Thoughtworker Spotlight: Vidya Viswakumar
Anyone who knows Vidya Viswakumar agrees she’s sincere and adaptable; always bringing her best qualities to everything she does. But did you know that this software engineer is also a Friends superfan? Actually, you might. But we bet you don’t know how she combined her love of Friends and her love of travel. Now, all we have to ask is if she’s a Rachel, Monica or Phoebe.?
Whether she is balancing multiple responsibilities as an Engineering Manager or at home with her family, her problem solving and collaborative nature have allowed the teams she works on to achieve success. Plus, she has a solid repertoire of technical skills to draw from, with React and CoComelon to name a few.?
Can you guess what her favourite product is? Learn more in this week’s Thoughtworker Spotlight.
Tell us about what you do?
As an Engineering Manager, I lead by fostering collaboration and growth. In addition to my focus on web engineering, spanning both backend and front end, I am involved in onboarding and mentorship within the Engineering Guild. Working within teams, I strongly believe in the power of collective contributions to achieve success, valuing teamwork beyond just work itself.
I’m fortunate to work with a diverse portfolio of partners. Presently, we’re working to improve the organizational product development process at one of our clients’ new ventures. It’s exciting when you get to be involved at this foundational level of organizational design, helping to implement new processes, sharing tips and techniques.
What’s the most interesting challenge you're working on?
I would say it’s currently a mix of many things. Juggling my role as a project contributor and manager, actively participating in ERG events like our Tilt Shift resource group, leading our Women in Engineering resource group, and supporting others' growth, all while navigating the challenges of being a new parent are just a few challenges I'm currently tackling. Balancing it all keeps me engaged and motivated.
What inspired you to have the career you have today??
My inspiration stems from a passion for increasing women's representation in technology. Leading the Women in Engineering ERG (employee resource group), Tilt Shift Canada, and Asian Island Pacific Islander (API) initiatives has really fueled this drive. I have always been interested in math and drawn to problem-solving work, so engineering was a great blend of my interests.
What achievement are you most proud of in your career to date?
I am proud of the fact that I was able to manage one full product feature of Project Wombat myself by myself, juggling multiple roles. Maybe I should share a bit more context though.?
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I worked on Project Wombat for a large Fortune 50 Tech Enterprise which involved a suite of integrations between an internal business communication platform and a suite of popular instant messaging platforms. Wombat allowed workers to receive topical and timely information and gain access to resources they need to make an impact with their work — all without disrupting their current platform preferences.?
There are three types of users on the client’s platform:?
I worked on both the System Admin and Group Admin role work which involved extensive research since I was new to the infrastructure and the technology used. And you can only imagine how expansive anything would be at any large, enterprise-grade messenger platform, or more accurately, the parent company they reside under.
Being new to React when I joined Project Wombat, the engineers who were working on the feature had to move to other roles, so the onus was on me to pick up where they left off. I had to continue the UI work they were doing and had to build on that. At the time, I was new to the client infrastructure and it was challenging. Fortunately, with a lot of research and help from other Thoughtworkers and engineers from the client-side, I pushed through and built the UI for the integration configuration work.
What do you love to do outside of work?
I enjoy traveling and love to see new places. I also enjoy watching sitcoms, Friends in particular. I even went to Warner Brothers to visit (take a guess), the Friends Studio!?These days, I also love spending time outdoors with my son, taking walks and singing children’s songs with him.
If you were stuck on a deserted island, what album, movie, and book would you take with you?
Album - These days, anything CoComelon(also my son’s favourite artist!)
Movie - I like comedy and romcoms, so I’ll go with 50 First Dates
Book - Nancy Drew’s novels (anything suspenseful or filled with mystery!)
And finally, what’s your favorite product and why?
My? AmazFit smartwatch. I wear it all the time and it is an important part of my life now. It makes me feel motivated by counting the number of steps I take and I get a sense of accomplishment after any workout. Also I have so many different watch band colors to try out!