A QA Perspective on the Annual Tower Mains Get-Together
At the end of last year, the Tower Mains team got together in Edinburgh for a festive evening of food, drinks, entertainment, and activities. However, as Quality Assurance professionals, we couldn’t help but evaluate the event through the lens of continuous improvement. Therefore, we’ve put together a summary of our findings from the evening, with some added root cause analysis for good measure.
Dinner and Entertainment
Upon entering the venue, we were greeted with sparkling lights and festive décor which certainly invoked the festive spirit. After taking some initial team photos, we moved to our table where dinner was served. The three-course meal was thoroughly enjoyed by the whole team, with options available for vegetarians and vegans if required. In addition to the food, the drinks available were plentiful, with bottles of wine and bubbly generously placed on each table. While the generosity was appreciated during the evening, post-event feedback revealed a finding: several attendees reported bad hangovers the next day. Some simple root cause analysis revealed that this was due to the quantity of alcohol provided, with the impact being reduced well-being and productivity among staff in the aftermath.
During the dinner, there was plenty of entertainment to keep the atmosphere lively. This included a dance-off on stage between various attendees each representing their company, and a group rendition of the “12 Days of Christmas” with each table being allocated a different part to sing. The entertainment brought out the competitiveness in many attendees; however, not every table left the evening with prizes, and our Tower Mains table was notably empty-handed. We have identified three potential contributing root causes for this: table placement, opportunities, and competition. With the Tower Mains table being located at the very back of the venue, we had reduced visibility and interaction with the hosts at the front where the stage was located. The number of prize-winning opportunities was also limited and noted as an area of improvement for future events. Lastly, it was noted that the number of attendees meant that our odds of winning any prizes were slim.
Activities: Photobooth, Casino, and Karaoke
In addition to the dinner and accompanying entertainment, the party offered several interactive activities, including a photo booth, casino games, and karaoke. Each activity brought an opportunity to bring colleagues together—and, of course, opportunities for findings.
The photo booth was the evening’s most popular attraction by far, with a large collection of festive props to choose from. Many team members walked away with amusing photos to remember the night. However, not all photos turned out as expected and thus another finding was raised. Upon review of the photos after the event, it was identified that some were taken off guard, resulting in some less-than-flattering moments being captured. Whilst assessing the root cause of this issue, it was suggested that the timer used to count down the attendees to the photo being taken was inconsistent and unclear. An alternate root cause related to alcohol consumption was also suggested to have affected reaction times but was not deemed to be the true root cause. It is recommended that the timer be calibrated for next year to ensure consistency when capturing photos.
Next, we moved on to the casino games, which were situated next to the photo booth. Although we eventually got into the swing of things, there was some initial confusion, and some players were unsure how to play the games. It was then highlighted that that there was no documentation available (i.e., SOP or WI) to guide players, thus there was no defined process for how to play each game. Without clear guidance, Tower Mains left the casino section without a win but with another finding raised.
Lastly, the karaoke section of the venue was visited by Tower Mains towards the end of the evening, with an impressive performance of Dolly Parton’s ‘9 to 5’. The use of a karaoke system raised the question of validation, and it was found that the system had not been validated before use at the event. Some potential implications of this were identified, including incorrect lyrics being displayed on-screen, poor timing between the lyrics and music, and sound quality issues. Fortunately, an impact assessment found there to be no impact on the performance given by Tower Mains. However, it is recommended that the lack of validation is addressed to improve any future karaoke sessions.
Facilities
The venue itself and the facilities were generally well-maintained, with emergency exits clearly marked and no immediate safety hazards identified. An observation was made in the casino and photobooth area as there were no visible fire extinguishers or fire blankets, posing a potential risk to the safety of attendees. An additional finding was given related to the temperature of the venue as it became uncomfortably warm as the evening progressed and many attendees were found to be overheating. This was due to the temperature not being adequately regulated or monitored – a further area for improvement. With hand fans being provided in a Christmas gift bag to each member of the team, we were able to implement some immediate actions to address the issue and fan ourselves throughout the night to cool down.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the Christmas party was a memorable evening that succeeded in bringing the Tower Mains team together to celebrate the festive season. From a QA perspective, some key areas and opportunities for improvement were identified:
- Entertainment and Activity Guidelines: Ensure all games and activities are supported with clear instructions and have adequate prizes available.
- Equipment Checks and Validation: Conduct pre-event checks for equipment/systems like photobooth timers and karaoke machines.
- Facilities: Review and enhance safety precautions in all activity areas and adequately regulate the temperature of the venue.
By addressing these findings and implementing the recommendations, future events will be even more enjoyable for all those who attend. Here’s to continuous improvement in 2025!