With over 3 years of experience in the software industry, I joined ISS Software GmbH, a provider of software solutions for insurance companies. This role allowed me to tackle complex technical and organizational challenges, further honing my skills and adaptability.
The insurance industry often relies on outdated software due to budget constraints and resistance to change. At ISS, I worked with a unique codebase structure involving a “main” branch, “customer” branches, and numerous “customer feature” branches. This setup created significant maintenance challenges. Additionally, the codebase was primarily in Java 7, with minimal testing at both the code and database levels.
The team faced isolation among engineers, leading to inefficiencies and complexities. Changes in the “main” branch often conflicted with “customer” branches, and the waterfall development methodology caused bottlenecks in the workflow.