Ashwanth Sathish, an Electronics Engineering student at Madras Institute of Technology, joined Appian in the summer of 2025 as a Quality Engineering Intern on the Insight Ability Plugin Experience Team. With no prior experience in QE, this internship gave Ashwanth a first look into the field, which ended up shaping both his learning and future career direction.
Why did you choose to join Appian?
I heard the work culture was incredible here which is what drew me to Appian, and I'm fortunate to get to experience that right now. What stood out to me most is the work culture. I’d heard great things before joining, and now I’m fortunate to get that experience firsthand.
I have felt that the workload is balanced - you’re challenged, but never overwhelmed. Beyond that, it’s exciting to be at a company that’s truly leading the way in process modeling.
As an intern, what has been your favorite project?
During my time as an intern, we have built a tool to improve the quality metric of the Appian platform. We leveraged an AI model using Amazon Bedrock and Claude 3.7 to enhance the Appian Designer platform. This tool introduces human-like discernment, comparing previous and newer versions of the platform. This will be a pioneering effort in maintaining Appian's quality gates when running regression tests. This ensures a visually sound platform, bug-free platform each and every time.
Being new to quality engineering, what was the learning process like during your internship?
I am new to the domain of quality engineering. For a period of time, I learned about the software testing life cycle, which is vital training that a quality engineer should know. The majority of my tenure here at Appian was automating plugins. I learned how to test automation frameworks, specifically OWL, which serves as a wrapper built upon Selenium, another prominent automation testing tool. My experience at Appian allowed me to grasp the application-specific nature of OWL and how a robust framework like it is constructed. I also learned about the verification and validation model, the process of feature testing at Appian, and how Appian employs various layers of metrics to guarantee an excellent customer experience. Overall, it was a very insightful experience.
Being new to quality engineering, there was a lot that I had to learn. I have heard how critical the software testing lifecycle is (STLC), in which I was able to gain real-world experience in building this. Through my direct work and learning from members of my team, I learned how to automate testing frameworks and how to build a robust testing process feature. Some technologies that I've picked up are OWL, which is a wrapper built upon Selenium, another automation testing tool. This really allowed me to understand the deep layers of metrics to set up when thinking about creating a new test framework, which really allows for an excellent customer experience. Something that I will leverage again in the future!
Did you have a clear understanding of quality engineering before your internship?
To understand the role, I went through videos on YouTube, including the Appian community channel. It taught me about the Appian platform and how the quality metrics are met. Some of the quality engineers also had a pre-placement discussion with one of the senior quality engineers, where he mentioned the tools and what websites to refer to in order to prepare for the role. This helped me develop a good idea of what quality engineering is specifically at Appian and beyond.
What’s one moment or milestone you’ve felt especially proud of so far?
Being new to automation testing, having previously focused on development, this internship has been a significant learning experience. I didn't expect to complete five plugins, but the incredible support I received from my peers and colleagues made it possible. They were always willing to help, no matter how trivial or complex the question, guiding us toward career growth, and task completion. Achieving five plugins was a personal milestone and exceeded my expectations, though it aligned perfectly with theirs. I feel great about what I've accomplished here.
How have you had opportunities to grow or learn something new during your internship?
My onboarding experience at Appian involved two weeks of comprehensive training. The first week focused on management-level onboarding, while the second week delved into team-specific training, particularly for Quality Engineering Services (QES).
The second week, a significant part of our learning journey took place through Appian University, where we were enrolled in a variety of courses. This provided a foundational understanding, but the learning didn't stop there. It was a continuous process, with every challenge I encountered becoming a valuable learning opportunity. These experiences transformed into key insights that not only helped me grow but also enabled me to assist others with their questions and doubts. This ongoing learning is a fundamental aspect of the Appian culture.
Intern event at a mystery room (Ashwanth pictured bottom left)!
Do you have a specific example of a challenge you faced that resonated with you?
Working with the Plugin Experience (Plex) team, my focus is on enhancing our plugin experience, which encompasses three primary types: component-based functions, smart services, and connected systems. I’ve had the opportunity to contribute to five distinct plugins, each presenting a unique and valuable use case.
A significant challenge involved thoroughly understanding the intended functionality of each plugin, especially given the lack of documentation or README files for older versions. My technical mentor provided invaluable assistance in overcoming this obstacle.
How has your experience at Appian helped shape your approach to learning new projects and skills?
In university, we learn everything theoretically. Here at Appian, we are able to learn things practically. Then with implementation, things stay fresh in your mind. I appreciated that aspect of my time here.
For those considering a career at Appian, I highly recommend it. Unlike many other major tech companies, Appian offers an excellent environment to begin your career. The work-life balance and learning opportunities here are outstanding. Most importantly, you are encouraged to question everything until you are fully satisfied, which I found to be incredibly valuable.
How has this internship compared to your previous experiences?
There’s dedicated time for learning at Appian, which makes a big difference. We have “indie time” to explore technical areas we’re personally interested in, even outside of our main projects. Time is thoughtfully split between focus time, indie time, and learning time, which really supports growth and development.
Learn more about internship and campus hiring opportunities at Appian.