Meet Abdul, AEM developer for A.S.Adventure

“AEM is a system that allows companies to create web pages in a relatively simple way. I program our commercial websites with this, so my web colleagues at A.S.Adventure can work with it. They can create a page by dragging the different components to the right place. If colleagues do encounter a problem or something more complex needs to be done, they can come to me.”

“I work with a lot of different people and teams, such as the front-end and back-end team, within the Yonderland group. It is Europe’s largest outdoor retailer, of which A.S.Adventure is part. We share our knowledge where we can, so that we can help and assist each other when needed.”

“I quite like working in a team now. In the beginning, there was a bit of a learning curve, but I’m getting to know everyone better and getting more and more responsibility. Within the team, you are assigned a specific task and you have to make sure you deliver a completely finished product. Since we give demos for this, it's important to deliver on time. It gives me great satisfaction to present what I have created to the team.”

“As we work with consultants – who often work remotely – in addition to our internal team, the working language in our team is English. I myself sit at a desk with the front-end developers. Back-end has its own island and business analysts also sit nearby. When we need each other, we never have to look far.”

“Each morning starts with a stand-up meeting. In it, we talk about what we did the previous day, what problems we encountered, and what we plan to do today. It is the perfect moment to share solutions or ask for help. Then we pick a ticket with a task and start working. You analyse how to solve a problem or what code you are going to write or test out.”

“In between, we also help the support team with their queries. Sometimes it’s as simple as rebooting the system, at other times I really have to dig deep to find an error. We also discuss certain tickets and projects in agile meetings, and sometimes a colleague will come to my desk with a question. For example, I like to help the rest of the team if they don’t understand something about Adobe Experience Manager. So there’s always something to do.”

“I started in a junior position and can always turn to the seniors in our team if I get stuck. The colleagues make it really nice to work here. All sorts of things are organised, such as game nights, or we go for a drink together after work. Last year, during the team-building event in the Ardennes, I could only be there for a day because I had just become a father. I am already looking forward to travelling to the Netherlands with the team soon, for the full on team-building experience.”

“If I can give a tip to new colleagues, it is to be open. There is the impression that IT professionals are all rather timid, but our team really consists of different personalities. Anyone can fit in with us. I myself am rather introverted, the quiet type. But when you get to know the colleagues better, you notice how open everyone is here. Everyone is always friendly and ready to help. You don’t have to be afraid to talk to people or ask questions.”

“A.S.Adventure is definitely a place for those who love nature. It's not just branding. Our office is located near the green Hoboken Polder, where you can go for a walk during the lunch break. There are also all kinds of things being organised around sustainability. For example, we will soon be participating in a River Cleanup together with colleagues.”

“Another reason to come and work at our head office is our receptionist, Natascha. She is the happiest face in the company and greets you with a smile every morning when you come in.”