Before I Begin…
A little introduction of how I arrived at this position.
For my previous endeavor, I was working at EMG Global as a junior software developer. After the one-year contract expired I had fulfilled my work experience requirement — but I didn’t want to return to school right away. I wanted more experience.
EMG offered a position with upgraded compensation if I was planning to stay in Korea. I had to respectfully turn down the offer as I was looking for something new, at a new place.
A short month later of preparing and searching for my next destination, I arrived at Hoek Agency.
About Hoek Agency
Hoek Agency was a small enterprise that specialized in company branding and marketing, and was looking for developers to help boost their in-house productivity. Through multiple brainstorming sessions that quickly followed the onboarding process, it became clear there was an opportunity to streamline internal operations.
As it was often tasked with providing branding for different projects for different clients, it uniquely developed an island persona as a company. It would add new islands for new projects to showcase its capability as a branding solutions provider.
My journey at Hoek Agency, or "Jejodo" as it was known internally, began in September 2022. The first couple of months were a bit of a blur, as I immersed myself in understanding the existing workflows and identifying key pain points. This initial phase was crucial for setting the stage for the projects that would follow.
A unique challenge arose shortly after I joined: the entire existing development team departed. This left me without immediate mentors or clear guidance. Despite this, I chose to remain, adapting to the new normal while preparing to relocate to Seoul. This period highlighted the difficulties of integrating into an unfamiliar codebase without comprehensive documentation or test coverage.
As one colleague put it, "There is no senior, but there are colleagues", a sentiment that proved true as we navigated these initial challenges.
Identifying the Need: The HR Challenge
My primary focus quickly shifted to the HR department, which was grappling with manual, time-consuming tasks. This was a classic case where technology could make a real difference. We identified that a significant portion of their operational costs and weekly hours were being spent on repetitive administrative duties. This realization became the catalyst for my main project.
Developing Solutions: The Molipdo Project
After a period of internal re-evaluation and brainstorming sessions at the start of 2023, the company decided to focus on building internal tools. The first critical project was to replace "Shifty," our existing labour management system, with an in-house solution — which later was given the name “Molipdo” (mol-ip do by definition is the rate of how deeply one remains focused/in flow-state, and was used as a pun to the internal image of being on an island).
I took on the role of product lead for the development of this full-stack application tailored specifically for the HR department. This wasn't just about building software; it was about understanding the nuances of their daily operations and translating those into efficient, programmatic solutions.
Some of the key aspects of this project included:
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Requirements Gathering & Design: Collaborating closely with the HR team to map out their current processes and design an intuitive application that addressed their specific needs.
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Full-Stack Development: Building both the front-end user interface and the back-end infrastructure to support the application's functionality. The project started in late February and an alpha version for basic clock-in/out was launched by April 1st. You can see the evolution of the Molipdo interface from its early stages to its current form:
Initial and Final (as of my exit) Version of Molipdo:
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Automation Implementation: Focusing on automating manual tasks that were consuming an average of four hours weekly. This involved scripting and integrating various processes within the new application given the new set of data I was able to generate.
Tangible Impact and Results
The effort put into developing and implementing the HR product yielded significant, measurable results:
- 10% Reduction in Operating Costs: By automating key processes and improving efficiency, the new system directly contributed to a substantial decrease in HR-related operational expenses.
- 15% Optimization of HR Workflow: The programmatic automation dramatically streamlined daily tasks, freeing up HR personnel to focus on more strategic initiatives rather than administrative burdens.
Lessons Learned and Growth
My time at Hoek Agency was a pivotal step in my career, allowing me to apply my technical skills to real-world business challenges and witness the direct impact of my work. It reinforced my passion for using technology to solve problems and improve efficiency, especially within the context of internal product development.
- Understanding Business Impact: It solidified my understanding of how software development directly translates into business value and cost savings.
- Product Ownership: I gained hands-on experience in leading a product from conception to delivery, including stakeholder management and problem-solving.
- Collaborative Development: Working closely with the HR department highlighted the importance of cross-functional collaboration in achieving successful outcomes. I realized the critical importance of clear communication, documentation, and writing testable code after experiencing the challenges of inheriting an undocumented codebase.
- Adaptability and Resilience: The early departure of the entire development team forced me to quickly adapt and become self-reliant, taking ownership of projects from an early stage.
- Transition from Front-End Focus: While I started primarily as a front-end developer with HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and React skills, this role allowed me to mature into a problem-solver and a more well-rounded developer.
Looking Back
My experience at Hoek Agency was a pivotal step in my career, allowing me to apply my technical skills to real-world business challenges and witness the direct impact of my work. It reinforced my passion for using technology to solve problems and improve efficiency, especially within the context of internal product development. My time there taught me invaluable lessons in adaptability, product ownership, and the true meaning of collaboration.