflows utilizing Agile methodologies and Jira Boards, ensuring timely and organized project progression
  • Instrumental in enhancing the QA department's effectiveness by advocating for earlier integration of QA in the development process, streamlining testing and development alignment
  • Initiated a cross-departmental dialogue on quality, leading to the establishment of a collaborative tech grooming process involving Developers, Product Managers, QA Testers, and Designers
  • Led the training and mentoring of the QA Team in advanced testing methodologies and product knowledge, developing comprehensive training materials
  • Championed the development of a QA environment utilizing the production database, ensuring testing scenarios accurately reflect the public-facing environment
  • Boosted QA Team efficiency by streamlining request management through a dedicated Jira project, enhancing organization and prioritization
  • Established a Confluence space dedicated to cataloguing production-level bugs, facilitating proactive problem resolution and integration into future testing workflows
  • Implemented key metrics like Defect Driven Percentage (DDP) to quantitatively assess QA Team effectiveness and product health
  • Actively advocated for the QA Team's needs, including equipment and personnel, in discussions with upper management, ensuring optimal team resources
  • Conducted strategic meetings with Department Heads to refine the release process and address inefficiencies in workflows, enhancing overall operational effectiveness

Senior Quality Assurance Tester

Plenty of Fish Media
03.2012 - 12.2015
  • Devised and implemented a critical path methodology for the entire Plenty of Fish product catalogue, spanning multiple platforms
  • Developed enduring test plans that continue to be a standard practice
  • Conducted thorough testing of analytic calls, and meticulously verified user experiments and split tests, ensuring data accuracy and reliability
  • Specialized in both Greybox and Whitebox testing for mobile applications and web platforms, ensuring comprehensive coverage and quality assurance
  • Effectively communicated with Senior Management, Product, and Development teams to ensure seamless execution of deliverables
  • Contributed innovative concepts that were successfully integrated into the overall product rollout, demonstrating creative and strategic thinking
  • Provided expert consultation on automated testing strategies and authored feature files in Gherkin, enhancing testing efficiency and accuracy

QA Tester (contract)

Radical Entertainment
11.2011 - 02.2012
  • Entrusted with testing critical and unique areas of the game, recognized for meticulous and thorough testing methodologies
  • Executed comprehensive test plans for Xbox 360 and PS3 platforms, ensuring thorough coverage and game integrity
  • Efficiently logged bugs in Jira and skillfully reproduced issues for management review, facilitating prompt and effective resolutions
  • Played a key role in advancing the game title through critical milestones, including Beta and Final stages, through diligent testing and quality assurance

QA Tester (contract)

Electronic Arts
04.2010 - 10.2011
  • Collaborated with overseas teams in Hyderabad, India, to synchronise 24-hour test cycles, ensuring continuous and efficient testing operations
  • Conducted extensive test cases across diverse platforms including next-gen consoles, PC, and Mac, ensuring comprehensive quality assurance
  • Meticulously recorded detailed test data, providing valuable insights for quality assessment and improvement
  • Independently managed and implemented test cycles, demonstrating initiative and the ability to work autonomously in a dynamic environment
  • Reproduced identified bugs and effectively communicated these issues to the Development Teams, facilitating prompt and accurate resolutions

Hardware and Compatibility Lead (contract)

Volt Technical Resources
03.2007 - 07.2008
  • Led and coordinated a team of over 40 testers, overseeing operations and ensuring high standards of testing quality and efficiency
  • Facilitated seamless collaboration with Microsoft Development teams, coordinating test cases to align with development objectives and timelines
  • Developed comprehensive test cases derived from Microsoft's client documentation, ensuring thorough coverage and alignment with client requirements
  • Implemented overnight automated testing on hardware to rigorously assess durability, enhancing product reliability and performance

QA Functional Core Tester (contract)

Volt Technical Resources
03.2007 - 07.2008
  • Diligently executed test cases in line with management-defined criteria, ensuring compliance with specified testing standards and objectives
  • Contributed to the testing of top-tier titles, including the renowned 'Halo 3', demonstrating expertise in high-profile and complex gaming environments
  • Maintained meticulous records of test cases, ensuring detailed documentation and accurate tracking of testing progress and outcomes

Education

Certificate of Digital Product Management - Modern Fundamentals

University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA
01.2019

Bachelor of Media Arts - Film, Video and Integrated Media

Emily Carr University of Art and Design
Vancouver, BC
01.2011

Diploma in Film Production - undefined

Vancouver Film School
Vancouver, BC
01.2004

Associate of Arts - Digital Video Production

Bellevue College
Bellevue, WA
01.2003

Skills

  • Sprint planning
  • Python
  • Selenium
  • Automation scripts
  • Gen AI
  • Prompt engineering
  • QA tools
  • Jira
  • Confluence
  • Devtrak
  • Microsoft Ecosystem
  • Power BI
  • Teams
  • Azure DevOps
  • SharePoint
  • Leadership
  • QA teams
  • Offshore coordination
  • API testing
  • Analytics testing
  • Web testing
  • DB testing
  • Mobile applications
  • Computer hardware
  • Computer software
  • Operational budget forecasting
  • QA documentation
  • Trend analysis
  • Budget preparation
  • Operation Monitoring
  • Goals setting

Accomplishments

    PricewaterhouseCoopers
  • Standardized QA practices across PWC Canada by creating comprehensive best practices documentation.
  • Designed project dashboards for effective health monitoring and streamlined stakeholder communication.
  • Optimized testing processes through automation and a tiered approach, boosting team productivity.
  • Created a Copilot Agent for QAs within Canada that helped QA professionals from automation, performance testing and accessibility testing.
    • Habanero Consulting Group
  • Spearheaded QA for major projects like the Suncor and GTAA websites, ensuring high-quality production releases.
  • Created a Service Now proof of concept that became a successful internal HR offering.
  • Mentored three employees through a structured coaching program, contributing to their career development.
    • Lululemon
  • Reduced annual manual QA costs from $365k to $70k by shifting focus to API and UI automation.
  • Implemented unified documentation practices in TestRail and Confluence for improved collaboration.
  • Coordinated testing efforts across global teams in India, Seattle, and Portland, maintaining quality and efficiency.

Languages

English
Native or Bilingual

Timeline

Quality Assurance Manager

PriceWaterhouseCoopers
03.2022 - Current

Quality Assurance Team Lead

Precision OS
03.2021 - 03.2022

Quality Assurance Consultant

Habanero Consulting Group
05.2018 - 03.2021

Quality Assurance Team Lead

Lululemon
02.2017 - 02.2018

Quality Assurance Lead

Plenty of Fish Media
12.2015 - 01.2017

Senior Quality Assurance Tester

Plenty of Fish Media
03.2012 - 12.2015

QA Tester (contract)

Radical Entertainment
11.2011 - 02.2012

QA Tester (contract)

Electronic Arts
04.2010 - 10.2011

Hardware and Compatibility Lead (contract)

Volt Technical Resources
03.2007 - 07.2008

QA Functional Core Tester (contract)

Volt Technical Resources
03.2007 - 07.2008

Bachelor of Media Arts - Film, Video and Integrated Media

Emily Carr University of Art and Design

Diploma in Film Production - undefined

Vancouver Film School

Associate of Arts - Digital Video Production

Bellevue College

Certificate of Digital Product Management - Modern Fundamentals

University of Virginia

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CALE MADHAVA WERAKE