On tools and processes: a lightweight QA checklist before launch

We shipped a broken export because I tested happy path only. Now every release runs a ten-item checklist on staging: signup, pay, core workflow, email delivery, mobile signup, rollback plan noted. Takes twenty minutes. Caught two billing regressions last quarter. Not full QA team—just forced consistency for a solo dev. Checklists are boring; so are 2am hotfixes.