Translated from 日本語 • View original Hello! This is Koshiba from the Human Resources & Branding Project. Let's interview ISAO engineers, Part 4!
Continuing from the previous interview, this time we will introduce you from the MSP team. We spoke with Mr. Akiyama, a cloud solution architect who was a programmer. Mr. Akiyama designs and builds clouds, focusing on projects that deal with Microsoft Azure's cloud-native technologies.
Light and Darkness of the System Created with Amazon Dash Button
Koshiba: Speaking of Mr. Akiyama, I **< a href="https://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201730770" data-md-link>Amazon Dash Button**That's the image!
Akiyama: Oh, come to think of it, I made it.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="800"]
Dash Button to refill supplies. Just press this button to automatically place an order. Convenient! [/caption]
Koshiba: Why did you decide to make it?
Akiyama: It's a very how-to thinking, but when I saw the news that the Dash Button was released at the time, I wanted to use it to solve some internal problems.
Koshiba: Oh~ I actually wanted to make it.
Akiyama: The first thing we created was to receive a notification to people in the company saying, "I'm drinking in the kitchen right now." But it wasn't very well received~.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="800"]
Buttons in the kitchen. This is also still active. If you press it, everyone in the company may come. [/caption]
Akiyama: I thought that if I was replenishing equipment, I thought it would be close to its original purpose and would be used, so I made another one, and this one was being used. I was satisfied. Laughter
Koshiba: Are you usually sensitive to that kind of information?
Akiyama: Hmm, I try to keep an eye on what kind of technical terms I often hear these days. Depending on the item, I try it out by moving my hands.
Koshiba: Like an engineer!
Akiyama: Even if you don't use technology at work now, you will meet and connect with it when you have the opportunity to use it a year or later. This is an interesting point about working in IT.
Koshiba: What are you interested in lately?
Akiyama: I like all technologies that are broadly classified as cloud-native in Azure, and I am constantly gathering information. I'm trying out a CI/CD tool called GitHub Actions and publishing parts to the marketplace.
Koshiba: I really like it.
Akiyama: I think it suits my personality. In my previous job, I was in app development, but more than that, I want to improve the DevOps environment and create a situation where team members can work well and increase everyone's efficiency. I like that kind of thing.
The appeal of entrustment is that you can gain a variety of experiences
Koshiba: There was a glimpse of your previous job, but did you live in Shizuoka before you changed jobs?
Akiyama: That's right. I moved from Fuji City to Tokyo when I came to ISAO.
Koshiba: Thank you for coming all the way from the place where only "echoes" stop.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="800"]
Echoes are usually always empty. It is an excellent thing that can be ridden without a reservation even during busy seasons such as the year-end and New Year holidays. (Image source: Wikipedia)[/caption]
Akiyama: I feel like I'm being dissed, but let's let it go.
Koshiba: What was the reason for making such a drastic decision?
Akiyama: My previous job was a package software vendor developed in-house, but I started thinking about changing jobs because I wanted to do contracting. Then, the number of job opportunities in Tokyo and Shizuoka is completely different. I also had a sparkling longing for Tokyo.
Koshiba: Oh, I'm also from a rural area, so I understand that image. However, ISAO has a stronger downtown feel than a glitter. Laughter
Akiyama: When I came to ISAO, I also learned that downtown has the goodness of downtown. lol That's why I chose ISAO, which allows me to do contract projects and make use of the skills I had cultivated in my previous job, such as Azure and C#.
Koshiba: When I talk to students, many of them want to develop their own products, but what are the good things about outsourcing?
Akiyama: The appeal is that you can gain a variety of experiences in a short period of time. With in-house services, the project span may be several years, but if it is a contract, there are many short-term projects.
Koshiba: Moreover, ISAO is a bari flat, so you can be involved in multiple projects at the same time.
Akiyama: That's right. In my case, I am involved not only in contract projects but also in my own products, and I am happy that I have a wide range of experiences.
The Importance of "Information Openness" from an Engineer's Perspective
Koshiba: Mr. Akiyama often disseminates information on Goalous (in-house SNS developed in-house) and seminars, so it is easy to see the activities of engineers especially I feel that way, but are you consciously doing so?
Akiyama: Yes. It has many meanings, but I do it to expand my opportunities and to expand the values of an IT engineer.
Koshiba: What do you mean?
Akiyama: In the case of ISAO, I think Goalous was the opportunity to learn what engineers in the company can do. If you appeal what you can do, it will be easier to get consulted when a similar project comes, so you can expand your opportunities.
Koshiba: I see. In fact, there are cases where engineers who communicated their interest in AI entered such projects.
Akiyama: Yes. I also think it is important to share the values of each side, such as the business side and the engineering side. For example, from an engineer's point of view, you can write a program so that no one has to do the troublesome things.
Koshiba: Mutual understanding is important in a team. If you know what is comfortable and what is troublesome, communication will be smoother.
Akiyama: I believe that being open is ISAO's culture, so I am actively communicating that we must embody that. I'm the type of person who is naturally interested in activities that can have a positive impact on those around me, so I match ISAO in that sense.
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Posted on Goalous. Mr. Akiyama often communicates his opinions not only among developers but also towards the company as a whole. [/caption]
Struggling with a global team
Koshiba: What kind of growth have you had since coming to ISAO?
Akiyama: I have been using Azure technology for a long time, but I think I have learned a fairly wide range of technologies. I have the experience of catching up with new technologies and making customers happy. Also, recently I have been working with foreign engineers, and I learn a lot from him.
Koshiba: What do you mean?
Akiyama: It's about how to proceed with the conversation and how to communicate. Anyway, it's really good. I **can hardly speak Japanese! **
Koshiba: That's amazing!
Akiyama: (It's obvious) We talk about specific problems in the meeting and solve them on the spot, so when it's over, everyone gets to work right away.
Koshiba: You're good at facilitation. This is a way to proceed without wasting time on discussion.
Akiyama: Meetings tend to become a formality, don't they? I am always inspired by his mindset and way of communicating.
Koshiba: That's good. What do you want to take on in the future?
Akiyama: I'm still doing it, but I want to increase my experience using cloud-native technology. In a project that is carried out as a team, I would like to create an organizational structure that can proceed well while communicating like the foreign engineers I mentioned earlier.
Koshiba: The scale of projects is also growing, so it seems that the experience of team development from my time as a programmer will come to use.
Akiyama: Yes. Also, from the perspective of being involved in both outsourcing and in-house products, I would like to run a cycle of feedback on the experience gained in each project.
Koshiba: Finally, please give a message to those who are thinking of applying for ISAO from now on!
Akiyama: I think ISAO is a comfortable environment for people who want to expand the scope of what they can do while doing multiple roles at the same time. Since it is a variflat, you can participate in multiple projects in multiple positions. And open-mindedness. I think it's perfect for those who like that kind of culture, so please apply here!
Koshiba: Thank you very much, Mr. Akiyama!
