There are moments in your career that remind you why you do what you do. For me, seeing the impact of My School Fund (My School fund – Leading a High-Stakes Project on a Tight Budget and Timeline)—a project I had the privilege of leading the team—has been one of those moments. Leading the engineering team behind My School Fund was one of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences of my career. It wasn’t just another project—it was a mission to support schools and families by turning everyday spending into meaningful rewards. But knowing that this initiative is making a tangible difference in our community, especially in our schools, fills me with immense pride and satisfaction.
Since launching in 2021, My School Fund has given over £100,000 in rewards to schools! That’s real money going directly to support education, resources, and opportunities for students.
But it’s not just schools benefiting—over £200,000 in cashback rewards has been given to individuals who signed up for the scheme. Just by shopping at participating retailers, parents and carers are saving money for themselves while also supporting their children’s schools. These numbers aren’t just statistics; they represent the collective effort of parents, schools, and our team to create a positive impact. Every pound earned through My School Fund is a step toward a brighter future for our children and our community.
None of this would have been possible without the incredible team behind My School Fund. From the engineers who built the platform to the stakeholders who supported its rollout, every individual played a crucial role in bringing this vision to life. The trust, collaboration, and dedication of the team were the driving forces behind the project’s success.
If you haven’t already, I encourage you to join My School Fund. Whether you’re a parent or a school, your participation can make a difference. Let’s keep the momentum going and continue to invest in education—one purchase at a time.
As a tech professional, you complete many projects in your career, and some projects leave a lasting impact for some strange and unique reasons. In my career, I have had experience with a project like this, which was a massive project for a blue-chip client. This project despite years of effort and significant investment, never saw the light of day.
The Idea of a Platform to Revolutionize Dealership Incentive and reward Process
The project was for one of our big blue-chip clients, a well-known name car manufacturing company with hundreds of dealerships across the country.
They needed to build a platform that would connect their dealerships with product information, training materials, incentives, and rewards. The goal was to make things easier for the dealers, help them learn more, and motivate them to sell more. It was a big, exciting project, and we were thrilled to be part of it.
The Development Phase: Ten Months of Hard Work
Our team worked hard for eight months from the vision to build the platform. We made sure it had everything the client wanted. It was designed to be easy to use and packed with features to help dealerships work better. Both our management and development team worked really hard to ensure that every feature met our client’s requirements. The function design covered all the functionalities that could empower dealerships to operate more efficiently, connect to each other, share knowledge and get rewards for their sales. From product selection for rewards to training modules, tracking mechanisms, and reward systems, we completed building the solution within a year of time.
The First Hurdle: IT Restrictions and Access Issues
As we approached the testing phase, we hit the first significant problem. The client’s IT team had very strict rules about who could access their network and hosting environment. For example, setting up a test environment took several months, far longer than anticipated, as we had very limited input in the process. Once the servers were ready, the most frustrating challenge was getting a daily token to access the server where we were supposed to host the staging version of the platform. Every morning, we had to put in a request to their IT team for access to the servers, and by the time it was granted, half the day was already gone. As they did not have any automated process to raise a ticket, we had to email a shared email address to get a token. This delay slowed down our process dramatically and tested our patience. We suggested setting up a staging environment in our infrastructure that could speed up the process, but the client wanted to host everything within their servers. In the end, it took over 6 months to complete the staging part.
Staging to Live: More Restrictions, More Delays
After overcoming many many challenges, we finally completed the user acceptance testing in their staging environment. And we were ready to set up the live environment. However, this process brought even more restrictions. The client’s IT team had additional security procedures that further delayed the access to the live environment. What should have been a simple and quick process turned into a months-long struggle. After several months of meetings and discussions, we finally got access to the live servers, and we started setting up the platform. Even though we had the same difficulties of getting server access permission every day, we managed to set up everything as quickly as we could.
The Final Blow: A Corporate Move and Changing Priorities
Just as we were planning and getting ready to launch the platform, the client dropped a bombshell: their headquarters was relocating to a new location. The live environment was within a data centre of our client’s headquarters, and the moving of the headquarters meant that the launch had to be postponed. The client’s IT team had to work with the logistics of the move, prioritising their core platforms to remain operational during the transition. Even though it was initially expected to be completed within 6-8 months, it stretched into more than two years. During these 2 years, the project was updated many times to accommodate some new requirements and went through a few other changes.
The Cost of Delay: Over Half a Million Pounds and Counting
By this point, the development cost of the project had already reached over half a million pounds. On top of that, our company was paid over another quarter million pounds to manage and maintain the platform during the two-year delay. A third-party company was also involved in supplying physical pre-paid master cards that were branded for our client. We ended up with hundreds of Mastercards with our client logo on them but could not use them for anything else. It was a tremendous amount of money, and the platform, which could have helped the client so much, was sitting there, unused.
The End of the Road: A Change in Leadership and a Scrapped Project
After nearly four years(1 year of development, 1 year of modification, testing and setting up a live environment and 2 years of hibernation with some modification), the client underwent a change in leadership. The project’s cost was over a million pounds by that time. The new stakeholders, who had not been involved in the project’s development, took another 6 months to review the platform and decided that it no longer aligned with their vision. Even though the product was fully developed and ready to launch, the project was scrapped. The decision to scrap the project was very hard to digest for us. After five years of hard work, countless challenges, and a significant financial investment, the project was finally thrown to the bin without ever going live.
Lessons Learned and Lingering Questions
This unusual experience taught me some important lessons. A fully built, working platform that was thrown away after nearly five years showed me how crucial it is to have clear goals and the ability to adapt when things don’t go as planned. The final decision left me feeling disappointed as I believed the project had a lot of potential that was wasted. I could not understand how a company could spend so much money and time on something and walk away without getting anything out of it. And it also made me wonder how big companies could afford to spend so much without making sure the project would actually be useful in the end.
Even though the platform never went live, I hope the lessons I learned will help me in future projects. After all, even failed projects can teach us something valuable. As for the client, I can only hope they find some way to use the product, even if it’s for something different than originally planned.
Our products were widely recognized, and we had built a loyal customer base. The platform was not just a business—it was a testament to our team’s hard work, creativity, and dedication. In 2020, we began receiving interest from various parties looking to acquire the Choice Platform. It was a testament to our success, but it also marked the beginning of a difficult chapter. For reasons that were never fully clear to me, our CEO decided to sell the business.
On paper, this should have been a great moment. The sale meant success, and I was even offered a bonus for my contributions. But deep inside, I wasn’t entirely happy.
When we started Choice, the goal was long-term growth—a roadmap filled with exciting new products. So, knowing that the brand would continue under new ownership was somewhat reassuring. Plus, my team and I were contracted to manage and support the platform for three more years.
It felt like a win-win. Or so I thought.
The Shocking End
Just a year later, at the beginning of 2022, we received some unexpected and heartbreaking news—Blackhawk decided to shut down the Choice Platform completely.
Why? Because they had their own branded gift card that competed directly with Choice, and they didn’t want to keep both running.
And just like that, Choice was gone.
What It Felt Like
For my team and me, this was more than just a business decision. From its launch in 2018 to its peak as a market leader, it represented the best of what we could achieve as a team. Its sale and eventual closure were a reminder that not all stories have happy endings, but every experience shapes us in profound ways. It felt like watching something we built with so much passion disappear overnight.
We had spent years perfecting the platform, overcoming technical challenges, and working relentlessly to make it a success. And now, instead of expanding and growing, it was being wiped out.
But in business, as in life, not everything goes the way you hope. As I look back, I’m proud of what we accomplished. And who knows? The next big idea might be just around the corner.
Some projects start with a well-laid-out plan. Others? Well, they land on your desk when things don’t go as planned. That’s exactly what happened with My School Fund—an exciting initiative designed to help schools and nurseries earn cashback through everyday spending.
Initially, the plan was to hire contractors to build the project due to the internal development team’s other commitments. But finding the right contractor at the right time is difficult. By the time it became clear that external help wouldn’t work, we had already lost valuable development time. That’s when the project was handed over to our internal team—with even less time and an even tighter budget.
Now, here’s the thing about me: I don’t like saying no to a challenge. Some might say it’s a weakness, but I call it drive. But I had the luxury(I would say hard work to nurture them) of saying yes as I had a team that I had been leading for some time, whom I could trust, and they delivered some projects with challenging time frames. When you trust your team, know each other’s strengths, and push in the same direction, you can make magic happen.
In simple terms, My School Fund(https://www.myschoolfund.org/) connects schools, nurseries, and parents in a win-win cashback scheme.
👉 Parents sign up and link their credit card. 👉 When they shop at Argos or Sainsbury’s, they earn cashback—2% for themselves and 1% for their child’s school or nursery. 👉 Schools use that cashback to boost their budgets. 👉 Parents redeem their cashback as e-gift cards.
Sounds simple, right? Not quite.
Behind the Scenes: A Complex Process
Making this work required seamless coordination between multiple parties:
ESPO (our client) visits schools to explain the program.
Schools promote the initiative to parents.
Parents sign up with the program and link their credit cards. The web portal was developed by us https://www.myschoolfund.org/
Transactions happen at participating retailers (Argos, Sainsbury’s).
A third-party provider (Fidel) collects the transaction data, and we collect these data through API.
Receive data sent to Sainsbury’s for verification through an automated file transferring process.
Sainsbury’s filters out ineligible purchases (e.g., alcohol, cigarettes), and we collect the filtered data through another file-transferring process.
Verified cashback is allocated to parents and schools through an automated process.
Parents and schools can redeem their cashback for e-gift cards.
We issue and supply the e-gift cards by connecting to retailer APIs .
A lot of data movement, API calls, file transfers, and verification processes were involved—meaning a lot could go wrong if not handled carefully.
Making It Work Against the Odds
With time already lost, we had to be smart, efficient, and focused. There was no room for delays, no budget for mistakes. So, how did we pull it off? With the clock ticking and the budget stretched thin, my team and I rolled up our sleeves and got to work.
✔ Clear ownership: Having worked together for years, we knew each other’s strengths and weaknesses. This allowed us to allocate tasks efficiently and trust one another to deliver. Each team member knew exactly what they had to deliver.
✔ Quick decision-making: No red tape, no endless meetings—just solutions. We focused on simplifying workflows and automating repetitive tasks to save time and reduce errors.
✔ Collaborating with Stakeholders: Constant communication with ESPO, retailers, and third-party providers ensured that everyone was aligned and working toward the same goal
✔ Trusting the team: Knowing who excels at what to move fast.
✔ Iterative delivery: We built in stages, solving issues as they came. When issues arose—and they did—we addressed them head-on, finding creative solutions to keep the project on track.
✔ Laser focus on the goal: Most importantly, we weren’t aiming for “perfect”—we were aiming for done, functional, and secure.
Despite the hurdles, we made it work. We kept refining, fixing, and improving the process until everything ran smoothly. The tight timeline and limited budget made it tough, but that’s what makes success taste even sweeter.
One of my platforms, Leave Monitor, which I originally developed in my spare time, needed a facelift as its old design had become outdated. I have a lot of clients using the platform, so it was necessary to give them a fresh look of the product. Over the past few years, I’ve been working to give it a modern look while also adding new features to enhance its functionality. After a lot of effort and refinement, I’m excited to announce that the new design has finally been released, bringing a much-improved user experience and updated capabilities.
Businesses are changing fast, and they must adapt quickly to meet customer demands while maintaining operational efficiency. As our company specializes in supplying digital gift cards, we are responsible for delivering thousands of gift cards every hour. Previously, we relied on physical gift cards, which were not only expensive to manage and deliver but also risky, as they could be lost in the post. To address these issues, I was in charge of digitalizing our gift card delivery process and building a robust Advance Voucher Management System (AVMS).
Cost Efficiency: Digital vouchers eliminate the need for manual purchase, management and shipping, significantly reducing costs.
Speed: Digital delivery ensures instant access to gift cards, enhancing customer satisfaction.
Risk Mitigation: Digital vouchers eliminate the risk of physical cards being lost or stolen during delivery.
Challenges in Digital Voucher Management
As we entered the digital gift card market, we discovered a diverse ecosystem of suppliers offering digital gift cards through APIs. Some retailers, like Amazon, had their own proprietary APIs, while others relied on third-party processors. These processors use different technologies, creating potential roadblocks in our voucher delivery system.
Additionally, digital vouchers came in various formats—some as URLs, others as codes, and some requiring a code and PIN combination. Given these complexities, a flexible and scalable architecture was needed. So, microservices architecture came to my mind as a natural solution.
AVMS Architecture
To accommodate two distinct client types(B2C and B2B) requiring vouchers from our ecosystem, I designed a dual API gateway structure:
API Gateway for Internal Application (B2C): This gateway serves our internal applications, such as the Choice platform. For example, when a customer decides to redeem a Choice gift card for an Argos gift card, the Choice platform would connect to this gateway.
API Gateway for 3rd-Party Application:(B2B) This is for external clients who require digital vouchers for their own platforms. This gateway comes with enhanced security and additional microservices to cater to third-party integrations.
Key Microservices in the Voucher Management System
Each gateway is supported by four common core microservices, with an additional service for third-party API connections:
Order Service: This service handles all incoming orders, whether from internal or external platforms.
Catalogue Service: This service provides details about our gift card offering and allows internal teams to manage the retailer catalogue.
Stock Service: This service manages stock levels and works with the order process to ensure availability. Many retailers do not offer API-based gift cards, requiring our team to upload vouchers received via Excel files manually.
The stock service leverages two specialized microservices:
On-Demand Voucher Service: Handle vouchers supplied in real-time through API integrations.
Distribution Service: This service manages voucher delivery via email, offering both standard and customizable templates based on client requirements.
Account Service: This service facilitates account management for external clients, allowing them to configure API connections, create additional accounts, and top up balances.
Given the diverse technologies used by different retailers and processors, isolating them into separate services ensured system resilience. If one retailer or processor faced issues, the rest of the system remained unaffected.
Designing and leading the development of this voucher management system has been an incredibly rewarding experience. The transition from physical to digital gift cards has streamlined operations, reduced costs, and enhanced reliability. By leveraging microservices architecture, we have built a scalable, flexible, and resilient system capable of adapting to the dynamic nature of digital gift card distribution.
plan came to me in April 2018. The goal was clear: launch the product by November 2018 to capture the Christmas market. With other companies working on similar products, it was a race to be first in the market.
When the concept of the Choice platform came to me, we already knew competitors were working on the same idea. Our CEO gave us a clear mission: “You’ve got six months. Be the first to market”. By the end of 2018, we launched GiftChoice, just in time for Christmas shopping. Both Choice and LifeStyle do the same basic thing—they let people pick where they want to spend their gift card.
Competition? Bring It On!
Honestly, competition is a good thing. It means more people are interested in flexible gift cards, which means this market is growing fast.
But here’s the thing: we were first, we’re still the best, and we’re not slowing down. While LifeStyle is just getting started, we’re already working on our next big upgrade—on-demand retailer vouchers! Soon, when someone picks a store, we’ll get their gift voucher directly from the retailer, so we don’t have to keep stock. Faster, better, smarter.
So, am I worried about LifeStyle? Nope. Every time I walk into a store and see Choice next to their cards, I smile. It’s a reminder that we did something great—and we did it first.
When we launched the first product of the choice platform (Introducing GiftChoice for Ultimate Gift Card Experience – A Product I am Proud to Lead) at the end of 2018, we did not know how the market would respond. As we launched the product at the last minute to catch the Christmas period, it was not easy to put the product in every Sainsbury and Argos shop due to the limited time in the distribution process. But things changed in 2019 as most of the shops had stocks, and sales started to grow.
It has been a very busy 2019 and 2020 for the choice technology team. After successfully launching GiftChoice, our first product in the Choice Platform, I led the engineering team to launch three more products in 2019 and one more product in 2020. StyleChoice, FitnesChoice and SocialChoice for the B2C market and GroceryChoice for the B2B market. All three B2C cards are now available in all major high-street shops, including Sainsbury’s, Argos, Currys, WHSmith, Wilko, PC World, Shell, and many other high-street shops. When I visit any of these retailers, it feels amazing to see the products that my team and I have developed on the shelf.
Choice has become one of the most popular gift card brands in the market, and we now supply millions of pounds worth of vouchers every month. StyleChoice offers vouchers for around 30 styling brands, including Adidas, Nike, and Reebok. SocialChoice provides brands from restaurant chains and entertainment spots, making it the perfect gift for social outings.
Due to the flexibility of the choice product, StyleChoice was also highlighted in the BBC article as a better choice when selecting gift cards.
New Challenges
But, bringing more Choice products and brands presented new challenges for us in terms of implementing them within the platform. However, my decision to set up the project as a SaaS model gave us the flexibility to make necessary changes based on product requirements. We kept the flexibility as much as possible when we launched the first product, GiftChoice. Since we did not have enough time to brainstorm the application structure exactly as we wanted, we kept many options open.
Here are some of the major technological challenges that we faced while launching new products and how we overcame them:
1. Integrating with Various High Street POS Systems
Different high-street POS systems work with different providers and technologies. This meant we had to adapt our integration process to comply with various technical requirements. To solve this, we built a modular API system that allowed seamless integration with multiple POS providers. We also collaborated closely with retailers to ensure smooth implementation.
2. Identifying Different Card Types for Central Verification
Since all cards go through a central verification process, identifying and categorizing each type was a challenge. To address this, we implemented a prefix process with the voucher code that allowed us to automatically recognize the card type. This allowed for quick and accurate validation without checking it with the database. We also set up a parent website where users can redeem any of the choice products.
3. Compliance with Different Brand Guidelines
Each brand we partnered with had its own terms and conditions, as well as a unique colour palette that our platform needed to comply with. To streamline this process, we developed a flexible UI framework that allowed us to customize the branding and terms for each retailer dynamically. This saved us time and ensured compliance with all brand requirements.
4. Managing Retailer Voucher Stock to Reduce Losses
Initially, we stocked retailer vouchers in advance, but this approach led to financial losses when less popular vouchers expired. To solve this, we developed a system that connects to the retailer API to get vouchers on demand where possible. I already have an artcile about this project that i published earlier this year. The microservice architecture of the project allows us to integrate with more retailers in future. So, instead of keeping a physical stock, we now integrate directly with retailer APIs to generate vouchers when needed. Unfortunately, not all retailers offer this service, but we managed to set it up for most of the popular brands, eliminating the issue of voucher expiry at a huge level.
5. Ensuring the Security of Stored Vouchers
Securing vouchers stored in our database was a critical challenge, as they represent real monetary value. We implemented end-to-end encryption and multi-factor authentication for all transactions. Additionally, we built an anomaly detection system to flag any suspicious activities, ensuring that our vouchers remain protected. I also published an article about this earlier this year.
6. Different Value Gift Cards
Another challenge we faced was the varying values of our gift cards. GiftChoice initially launched with a fixed £25 value, and the plan was to launch every new product with the same value. But SocialChoice came with £30 vouchers, and GroceryChoice had £10 vouchers. This meant our platform had to adapt to handle multiple values seamlessly. To address this, we redesigned our system to support dynamic pricing. This allowed us to process and manage vouchers of different values without disrupting the user experience. It was a significant technical adjustment, but it ensured that our platform could scale with the growing diversity of our products.
Choice Platform Roadmap
We plan to roll out the choice card to more high-street retailers, including ASDA, in September 2020, one of the biggest supermarkets in the UK. As for the product roadmap, this is how it looks.
One of my biggest satisfaction
The Choice Platform has been a huge success, but if you ask me what one of the best outcomes is for me personally, I would say it’s the moment when I see my 8-year-old daughter get excited every time she sees her “Daddy’s card” while shopping. That moment makes me feel proud.
I’m excited to see where the Choice Platform will take us next. The journey hasn’t been easy, but it’s been incredibly rewarding, and I’m proud of what we’ve built together.
A couple of months ago, In November 2018, we proudly launched GiftChoice, the first product under the “Choice Platform” series by Intelligent Card Services. This is not an ordinary gift card. It is designed to give people the freedom and flexibility to use gift cards with multiple retailers. Traditionally, the gift cards are tied to a single retailer/brand. Gift choice breaks this tradition and allows you to choose any retailer you want.
I had the privilege of leading the engineering team to bring this product to life in just six months—a dream come true for us. I am delighted to share the story behind the GiftChoice card and how it’s changing how we think about gift cards.
The problem that we want to solve
If you’ve ever bought or received a gift card, you have probably faced this issue: most gift cards are tied to a single retailer. For example, if someone gives you a £25 Argos voucher, you can only spend it at Argos. What if you don’t want to buy anything from Argos? The card might sit in your wallet for months and go unused. This limitation has been a frustration for both gift receivers for years.
We saw an opportunity to fill this gap in the market. Why not create a gift card that the receiver can exchange with any retailer that they want? That’s exactly what we did with GiftChoice. Now, when you give someone a GiftChoice card, they can pick from 30 retailers/brands, ensuring the gift is both thoughtful and practical.
The Challenge
The GiftChoice plan came to me in April 2018. The goal was clear: launch the product by November 2018 to capture the Christmas market. With other companies working on similar products, it was a race to be first in the market.
But here’s the catch—we had just six months to design, develop, and deliver the product. Typically, a project like this would take a year or more. So, I had minimal time to think about it. I had a quick meeting with my team and decided it would be a huge challenge, which we are happy to take. Even though not everyone was 100% sure about completing the project by the launch date, I was confident with my team.
The Race Against Time
We had to move fast, but we also had to be innovative. After tirelessly working with the product and design teams, we finalised the physical card design and the function design of the platform. I set up two development teams spread across the UK and India and worked tirelessly to meet the tight deadline. I started one development team to work on setting up the framework of the project to cover the standard functions of an application. I also took the executive decision to use technologies like ASP.NET, Angular, and SQL Server, which our team was already familiar with, to speed up the process and to keep it simple. Also, decided to use a SAAS (Software as a Service) model, which allowed us to create a flexible platform that could support multiple “Choice” series in the future. The plan was to use each choice card as a client and have their own branding.
Once the functional design was ready, my idea was to prepare the customer-facing product first. This meant that some of the back-end processes, like automating voucher deliveries and setting up customer ticketing systems, would be developed after the initial launch. It was a bold move, but it paid off. After tirelessly working with my team (and a pregnant wife), GiftChoice went live in mid-November 2018 and was ready for the holiday season. Currently, the GiftChoice cards are available to purchase from every Sainsbury’s and Argos in the UK.
How GiftChoice Works
Here’s a simple breakdown of how GiftChoice works:
Purchase the Card: You buy a £25 GiftChoice card from Sainsbury’s, Argos, or our website.
Activate the Card: When the cashier swipes the card at the till, it gets activated by calling our API.
Scratch and Reveal: You scratch the card to reveal a unique voucher code.
Visit Our Website: Go to the GiftChoice website and enter the voucher code to exchange or redeem.
Choose Your Retailer: Our system validates the code and lets you select one retailer from a list of 30.
Confirm Your Choice: Once you’ve chosen a retailer (e.g., Argos), you confirm your selection.
Receive Your Voucher: We mark the voucher as redeemed and instantly email you a £25 Argos voucher that you can use in-store or online.
What’s Next for GiftChoice?
We plan to launch Style Choice, Social Choice, and Grocery Choice in 2019, each catering to different interests and lifestyles.
We are also expanding our reach. The first batch of GiftChoice cards is already available at Sainsbury’s and Argos, and we plan to make them available at most high-street retailers over the next two years.
Currently, we are using a stock of vouchers from each retailer, but we’re working on something even more significant. Our next project involves connecting directly to retailer APIs to generate vouchers on demand. This will eliminate the need for stock management where possible and make the process even more seamless.
Launching GiftChoice in just six months was one of the toughest challenges of my career, but it was also one of the most rewarding. Seeing the product on the high street shelves makes me proud. A big big salute to all the members of the product, design and development team who made this possible. Especially the development team, who worked a lot of weekends without any additional benefits to finish the product on time. That is where I see the value of team bonding and the passion for completing a challenge kicked in. The development team that I set up were ready for any challenge, and they delivered. And this is just the beginning. With more “Choice” platforms on the horizon, we’re excited to continue innovating and bringing even more flexibility to gifting.
So, the next time you plan to buy a gift card for someone, consider purchasing a GiftChoice card.
Every great project starts with an idea, and for us, it all began with our CEO’s vision. The leadership team recognized the need to boost employee engagement and create a more connected workplace. The idea was simple yet powerful—encourage employees to invest time in meaningful activities and reward them for their efforts. After the initial brainstorming sessions, the concept took shape. We initially called it 120 Hours, but it changed to 121 Hours at the end.
Phase 1: Defining the 120-Hour Concept
The core idea of 120 Hours was to encourage employees to accumulate 120 hours of engagement in a year across five key categories:
Wellbeing – Activities focused on mental and physical health.
Innovate – Contributions towards innovative solutions within the company
Recognize – Acknowledging and appreciating fellow employees’ efforts.
Share – Sharing knowledge and expertise through mentoring or training.
Sustain – Efforts to promote sustainability and corporate responsibility.
At the end of the year, employees would be rewarded for their participation in these activities. Their collected hours would be converted into additional leave days, with a maximum of five extra days off per year based on their level of engagement. This provided both motivation and a tangible benefit for employees who actively contributed to company culture.
Phase 2: Expanding the Vision to 121 Hours
After receiving initial feedback, the leadership team decided to take the concept a step further. The project evolved into 121 Hours, adding one extra hour—the Chairman’s Award. This prestigious hour would be granted at the chairman’s discretion to recognize employees who had made an outstanding impact throughout the year.
With this refined vision, we moved forward into the next crucial phase: turning the idea into reality.
Phase 3: Planning and Analysis
With the concept finalized, the next step was to translate the idea into a tangible solution. A cross-functional team was assembled, including HR professionals, IT specialists, and project managers, to plan and analyze the requirements. Key considerations included:
Scalability: Ensuring the platform could handle a large number of users and adapt to future enhancements.
User Experience: How employees get their hours, track progress, and view rewards.
Categories and Scoring: Defining the criteria for each category and ensuring a fair and transparent scoring system.
Reward Mechanism: Automating the conversion of hours into leave days and integrating it with the company’s HR system. Employees who have achieved their time bank can redeem their reward for extra time off or for category-related rewards.
Phase 4: Architectural and Functional Design
Once the planning and analysis phase was complete, the team moved on to designing the system. The architectural design focused on creating a robust, secure, and scalable web application. Key components included:
User Interface (UI): A clean, intuitive dashboard where employees can log activities, track progress, and view rewards.
Backend System: A database to store employee data, activity logs, and reward calculations.
Integration: Seamless integration with the company’s existing HR and leave management systems.
Security: Ensuring data privacy and compliance with company policies and regulations.
Progress Tracking: Real-time tracking of hours collected, with visual progress bars and notifications.
Reward Calculation: Automatic conversion of hours into leave days, with a cap of 5 days per year.
System Architecture – Creating a scalable platform that could handle user submissions, approvals, and tracking.
Functionality Planning – Defining core features such as: Employee dashboards to track hours. A submission and approval workflow. Automated reward calculation and leave allocation. Reporting and analytics for HR teams.
This phase was crucial in ensuring a seamless user experience before moving into development.
Phase 5: Development, Testing and Implementation
With the designs approved, the development team began building the web application. Agile methodologies were employed to ensure flexibility and timely delivery. Key milestones included:
Prototype Development: A basic version of the application was created for testing and feedback.
Iterative Improvements: Based on feedback from HR and employees, the application was refined and enhanced.
Testing: Rigorous testing was conducted to ensure the application was bug-free and met all functional requirements.
Training: HR teams and employees were trained on how to use the application effectively.
Phase 6- Launch, deployment and maintenance.
After months of development and rigorous testing, 121 Hours was successfully launched. The journey from concept to execution was filled with challenges, but through careful planning and collaboration, we built a successful employee engagement platform that not only benefited individuals but also strengthened our company’s values.
My Role as the Head of Technology – Leading from the Front
In the journey of transforming the “120 Hours” concept into the fully functional “121 Hours” web application, my role as the Head of Technology was multifaceted and dynamic. While it was challenging to define my role in a single sentence, as I was deeply involved in every phase of the project, my primary responsibility revolved around leading the technical vision, making critical decisions, and ensuring seamless execution across teams.
From the very beginning, I worked closely with the CEO, HR leadership, and other stakeholders to understand the core objectives of the program. My role was to translate the conceptual idea into a technically feasible solution. This involved asking the right questions, identifying potential challenges, and aligning the technical roadmap with the business goals.
The project required collaboration across multiple teams, including developers, designers, HR professionals, and project managers. As the Head of Technology, I acted as the central point of coordination, ensuring that every team was aligned with the project’s objectives. I facilitated brainstorming sessions, resolved conflicts, and kept everyone focused on delivering a high-quality product.
One of my primary responsibilities was to make critical technical decisions that would shape the application’s architecture and functionality. Some of the key decisions I led included Choosing the Tech Stack, Defining the Architecture, Prioritizing Features, Ensuring Security and Compliance, closely monitoring the development process, ensuring that the team adhered to best practices in coding, testing, and deployment.
