How did you end up in the Solution Architect role?

At my previous workplace, we had to choose a full stack developer who would communicate with the business side, and that task somehow fell on me. Over time, I realized that this is something I’m good at and enjoy. I’ve worked a lot with SAP in recent years. Although in the beginning, SAP wasn’t my favourite, as it was a very closed system. But then I got pulled into it, and SAP also started moving toward the cloud, which I liked more. By the way, my wife also works as an SAP Data Analyst. We even met at an SAP conference. I had just been at a festival, so I showed up in a baseball cap, shorts, and flip-flops. Of course, everyone else was in suits. My wife loves sailing, and when she saw me, she said, “Finally, someone dressed normally.”

Currently, there’s a lot going on in your life: you have small children, you live farther away from Budapest, and your career is also progressing nicely. How do you manage to balance it all?

The circumstances, the company, and my family all help with that. On one hand, I’m not required to be in the office every day, and even then, it only takes me an hour to get there. My wife is also very supportive, so I can even go to the gym a few times a week. My whole family supports me, and I can support them as well. When I work from home, I can have lunch with them, put the kid down for a nap, and then continue working. I receive support from all directions. That’s how I can manage everything.

Have you always been this balanced?

No, I have my own inner tensions too, just like everyone else. But now I feel like I’m in the right place at the right time again. I worked as a contractor for almost 10 years, and the experience I gained — beyond technical knowledge, especially in communication and remote collaboration — is something I can apply here at ALDI. I see a younger version of myself in some of the junior colleagues; I also used to ask about everything and dig deep into things. My temperament and my ability to collaborate with others have improved a lot over the years.

Can a developer influence technological decisions?

If someone joins our team, then yes. Basically, we translate business requirements into user stories, and officially, what’s in scope can’t be changed. But there are entry points where we can influence decisions. When we define the stories during refinement, developers can contribute ideas, and that’s in everyone’s interest. That’s when changes can still happen.

Do you mentor colleagues?

I feel like we help each other mutually. Everyone brings their own knowledge, me included. As a Solution Architect, I have visibility into the processes, but my word isn’t law. I share my ideas with the team, and if someone has a better suggestion, I’m happy to consider it. Of course, someone has to gather all the input and decide which direction we’ll take.

How do you keep your knowledge up to date?

I follow the Devtoberfest and SAP TechED content to stay informed about new developments, and I’m also part of the SAP community, where developers support each other. It’s like a crossword puzzle, and it helps refresh my knowledge.