Meet Irfan Syed, QA Architect at Progress

Today, we shine a spotlight on Irfan Syed, who has been recognized for “Uphold Trust,” one of the ProgressPROUD core values we strive to embody every day.

When Irfan Syed joined Progress back in 2010, he didn’t expect to be here 13 years later. As someone who likes to constantly take on new challenges, staying with the same company for that long seemed unfathomable.

Fast forward to today, Irfan still has the same desire to be challenged professionally—and he’s still at Progress. Learn more about Irfan, his move from India to the U.S. and more in the interview below.

How did you get into the tech field?

While studying for my engineering degree, I was selected to work at a multi-national software company in India. I had the privilege of being part of the first group at that company to undergo training in software testing, which enabled me to learn new software technologies and collaborate on customer applications. Interacting with clients to fulfill their software needs became an integral part of my role.

After that, I worked for several firms in India and UAE before getting an opportunity to work for Progress in 2010. In 2015, I continued my employment with Progress by relocating to the United States.

How did that move come about?

My wife had to move to the U.S. because of her job, so I asked Progress if they could relocate me. Within a very short amount of time, they came back to me and said they could do that.

How was the process of moving? Was it stressful, scary, exciting?

It was a mixture of everything. 😊 Moving to a new country and being away from extended family is hard, but it somehow worked out well. I moved one week before my wife did, and we asked a few friends of ours who were already living here for help finding a house in a good community. By the time my wife and child came to the U.S. the week after, we were all set.

Progress gave me enough time to settle down before I started working seriously, so it was a smooth transition. We’ve now been in the U.S. more than nine years, and we’re both enjoying our stay and our work.

How does trust factor into your day-to-day work as a QA Architect?

Most of the engineering teams at Progress follow the SAFe Agile Process. We plan our work at the beginning of the program increment to achieve a specific objective. In this process of getting the work done, we collaborate with individual teams and teams of teams. Without trust, we would not be able to plan, execute and accomplish the work, and provide it to the customers to seek feedback.

The trust in individuals and teams is essential for us to execute our plan, and having that trust significantly contributes to achieving business outcomes.

What is your favorite part of your job right now?

I am currently working on a new SaaS Product. It provides a lot of opportunities for me to define modern standards for testing, use cutting-edge technology, build dashboards to assess quality and a lot more. As this is a new product, I’m able to implement and learn up-to-date quality standards, which is very exciting for me. Implementing and establishing these standards in this product will enable us to leverage them in other products.

What do you think makes Progress a great company?

I’ve said this to my friends and colleagues: I did not expect to work in a company for more than a year or two, because I get bored easily. But somehow, Progress has kept me motivated and made me stay for more than 13 years, and that’s a miracle. This is a testament to the many attributes of Progress:

• Opportunities for consistent growth and a flexible working environment
• Great work culture and consistently challenging tasks that keep individuals motivated
• Commitment to inclusion and diversity and respect for all individuals
• Team members who encourage new ideas and mentor for growth
• Diverse and interesting technology, which provides a lot of opportunities for innovation and learning
• Strong commitment to building software that meets customers’ needs

These are the attributes I would use to describe Progress, and they’re what make Progress a great company.

When you’re not working, what do you like to do?

When I am not working, I spend most of my time with my family. I also love volleyball and aim to play at least twice a week. I regularly participate in local volleyball tournaments in Massachusetts.

If you weren’t doing the job you have now, what do you think you’d be doing?

I may have earned a master’s degree in Electronics and Communications and pursued my career in that field. If not, I would have started some kind of startup, as I was deeply passionate during my formative years. Or I would have pursued teaching—I was greatly inspired and influenced by my teachers and their experiences.

What are you most excited about for the future of Progress?

Personally, I am very much excited about the acquisition strategy. In a world where everyone is crafting exceptional software, we love to integrate the software we build with other cutting-edge solutions. Progress’ strategic acquisitions bring that to fruition. The fantastic technologies we acquire aren’t just additions, but perfect complements to the software we already have. We get to integrate products and build something technically great that not only meets market needs but also leaves our customers delighted.

To get to know other Progressers like Irfan, read more of our employee interviews here.

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