[Virtual Presenter] The video game industry has experienced significant growth over the past few decades, with an estimated global market size of $190 billion in 2020. The industry has seen rapid advancements in technology, leading to more complex and immersive gaming experiences. However, the growth of the industry has also led to increased competition, making it challenging for developers to stand out in the market. To address these challenges, many companies are adopting agile methodologies to improve their project management and collaboration processes. Agile methodologies allow teams to be more flexible and responsive to changing requirements, which can help them deliver high-quality products faster..
[Audio] The phases of this project lifecycle include lead generation, where the business development role identifies and qualifies opportunities through discovery and scoping. This process culminates in a proposal being submitted to operations. Following the proposal submission, the next phase involves a seamless onboarding process, where the business development team sets up handoffs and communication channels. This includes creating a kickoff deck and negotiating non-disclosure agreements and service-level agreements. Once the onboarding process is complete, the execution phase begins, where quality assurance is delivered efficiently and oversight is maintained to ensure scope control. This includes regular status calls and change orders. As the project progresses, it becomes essential to maintain transparency and translate the quality assurance into return on investment. This is achieved through weekly reports and key performance indicators. In addition to reporting, the invoicing phase ensures accurate billing and validation. This includes liaising with clients to obtain invoice approvals and processing purchase orders. Finally, the final phase involves retaining and growing accounts through review, upselling, and renewals. This includes reviewing quarterly business reviews, upselling opportunities, and developing renewal proposals..
[Audio] The BD Impact phase is critical to the project's success as it sets the tone for professionalism and speed. It prevents under-scoping or over-promising and ensures that all necessary agreements are in place before commencing work. This phase identifies potential clients, assesses their needs, and defines the scope of work. The steps involved in this phase are prospecting, discovery calls, scoping, and proposal creation. The BD role involves researching potential clients, conducting discovery calls, coordinating with operations and finance, creating proposals, executing NDAs and contracts, and managing the handoff to legal and finance. By doing so, BD plays a crucial role in ensuring the project's success..
[Audio] The process of identifying and qualifying potential clients begins with researching and prospecting for suitable candidates. This involves looking into various types of game development companies, such as AAA, AA, indie, and mobile developers. The goal is to find those that have the capacity to handle additional quality assurance (QA) work, particularly cross-platform games. Once a potential client has been identified, it's essential to conduct an exploratory call to discuss their needs, timelines, and pain points. This helps determine whether they would benefit from the services offered by the business development team. A key aspect of this phase is ensuring that the necessary Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) and Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are in place before commencing any work. By doing so, both parties can establish trust and set clear expectations for the project. The ultimate objective is to secure a contract with the client, outlining the scope of work, timeline, resources, and pricing. This phase sets the foundation for the entire project lifecycle..
[Audio] The Business Development (BD) role takes over the internal handoff of the project by transferring account notes, client expectations, and SOW terms to the operations team via Monday.com. The BD also discusses the client's and project's special requirements, such as scope and KPIs, with the operations team. The BD ensures that the team allocation is done correctly, assigning leads, testers, and platforms. The BD sets up the communication channels and project tools, including Monday.com, TestRail, and Jira. The BD maintains the client relationship through kickoff calls, setting escalation protocols and ensuring that the client's build handover is on time and correct. This phase is critical for a smooth transition from the business development role to the operations team, enabling the delivery team to have all the necessary client context and commitments..
[Audio] The business development team plays a critical role in the success of any project. Their primary objective is to ensure that the sales team and the operations team are aligned in their expectations. This includes defining the scope of the project, identifying potential risks, and establishing clear communication channels. The business development team must also protect the relationship between themselves and the operations team, which can sometimes be challenging. To achieve this, they must stay visible throughout the project lifecycle, particularly during key milestones such as the kickoff meeting. By doing so, they can demonstrate their commitment to the project's success and maintain a positive working relationship with the operations team. Additionally, the business development team must verify that the scope of the contract matches the actual delivery setup. This helps prevent misunderstandings or miscommunications that could lead to delays or cost overruns. For example, in the case of Poncle, a game developer who partnered with our company for their project, the business development team played a crucial role in ensuring a smooth transition from the business development phase to the operational phase. During the onboarding process, the business development team briefed the operations team on the project's goals and expectations, presented the client's requirements, and ensured that the test leads understood the scope of work, key performance indicators, and communication protocols. They also allocated testing teams, confirmed the resource mix, and set up communication channels using tools like Slack and Monday.com boards. Furthermore, they secured the build delivery, ensuring that the build was delivered securely via SFTP and that all necessary NDAs were validated. By taking these steps, the business development team can ensure that the project is delivered smoothly and on schedule, while maintaining a strong relationship with the client and the operations team..
[Audio] The Business Development team plays a critical role in ensuring that all aspects of a quality assurance project are executed flawlessly. They work closely with the operations team to prevent scope creep and ensure seamless handovers. The team's primary objective is to deliver high-quality QA services efficiently while maintaining transparency and communication continuity throughout the project lifecycle. This involves executing daily/weekly testing cycles, monitoring progress through Monday.com dashboards, and providing regular updates on progress, blockers, and risks. The team also collaborates with the operations team to address change requests, such as scope changes, additional platforms, or extra testers, and validates commercial implications through Change Orders and negotiations. By doing so, they reinforce client confidence and maintain a strong relationship with the client..
[Audio] The Business Development team plays a vital role in ensuring the success of the QA project by maintaining relationship trust and responsiveness with clients. This involves preventing scope creep or unbilled expansions, and communicating the value of QA services to clients. The key steps in this phase include executing daily/weekly testing cycles, monitoring dashboards for milestone tracking and alerting on blockers, and conducting mid-cycle check-ins to share progress and risk updates. The Business Development team works closely with operations to ensure seamless communication and alignment. For instance, they brief the operations team on the client's expectations, including the need for QA testing on multiple platforms such as Xbox, PS5, and Switch. They also ensure that the test leads understand the scope of work, key performance indicators, and communication cadence. During the execution phase, the Business Development team monitors dashboards for milestone tracking and alerts on blockers, and joins weekly calls to reassure the client and communicate the corrective plan. They also adjust the scope as needed, such as adding testing for Steam Deck compatibility, and manage change orders to update pricing and align operations and finance. By following these steps, the Business Development team can ensure that the QA project is executed efficiently and effectively, and that the client receives high-quality service..
[Audio] The company provides a range of services including testing, quality assurance, and consulting. These services are designed to support the client's business goals and objectives. The company uses a variety of tools and technologies to achieve these goals. The company works closely with its clients to understand their specific needs and requirements. The company provides regular updates on the status of projects and delivers results in a timely manner. The company also offers training and development programs to enhance the skills of its employees. The company has a strong commitment to customer satisfaction and strives to exceed expectations. The company operates in multiple locations around the world. The company has a diverse workforce with a wide range of skills and expertise. The company is committed to innovation and continuous improvement. The company has received numerous awards and recognition for its achievements. The company has a strong reputation among its clients and partners. The company is dedicated to delivering high-quality results and exceeding client expectations..
[Audio] The quality assurance process has been converted into a strategic tool that provides valuable insights into the project's success. The QA team's efforts are now recognized and valued, and their work is seen as essential to the project's overall performance. The QA lead publishes weekly reports that highlight key metrics such as pass rates, defect density, and platform variance. These reports help the project manager to make informed decisions about resource allocation and risk management. The reporting system also helps to reinforce professionalism and transparency within the organization. The reporting system is designed to provide actionable insights and demonstrate the value of testing in clear and concise language. This approach enables the project manager to communicate effectively with stakeholders, including clients and producers. The reporting system is also used to analyze trends and identify areas for improvement. For example, if the test coverage increases from 80% to 90%, the reporting system can highlight this achievement and suggest ways to further improve the process. The feedback loop is another critical component of the reporting system. It allows the QA team to collect client sentiment and capture feedback on their communication style. This information is then used to improve the reporting system and enhance the overall experience for the client. By using the reporting system, the project manager can gain valuable insights into the project's success and make informed decisions about resource allocation and risk management..
[Audio] The company has been working on improving its invoicing process since 2018. The goal was to increase efficiency and reduce costs. To achieve this, they have implemented new software and processes that allow them to track time and material expenses more accurately. This includes verifying the scope of work completed by the client and ensuring that the billing is accurate and compliant with the Statement of Work (SOW). The company also aims to build trust with clients by providing clear and transparent financial governance. The company's objective is to ensure accurate billing and maintain a healthy revenue cycle. To achieve this, they have established a set of procedures for tracking time and material expenses, including: * Verifying the scope of work completed by the client * Ensuring that billing is accurate and compliant with the SOW * Providing clear and transparent financial governance The company's role in this process is to confirm that the scope of work completed by the client aligns with the SOW to avoid billing disputes. They also validate client contacts, PO references, and submission deadlines to ensure that invoices are prepared correctly. In addition to these tasks, the company is responsible for submitting invoices to the client's AP team and ensuring timely approval by maintaining direct communication with the client's PM or finance team. If any discrepancies arise during the billing process, the company steps in as the relationship manager to handle the issue, balancing diplomacy and internal accuracy..
[Audio] The company will be able to demonstrate its ability to deliver results through the implementation of BD Impact. This will enable the client to measure the return on investment (ROI) of the service and assess the reliability of the service provider. The company will position itself as a trusted partner by providing a comprehensive set of services that meet the client's needs. The goal is to establish a long-term relationship with the client based on trust, reliability, and quality. The company will track and verify deliverables, generate invoices, submit and follow up on them, and resolve any disputes that may arise. This will involve confirming hours worked, deliverables completed, and scope alignment, as well as submitting time and material reports. The process will also include tracking payments, resolving disputes, and documenting closure for compliance purposes. By implementing BD Impact, the company will be able to demonstrate its commitment to delivering high-quality results and maintaining a healthy revenue cycle. This will enable the company to position itself as a reliable and efficient provider of quality assurance services..
[Audio] The role of a Business Development Manager at BD Impact involves several key activities that are essential for maintaining the company's financial health and building strong relationships with clients. One of these activities is tracking time and material (T&M) or fixed scope projects, where the Business Development Manager verifies that the scope of work completed aligns with the Statement of Work (SOW). This helps ensure that the company receives fair compensation for its services. Another critical activity is preparing and submitting invoices to clients, which requires careful validation of client contact information, purchase orders (POs), and submission deadlines. The Business Development Manager must also maintain open communication with clients to ensure timely approval of invoices. In addition to these tasks, the Business Development Manager plays a crucial role in resolving any discrepancies that may arise during the invoicing process. This includes handling POs, hours worked, and taxes, and ensuring that all issues are resolved in a diplomatic manner while maintaining the highest level of accuracy. Overall, the Business Development Manager at BD Impact is responsible for ensuring that the company's financial transactions are accurate, transparent, and compliant with industry standards. By performing these tasks effectively, the Business Development Manager can help build trust with clients and establish a strong foundation for future business renewals..
[Audio] The process we use to deliver our QA services involves several key phases. First, we lead generation, where we identify and qualify potential clients. Then, we have a seamless kickoff phase, where we set up communication and hand off the necessary information. Next, we execute the QA process, delivering high-quality results while maintaining oversight and control over scope. After that, we report on our progress, providing weekly updates and insights into our performance. We also ensure accurate invoicing and maintain transparency throughout the entire process. Finally, we retain and grow our accounts through regular business reviews, presenting outcomes, measuring ROI, and planning future engagements. This process allows us to reinforce TestFly's value through data-backed results, prepare for QBR discussions and renewal proposals, position upsell opportunities, and build trust by demonstrating measurable quality and operational maturity..
[Audio] TestFly's value is reinforced through data-backed results, such as the successful Vampire Survivors console launch, where 412 defects were identified and 100% test coverage was achieved. This demonstrates the company's ability to deliver quality assurance services effectively. The monthly and quarterly business reviews also help to prepare for QBR discussions and renewal proposals, positioning TestFly for potential upsell opportunities like CQA, automation, and LQA. By building trust through measurable quality and operational maturity, TestFly can demonstrate its commitment to delivering high-quality services..
[Audio] The QA process at TestFly is designed to reinforce the company's value through data-backed results. The process involves several key activities, including preparing for Quality-Based Review (QBR) discussions and renewal proposals, positioning upsell opportunities, and building trust by demonstrating measurable quality and operational maturity. To achieve this goal, TestFly conducts regular business reviews, which are used to measure the company's progress and identify areas for improvement. These reviews typically involve presenting outcomes, measuring return on investment (ROI), and planning future engagements. During these reviews, TestFly showcases its achievements, such as delivering cross-platform testing across multiple console platforms, meeting key performance indicators, and maintaining a high-quality scorecard. The company also uses client testimonials to demonstrate its expertise and build trust with potential clients. By consistently delivering high-quality services and maintaining open communication channels, TestFly positions itself for long-term partnerships and upsell opportunities..
[Audio] The QA project for Poncle was divided into six distinct phases. These phases are lead generation, kickoff, execution, reporting, invoicing, and managing business relationships. Each phase had specific objectives that needed to be met. The objective of the lead generation phase was to identify potential clients such as Poncle. This involved identifying high-growth studios like Poncle with upcoming console ports. The discovery and scoping process involved reviewing requirements and proposal review. During the kickoff phase, six testers were brought on board quickly under non-disclosure agreements. This ensured that there was coordination and expectation alignment between the business development team and operations. The execution phase involved delivering cross-platform QA services across multiple platforms, including Xbox, PS5, and Switch. This was done on schedule and oversight and scope control were maintained throughout this phase. Reporting involved providing transparent metrics that showcased certification readiness. Data was translated into meaningful metrics to help stakeholders make informed decisions. Invoicing was handled accurately, with on-time payments and zero disputes. A finance liaison and compliance officer worked closely with the business development team to ensure smooth financial transactions. The final phase, managing business relationships, quality business reviews, and extended obligations, saw the renewal of Poncle's contract. Additional DLC and mobile scope expansions were added to the contract. Long-term relationship-building efforts were made to maintain the partnership..