10 in 5. Florent Schildknecht, Application Architect

If you are into problem solving mixed with tech, then development may be a great career choice for you! Get inspired by our very own Flo and hear what he thinks about this line of work.

1. Hey Flo! How the heck are you?
   I am alright thanks!
2. So what do you do at Humblebee?
   I recently joined the architect group with the role of Application Architect. I used to be a developer for a while and I still help building applications, but now more focus is on how to deploy and automate the process.
3. Can you tell us exactly what a Developer/Application Architect at Humblebee does?
   A developer is someone that solves problems, and in order to do that you must first understand them. We have our clients that have business goals, and at humblebee we also work with designers who can gather user needs, so basically developers provide technical solutions to the problems we need to solve with the user needs and business goals in mind. An architect does the same thing, but on a higher level, also considering the overall technical scheme (how different services work and evolve together etc). It’s always about solving problems with code.
4. How come you ended up working with Development?
   Completely random! I had absolutely no idea what to do after high school, but I was kind of more on the scientific side of the studies, figured I would continue more on that sense than literature or economy which are the main areas in France. It was not a purpose or deep ambition that I had, but I just wanted to start with something and so I started with computer science.
5. Tell us about one project you’re particularly proud of…
   I’m proud of what we at Humblebee have accomplished for Velove. They were a small start-up that wanted to provide a logistic service without being sure how to build it and I think we managed to help them in a good way, from doing a small MVP launch to a full-scale service. That is something I am proud of.
6. Do you have one good tip for a tool you love, or perhaps a book or resource you highly recommend?
   I am curious by nature and don’t think I will ever find the last tool I need, so I like trying new things, compare them and make sure I always get some benefits from them. Some good books or references about the programming world, 12 factors app I think is good for building services or applications, it’s a reference that has driven me for many years now on how to build better software.
7. What do you do to make sure you continue to grow as an expert within Development?
   I keep on reading and trying to stay up to date with different frameworks and language updates we use on a daily basis. It’s easy to become comfortable when things start working and forgetting how they actually work, but I try reading and challenging myself on anticipating the next update we will face, so whenever something new is out I try testing it out to see how it works.
8. How do you think Development will evolve in the future?
   That’s a good question! We see a lot more processes and tools on low code or no code, which is something that might be a solution for companies not able to afford armies of engineers, but there will always be a need for architects and problem solvers no matter what, so I think it’s gonna continue in the same direction as for the past years; more adapted solutions, bigger challenges on making solutions more efficient, less energy demanding, potentially adopting de-centralized models. I’m looking forward to that!
9. Do you have any advice for people starting out their career and considering Development?
   Yeah, try it out! There is only one way to figure out if you actually like it and what the best languages and tools are for you, just trying things out and making your own experiences. You may like some parts and some less, there is no perfect solution or tool or way of solving problems, but learning is always important in this line of work.
10. If you could give a company one piece of advice (from a dev perspective)… perhaps a recurring error you have seen from your career… what would that be?
    Keep it simple, that would be my best advice! I’ve seen many projects struggling with ambitious goals from the start. It’s easier for everyone to try solving one thing first and iterating on it. Of course, it’s good to have a vision and directions but give margin for findings that you will gather along the way. Spend the right time on the right need.

If you’re interested in working at Humblebee then get in touch and we’ll meet up for coffee and a chat.