Name: André Laszlo
Department: Product
Title: Backend Developer
Location: Sweden
Describe your role at Kisi:
I’m working as a developer in the API team.
We’re currently working in two-week sprints and we don’t have a lot of meetings so there’s a lot of time to focus on getting things done. Typical projects can be implementing new features, often together with the web team or the hardware team; improving our infrastructure; helping customers with problems; or planning and designing upcoming work.
How has your role grown from when you first started at Kisi?
I can’t believe it’s already my third year at Kisi!
We’re a small team, which means everyone does a little bit of everything but people tend to find their niche after a while.
The theme of my first year was identity management and authentication in various forms. Making this part of the system “mine” was a good way to get to know the environment better.
By year two I was less focused on a single area and I was working on a mix of feature work, refactorings, redesigns, and things like that. I started getting more of a vision of what I’d like to get done personally with the API and in the team. I was getting more inspired by infrastructure work.
This year, I’m really happy to be mostly working on infrastructure and ops changes.
For next year, I hope that I will get to work more on security as well.
What has been your favorite project you have worked on?
My current project! Like I mentioned earlier, we are doing some major infrastructure changes to improve the product. It’s something I’ve looked forward to since I started working at Kisi, so it’s really exciting to be a part of this change.
What would you tell potential future team members about your team?
I feel really lucky to work with such a smart and humble group of people!
We’re a fully remote team so I haven’t met everyone in person yet, but it’s cool to have colleagues working from Argentina, Brooklyn, Nigeria, and other parts of my country. I’m working from the Swedish country-side.
What aspect of Kisi’s culture do you enjoy the most?
Everyone is open to new ideas and it’s easy to get a conversation going with the team, other teams and our managers. Our discussions often lead to the company goals (OKRs) getting updated.
How has your experience been working with an international remote team? How do you all stay connected?
Compared to other remote teams I’ve worked in, this just feels natural. We use Discord a lot in our daily work and people chat a lot, as you’d expect. When the time zones allow it we often hang out on calls, screen-sharing, chatting and discussing work.
We experiment with new tools a lot. Two recent favorites are Excalidraw as a stand-in for a whiteboard, and Pop as an alternative to VS Code. My dream tool would allow me to have a pair-programming session from Emacs with a colleague working in VS Code. 🤓
How do you stay up to date with industry trends/learning?
Perhaps I’m lazy but my main source of tech news is Hacker News. I like the variety of content and the fact that it’s not focusing on a single technology or industry.
I’m concerned that online conversations are getting so toxic. Hacker News is no exception so I’m also trying out some alternatives like Lobsters.
What is your current favorite TV show/podcast/book?
The Dropout (on Hulu/Disney Plus). The Trojan Horse Affair. What I Loved by Siri Hustvedt.
What is something most people do not know about you?
My middle name.
Oh, a fun fact? I hatched a chicken in a little incubator on my desk. The little black rooster Kali became a very cuddly pet.
What can you usually be found doing on the weekend?
Our house was built in 1901 so there are a lot of little DIY projects going on. I also enjoy kayaking and canoeing.
Scott Mitchell
Content marketing strategist with specializations in IT and managed services.
