Zsuzsa works as our Product owner at Grape, where she is responsible to manage the product lifecycle of our software developed for energy communities. We asked her to tell us more about her weekdays at Grape.
Why did you choose to work at Grape Solutions?
A headhunting firm contacted me about a job opportunity at Grape, and they told me so much about the great team building, office atmosphere that this in itself piqued my interest. And as a business analyst, I saw a growth opportunity in working for a software development company because I can learn about a wide range of projects and different sectors. In contrast, in another type of company, I would only be able to see the one specific industry that they are an expert in. Also, I saw a development opportunity at Grape, I got to learn about agile, and since then, I've had the chance to move forward to a new position.
How does your role look at Grape, and how would you describe it in one sentence?
As a business analyst, I always present my work as a Hungarian-Hungarian interpreter. A liaison who gets to know and really understands the client's needs (often even if they don't fully understand everything themselves) and then translates that into the language of the developers so that they can actually produce what the client needs. Many people believe that anyone can tell developers what they are doing in their current job or what they need, but when they leave the business analyst out of the process, what tends to happen is that the customer doesn't get exactly what they need or has to pay for additional development to get good software. Involving a business analyst in the process guarantees that the customer gets what they want. And more than you think. Because during the discussions, the business analyst can often make suggestions to make a workflow more efficient and streamlined, which can bring additional benefits to the client - for the same money.
As a PO, my job is to be both the business analyst and the client's business. To find out, scout and assess what the market, the business, might need and then pass this on to the developers as a task. I help them as a business analyst and monitor them as a client. I am their supporter and their boss, their companion and their strict client. My responsibility is to ensure that the project entrusted to me is completed on time and within budget, achieving the best possible performance in the field.
What skills do you think are needed for your position?
It is necessary to know and apply a wide range of diplomacy and psychology. It is essential to know the interlocutor and to speak to him/her in relation to his/her position, style, abilities and current state of mind.
You need to be able to tell your supervisor when he/she is wrong, but first you need to build up a degree of trust that will make him/her listen to arguments.
It takes patience to gain the team mates' trust, so that he or she will actually share all the details of the actual process - even the stuff that is not done according to the rules, because it is not really possible to do the job that way.
You need to have an honest, open world view, and the first reaction in any situation should be to ask questions, because the most important tool of a business analyst is to ask questions. A question can be supportive, inquiring, thought-provoking, questioning... there are many kinds. You need to know all of these and be conscious of them when asking questions. If during a conversation the business analyst doesn't ask the "why" question at least twice in different forms, he or she is not done.
Every argument needs to be backed up with facts, every question needs to be prepared and every answer needs to be ready. Many people come to the business analyst with questions. Managers want answers that support their decisions, while employees prefer to understand what the development means for their job (and their position). All questions need to be answered at the right level - in the necessary depth and without unnecessary frills. Psychology and people skills are a great help in this, and learning them will make a business analyst's job easier and also greatly increase customer satisfaction.
How can you motivate and develop yourself at Grape?
You're surrounded by nice, intelligent colleagues who are good to talk to and easy to work with. Even with a home office, I have managed to make new friends and acquaintances within Grape. "Coffee breaks can also be taken online and we regularly play board games online, which has helped to connect colleagues in Budapest and Debrecen.
The office also has a pool table, foosball and darts, so relaxation and refreshment is guaranteed, and the sofa, sitting table, standing desk and beanbag provide a variety of working (and meeting) opportunities for everyone. And the kitchen has a wide selection of teas, coffees (with all kinds of milk) and a constant supply of fresh fruit. And at company events, special attention is paid to those with food allergies or special diets.
Another huge plus is that the office is dog-friendly, so on any given day you might find a happy, enthusiastic four-legged worker or two brightening up the day.
Grape really cares about its employees. We provide regular training opportunities and listen to employee needs, providing opportunities for advancement. Our CEO is not a distant, unattainable figurehead who dispenses wisdom from on high, but is all around, direct, always listening, and has been through the ranks as a developer, so he really knows the processes and the risks that lie within them. Because of this, he also has no unrealistic expectations and treats everyone as a human being, not just as a subordinate. If an outsider were to arrive at a company event, they wouldn't recognise the CEO because he's there among the staff, mingling, chatting, joking (and being joked about).
What are the three things that made you proud during your time at Grape?
I gave a client presentation that was followed by a separate letter from the marketing specialist CEO praising me for an excellent job.
I have received several compliments from developers that they feel I have a complete overview and control of the project. This is not only important for my work, but the developers are also much more at ease when building on such a solid foundation, so my expertise makes their work easier.
During the pandemic, I introduced regular online board games into the life of the company, we play with a small group every month and on one occasion we even organised a company-wide board game session.
Why would you advise others to join us?
If you have a dog that you would like to bring to the office during the day, please come and visit us, we spoil all dogs that pass by with lots of attention and kindness.
You can improve with us, whether you have your own ideas of what you would like to learn more about, or you can follow the suggestions and experiences of others.
As a software development company, we're exposed to a very wide range of sectors, so you can pick up a wide range of knowledge from aviation to energy to pharmaceuticals within a single workplace.