At the end of this month, Triquestra will say a fond farewell to our programme manager, Vidula Kulkarni. Since joining us in April 2016, Vidula has played a pivotal role in some of our most complex and high-impact projects, and she will be a familiar face to many of our customers who have benefited from her knowledge and energetic engagement over the years.
Before saying goodbye, we wanted to look back over her time with Triquestra to see how both she and we have evolved.
Vidula joined Triquestra at a particularly busy time, with several large projects on the go. Her background in software development meant she could hit the ground running when she took on the role of project manager, and she soon proved her worth by working closely with Freedom Furniture and Fantastic Furniture.
After a busy start, her role at Triquestra evolved from managing a range of smaller accounts to overseeing large projects and teams. Vidula has played a vital part in delivering some of our biggest initiatives, including the Pumped and Z Rewards customer loyalty projects for Z Energy, as well as Z’s Sharetank, a virtual fuel tank that lets customers prepay for fuel and then share it with family and friends. Other significant projects have included the Everyday Rewards loyalty scheme for GAS and digitally assisted sending for NZ Post, which streamlines parcel sending by allowing customers to complete documentation electronically.
She’s revelled in the opportunities all these projects have given her. "Managing multiple projects simultaneously was challenging but rewarding. It helped me grow and develop new skills," she says. She’s also appreciated the support she’s had from Triquestra management, who have trusted and encouraged her to take on these challenges.
Vidula also leaves a lasting legacy at Triquestra in terms of how we deliver for our customers. It’s no exaggeration to say that she changed the way we work every day by implementing an agile approach to software development.
Vidula Kulkarni
She introduced us to terms like ‘scrum master’, ‘agile coach’ and ‘sprint’ and orientated our development cycle away from delivering large pieces of work at once and towards producing smaller increments. This change of approach has meant our customers receive more regular updates, while agile practices, such as daily stand-ups and planning meetings, have allowed the Triquestra team to gain a better understanding of our customers and their business drivers.
"We started small, with a few people, and gradually expanded. The team quickly saw the benefits of agile, such as increased engagement and more efficient project management," Vidula explains.
But as she said in 2017, there’s a difference between ‘doing’ agile and ‘being’ agile. Under Vidula’s guidance, Triquestra has avoided a one-size-fits-all approach and has adapted the way we work to meet customers’ needs and expectations. As she explains, “The benefit has been to think of multiple ways to do a project. It's not a rote way of thinking. So, for example, we adopted a continuous delivery model for Z, which was agile based, but which was totally different from how we worked with Fantastic Furniture.”
In recent years, Vidula has worked as our programme manager, overseeing projects, providing mentorship and becoming involved in pre-sales activities.
Now, though, she’s ready to take on a new challenge away from software as she and her husband set up a permaculture farm in Kokan, Maharashtra, India. She’s excited about the opportunity to contribute to the local economy and improve environmental conditions through sustainable farming practices. And she’s looking forward to returning to life as a yoga teacher, too.
We wish Vidula all the very best for her future endeavours and look forward to hearing about progress from the farm!
