Today’s edition of Meet the 3iers features Farkhod, the leader of the R&D team at 3i. Farkhod is responsible for developing the core technology of the company’sq flagship products, Pivo and Beamo. With his exceptional engineering skills and fluency in Korean, he has become an invaluable asset to the team. Let’s dive into the interview!
Part 1. Engineer Farkhod
Hi, can you please introduce yourself?
Hello, my name is Farkhod, the leader of the R&D team at 3i. These days, I primarily handle machine learning and computer vision tasks.
I heard that you achieved great success in college competitions. Could you tell us more about that?
Since I was a child, I’ve always been eager to explore and learn new things. I participated in various competitions and activities, winning several awards.
You must have earned a substantial amount of money from those competitions. How did you use the prize money?
Yes haha, the competitions were usually team projects, so I shared the prize money with my teammates. I used the remaining money to pay for my tuition and take care of my needs.
Why did you choose to start working immediately after college instead of pursuing a master’s degree like many R&D engineers?
During my undergraduate years in Korea, I was already involved in research projects and gained hands-on experience in deep learning and machine learning. Getting a higher education and a master’s degree is very important these days, but I decided to start working to continue learning through practical experience.
What attracted you to join 3i, considering it was a smaller-sized company back then?
Before graduating, I attended job fairs and had the opportunity to meet the CEO and CTO of 3i. I was impressed by the presence of many foreign engineers at 3i, the attractive office location, and the industry. These factors influenced my decision to join the company.
Part 2. Leader Farkhod
Can you tell us about the R&D team?
The R&D team focuses on prior technology research and development, including paper analysis, algorithm research, and experiments in computer vision and artificial intelligence. We develop and optimize primary technologies such as AI tracking, Pivo tour 3D using AR/VR, and 3D human avatars. Our main goal is to solve customer needs and business problems through computer vision and AI.
That’s interesting! Could you tell us more about the R&D team’s technology stack?
We mainly use Python and C++, along with PyTorch for ML model development. We constantly explore new development tools to improve work efficiency. Our toolset includes Git for version control and Kubernetes for managing containerized workloads and services. We also utilize Kubeflow, an end-to-end AI platform, to automate our system. For infrastructure management, we employ cloud/infrastructure automation tools like Terraform, and in the production stage, we leverage cloud-based services such as AWS EKS and ECS.
What sets the 3i R&D team apart from others?
Well, the R&D team comprises talented individuals with a shared interest in new technologies and a passion for challenges. Our team members, including both juniors and seniors, excel in their roles, and we foster an inclusive and welcoming environment. We encourage horizontal growth and provide opportunities for team members to do their best. Our members can also participate in different projects in various areas they’re interested in and experience Multi-GPU training since the infrastructure is well established, and we have internal GPU servers.
What are some team skills or projects you are proud of?
We develop lots of new and unique technologies. Among them, the AI system in Pivo is something I can say I feel very proud of. I would say it’s the best AI tracking technology in mobile, including detection and tracking technologies. I am also proud of our deep learning model that creates 3D from regular 2D images. We got patents related to that technology!
When it comes to the R&D team at 3i, its long sprint cycle and focus on long-term tasks set them apart from other engineering teams. Can you share your approach to allocating work within this team?
Our approach to allocating work for the R&D team is slightly different from other engineering teams at 3i due to the nature of their tasks. While we do have regular sprint meetings, the R&D team’s sprint cycle tends to be longer to accommodate extensive research efforts. Typically, I allocate around 70% of the team’s time to development work, ensuring that they can focus on creating innovative solutions. The remaining 30% is dedicated to research, allowing our team members to stay up to date with the latest advancements and explore new technologies. However, I am considering increasing the proportion of the research part to align with the evolving needs of our R&D tasks.
Leading a team of 8 people sounds like a rewarding challenge, especially when they are known for being cooperative and peaceful. As the team leader for the R&D team, what tips do you have for effectively managing and getting the best out of such a talented group?
Managing a team, even one as cooperative and peaceful as the R&D team, comes with its own set of challenges. To effectively lead the team of 8 individuals, I prioritize open communication and collaboration. Regular team meetings and one-on-one sessions provide opportunities for team members to share their progress, challenges, and ideas. I also emphasize the importance of a supportive and respectful work environment where everyone’s contributions are valued. Additionally, I continuously work on improving my leadership skills by seeking inspiration from successful CEOs, reading books on leadership, and learning from the experiences of others.
From your perspective, which aspect of your role as a team leader do you find more challenging: task management or people management? Could you share your thoughts on the specific challenges you face in each area?
Hmm… If I had to choose between task management and people management, I would say that task management poses more challenges within the R&D context. While our team members are highly collaborative and cooperative, the dynamic nature of R&D tasks introduces uncertainties and frequent changes to our roadmap. Adapting to these changes and effectively allocating tasks accordingly can be demanding. It requires constant evaluation and adjustment to ensure we optimize our efforts and deliver innovative solutions. Dealing with evolving priorities and maintaining a flexible mindset is crucial in overcoming these challenges.
As the team leader for the R&D team, are there any concerns or obstacles you encounter in your work? If so, how do you address them to ensure the team’s success?
In my role as a team leader for the R&D team, one concern I face is the number of ongoing projects and the visibility of certain tasks. Approximately 20% of our projects reach the production stage and are delivered to our end users. However, there are also numerous invisible tasks that contribute to the overall progress and success of our team. To address this concern, I emphasize the significance of the overall impact of our work, both visible and invisible. Celebrating milestones and recognizing the efforts behind every task, regardless of its visibility, helps maintain motivation and a sense of accomplishment within the team.
I believe in focusing on the positive aspects of our work. We have the opportunity to continually improve and develop new and better products for our users!
Part 3. Farkhod Khudayberganov
It’s your 5th year at 3i! You will be awarded the 5th anniversary, so how do you feel about it?
It always feels nice to receive an award, haha. Time indeed passes so quickly. I’ve spent most of my 20s here at 3i. After joining the company, I’ve achieved many things personally and professionally and have been in both good and sad moments. I think I have grown as much as the company has grown. I am forever grateful that the company has trusted and helped me a lot since I joined 3i as a research engineer and even now as a lead engineer in the R&D team.
I think a lot has changed compared to when you first joined 3i. Is there any change that impressed you the most?
When I first joined the company, there were only about 15 to 18 people. Now, the company’s size is almost 10 times bigger than it used to be. It seems to have experienced rapid growth. Employee welfare programs, such as lunch support, have improved a lot since then. A lot of positive changes have taken place.
I beet many things have also changed in you, what do you think?
Yes, I’ve gained a lot of experience. 3i was my first official job. I’ve learned to lead a team and organization and met many good people here. I still keep in tough with my old coworkers and am pretty close with my current coworkers as well.
Alright, so what is your next step?
I’ve always dreamt of starting my own business someday. Now that I’m in my 30s, I think it’s about time I start to plan and pursue my dream. I really like AI stuff, and I’m also interested in Digital Art and Web3, but I haven’t quite figured out anything specific yet. For now, i am just following up on some Korean and foreign startup companies to see what they’re up to.
Fun Facts about Farkhod
What is your favorite Library / Open Source?
Pytorch, Numpy and OpenCV
What emoji do you use the most?
pepe
What’s your favorite playlist when you’re working?
Spotify Top 50
When is it more astonishing? When it’s working or when it’s not working?
When it’s working.
Team talking about Farkhod
To get to know more about Farkhod, we asked the R&D team members what they thought about him!
Q1. Is there any character or image that reminds you of him?
Ahmed: Tony Stark from Iron Man, because he always brings up a new system and finds a new solution.
Mia: Chris Hemsworth! Have you seen Chis Hemsworth’s hot dog meme? It’s a picture of him holding his baby, and the baby is so tiny that she was mistaken for a hot dog, haha. This meme reminds me of Farkhod carrying his daughter in his arms
Seunghyun: I can’t think of any character, but I would say he’s worthy of 10 engineers. He can basically do all the work by himself that usually takes 10 or more engineers to do, haha.
Dain: Well, he’s like an encyclopedia. If I ask him any questions, he always has answers for everything. He is like a walking Wikipedia.
Q2. What do you think his best qualities are?
Mikhail: He has excellent management skills. He has a deep understanding of his area, which makes him an incredible problem-solver. If there are problems, he identifies each problem quickly.
Songeun: He provides leadership to lead by example. Whenever I ask him for help, he’s always willing to help suggest solutions and better alternatives within our limited resources. He’s such a good listener, too! I respect how he is never proud and learns things with a sense of humility.
Akylbek: I recently transferred to the R&D team, but looking back at those times I had collaborative work with him, I think he has excellent communication skills. Of course, he has a huge brain, comprehends and digests things quickly. He’s an incredible problem-solver. Farkhod is really a nice colleague to work with.
Andy: One of the most extraordinary things about him as a leader is that he does not put too much pressure on his team members when they work. Creating a good environment where teammates can focus on their work is one of the skills every leader should have, and I think he represents that well.
Q3. Anything you would like to say to Farkhod in few words?
- HELP!
- Thank.. you!
- What are you thinking about? (It’s hard to read his poker face…)
Connect with Farkhod Khudayberganov on LinkedIn
Farkhod’s unwavering passion for innovation and his commitment to the growth of his team have truly shone through in this interview. We are excited to see his ongoing achievements and the entire R&D team at 3i as they continue to pioneer the advancements of computer vision and AI technology.
To all our readers, we invite you to be part of this extraordinary journey. Join the dynamic and forward-thinking environment at 3i, where innovation thrives and new possibilities are realized. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to explore our other captivating articles and stay at the forefront of cutting-edge technology. Together, let’s shape the future of AI and embark on a remarkable path of discovery.
