Moneybox behind the scenes

Meet Ahmed, Junior iOS Developer

In this edition of behind the scenes, we have a chat with one of our smiliest team members -  Ahmed. 

Ahmed joined us back in January 2020 (which feels like a distant memory now) and is part of team iOS, responsible for making sure Moneybox works seamlessly on iPhone devices. Here he tells us a little about the world of iOS and life at Moneybox.

How did you get into software development?

I studied Electrical and Electronic Engineering at university and as part of my course I was taught basic programming. I later did an internship in software development that helped me further develop my knowledge. After graduating, my friend and I had an idea for an app which was when I picked up iOS development via an online course. It was then that I truly fell in love with software development! iOS development has allowed me to combine problem solving and creative skills to create something that is directly interacted with by users, which is the most fulfilling aspect of software development for me.  

What has life been like in team iOS at Moneybox? 

Very exciting! It’s incredibly stimulating and fun being part of the Moneybox iOS team. Everyone is determined to deliver the best app and when someone is stuck on a problem, the whole team comes together to provide support and find the best solution. I also love having the opportunity to interact with many different teams - we are constantly working with QA, Android and Cloud Apps, but we also spend a lot of time with UX/design and Product. It’s amazing having this open flow of communication within a diverse environment as it leads us to developing great ideas and the best solutions. 

What has been your favourite project so far? 

We’re always working on new features and projects at Moneybox, which makes it hard to pick a favourite, but if I had to pick one it would be developing the House Buying Calculator. As a future home owner, I think a tool to calculate how much you’ll need to save each week for a deposit is an incredible feature to have in the app. It was great to be part of its development and it was also impressive seeing the tremendous work from all the different teams collaborating to bring it to life. 

- How do you see the Moneybox ALOT values come to life in the iOS team?

I believe our team embraces all four values equally: 

ACTION because we’re always striving to produce new features while maintaining quality code. Everyone is proactively looking for ways to improve the app and is keen to come up with technical tasks that ensure we have the best app for the user and the developer.  

LEARNING because there is a continuous exchange of knowledge and ideas between all members of the team. A great example of this is in our code reviews where we all get to share our feedback and find ways of making our solutions even better. 

OPEN-MINDED because we all understand that diversity breeds the best solutions. We receive thorough feedback for code we have written and suggestions for different ways of doing things. I find this very valuable as it expands my knowledge which feeds into my development as a software developer. The nature of our work also means there’s a lot of communication between different teams, so it’s crucial to be open-minded as there are times where we will change our solutions after discussing our approach with a different team. 

TEAM because no one person could build the Moneybox app, even if they had all the time in the world! As a team, we’re constantly supporting one another while always sharing and exchanging knowledge. The collaborative spirit within the iOS team is very palpable. We have a culture of doing our best while being present to ensure everyone else does their best too. Plus, we have a lot of fun doing it! 

What advice do you have for someone who is looking to get into iOS development? 

iOS development is really exciting as it’s something that feels very familiar to us. Most of us use apps every day and to be able to be a part of their development is very fulfilling. There are several ways to get into it and, thanks to the internet, there are countless resources and beginner courses available to get started. My advice would be whichever learning path you take, work on an idea or a project of your own in parallel. Don’t do countless hours of learning and then try to apply it to an app, project, or job application later. Instead, simultaneously apply your learning to your own project in real time. It can be anything – big or small. You’ll find that by actively and directly doing so, you will learn and progress much faster.