When Ondrej first applied to bart, he wanted to work in frontend development. Instead, he started as a tester and spent three years uncovering issues that aren’t obvious at first glance. Looking back, he sees it as the best possible start – one that taught him to understand products from both the user’s and the developer’s perspective. In this interview, he talks about staying calm in complex projects, the bug that made him laugh, and why good work means more than just code that runs.
Ondrej, how would you describe yourself?
Probably as a mix of easygoing and detail-oriented. I tend to stay calm, don’t panic, and try not to create unnecessary stress – for myself or others. At the same time, I care about getting things right, not just getting them done.
Does that show up in your work as well?
Definitely. It helps me stay focused even when things get more demanding, think in a structured way, and pay attention to details that can have a real impact.
How did you end up at bart.sk?
I kept hearing from people around me that bart is a great company with great people. At the time, there was an open position for students, so I decided to give it a shot. After a few quite demanding but very thorough interview rounds, I joined as a tester.
You’ve been here for more than three years now. Do you remember your beginnings?
Of course. My onboarding was guided mainly by our QA lead, who walked me through everything step by step. He introduced me to Crossuite – the product I was going to test – explained how the team works, and showed me best practices in both manual and automated testing.
From my second day, I was already writing automated tests, so I got into the project quite naturally. And whenever I got stuck, there was always someone willing to help.
What’s something you couldn’t imagine your workday without?
Probably Stano’s running commentary 😀 He sits right next to me and jumps into pretty much any topic – whether it’s work-related or not. It definitely keeps things entertaining.
You’re currently working as a tester. What do people usually think that means?
That I just click around in an app until something breaks. That might be true somewhere, but here the role is much broader. It includes writing automated tests and scenarios, and being part of the entire release process, where we test new features both manually and automatically.
So how would you explain the role of a tester?
To people outside IT, I usually say that a tester is responsible for product quality. That’s what QA – quality assurance – is about. We make sure the application works reliably, makes sense to users, and that issues are caught before anything reaches production.
Do you enjoy it?
I do – especially when I find something that isn’t obvious at all. Or when we catch an issue that could have caused serious problems in production. On the flip side, it can get repetitive when you’re testing the same functionality over and over, or when you’re chasing a bug that’s hard to reproduce.
What’s the most absurd bug you’ve seen?
Hard to describe, but this was happening 😀
In short – it was a new AI feature that summarizes patient records. A small loader was supposed to spin during processing, but in some cases, the entire window started spinning along with it. Definitely not something you want users to see 😀
What do you like to do outside of work?
The best way for me to switch off is movement – going to the gym or just getting out for a walk. Anything that takes me away from the screen.
I also enjoy exploring the world, especially less typical destinations. I like reading about different cultures, interesting places, and things that aren’t exactly mainstream. It’s a bit like travelling before the actual trip.
For example?
I don’t have one specific country. I’m drawn to places that feel very different from what we’re used to – often less developed or even risky – yet people there live their lives and find their own kind of happiness.
Speaking of that – what matters most to you in life?
Balance. And feeling that I’m living fully outside of work as well. And of course, the people close to me and the time we spend together.
Can you imagine doing something completely different from IT?
Maybe something in construction. I’ve always liked seeing tangible results – something that gradually takes shape and has a clear outcome. So maybe a designer or architect.
Looking back, what are you most proud of?
How much I’ve grown. I joined bart.sk with almost no experience in automated testing, and over time I learned it properly. Today, our QA lead says I do the work of three people 😎
At the same time, I’m moving forward in frontend development and continuing to grow as a developer.
And now you’re transitioning into a frontend developer role.
Yes. I actually came into the interview wanting to do frontend, but we agreed it would be better for me to start with testing and get to know the product first. Looking back, it was the right decision.
I genuinely enjoyed testing, while also continuing to develop my programming skills. When the opportunity to move into development came up, it felt like a natural next step.
From your experience – does testing make you a better developer?
Definitely. It teaches you to think about the product from multiple angles. You don’t just look at how something is implemented, but also what can go wrong, how it behaves in edge cases, and how people actually use it.
For me, it completely changed how I approach solutions. I think more about consequences, different usage scenarios, and how to design things so they’re not just functional, but reliable.
And beyond technical skills?
I’ve improved a lot in communication and teamwork. I’ve learned how to express ideas more clearly and find common ground. I’ve also become more patient and better at handling stressful situations.
I can stay calm when things get intense or don’t go as planned, and approach problems with more perspective.
And finally – what would you say to someone considering a QA role at bart?
Expect an environment where quality really matters and testing is a core part of development. You’ll work on a variety of things, keep learning, and collaborate with people who want to push things forward, use modern technologies, and are open to new ideas.
Thank you.
