We have a team of skilled individuals who are motivated and eager to develop in their work. We asked Senior Software Architect Jan Tillander, working as a consultant for our client, about his experience working within Softability. Get to know Jan’s story and expertise!
Jan Tillander is a seasoned professional in the software industry with nearly 25 years of experience. His interest in the software industry began even before graduating from Helsinki University of Technology as an automation engineer.
However, his long career hasn’t diminished his enthusiasm for the software industry – quite the opposite.
“Even after several years in the workforce, I still look forward to going to work in the morning. There are exciting things on our task list even at this moment,” Jan mentions.
Jan is delighted that his hobby has become his job. His spark for the software industry ignited during childhood and later transformed into his profession.
“I’ve always enjoyed tinkering with computers, and being able to do that during work hours is fantastic. I hope my own kids get into such a great situation in their careers.”
Working as a consultant and a software developer involves working both independently and within different team structures. Throughout his career, Jan has had the opportunity to work on intriguing projects, including ones abroad.
His work history includes years spent abroad developing WiMAX base station software in the field of telecommunications.
“It was one of the biggest projects I’ve been a part of. There were over 200 software developers involved,” Jan explains.
“Working in telecommunications in Düsseldorf was one of the toughest experiences in my career. What made it tough was the whole package: a new country, culture, and collaborative efforts.”
Social skills and communication have become Jan’s strengths, but the pandemic also posed challenges.
“I enjoy working face-to-face, so the sudden shift from collaborative work to working alone with headphones was quite a change. When working in product development, it’s nice to physically show things to team members.”
However, technology has provided means for collaboration even while working remotely, enabling the team to solve problems together.
“When brainstorming with the team and coming up with solutions together, it feels really good. It’s always surprising how good it feels.”
Shift in work culture has affected Jan’s current team dynamics. In a global company, colleagues are scattered worldwide.
“We work with people in different time zones. It’s great that cooperation nowadays works through video connections.”
For the last eight years, Jan has been a consultant on projects for a Finnish international industrial equipment manufacturer. His time at Softability also involved six months in a spin-off company specializing in health technology, focusing on testing an MRI imaging device.
“In the health technology company, I was responsible for the entire software of the product, while working for the industrial equipment manufacturer has been different, involving more team collaboration.”
Currently, Jan works in a product development team.
“Working for this industrial equipment manufacturer has been diverse: coding, certain architectural responsibilities, and leading the team as a Scrum Master.”
As is customary, projects at the company have been lengthy. During his years with this company, Jan has been involved in several different projects. However, being a consultant for the same client doesn’t mean repetitive workdays or a lack of opportunity for personal development.
“Within the team, we rotate tasks, such as who reviews and oversees. This brings variety to work and gives team members new experiences. If you don’t have experience in leading a team, it’s harder to see that aspect, and vice versa. This rotation of tasks brings a good perspective to the whole team.”
Over the years, Jan has become familiar with various languages and technologies.
“Over the course of a long career, I’ve encountered all sorts of languages and environments. The strongest languages I use most frequently in everyday life are C, C++, C#, and Python.”
We work on significant projects in both medical and industrial fields. This means understanding different regulations in several projects – including in the current assignment.
“When working with elevators, safety-related regulations must be considered. Although my team doesn’t work directly with the safety device, we have certain regulations related to safety measures.”
Our employees are important to us. We take care of their well-being, offer interesting career paths, and enable them to expand their expertise.
Explore the work of quality assurance professionals and learn more about the daily lives of software developers at Softability.
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