At the end of 2023, during Walter Awards ceremony, we had the privilege of recognizing the extraordinary individuals within our company who exemplify unparalleled dedication and excellence.
Among them, Haris Starčević emerged as the embodiment of our highest ideals, earning the prestigious “The Ace” award — a tribute reserved for the most influential professionals who set an exceptional standard for all.
In our latest Walter Humans series, we present to you Haris Starčević, a shining example of excellence within our company.
So, without further ado, let’s dive into Haris’s story. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Haris Starčević — The Ace.
Tell us more about your career in Walter Code?
My journey at Walter Code company began 8 years ago. At that time, still a small company, it offered me the opportunity to join the team, contribute to development, and learn new things. Like many, I initially started with smaller projects, but very quickly I took on more serious projects due to my knowledge in both frontend and backend development.
How would you describe the culture and work environment at Walter Code?
Generally positive and friendly. Above all, we cherish human factors, and everyone is respected with equal regard and has the opportunity to showcase their abilities. What I can particularly mention is open communication, team spirit, and a social environment that results not only in professional development but also in deeper friendships.
As a team lead, how do you foster a collaborative and inclusive team culture to encourage knowledge sharing and effective communication?
My experience throughout my entire IT career has always been positive when it comes to communication and sharing knowledge. My approach towards all colleagues can be characterized as friendly and with a relaxed atmosphere, and I don’t see myself as more important than other team members because of my position as a team lead, or as some like to say, a boss. I am always happy to help colleagues in the team, as well as others in the company, and this willingness to assist others often comes back to me as others are also ready to help me and others if there is a need. Positive energy cannot turn negative, and knowledge spreads as it is shared.
What qualities do you value most in your colleagues at work?
Professionalism, dedication, and seriousness in approaching work are key elements for successfully managing projects and achieving goals. A collegial and friendly relationship is certainly an advantage where I feel at home among colleagues. Overall, this results in better outcomes and more satisfied employees.
In your experience, what are some common scalability challenges faced in Full Stack applications, and how do you address them during the development process?
As technology advances, applications become a more significant factor in everyday functioning, whether they are used for serious life and business purposes or for entertainment. All of this data needs to be processed and stored somewhere, and as time passes, the amount of data constantly grows, posing a challenge for applications that are not optimized. We live in a fast-paced world where all information must be available to us instantly, and if we want to remain competitive, we must seriously address this issue. The quantity of data directly affects processing speed, which we try to compensate for by expanding hardware capacities, but this is not always effective as it directly impacts costs.
Can you tell us more about the project you’re working on?
The project I am currently assigned to on a full-time basis is the GO+ e-learning platform, used by companies for internal employee training. The client, TicTac, comes from Sweden, so primarily Swedish companies use the client’s platform, but also companies from other Nordic countries, and recently even Germany. Some of the well-known companies using the platform include Mercedes, Philips, Volvo, Lego, and others.
Our collaboration with the client has been ongoing for a little over 6 years. Initially, I was the only team member from the Walter Code side, but later the team started expanding according to the client’s needs, and today we actively have 5 employees from Walter Code working on it
Can you discuss a particularly challenging technical problem you’ve encountered recently and how you solved it?
Currently, we are actively working on a newer version of the e-learning platform for the TicTac client, which adheres to the latest web standards and will provide better stability and support for a larger number of users. One of the main issues with the older version of the application is that entering larger amounts of data results in slower server response times, causing the user to be stuck on the page and wait for a certain action to be executed. We have completely moved this part of the operation to the backend, relying on the use of event-driven architecture. It is crucial for the process that the user provides the necessary information while other calculations are performed in the background without the user noticing. Furthermore, the user can continue using the application smoothly, which is an additional plus for the user experience.
What technologies or frameworks are you currently excited about in
the Full Stack development space?
In our application, we use ReactJS for the frontend and Laravel PHP framework for the backend due to its multitude of integrated options and project organization capabilities. Stability and performance are greatly contributed to by the NoSQL ArangoDB database, which enables writing microservices through NodeJS.
How do you stay motivated and positive, even when facing challenges?
Every problem is solvable, even if it initially seems impossible to solve. If it’s impossible in the way we initially envisioned, then it’s very likely that there is another approach to the problem. This is where the benefits of a collegial environment and exchange of experiences come into play. Other colleagues can see the problem from different perspectives and may have their own experiences that can help us. Certainly, some seemingly unsolvable problems I perceive as challenges that contribute to my growth within the company and the expansion of my knowledge.
What excites you most about the future of web development?
Definitely, AI is something new that is entering the market in a big way, and in a few years, it will surely dominate the web. It’s very important to keep track of this process so that we don’t fall behind if we want to stay up-to-date.
Do you have anything to suggest to our readers?
Although our job is related to computers, at the end of the day, we are all human beings. Above all, we should strive for what is natural for us and lies at our core, which is humanity, interpersonal relationships, support, and understanding.
For those who are just entering the field, I want to emphasize the importance of continuous learning and development because the speed of technological advancement does not tolerate stagnation if we want to keep up with current technologies. To others, more experienced colleagues, I encourage them to be open to helping and understanding younger colleagues and to assist them in both hard and soft skill development.
Essentially, success in IT is not only measured by technical skills but also by the ability to build positive interpersonal relationships, support each other, grow together as a team, and break boundaries.
In conclusion, Haris Starčević’s remarkable journey exemplifies the very essence of excellence and collaboration within our company. His unwavering dedication and commitment to our highest ideals illuminate the path for others to follow, inspiring a culture of achievement and mutual support.
As we reflect on his outstanding contributions, let us collectively applaud his achievements and celebrate the spirit of excellence that he embodies. Join us as we continue to celebrate remarkable individuals like Haris, and stay tuned for more remarkable stories of dedication and achievement.