If you would kindly say your name.
My name is Ferdous Ahmed.
You are working as a project manager. Your specific role, which project are you working on?
PP and FICO, these two modules.
PP and FICO.

Okay. You, well, you report to Arif saheb, what do you call it, you report to him.
Yes.
Okay. Today's date is the second... 12... 25.
How many years have you been at, uh, MononSoft?
In Sonali?
No no, at MononSoft.
I have been at MononSoft since March 2022.
So how long is that?
Three and a half... four years.
Yes, yes, almost four years.
Four years. So, today's discussion that we will have is, just an ordinary discussion to understand how you all work with these things, plus, there are some additional questions. Understanding English levels, and as well as Bangla and communication. So, we will do some marking here. The marking is from one to five. You will mark your expertise, and for that mark, maybe there's something you have no expertise in, which I will talk about, that's not a problem. Because what we are doing is, we are assessing the total employees since we are moving towards full-stack development, or DevOps, or AI innovation. We are just assessing to see how we can develop whose skills based on this. For instance, you are a project manager now. Now if we integrate AI into FICO, then we need to know and understand how we will extend your knowledge. So, for this reason, we are having these work... conversations. So, this is just a normal conversation, nothing special.

The first thing we'll discuss is regarding front-end and back-end development. Since you are a project manager, what kind of idea do you have regarding front-end and back-end development?
I have a complete idea. Back-end, front-end, I have a complete idea.
Okay.
At one point, I started my career as a full-stack developer. Although I haven't worked with Vue.js, I have worked with other programs... I was in .NET, I was on the .NET track. I have worked with C#. And Microsoft SQL Server, API... within that .NET framework, we worked with Entity... I have worked with Entity Framework. At one time, I worked with everything: back-end, front-end, API. I don't do that kind of work anymore.
No no, that's fine. So if I ask you to rate yourself on front-end and back-end, how much would you give yourself? One to five. One is the lowest, five is the highest... I mean the most.
For back-end, I can give a four, and for front-end, since I don't work much on it at the moment, I can give a two.
Okay, so you have an idea about API development and integration?
Yes, I have an idea about that.
You can give a four for that.
Okay, I can give a four for that, okay. Do you have knowledge of database management?
Yes, you can give a four for that as well.
Four. Database optimization and query testing, do you have an idea about that?
I have a fair idea, you can give me a three.
Three. DevOps, since you have done it before, regarding DevOps now, the current changes or the changes that have happened due to AI and within technology changes under DevOps, your current if... so, regarding DevOps, what kind of idea do you have about the current status?
I have been working with DevOps since the company I was at before joining MononSoft. My work on DevOps started from there. In the DevOps method. Before that, we used to work with traditional methods. For example, before MononSoft, for about a year at the company I was at, I worked in DevOps. So, the tasks of DevOps, the way the work is done, and the way data is uploaded, the way data is hosted on the server, CI/CD, Docker, I have worked with these. And caching, we have worked with these directly.
So now if I ask you to rate yourself, how would you rate?
Rate on what? On DevOps?
For DevOps, you can consider me in the middle, you can give a three.
Three. Okay. System architecture understanding. If you are given a system architecture, how would you, uh, be able to grasp it?
You can give me a five for that.
Five. Okay. Debugging and troubleshooting.
You can give me a four here as well.
Okay. Document quality and document preparation. The document is a very important thing. Although at your level, you won't be creating the document yourself, but you will have to get it created. So, in that case, if I say in terms of maintaining document quality, how much would you give yourself?
I can give myself a four here.
Four. Okay. Now we will move to some behavioral questions. That is, time management. How would you rate yourself on your time management, and how would you rate yourself on your team's time management?
For time management, I will give myself pretty much the highest marks, for time management.
Five. And team?
The team's, the team's management, the team actually has various issues at various times. If we consider time management in relation to work, that the amount of work that should be done at a certain time, if I think of it in that concept, then it's fine, I can give a five out of five.
Okay. So, I will ask you a question, which is, let's say you have a project assigned to you, let's talk about FICO, that we will do further development of FICO. So, after doing further development, you were told to deliver this project on time. So you see that based on the work you have and the team you have, you won't be able to deliver it on time. In that case, what will you do?
In that case, I will have to compromise. Either the time has to be extended or I have to work overtime. I will have to think about working overtime.
But still, you will deliver on time, right?
Huh? Yes, I didn't understand.
Still, you will deliver on time.
Yes, either the timing... the timing scheduling... there are two options here. Either the time schedule has to be extended. Or if it has to be done on time, then I have to increase the work, I have to increase my timing. I will have to do overtime, that kind of environment has to be created so that overtime can be done.
Okay. So we often see everywhere, when I work with different teams in the UK, or in Bangladesh or other places, sometimes the team, this matter of time, the matter of on-time delivery, they sometimes can't grasp this matter or sometimes suppress it. They take the work, and after taking it, let's say, they extend the time later. They don't extend it when they first take it. In that case, what happens is, I've seen that complications arise within many teams, complications arise between the client and the employees. Because when we work, we treat those who are, say, at the C-level or who are the company owners, as clients. That we are providing service to the client. So now, whether that client is an internal client or an external client, any client, they don't... they don't make things black and white from the beginning. For this reason, complications arise. So, if I ask you a question about your communication, that you were given a project and you understand the project's timeframe, although you said either the time will be extended or resources will be needed, something must be done to say 'yes, I will do this but I need this' or 'I can't do this if this is not provided'. In that case, in terms of communication, how can you interact with the senior team? I am very straightforwardly about this, I explain the situation that, the work and the complexity of the work and its scope, I try to make the management understand that either they should consider the timing or they need to prepare my team accordingly. So that the team can work dedicatedly in that way or be ready for overtime. I gave it my all, but if my team doesn't give me time, then the work won't get done. The work is teamwork.
That's for sure. Now, for example, we, Here the timing... when we are setting the timing, if we think realistically about how much work there is and what the standard timing should be accordingly, if we think and set the timing that way, then there's no problem.
Then there's no problem, but... if I give you... yes, thank you. Let me give you an example then. For example, our ZARP application that we are developing, we have already... the timeframe that was there, although I have heard this timeframe, I am not saying this after realizing all the documentation and everything. Alright? So, the timeframe we had for ZARP development or for developing various modules, we have crossed that. We still haven't grasped the whole thing or been able to finish it. In that case, you, since you have a responsibility, what system have you implemented so that you can deliver your work on time or why are you unable to deliver on time?
I didn't understand the question...
For example, if we talk about ZARP, for ZARP you are working with PP and FICO. Alright? The system map or system plan that was there for PP and FICO, according to that plan, are you able to deliver on time or have you been able to deliver on time?
No, this... PP and FICO, the initial timeline we were given was very, I mean, negligible. It was perhaps, say, 30 percent of 100 was given as the timeline. Where 100 was needed, 30 was given. At that time, we said, 'Okay, then we will cut down on features.' By cutting down features, we will only deliver the core thing. Core FICO and core accounting. We were able to deliver the core accounting within three months. After that, what we had to do to satisfy the user was to create various sub-modules, we had to increase the branches, and by increasing the branches, we slowly, with the main core accounting, their further ease, we had to do a lot more work to make it usable and user-friendly for them. And that's why the timing is important, that if I can set the timing after careful thought and consideration, then there is really no room for the project to fail. But if that is given based on guesswork, or without considering the scope of the work, and without considering my available resources, then the timeline really won't hold up. Then it's like, you gave me three months, I can do whatever is possible in three months, I can't do more than that. Humans have limitations. Instead of my eight hours, I can give you twelve hours. But I can't give you eighteen hours, it's not possible for me to give you eighteen hours.
Not possible.
Okay.
Instead of eight, I'll give twelve, I'll give ten, I can give twelve hours. Whatever output comes from that, will come.
In terms of communication, if I ask, in your Bangla or English communication, for Bangla communication, how much would you give yourself out of what?
Bangla communication is complete... there is no problem with Bangla communication. Full marks can be given.
Okay. And in English?
In English, I've never really been in an environment where I needed to communicate in English like that. It's actually a matter of practice. I understand any English conversation, I can speak any English conversation, but it just hasn't been practiced that way. You can consider that, you can consider it a three. Now if we start later and have an environment for practice, we could have progressed a bit further.
No, because we are thinking that, although I will mention it, we will divide those of you at MononSoft now into several branches, some will close the current version of ZARP, some of us will work to generate income, some will work on building innovative ideas or new things so that we can sell them in the future. So, for that reason, since we will be working for an international audience, and the ZARP that we have prepared is internationally a very extensive thing which is highly valued, ERP is very much needed in various places. So in that case, when we work with international clients, for that reason we are, uh, checking the English level, if it's not good, we practice... if there's an environment for practice, it will develop.
Okay. In teamwork and collaboration, how much would you give yourself?
I will give a full five here.
Okay. Ownership of the task.
I'll give five out of five.
Okay. If we talk about ownership, let's say you yourself own a project, and a member of your team is not doing it. What will you do then?
There are many ways to do that. First is to... what is his problem, why can't he get involved or his... that issue... identifying that issue, consulting with him, communicating, giving him his space, figuring out what would help him give a better output, creating that kind of environment. And if nothing works, then we'll see that ultimately the team... the team member will need to be changed. There are step-by-step ways for this.
Okay.
Now, for example, your team is doing well... or maybe he is not comfortable with the kind of work I was trying to give him, then what other kind of work is he comfortable with, verifying options one by one like this. And the last way is that no, the team member has to be changed, it's not working with this team member.
Okay, that's the question I was about to ask you.
Okay.
Okay. The one who can't be made to work has to be changed, there's nothing to do, since we are a business... it's the very last way, it's the very last... last way.
we invest in the business. In problem-solving skills, how much would you give yourself?
I can claim a five out of five.
Okay. Learning initiative. For learning something new, what is your initiative like?
I have the initiative, but actually, I am not getting that kind of learning environment. So four... you can give a four.
Okay.
You have the will. Adaptability, let's say we want to adapt new things. So, how is your adaptability?
I can give a four.
Okay, so our next conversation, we would like to have it in English. If you are not comfortable in English, we can do it in Bangla, there's no problem with that. But this is just...
Let's try, let's try.
Understanding. Okay. Which part of your role you feel you are strongest in?
There are many parts I am strong with, like I am project architecture, how to convert application, how to convert business into application. That is my very strong point. I know how to convert business requirements to application and how the data should be managed. And also, the teamwork, I am very comfortable in teamwork. I, I am very good with my team. And also, the database knowledge also is... it is... it is my strongest point. And this all are my strongest points.
Okay. Which part of your role you struggle with?
Uh, struggle... I don't see any, but the one thing which the responsibility was upon on me, but it is not my responsibility I think. That is the client handling. Client handling or client implementation. Implementation, that should be... this kind of software company must have an implementation team, where we developers communicate with the implementation head, and implementation head will develop with the, communicate with the client. So that is I am struggling with the communication with the client and how to make them understanding and usability, make them... our software, they are the ERP people, non-software people, they are traditional, they work with traditional way with pen and papers. So this kind of client to a digital transformation is very hard work.
Okay. What skills would you like to improve in the next six to twelve months?

I am also interested in AI, the data science, they... this is a very interesting thing for me. I want to develop myself in this kind of technological transformation.
Okay. How confident are you working across the current full-stack environment?
I am not in development, direct development team. I am not working in current direct involving in myself in direct development. So, I am not working in full-stack. I am managing projects.
Okay. What... what slows you down in your current development work?

I am not seeing any points to slow me down.
Okay. What new technologies or tools do you want it to learn?

I told you, the AI and the data science. That is the my fascinating point.
Okay, but AI and data science is a huge field. In... in... in AI and data science, when you wanted to learn, you need to squeeze it down to a bite size, like chunk bits, like, okay, I want to know regression modeling in AI. Okay? Uh, so that's very, uh, specific. Uh, that you wanted to learn regression model. Or in data science, um, okay, I wanted to know about, uh, uh, numbers, I wanted to know about how image works. So those are very specific one. So when you say about, uh, I want to learn AI and data science, it's very massive.
Massive thing. I want to focus myself on the MIS, how to business decisions can be made by AI or data science.
Okay, so knowledge engineering.
That is the focus point.
Okay. Knowledge engineering. So we will implement knowledge engineering to current ZARP system that we are thinking of. So, do you have the right resource and documentation for your current work?

Uh, no, not... I don't have the right resource and documentation for my current development.
Can you explain why not and how it can be improved?
Uh, because the documentation, we don't have any documentation resource who who can make the documentation under my guidance. That is one point. And also...

Though we have some resource also, but we don't have any time for to give to complete the documentation work. Also, the current workload basis, the current workload basis, I need more developers in my team, more DB developers, more API developers. That is the resource I don't have right now.
Okay. As you know that we are, we're gonna be working in the future in three domains. One is current ZARP to finish version 0.1, and one is global roadmap of ZARP. So ZARP will be divided into two parts, one is current ZARP and one is global roadmap. We want to extend it to the global audience. Second one, uh, we wanted to, uh, train people for DevOps. Third one, AI. So, combination of both, uh, and we also wanted to sell it, uh, develop new product to sell into the market. Um, and that could be different things. Like, okay, we get an order and we develop it and deliver it, or maybe we, we create something extraordinary and then we sell it to other people. In this, uh, scenario, where do you think you are the best suitable person?
The advanced ZARP version. I want to, I want to myself to convert into the new ZARP version.
The global roadmap, you meant.
The global roadmap. It will be my preferable choice.
Okay. Um, so I think that's all about from me today. I will have a one-to-one with you... after talking to everyone, I will sit with you one-to-one again, and we will talk about some things in more detail. I will learn more from you. But initially, whatever was on my discussion points, that is finished. Do you have anything to ask me?
Right now I am confused about your role, what guidance you can give us, but in time it will be clear.
That's fine. But if you have any question to me, you can ask me anytime. Um, Arif bhai has my email address and phone number. And I think we also have a group on WhatsApp. So, I think Arif bhai, um, I wanted to start conversation individually after this, one-to-one, to maybe a telephone conversation or maybe another, another, another meeting like this. Could you please add, uh, all of your people to the group that we created? I think most of them are there, uh, and I think we need everyone so that I can have their mobile numbers and email addresses.
Sure. I will.
Please, thank you. Thank you, Ferdous bhai. Thank you for talking with me. I will talk to you again in the future. Thank you.
Yes, peace be upon you.
And upon you.