On the Map: Hank - Development Manager

You might recall having already met Hank in our previous blog post about the field test that he did here in Toronto. Following up on that, he agreed to talk with me this week to reveal some more of the fun stuff that he gets to work on here at Guestlogix. We put Hank on the spot in this “On the Map” as we discover what makes him excited about coming to work every day and his opinion on what makes the ideal fit for a new Guestlogix employee.

Inspirational quote / personal motto

“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.”
- Winnie-the-Pooh

Ask and answers

WM: What’s a normal day for you?

HG: It’s hard to nail down what I do exactly, because I’m involved with many different projects and tasks at the same time. If I were pure software, it would be easier to determine. Right now, I’m mostly invested in making sure that our process is efficient as possible. So I’m working on tools to help automate the evaluation of other people’s code, identifying errors, and generally, reducing the amount of manual labour.

WM: What makes your job rewarding?

HG: I go home satisfied having productive conversations. I only do as much talking as is necessary during meetings to make sure that Jira tickets keep progressing and don’t get tragically log-jammed. You can think of me like one of those people pushing logs along. But really, I’m excited about how quickly our small team can put together a finished product. That translates into how quickly we can get our product into the hands of travelers and our customers.

WM: What makes up a dream team?

HG: Well, working as a team is first and foremost. No one’s interested in proving they’re the best around here. We work together to find the best solution, and that’s it. Our arguments are all solved with reason and not won by the person with the loudest voice or most senior title.

WM: What’s special about the Guestlogix team?

Fun fact, but our team is made up of four people who are all born on four different continents (North America, Africa, South America, and Asia). Our native languages may all be different, but we speak the universal language of reason. The unique thing that I think is special about Guestlogix is that we’re all involved with the final product, and not just on our own small part. Everyone has transparency around what’s being developed and we can see how all the pieces fit together. We all contribute and pitch in to the final product and new ideas are developed as a community. This gives everyone here at Guestlogix a sense of pride and ownership over what we’re making.

WM: Why is Guestlogix a great place for mobile developers?

HG: I think the fact that we’re using an API-first approach is a huge deal for our entire dev team. More than that, we’re kind of pushing the boundaries by taking an SDK-first approach. We’re not just producing a standalone app for airline passengers, we’re developing a platform that will be used by other developers in ways that we can’t even imagine. There’s a huge incentive to think not only about the UX - how a traveler might use our interface, but also to address the specific needs and requirements of other developers who are going to be using our product. When a mobile developer works on a project, they know that it’s going to be seen by other developers. They know it will have a direct impact on the experience of end users. I think that’s one of the things that draws mobile developers to Guestlogix.

WM: What do you look for in new hires?

HG: Maybe I should start by saying what I’m not interested in. These are people who dismiss tech - based on reputation alone. I believe we should use the best tools for the job no matter what they are. So I’m looking for new developers that are open-minded. That’s important to me. The data assessment we get job seekers to complete is also important but it’s only part of the puzzle. Cultural fit is kind of a big thing. Our team is filled with self-starters, who are great at uncovering where they can add value next. Because we believe in trusting our team members with maintaining ownership over their tasks and responsibilities, we need our developers to have accountability and maturity. I don’t babysit. Let’s put it that way.

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