Contributor: Lorraine Lachica

Introduction

Opn Con, our inaugural internal developer conference, was a resounding success! Held on September 27th at our office, the event brought together Opners from all corners of the company for a day of learning, connection, and celebration.

Inspired by the endless possibilities of LEGO bricks, we incorporated a playful and creative element into Opn Con. This theme perfectly aligned with the conference's focus on "Innovation in Tech and Payments."

From the insightful presentations to the lively networking opportunities, Opn Con offered something for everyone. In this blog post, I'll take you on a journey through the event day and share what made it so memorable.

Event Day Run-down

Keynote Speech

The conference kicked off with an inspiring keynote speech by Raghavendran Sukumar, an external speaker and Director for Payments Delivery at FIS Global. Raghavendran shared his insights on the evolution of payments and the role of technology, highlighting emerging trends and the importance of perspective in solving real-world problems.

Breakout Sessions

Attendees had the opportunity to choose from a variety of breakout sessions led by industry experts and internal developers.

• AWS AI Stack (Patis Piriyahaphan, AWS Thailand): This session delved into the tools and services offered by AWS that can be used to build and deploy intelligent applications. The session was voted the most liked breakout session by the respondents of the survey. The talk focused on Agents for Amazon Bedrock and showed a demo of an online barista that can take orders.

• Technical Challenges of an AI Startup (Kass Chupongstimun, mojen.ai): Kass Chupongstimun, who is part of the AI image generator startup mojen.ai, shared insights into the common challenges faced by AI startups. He discussed issues like fluctuating GPU prices, sudden spikes in resource usage, and the challenge of overcoming cold start times to ensure optimal performance.

• Git at Work (David Whitlock): This session provided practical tips and tricks for using git effectively in a collaborative development environment.

• Building a Payment System Using Google Cloud (Anas Naouchi): This session explored the use of Google Cloud Platform (GCP) for building secure and scalable payment systems.

• Latency Testing in SDLC (Win Watcharaphalakorn): Win discussed the importance of integrating performance testing into the software development lifecycle (SDLC) and presented techniques for measuring and optimizing system latency.

• Better Spec (North Vijidboonchuvong): North highlighted the importance of writing clear and concise specifications to ensure efficient development and project success.

• Future of Payment Processing with AI Technology (Mousum Dutta): Mousum, who is an expert in Analytics, Machine Learning, and Artificial Intelligence, explored the potential of AI to revolutionize the payments industry, from fraud prevention to automated reconciliation.

Lightning Talks

The lightning talks showcased the diverse expertise of our developers in a fast-paced format. Each speaker had 10 minutes to present on a variety of topics ranging from cutting-edge tools to personal insights on the industry.

• UI Design Library (Sylvain Dormieu): Sylvain presented the concept of a company-wide UI design library to improve design consistency and developer efficiency.

• Testcontainers (Timur Iskhakov): Timur introduced Testcontainers, a tool that simplifies integration testing by providing real databases and other external dependencies.

• React Server Components (Rajib Das Shuva): Rajib discussed the new React Server Components feature, which allows developers to render components on the server side, improving performance and SEO.

• Musings of a 50-year-old Programmer (Darren Burford): Darren shared his insights on organization, documentation, leadership, and following experienced professionals. He also quoted a famous saying about learning wisdom through reflection, imitation, and experience.

Women in Fintech

The Women in Fintech panel discussion at Opn Con provided valuable insights into the experiences and challenges faced by women in the industry. The panelists, Nor Kanjanahattakij, Pornphan (Rainy) Buranapim, and Jitsupa (Ple) Cheowit, were moderated by Natty Petchpaibool, who skillfully guided the discussion and encouraged thoughtful dialogue among the panelists.

The panel discussion focused on the experiences of women in fintech, with a particular emphasis on career development, work-life balance, and gender equality. Panelists shared their personal stories about how they landed jobs in the fintech industry and the challenges they faced along the way. Work-life balance and imposter syndrome were common themes discussed, highlighting the unique challenges that women can encounter in this field.

Key takeaways from the panel discussion included:

• Work-life blend: The panelists emphasized the importance of finding a balance between work and personal life. This concept, known as "work-life blend," acknowledges that work and personal life are interconnected and often overlap.

• The value of diversity: The panelists highlighted the importance of diversity in the fintech industry. They emphasized that having a diverse team can lead to more innovative and creative solutions.

• Overcoming imposter syndrome: Imposter syndrome is a common feeling among women in tech, but the panelists shared their experiences and strategies for overcoming this challenge.

• Career advice: The panelists offered advice to aspiring women in fintech, emphasizing the importance of continuous learning, networking, and seeking mentors.

One of the standout moments of the panel discussion was Ple's sharing of her experience working with young people in the fintech industry. She expressed her preference for working with younger individuals, describing them as energetic, positive, and inspiring. Ple noted that interacting with young people made her feel rejuvenated and motivated, highlighting the positive impact of intergenerational collaboration in the workplace.

Nor shared her experience with imposter syndrome and emphasized the importance of focusing on her strengths and continuously learning and growing.

Additionally, Rainy emphasized the importance of having a reliable and capable team as a key factor in achieving a work-life blend. She shared her experience of being able to take vacations and enjoy time with family, knowing that her team was capable of handling their responsibilities in her absence. Rainy's perspective highlighted the importance of building a strong and supportive team as a foundation for a successful and fulfilling career.

In response to a question from the audience about gender equality in fintech, the panelists agreed that Opn values the contributions of all employees, regardless of gender, creating a supportive and inclusive environment for women in the industry. Nor also pointed out that unlike the military, which values strength and order, the fintech industry values innovation and creativity, making gender less of a factor in determining success.

The panel discussion was a valuable opportunity for attendees to learn from the experiences of successful women in fintech and to gain insights into the challenges and opportunities that exist in this field.

Networking Opportunities

While Opn Con didn't have formally scheduled networking events, the conference provided ample opportunities for attendees to connect and build relationships. During breaks, Opners took advantage of the time to catch up with colleagues, discuss topics related to the conference, and explore potential collaborations.

The informal atmosphere of Opn Con encouraged attendees to approach speakers and other participants with questions or to simply strike up a conversation. This spontaneous interaction fostered a sense of community and facilitated meaningful connections.

According to the post-event survey, many attendees voted that their favorite part of Opn Con was "Connecting with fellow Opners." The networking opportunities contributed significantly to the overall conference experience, allowing attendees to learn from their peers, explore new ideas, and build valuable relationships.

Future Plans:

• Continue fostering innovation: We will continue to create platforms for developers to share ideas and collaborate.

• Expand the scope: We plan to explore new topics and themes for future events, potentially including topics relevant to all departments within the company.

• Enhance the attendee experience: We will strive to improve the logistics and overall experience for future participants.

• By organizing Opn Con, we've demonstrated the value of internal developer conferences in fostering innovation, collaboration, and employee engagement.

After-Party

The day concluded with a lively after-party filled with music, food, drinks, and fun. Attendees had the chance to relax and unwind. The after-party was a great opportunity for further networking and socializing, allowing attendees to build bonds and create unforgettable memories.

Conclusion

The conference showcased the talent and creativity of our developers, fostered a sense of community, and provided valuable opportunities for professional growth.

One of the standout moments of Opn Con was the lightning talks, which highlighted the diverse range of topics and skills within our team. Attendees were particularly impressed by the passion and enthusiasm of the presenters.

Beyond the educational aspects, Opn Con provided a valuable platform for networking and building relationships. Attendees had the opportunity to connect with colleagues from different departments, share ideas, and learn from each other's experiences. Additionally, the conference offered a unique opportunity for developers to practice their presentation and communication skills in a supportive environment.

As we look ahead, we are excited to continue building on the success of Opn Con. We are already planning future conferences with new and exciting themes.

Stay tuned for updates on our next Opn Con!