Who we are
Bojan Smudja
While packing before a journey what is it that has to be there in your backpack?
Necessary item is a radio receiver. I do not use it often, but being able to hear stations broadcasting is a nice option to have. Listening to what messages others convey in any form is a large part of my job, so I can easily identify with the radio.
What was the most impactful, trasformational experience you had, professionally or private? Why?
A lot of years ago, one friend gave me the book Agile estimating and planning. Then, I have realised that I do not need to be a project manager, to have full control over every single information and present endless powerpoints. That there is another way to look at the work, to look at the organisation, hierarchy and in the essence what is a work. From that time the work starts becoming less and less something I do to receive pay, in order to pay the bills, and more and more something that I like to do and that I really enjoy.
List three values on which you base your actions and your life.
- Good faith: I believe that all people are actors in good faith, and base all my actions around this assumption, until proven wrong.
- Positivity: Let’s concentrate on those things that make us feel better, on actions that we feel nice doing, and surround ourselves with people that see each other.
- Pareto: There is no time in a day to work on everything in the backlog. I choose to be product owner of myself and to choose what matters.
What is it in your job that you enjoy the most?
I like to see the whole process from ideation phase to deliverance. And at the end, be proud of achievement that is tangible. Nice people and a great atmosphere is something that energises me.
What episode related to your profession would you like everyone to know about? How do you think it can help other colleagues and why?
I like to share my mistakes so others can learn from them, and repeat them, as nobody will listen :). But that is a path of learning. Trying entrepreneurship without considering how I will sell my product is one of those mistakes. Being better, or solving the problem your competition cannot, is not enough to be successful. But in the Agile world, we all could be more relaxed and tolerant to mistakes, because they do not cost much due to the safety net of iteration cycles.
Add a personal anecdote, the kind you’d put at the bottom of your résumé – or at the beginning, depending on your point of view – under hobbies and interests.
I like to travel a lot, especially by aeroplane and car. At the start of every journey, the expectation part of what is to come is probably the best one.