ANIXE means "No boredom!" - A Frontend Team Leader's point of view
“Self-improvement is essential because technologies, devices and the approach of people continually and dynamically change”
says Piotr - Team Leader of the Frontend team, who love the task-oriented approach at ANIXE.
- What makes your team unique?
We do many exciting but, at the same time, complicated things. We work in a problematic domain, which requires a lot of commitment from the developer, but I enjoy such challenges. What are we creating? These are not typical web pages or short applications. We develop comprehensive and complex solutions for clients from the tourist industry, and then we have been developing this product for years. That is why it is so crucial that the written code is both the best and most reliable. Answering the question: working in my team is demanding, engaging, and developing. It allows us to use new technologies and requires perfect-quality code from developers. It requires both concentration and some understanding of the tourism industry.
- Which technologies do you use in your daily work?
We try to keep up to date with all the latest technologies. Angular is the leading framework at this moment. We work a lot with libraries that are attached to it. We are also developing our library, which makes work much more comfortable. We try to limit the use of open-source code because we like to have control over what we produce.
- What does it mean to be a leader to you?
In the areas I cover, I approach them with empathy. I am a demanding but supportive leader. I believe that development is essential because then our product becomes even better as its compatibility increases. Being a Team Leader also motivates me to deepen my knowledge to share it with my team and achieve our goals together. The work of a leader is an excellent path for continuous self-improvement.
- Which are the areas you pay attention to during the selection process?
The most important thing for me is a developer's skills. Because if someone can work efficiently, it is easy to be on my team. Soft skills are of secondary importance to me because we can work on them together. People take different amounts of time to process new knowledge, so the implementation process may take longer or less time. I want everyone in my team to follow the ANIXE path equally. Competence is the most important thing; not everyone has to be the soul of the party. For this reason, I pay special attention to the desire for self-development from employees, which in my opinion, is essential. You have to be aware that self-improvement is essential because technologies, devices, and the approach of people continually and dynamically change. As software providers, we must be a step ahead of our users, and we must show them new things and provide convenient and innovative solutions.
- What's your typical day at ANIXE like?
Programming is an integral element of my day. You always have to find time for "coding" if you don't want to get left behind. There are also quite a few things related to code review and business issues, such as arranging implementation details with Product Owners. To all this, there is also knowledge sharing, recruitment interviews, or meetings with the team.
- How does the communication between developers and clients look like
Developers are somewhat isolated from the client for whom we work. The owner of the product conducts most of the ongoing communication and arrangements. Developers are involved in the project only after the collection of all business guidelines.
- Give us some more details about the projects you work on.
We have our product, which is maintained by us, and as I said before, it is not a "hit-and-run" project. This involves significant programming challenges. We have a lot of advanced forms and editors. Most of our development is focused on "expert" systems, dedicated to a narrow audience - specialists in their domain. However, all business conditions must be met for the solution to work, and we must adapt the technology to them so that the product works long and effectively. Application components are created in both Wroclaw and Athens, and we are in touch with all our teams every day.
- What is the leading programming language in your team?
TypeScript is the leading language. It is impossible to create web applications without using HTML and CSS.
- Are there any types of people that wouldn't be a match for your team?
Capable but lazy. Working in ANIXE requires commitment; you must remember that the domain is not simple; it requires knowledge that you have acquired over the years. In the first months of employment of a new developer, it is known that his role is limited to one product and then expands over time. You have to reckon with the fact that the tourism industry is a dynamic one. That is why it is essential to be flexible and open to changes. It is not a surprise that the customer expects us to deliver the product in a given time, and the end-users expect that the application will be fast and efficient enough not to want to use the competition. A person who is not self-sustaining can also have difficulties working in this team, as with the current amount of work, you need to take responsibility for your code. Besides, I note here that we write tests with developers. I like working with capable and responsible people.
- What do you like most about ANIXE?
No boredom! There are a lot of exciting and demanding projects that meet my innate need for improvement. I appreciate the fact that I have freedom of decision-making, which is connected with the responsibility that I take on my shoulders. And above all, great people with whom work is pure pleasure.