How We Built Our Learning Culture
In this rapidly evolving tech landscape, continuous learning and adaptability are not just advantageous but also essential needs. At Mamikos, the emphasis on cultivating a robust learning culture within the tech department has been a journey of growth, adaptation, and shared knowledge.
Here’s an insight into how Mamikos tech team has built and sustained this culture over the years.
History and Background
Mamikos has always valued learning, a sentiment ingrained in its culture since its inception in 2015. Initially, new developers were provided with Laracasts courses to help them get up to speed. The arrival of Gilbok Lee as CTO marked a significant shift, allowing each division to select their preferred learning platforms. Backend developers continued with Laracasts, frontend developers opted for Vue Mastery, mobile developers chose Kodeco (previously Raywenderlich), and other teams utilized Udemy.
From 2019 to 2020, there was a significant push towards automation testing practices, led by the QA team under the guidance of an external expert, Piyush. This initiative highlighted the importance of not only learning itself but also sharing knowledge. As a result, in 2021, “Learn-Improve-Share” became an OKR for the all tech teams. Although this specific OKR was later deprecated, the practice of regular knowledge sharing continued across all tech divisions.
Current Learning Culture
Today, Mamikos tech department continues to foster a vibrant learning environment through several initiatives:
- Online Courses: Tailored to each division or technology stack.
- Monthly Sharing Sessions: Encouraging routine knowledge sharing within and across teams.
- Engineering Mentorship Program: Launched initially within the frontend division and now expanded across the entire tech department, fostering cross-division learning.
- Mamitech on Medium: A platform for the team to share insights and contribute to a collective knowledge base.
Impact and Results
The impact of these learning initiatives is evident in the engineering performance metrics. For example:
- Reduced Bugs Found: Regression tests now reveal significantly fewer bugs (0–3 compared to 20+ previously).
- Faster Testing: Web regression testing time has been reduced from several days to just a few hours.
- Smaller App Sizes: The Android app size decreased from 40 MB to 26 MB, and the iOS app from 115 MB to 55 MB.
- Improved Server Performance: Average server response times have dropped from 400 ms to 100 ms, and server resource usage has been optimized.
- Better Developer Experience: Happy developers increase their productivity.
Looking Ahead
Mamikos is committed to maintaining and enhancing its learning culture. Future plans include:
- Ongoing Programs: Continuation of existing initiatives.
- Guest Speakers: Inviting tech leaders from other companies to share their experiences.
- New Initiatives: Exploring innovative ways to further embed learning and knowledge sharing into the tech department’s DNA.
This ongoing commitment to learning and development not only helps in keeping up with the fast-changing tech landscape but also ensures that Mamikos remains a dynamic and forward-thinking company. The journey of never-ending learning continues, driven by the passion and dedication of its tech team.
By maintaining a strong focus on learning and knowledge sharing, Mamikos is not just preparing its tech department for the future but also setting an example of how continuous development can drive success and innovation.
Join the Conversation on Medium!
To stay updated on our latest insights and achievements, follow us on Medium at Mamitech. We regularly post articles that showcase our projects, share our learnings, and engage with the wider tech community.
