Get to know Björn, Senior Developer at ALTEN in Stockholm. Take part of his thoughts on what’s most important in a workplace, the motivation behind switching from freelance to team spirit and what attributes are most important in the role of a developer.
What are you working with today?
— I work as a Front-end Developer for Axfood. Right now, I’m working on an in-store self-scanning project with the Willys app Scan&Go. I’ve been there since June 2021 and at ALTEN since December 2020.
What attracted you to join ALTEN?
— It felt exciting to work for a large international consulting company with clients in both the private and public sectors. The fact that we have a Collective Agreement was also a big reason why I chose to work here. It’s a guarantee of secure working conditions, good pension benefits and a healthy work-life balance.
What is most important to you in the workplace?
— Several things: Working with nice colleagues is one. Having a clear and structured work process is another and feeling that your ideas are heard. Basically, it’s an understanding that recovery is the key to doing good work, which I find both at ALTEN and in my assignment.
“It’s motivating to see your colleagues grow along with you.”
The strenghts of Community
Björn worked as a freelancer earlier in his career, primarily as a graphic designer and photographer, and it involves a lot of working alone. It may not be for everyone, but with that form of working comes certain freedoms and benefits. For a long time, Björn felt that it was how he worked best – until he decided to try something new.
— I’ve had projects where I’ve worked almost by myself and for the longest time, I thought it was the best thing for me. But since joining ALTEN, I’ve learned the power of working together in a team. Part of it is that I daily get to enjoy working with nice colleagues, but it’s also to be able to benefit from each other to create the best possible results. That’s so rewarding.
What do you enjoy most about your current role?
— Constantly learning new things and feeling part of a group. Today, I have the opportunity to work with large organizations on exciting projects where I can both contribute and learn from others. It’s motivating to see your colleagues grow along with you. Axfood is a great place to work with wonderful colleagues, a strong community and great opportunities to develop.
How are you working to continue to develop and what are your thoughts on your future opportunities?
— In each assignment, I’ve encountered new techniques and work processes that keep me up to date and broaden my skills. I’ve also helped with technical interviews during recruitment, which I feel makes me better at discussing and understanding the techniques I work with.
— In the future, I hope to take advantage of the opportunities for internal training a bit more as well. I’ve been thinking about working abroad in the future. It would be cool to see what assignments are available outside of Sweden.
“Developers should widen their perspectives beyond the visual, so that what they develop is accessible to as many people as possible.”
What are the biggest challenges in your field?
— I’m very interested in Test Automation and Accessibility (WCAG). At the moment, almost only public sector vendors are working on accessibility because they have legal requirements to do so, but developing accessibility is something that should start to be a priority in the private sector as well. Developers should widen their perspectives beyond the visual, so that what they develop is accessible to as many people as possible.
Important Attributes for a Developer
There are, of course, several skills and qualities that make a good developer. In particular, Björn emphasizes the importance of curiosity – and daring to try.
— For me, it’s important that you have a thirst for knowledge and that you are given the space to try new things. That’s how you deepen your knowledge. “Learning by doing” is a good mantra for understanding how techniques are used. A lot of my skills have really developed that way. But it’s also worth spending time on the theoretical foundations to better understand the cause of the problems you encounter.
Are there any future trends you find particularly exciting?
— It’s very exciting that Apple have chosen to shift to RISC-based Processor Architecture in its computers – which over the years has proven to deliver very good performance in mobile devices. But in this transition period, there are of course risks associated with developing a different processor technology. The performance benefits gained may not always be representative of end-user performance.
What do you do when you’re not working?
— My main interest is film, both narrow and broad. Everything from Bergman to Batman. I’m also interested in languages, cooking and weight training.
Curious about if we have any exciting challenges for new developers?
Why not go ahead and look into our open job opportunities!
