Software People Stories

In this conversation, Sapna Jhaver, Technology Leader is in conversation with Chitra Gurjar where she shares various perspectives on -- Wanting to first get into a business, thanks to being from a mainly business family- Wanting to do Chartered Accounting so she could start a business, then being peer-pressured into doing Electronics engineering- Switching mindsets from testing to development to understanding how developers first want to get things done, make them work and then test code- Taking on customer facing roles and getting into minutiae about customers in retail- Managing customer expectations and how technology can give an experience of look and feel, fit and experience of online retail shoppingSapna Jhawer is a Retail Technology leader known for her fusion of innovation, empathy, and resilience. As a technology leader with over two decades of experience, she is known for her strategic vision, collaborative leadership style, and commitment to driving positive change. Sapna's passion for equity and storytelling fuels her mission to empower teams, foster innovation, and create a lasting impact on society. Her authentic approach, coupled with her expertise in retail technology, makes her a trusted advisor and thought leader in her field

I continue my conversation with C Subramanian - more affectionately known as CS in his circles,  an accomplished banker turned IT professional, with international experience.CS - C Subramanian's story is one of resilience, adaptation, and continuous learning. From his humble beginnings, he sought stability through education and found unexpected opportunities in the banking sector. Despite facing objections, he embraced the chance to join Canara Bank and eventually transitioned into the IT field within the organization.His journey into IT was marked by challenges and learning experiences, particularly during the implementation of banking software. CS emphasized the importance of understanding banking requirements and effectively communicating them to software developers. He highlighted the pivotal role of taking on computer courses reimbursed by the bank, which opened doors to new career paths.As he moved into project management, CS encountered new challenges but remained determined to succeed. He emphasized the significance of upgrading skills, adapting to new roles, and fostering teamwork. Throughout his narrative, CS underscored the importance of self-confidence, perseverance, and continuous self-improvement in achieving career growth.CS's story serves as a testament to the power of resilience, learning, and seizing opportunities, even in the face of doubts and obstacles. His emphasis on teamwork and mentorship underscores the value of collaboration and support in professional development. Overall, CS's journey offers valuable insights for navigating career transitions and achieving success in the ever-evolving landscape of the IT sector.A post graduate in Chemistry, worked in a public sector Bank for nearly 30 years and then moved to IT industry in  BFSI. Handled various Banking  projects for nearly 10 years in middle east and India in roles of  Domain expert and Project Management. Lives in BengaluruHe may be reached at: chellappa_subramanian@yahoo.co.in

In this episode, Shiv is in conversation with C Subramanian, more affectionately known as CS in his circles, an accomplished banker turned IT professional, with international experience.In this first part of the conversation, CS shared his origin story, starting from a modest background with a focus on securing a stable life through education. Despite initial plans for a career in chemistry, a friend's suggestion led him to apply for a job at Canara Bank, where he began his career. Despite family objections, he pursued the opportunity and eventually transitioned into the IT sector within the bank, leveraging courses and opportunities for advancement.He recounted his journey from a banking employee to an IT professional, highlighting key moments such as taking on computer courses reimbursed by the bank, which unexpectedly paved the way for his entry into the IT field. He described the challenges and learning experiences during the implementation of banking software, emphasizing the importance of understanding and conveying banking requirements to software developers.CS reflected on his transition to project management and the challenges he faced, including the need to upgrade his skills and adapt to new roles. He shared insights into managing teams, emphasizing the importance of guiding and motivating team members while continuously learning and upgrading oneself. Despite initial doubts from others, he persevered, proving himself and achieving career growth within the organization.Throughout his narrative, CS emphasized the importance of learning, adaptation, and self-confidence in navigating career transitions and achieving success. He also stressed the value of teamwork, mentorship, and continuous self-improvement in professional growth.A post graduate in Chemistry, worked in a public sector Bank for nearly 30 years and then moved to IT industry in  BFSI. Handled various Banking  projects for nearly 10 years in middle east and India in roles of  Domain expert and Project Management. Lives in BengaluruHe may be reached at: chellappa_subramanian@yahoo.co.in

In this episode Shiv continues his conversation with Andy Hillard the CEO of Accelerance. He leads and advocates for the globalization and collaboration of great software teams across the world. In this second part of the conversation, Shiv and Andy discuss the challenges of working with multiple service providers and the importance of building cohesive teams. Andy emphasizes the need for trust, accountability, and common values in creating successful partnerships, regardless of whether you're working with one partner or multiple partners.He also touches upon the impact of AI on the IT landscape. Andy highlights the proliferation of service providers due to remote work and the challenges companies face in leveraging AI effectively. He stresses the importance of trust, credibility, and a focus on what AI cannot do, advocating for investing in interpersonal skills and problem-solving abilities.Shiv then asks for career tips, and Andy advises leaning into challenges rather than retreating from them, emphasizing action over inaction. He encourages individuals to continuously improve themselves and to maintain determination in the face of obstacles.Finally, they discuss travel preferences, with Andy expressing interest in revisiting India and Japan due to their unique cultures and vast diversity.Overall, the conversation explores themes of teamwork, adaptation to technological advancements, personal growth, and cultural appreciation.As CEO, Andy leads and advocates for the globalization and collaboration of great software teams with companies in search of talent, innovation and a globally-distributed extension of their engineering function and culture.Andy founded the ground-breaking nearshore software development services company, Isthmus Costa Rica. He began his global software services career as a Division Manager at Cognizant during their early formative years.

In this episode, Shiv is in conversation with Andy Hillard, the CEO of Accelerance. He leads and advocates for the globalization and collaboration of great software teams across the world. The conversation between Shiv and Andy covers Andy's extensive career journey, including his time with the Peace Corps, his experience in finance and marketing, and his transition into software development. Andy discusses the evolution of the outsourcing industry, emphasizing the need for service providers to build trust and credibility with their clients. He shares insights on fostering empathy and collaboration within distributed teams, particularly in the context of outsourcing relationships. Andy highlights the importance of aligning cultural values, communication practices, and leadership styles between clients and service providers to ensure successful collaboration. The conversation also touches on challenges and controversies in outsourcing, prompting a discussion on the risks and benefits of outsourcing arrangements involving multiple service providers. Overall, the conversation explores strategies for building effective and trustworthy partnerships in the software development industry.As CEO, Andy leads and advocates for the globalization and collaboration of great software teams with companies in search of talent, innovation and a globally-distributed extension of their engineering function and culture.Andy founded the ground-breaking nearshore software development services company, Isthmus Costa Rica. He began his global software services career as a Division Manager at Cognizant during their early formative years.

Mike Bowers, Chief architect at FairCom, discusses aptitude for software architecture, qualities of a good architect, and career tips. Topics include abstract thinking, coding experience, and practicality. He explores future-proof databases, graph technology, data poisoning, and patterns in music and coding. The podcast covers transitioning from programmer to architect and the mindset needed for success.

Chief Architect at FairCom, Mike Bowers, shares insights on software development, emphasizing customer needs, data importance, and system scalability. He discusses music and programming connections, data models, and IIoT platforms.

In this conversation with Ms. Vijayashree CTO - Shikshalokam | Director- Onlineengineer Inc. she talks about her career trajectory and how she approaches technical challenges. Here are the key points:Vijayashree accidentally ended up in computer science after wanting to study electronics engineering.She has a passion for system software design and coding.She transitioned from a services role to a product role to focus more on the technical aspects.She believes in balancing the technical aspects with user needs and understanding the business domain.She uses a collaborative approach to design, involving the team and getting their buy-in on ideas.She acknowledges the need for analysis and design but also emphasizes the importance of getting things into production quickly using Agile methodologies.When making decisions about new technologies, she weighs the risks and benefits, using proven patterns for critical areas but also taking calculated risks to experiment with new ideas.She communicates the importance of non-functional requirements to her team and integrates them into the design process to ensure scalability, reliability, and maintainability.Vijayashree talks about the challenges and the transition from working in the commercial sector to the social sector.Key takeaways for designing for the social sector:Users might not have the technical expertise and may have limited internet connectivity.The solutions should be designed for a wider range of devices including low-end smartphones.Multiple languages and possibly voice interfaces should be considered.There might be a need to focus on offline functionality as well.Metrics for success in the social sector:Adoption rate of the software by other organizations.User feedback and the resulting improvements made to the software.The impact of the software on the beneficiaries.There are also a few interesting career advices by herhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/vijayashree-urs/

Today, my guest is Shekhar Chandra - the Global Practice Head at Irs Software Inc.Here are the key themes from the conversation: Shekhar initially disliked sales because he is more of an introvert. However, he was eased into the role by his company and his technical background helped him gain the confidence to sell because he understood the product.Building a brand: Shekhar highlights the importance of building a brand for oneself, especially when venturing into entrepreneurship.Shekhar talks about the concept of building practices within a company to focus on specific areas of expertise.Shekhar emphasizes the importance of trying new things and learning from failures.Shekhar highlights the need for salespeople to have a good understanding of the technical aspects of the product or service they are selling.Shekhar then talks about the challenges faced by Indian companies trying to take their products global.Marketing is crucial: Building a good product is not enough. Companies need to focus on marketing and building alliances with other companies to be successful in the global market.Shekhar describes three different methods for partnering with other companies:Highlights some challenges faced by Indian companies when they try to take their products global. Shekhar also offers his advice for people in two different career stages:Mid-life career crisis:Late career:Shekhar Chandra - aka SC Shekar is the global practice head at Iris Software Inc. https://www.linkedin.com/in/shekhar-chandra-740953/

Shiv our host is in conversation with Harpreet SIngh, CO-founder and co-CEO of Launchale Inc. Harpreet has been associated with conceiving and launching many innovative products that have become a standard among developer community. In today's conversation he talks aboutHow he started his career in India and then moved to the US. He emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and self-improvement. He mentions his growth mindset and his habit of reading and taking courses to stay updated.Harpreet acknowledges the challenge of scaling himself as a leader alongside the company. He talks about managing time for both work and personal growth. He highlights the importance of clear communication and context setting to empower his team and free up his time. He also mentions using a prioritization technique where he identifies the top three important tasks for both work and personal life. Harpreet acknowledges the resistance developers often have towards documentation. He discusses how he built his team by looking for individuals who value clear communication and writing skills. He describes how he identified a niche in the developer experience (DevEx) domain. He noticed that even after implementing CI/CD practices, companies weren't seeing the desired benefits quickly enough. This led him to explore how AI and machine learning could improve software delivery pipelines.Launchable's product uses machine learning to predict which tests are likely to fail based on code changes. Launchable is now expanding its offering to include intelligent test failure diagnostics using AI and machine learning.Harpreet acknowledges that coding style can influence the likelihood of errors. Launchable considers this to some extent, but the focus is on broader patterns and historical data to predict test failures.He emphasizes the importance of lifelong learning for personal and professional growth.He also talks about careers in testing and tech in general: Harpreet is an entrepreneur, innovator, developer, and creative product leader who has dedicated his life to building new solutions for software teams. His latest iteration is Launchable Inc, an AI/ML company to help developers and QA. A seasoned DevOps leader, Harpreet has been building products for developers for the last 25+ years.Previously, he was GM for Atlassian Bitbucket and VP of Product at CloudBees. At CloudBees he helped create the Jenkins business that scaled to multi-millions in ARR.He has an MBA from Santa Clara University, an MS in CS from the University of Cincinnati, and a Bachelors in Computer Engineering from Pune University, India.