Can you share a bit about what it is that you do and what a typical day for you is like?

Our project at Entelect is an augmented team, meaning we collaborate closely with the customer, following their project plan and deliverables. My role is heavily focused on system analysis, working alongside Business Analysts who gather requirements. We then figure out how to integrate these requirements with existing systems to get the necessary data. 

A significant part of my job involves negotiations and collaborations with third parties, ensuring they stay on track and assisting with testing. Besides system-focused tasks, I also lead a team, conducting one-on-ones and focusing on their growth. Additionally, I oversee three junior developers. 

What motivated you or inspired you to pursue a career in the software industry? And was it always something that you wanted to do? 

While other kids dreamed of becoming teachers or doctors or nurses, I dreamed of becoming a fighter pilot. But my eyesight is really bad so that didn't work out for me. 

Later down the line I was taken to a career assessor. I love a challenge, so when someone told me that IT was definitely not the direction I should go in, I immediately thought "I’ll show you!” and went very deliberately in that direction. It also scratched my problem-solving itch. So I was able to show people that they were wrong while solving problems, which I love doing.

Can you describe your career journey and how you came to be at Entelect? 

I studied Electrical Engineering at university and interned at various software companies, realising I wanted to be a developer. I started in integrations development, moved to Android and iOS, and then to .NET machine learning and reporting. I value efficiency and realised that training a group to be 80% efficient was more impactful than being 100% efficient alone, leading me to become a product owner. 

I embraced a role with no prior experience, working hard and learning on the job. After building team processes from scratch, I shifted to a squad model with smaller teams and product managers. I then focused on integrating the customer's voice into the team. After serving as a product manager, I joined Entelect as a Senior Business Analyst. Six months ago, I became a Project Lead and recently, a Team Lead, and so far, I haven’t messed it up yet. 

As a woman in a leadership role in the tech industry, what unique perspectives or approaches do you think you bring to your team and Entelect, as well as our customers?

My superpower is creative problem solving. So I think that's the biggest thing that I bring to any team, as well as my diverse viewpoint. After all, if  90% of the people in the tech industry are men, then we're going to end up with very biased products that's aren’t going to work for the majority of the people who are going to use them.  

I also have a big emphasis on collaboration. I learned quite early in my career that you can't get people to do what needs be done unless you foster a space where there is collaboration and you're focusing on that. 

I have the skill of being empathetic but also still holding people accountable and have an acute attention to detail. 

Have you faced any bias or obstacles in your career journey? How did you overcome them? 

My strong, goal-driven nature can be intimidating, possibly helping me overlook biases. But one significant bias I have noticed is the expectation for women to be 'nice' in the workplace, which often clashes with competence and accountability. Women can be kind without compromising their goals, and it's important to reject the notion that they must conform to 'soft' roles to be liked. 

Can you talk about a particularly memorable project and what you learned from it? 

One major learning experience was working for a sales-driven company trying to break into the US market. We promised a client a feature we didn't have and had less than three weeks to build it, leading to chaos and stress. 

The thing that I've learned from that and which was also a factor in choosing to work for Entelect is the importance of great leaders and their ability to look after their teams. The other thing that I learned is that culture is not pizza and beer; it is how you handle difficult conversations and how you work together as a team. Without psychological safety, a team cannot do its best work. 

What initiatives or strategies can organisations implement to foster more gender diversity and inclusivity in tech teams? 

Girls need to see people that look like themselves in the tech industry and that's what's going to inspire them. 

Early involvement in school programs and offering job shadowing days is a great opportunity for young women to see that there is space for them in the tech field, whether they want to go in a coding, UX or data direction.  

Mentoring junior women is also vital, especially in helping them navigate challenging situations and say no to unrealistic deadlines. Having someone that went through the same experience there to help you is really great.  
 
Increased representation and talks by women in the field can further encourage inclusivity and visibility. 

What technological trends or advancements do you foresee shaping the future of software development, and how are you preparing yourself and your team to adapt to these changes?

I’m particularly excited about machine learning, data, and blockchain, which will solve challenging problems creatively. Although our team isn't currently exploring these technologies, I'm keen to see how predictive analysis can leverage the data on our new platform. 

What do you envision for the future of women in leadership positions in the tech industry, and what role do you hope to play in shaping that future? 

I admire Malcolm Gladwell's work for blending data and insights. He highlights the overrepresentation of tall, white males among Fortune 500 CEOs and how we all need to be aware of and try and change stereotypes. I hope to see more inclusivity in leadership, with women and diverse people across the board represented.  
 
My role is to lead by example and actively support and mentor other women, helping them grow into the best versions of themselves. Creating an environment of equality, respect, and opportunity is key to shaping a more inclusive future in tech.